Was a Spyder a Mistake?

[Freddy]

Well it looks like we're successfully scared the OP away and I can't blame him for that. Reliability certainly ain't the Spyder's strongest point of appeal. Just as well for BRP we buy em (7 in honda's case) for other reasons primarily.

 

[spyderdavee]

On my 2nd Rt the first one had 25000 miles when it was killed hitting a deer at 60 mph, bent the frame, I was hardly shook. The replacement 17 has 19000 miles on it. Neither one has seen the dealership except for routine maintenance and to put car tires on. Luckily I have a dealership 35 miles away that seems inexpensive compared to what I see in the forums. No mistake buying the Spyder. Getting ready now for 2k trip west. While my 84 yo cousin is getting ready for a 2500 mile tour of East Coast on his 14 RT with 45000 on it. Neither of us would even consider trips like these if we felt there was any reliability issues.

 

[Leftlady66]

I have a love/hate relationship with mine sometimes. I love how it rides, handles, corners and of course how it looks. I hate how much it costs to fix anything on it and the service calls. Hubby wants me to try a 3 wheel goldwing. He only changes the oil.

 

[Wahrsuul]

I just couldn't get into the idea of a GW trike. They're more expensive and I've heard that a lot of dealers won't work on them.

 

[Raprider]

With only a year and half and 5k miles, my dog in this fight is minimal. I did a decent amount of reading here, but nothing I found scared me away. I'm not really mechanical and don't do or plan to do too much on my own (yet), but my dealer (dedicated Can-Am) is 40 miles away, another dealer (multi-line) is within 15 miles, and a third (also multi-line) within 30 if needed.

Considering that the 100,000th Spyder was sold sometime in 2015, maybe total sales to date (ex-Ryker) is 140k-150k. Even if I would imagine the overall volume of incidence to be somewhere between 10-20%, while high, it doesn't strike me as unusual for a completely new vehicle over a slightly more than 10-year period.

Anyone remember all the issues with early year Hyundai? Why do you think they now have a 10-year powertrain warranty? Simply to raise the overall level of confidence in a product thought to be quite unreliable...and it clearly worked for them!
How about Suzuki 4-wheel vehicles? Or Saturn? Neither was every really able to cross the threshold from unreliable to desirable. Honda has been selling 4-wheel vehicles for decades...Ford claims Quality is Job-1...etc...but all vehicles and mechanical products have corner cases (and worse...anyone remember the Pinto? Or the Boeing Max8).

Forums like this are great places to gather, but more likely collect problems than praise.
I'll take what I got and hope for the best, plan for the worst, and whip out the ol' credit card as and when needed.
That's the American way!

 

[w6ada]

Well, It is about ten days after I posted the “mistake” post. While I have not formed any decision regarding the reliability of the Spyder, I have removed and replaced the DESS Module and I relocated in to a location where it is very accessible. The Spyder started several times after I got it buttoned up and no orange screen of death so so far so good

A couple of comments and observations.. First, the original DESS module has a small toroidal with the end of the antenna wrapped one turn before the module itself. Now, I may not know anything about motorcycle mechanics but I have been a ham radio operator for about 50 years. A torrid is wha theY call a choke. It is used to block signals you don’t want to enter the electronics. While one turn would do absolutely nothing (need about 5-6 turns to act as a choke), it seems clear either BRP or the DESS module manufacturer had a problem from day one with interference. The new module manufacturer in 2017 does not come with a toroid.

Secondly, BRP dId nothing for its customers to resolve this issue and allowed it to fester for about three years...shame on them. Same goes for the parking brake switch, same high rate of failure with no recall. Lastly and most I importantly, BRP dealer network or lack of same shows just how little the care about the Spyder customers. It seems they have taken a page from the RV dealers who are all the same...It is sell the new product as fast as possible however poorly they are made,and have a tech or two at most the repair new RV s after weeks to months of waiting for so called “warrantee repair”. BRP have too many products and too little support.." So, I learned that if you like the Spyder, you better be prepared to work on it yourself....As for me, I like the Spyder but time will tell if I recommend one to anyone else.

 

[UtahPete]

Well, It is about ten days after I posted the “mistake” post. While I have not formed any decision regarding the reliability of the Spyder, I have removed and replaced the DESS Module and I relocated in to a location where it is very accessible. The Spyder started several times after I got it buttoned up and no orange screen of death so so far so good

A couple of comments and observations.. First, the original DESS module has a small toroidal with the end of the antenna wrapped one turn before the module itself. Now, I may not know anything about motorcycle mechanics but I have been a ham radio operator for about 50 years. A torrid is wha theY call a choke. It is used to block signals you don’t want to enter the electronics. While one turn would do absolutely nothing (need about 5-6 turns to act as a choke), it seems clear either BRP or the DESS module manufacturer had a problem from day one with interference. The new module manufacturer in 2017 does not come with a toroid.

Secondly, BRP dId nothing for its customers to resolve this issue and allowed it to fester for about three years...shame on them. Same goes for the parking brake switch, same high rate of failure with no recall. Lastly and most I importantly, BRP dealer network or lack of same shows just how little the care about the Spyder customers. It seems they have taken a page from the RV dealers who are all the same...It is sell the new product as fast as possible however poorly they are made,and have a tech or two at most the repair new RV s after weeks to months of waiting for so called “warrantee repair”. BRP have too many products and too little support.." So, I learned that if you like the Spyder, you better be prepared to work on it yourself....As for me, I like the Spyder but time will tell if I recommend one to anyone else.

Thanks for persevering and for posting the info about the DESS module. I agree whole-heartedly with the bolded sections above. With any luck, the BRP customer service folks that lurk here occasionally will see this and send a red flag to corporate.

At some point, marketing and PR (spin control) HAS GOT TO TAKE A STEP BACK and let Engineering fix some things!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SmoovOpRatoR]

I have owned two Spyders, the latest being a 2015 F3S which I bought new. It now has over 39,000 miles on it and I have never been stranded. I have ridden all over the US and even to Canada and have never worried about a breakdown. In September I will be riding to California for a Spyder rally and then to the Pacific northwest. I have had a few issues that were taken care of under warranty, but nothing major. I would ride my Spyder anywhere with confidence.

If you haven't already researched it, the North Cascade Loop is a must for two or three wheels when in the PNW.

 

[007james]

I never got rid of either Spyder ....,because I never was ready to cut my losses, ......as long as I could either keep what I had running, or up grade to the next Hyped Model. That’s exactly what I did with the 2012 , i.e. upgraded it to the 2016. But I can afford to pay to Service my Spyders, and I live in an apartment, so no longer have tools and facilities to work on them. I am an honest kind of Guy, that has been to many Rodeos, and call a Shade a Spade, and don’t sugar coat any thing I own and have had experience with, good or bad, in order to do free marketing for BRP or Dealers. I don’t sell Spyder Farkles either. So I think that sharing 90,000 miles of my hands/butt on experience with new entry level Spyder Buyers or Lurkers should not be insulting, just because I expose my dirty Spyder laundry along with praise shared by the “ Die Hard Spyder Lovers.” Hopefully, considering I have spent enough money , between buying and maintaining my two Spyder RT Limiteds to buy 7-8 Rykers,....shared experiences and opinions on Spyders should be at least as acceptable is sharing Tire Pressures!
007james

The "Die Hard Spyder Lovers" are that way because they haven't had the issues you're dealing with. Seems you've put an awful lot of miles on an unreliable vehicle. Why didn't you get rid of it when it became such an issue?

Though I will say it's why I bought used the first time. If it becomes too much of a maintenance nightmare or unreliable, then I can get rid of it without too much loss.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I bought my 2014 RTS used with 650 miles on it in December, 2014. I've put nearly 32,000 miles on it since. The only problem was a parking brake motor failure at about 3000 miles and front tires that wanted to pull to the right. Neither problem left me dead in the water. Mine was an early 2014 build in the time range of a lot of the DESS problems. I've never had a DESS error show up except when I deliberately caused one. I traveled to Valcourt, Quebec, Canada for the 10th Anniversary homecoming in 2017. Nary a problem the entire round trip of something like 8000 miles.

I had a 2013 RT before the 2014. I put over 25,000 miles on it, including two round trips from Idaho to the Gulf Coast, with the only problem being a failure in the power steering unit.

I would have no hesitation in taking off on a cross country trip any day now.

 

[SuperG]

Well, It is about ten days after I posted the “mistake” post. While I have not formed any decision regarding the reliability of the Spyder, I have removed and replaced the DESS Module and I relocated in to a location where it is very accessible. The Spyder started several times after I got it buttoned up and no orange screen of death so so far so good

A couple of comments and observations.. First, the original DESS module has a small toroidal with the end of the antenna wrapped one turn before the module itself. Now, I may not know anything about motorcycle mechanics but I have been a ham radio operator for about 50 years. A torrid is wha theY call a choke. It is used to block signals you don’t want to enter the electronics. While one turn would do absolutely nothing (need about 5-6 turns to act as a choke), it seems clear either BRP or the DESS module manufacturer had a problem from day one with interference. The new module manufacturer in 2017 does not come with a toroid.

Secondly, BRP dId nothing for its customers to resolve this issue and allowed it to fester for about three years...shame on them. Same goes for the parking brake switch, same high rate of failure with no recall. Lastly and most I importantly, BRP dealer network or lack of same shows just how little the care about the Spyder customers. It seems they have taken a page from the RV dealers who are all the same...It is sell the new product as fast as possible however poorly they are made,and have a tech or two at most the repair new RV s after weeks to months of waiting for so called “warrantee repair”. BRP have too many products and too little support.." So, I learned that if you like the Spyder, you better be prepared to work on it yourself....As for me, I like the Spyder but time will tell if I recommend one to anyone else.

If it's like other BRP DESS systems, it's a 13.56 Mhz HF RFID interrogator. Real easy to jam up with noisy digital electronics.

 

[Chiisai]

Bought a 2016 RTL in late Sept. of 2016. The only thing I have had fail is a head light and a back light assembly. I bought the extended warranty because I was not sure I could afford any of the parts after the original warranty was out. The extended warranty took care of my back light assembly without question. I currently have 59,650 miles on my spyder and actually am in the middle of a 6,000 mile trip. Am I worried what will crop up with so many miles on it, yes, but as of yet I have never been left stranded. So I will continue to ride this great machine and get checkups on her health as the miles keep clicking onward.

 

[Q Murray]

I have had good luck with the first 2012rt
Traded for the 2019 rt
The 12 pulled the camper trailer i built in 2000
To both coast's an many trips in between
The best part about the spyder is my girl can handle as well as me an it's just as fun being the rider

 

[bikerbillone]

Well Murry, glad to hear you say that, wife is getting her endorsement, so I'm sure she'll be driving this thing. I need to see what the pillion feels like.

 

[pegasus1300]

No you need to bite the Bullitt and get another one for yourself, or keep yours and get her one. You know you are still young:yes::roflblack:

 

[sduskin]

Bought my 2014 RT-S SM6 in June of 2014. Between then and June 2017, I put just over 15k miles on it. Only problem I had was with the key lock getting stuck and the dealer I go to for service replaced the lock and the trunk lock so new keys around. I traded it in last month on a 2020 RTL and then the next day made a deal to get it back. My wife has a 2014 RT-S SM6 also. She got hers the same day I got my 2014 and she has about 5k miles on hers. I replaced the batteries because the spyders sat in storage for almost 2 years unridden (wife had cancer). I started riding again in October of 2019 and the lift arm broke. Red-neck engineering allowed me to ride when I could until Feb 2020 when the trade-in happened. So, the only 2 maint issues were the keylock and the windscreen lift on my spyder.

 

[bikerbillone]

Hey Paul, I have thought about that, sell the Prius, get another RTL, but man, that is one hard sell..

 

[ARtraveler]

Don't know how I missed this one. :bowdown: :roflblack: :roflblack:

Lots of good comments.

My experience with the 2014 RTS. Still running good, no major problems. Linda is now the proud driver and its going on 40K miles. We put brand new darkside tires on last summer.

I finally traded in the 2011 for a new 2019 F3L. Have almost 4K on that one since mid December of 2019.

I still like the product. :yes:

 

[Pennyrick]

W6ada....

We just bought my wife’s third Spyder. After some trials and tribulations with our 2012 RT’s we decided not to go with the 1330 model when it came out and stayed with the twins.

This year, we bought her a new 2020 RT Limited and she couldn’t be more pleased. The dealer has been a bit of a problem but it is the nature of the brand and nothing we haven’t experienced before. Our Spyders have carried us almost 100,000 miles. Not all of them trouble free but even hardships can be adventures. Tell your wife to look on the bright side of things. Mine has survived a major head on collision (not her fault) and has beaten pancreatic cancer and still manages a positive outlook.

Pennyrick

 

[pegasus1300]

Hey Paul, I have thought about that, sell the Prius, get another RTL, but man, that is one hard sell..

To you or her? After she finishes the course, it wont be so hard.