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Why isnt' the Spyder more popular!
- Thread starter GMAN9
- Start date
Deanna777
Well-known member
My license says' Endorsement M, also, I have to carry a SPECIAL RESTRICTION CARD with me " saying Restricted to Riding a three wheel motorcycle only" Important: must be carried with License/ Permit!
My registration says motorcycle,
My insurance says Motorcycle,( insured with GEICO)
I also get mine inspected under motorcycle.
Deanna
Even though I don't own an RT, I also think they are reasonably priced for what you get - compared to their competition.
I racked my brain on whether to get a 2015 RT versus F3-S. I know two significantly different machines but I also have two significantly difference personalities at times.
I went with the F3-S but by the time I get done with farkles my total cost won't be allot different than a base RT (assuming no farkles - probably a bad assumption on my part) .
I mean the F3 doesn't even come with a windshield for goodness sake.
Bob Denman
New member
And if you compare the F-3 to the high-end cruisers from Harley... They're pretty competitive, while offering a host of technologies that Harley doesn't match! :thumbup:
ARtraveler
R.I.P. Dwayne
And...also taking into account your previous quote about being in the same "ballpark" (pricewise) as the main competition. I always thought that :spyder2: had more overall technology, although GW and BMW are doing some real good catch up.
RE: referrals: I do not see BRP in the referral business, but, if you have a good relationship with your dealer, why not have the conversation with them.
I never had such a conversation with them, but I know that I am responsible for at least three sales of :spyder2:'s and also one of their most prolific customers with 9 vehicles purchased from them (5 were :ani29
. When I purchased my 2014 last April, the dealer gave us a free weekend at a very nice lake resort. We enjoyed that a lot.Bob Denman
New member
How was the fishing?? 
ARtraveler
R.I.P. Dwayne
How was the fishing??
You probably are not going to believe this...but...
We were at Lake Louise, a very large lake. The wind was up the whole weekend, so, taking a boat out (even a large one) was not for the feint of heart. They were catching some good fish that weekend. Trout are mostly found in that particular lake.
I am old enough that I qualify for a senior fishing license in the state. It is a forever license and costs zilch, nada. I used it quite a lot the first couple years (62+), but not so much now.
What is a couple to do with several 40# salmon? I like fresh, but not two month old frozen/thawed. A lot of people fill their freezers and have fish once, twice, or more every week. Me, I just get tired of it.
I enjoy the thrill of the hunt, and the thrill of the catch, but to save the resource, I do not fish just to catch and release. Used to have a spot on the Kenai River that I would take guests to. You could catch and release pretty much as long as you wanted. My son caught a 50# King Salmon there and almost peed his pants in the process. I used fly gear the last time. Try a big salmon on fly gear for a real thrill.
The salmon runs have subsided, and the last few years, the Kenai is not what it was back a few years ago.
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Bob Denman
New member
I believe... :thumbup:
latony007
New member
I dont think comparing spyders to Harley is fair. Harleys are so overpriced its ridiculous. Its all about the name for people who ride them. You can buy a cruiser from any other manufacturer with similar specs and spend a hell of a lot less and last a hell of a lot longer. And not have to worry about not being able to get it worked on after it hits 10 years. The RS competes with smaller bikes that again can be had for half the price and twice the performance. I love the safety factor of the spyder and thats why i got it but dont think its worth the money they are asking which is why i had to wait until i could get one at the price i paid. I think most people feel the same and is one of the Major reasons there are not more on the road. I personally don't care who or how many people have the same ride as me, just as long as im in love with it im good. I will hopefully be more in love with mine when i can get rid of the fricken gas smell and put on the baja ron bar.
LEEB
New member
TV Adds
Big F, I must not watch the right TV channels, or not at the right times. I still haven't seen any of the Spyder adds. You and several other posters have seen the adds, so they are out there, if you happen to have the tube on at the right time.
Big F, I must not watch the right TV channels, or not at the right times. I still haven't seen any of the Spyder adds. You and several other posters have seen the adds, so they are out there, if you happen to have the tube on at the right time.
jimnsusie
New member
There are so many great posts showing how much we all love, respect and enjoy our machines in this thread alone that make me glad I have my own spyder. I only chose this post to quote because it quotes other good posts and I agree with all of them. We have a fantastic machine to enjoy. I get the impression that we all enjoyed our previous rides just as much also. I think the spyder is getting more popular all the time and will continue to do so. But if it doesn't, it doesn't matter as long as all of us continue to enjoy the ride. Have fun and ride on.
robmorg
New member
I believe THAT misconception of the Can Am Spyder has a great deal to do with the answer to this question.. "Why isn't the Spyder more popular?" When you read those comments, it's clear that the guys commenting have never ridden a Spyder - at least not more than a mile or two. Dave (daveinva), and I, both felt inclined to address some of the "misconceptions" in those comments. But it's like pi**ing into the wind.
BRP is faced with the marketing question of how to get around, or get past, that perception. As others have said in this thread, I sometimes don't feel they are doing all they could in that regard. But like most companies (and most people, I guess), BRP thinks they know how to do it best, and don't want to be told otherwise. They really should listen more to some customers and dealers they trust (folks like Lamont, perhaps). Still, the "wussiness" of a Can Am Spyder is a hard perception to overcome. The F3, I think, is a step in that direction. But if you are used to 2-wheel bikes, you really have to spend some time with a Spyder to get past it. And the same misconception finds it's way into the minds of many folks who have never even ridden motorcycles.
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robmorg
New member
:agree: mostly with what you said. But it DOES matter, in that BRP will not continue to produce the Spyder if it doesn't sell enough to maintain an expanding and energetic dealer network. Otherwise, they can't make money with it. They are not quite there yet.
Dan McNally
New member
The Spyder is the most popular motorcycle in my garage! 
hyea:
hyea:
cognaccruiser
New member
Friends of ours that spend several months in their RV in the south west US during the winter have told us that they are seeing more Spyders in their travels. They do not stay in one spot for a long time but rather travel around quite a lot.
I believe that as more Spyders appear on the road, they will eventually become much more accepted. There will always be people that won't accept them because they are not 2 wheeled. But open minded people will be curious and if they try them out we all know how much fun they are and how infectious a test ride can be. The more people see them, the less resistance there will be.
Gary
I believe that as more Spyders appear on the road, they will eventually become much more accepted. There will always be people that won't accept them because they are not 2 wheeled. But open minded people will be curious and if they try them out we all know how much fun they are and how infectious a test ride can be. The more people see them, the less resistance there will be.
Gary
Bob Denman
New member
This is where BRP could take a look at expanding their market
Put the 600 ACE engine into a chassis, with a CVT drive system.
Simplify the gauge package, and make it a purely entry-level ride. :thumbup:
Use that bike to "set the hook"!
Since it would largely be a "Parts Bin" engineering exercise; the cost to build that bike would be MUCH lower!
Put the 600 ACE engine into a chassis, with a CVT drive system.
Simplify the gauge package, and make it a purely entry-level ride. :thumbup:
Use that bike to "set the hook"!
Since it would largely be a "Parts Bin" engineering exercise; the cost to build that bike would be MUCH lower!
daveinva
New member
As observed, I championed the honor of our gallant steed over there.
I think the piece was fair, and made the astute observation (made here all the time) that the Spyder is fundamentally too expensive a product to make a mass-market penetration. When your cheapest model is ~$17K MSRP out the door, you are simply playing in a different, more exclusive marketplace than every other motorcycle manufacturer.
If you look around the marketplace today, you'll notice that every manufacturer is making a play for new riders, offering great, newbie-friendly bikes that come under $10K, even $5K. The Japanese have been playing this game for years, but even H-D is doing it now. The reason why is obvious: the domestic bike market skewed increasingly older, and was priced accordingly, but there weren't enough *new* riders coming into the pipeline, especially after the 2008 crash redefined "disposable income" for many people.
That said, I think BRP has a core problem in that their product by definition appeals most strongly to a demographic that is inevitably going to be disparaged (in general) by other riders: older riders "retired" from two wheels, disabled riders, and riders who feel more comfortable on three wheels versus two (i.e. the "wussies"). There's absolutely nothing wrong with catering to that demographic-- in fact, it's *awesome* that they do, seeing as other manufacturers have long neglected that group. And, obviously, that group has a lot more disposable income relative to other demos, which means a lot more RTs get sold at premium prices.
Thing is, the Spyder has quickly-- perhaps permanently-- been defined by its most successful demographic, making it harder for riders outside of that group to imagine themselves on three wheels.
Remember: motorcycles, especially in the United States, aren't a means of regular transportation for most people. They're a second or third vehicle, a hobby or a toy. Just as nobody buys a Toyota Camry as their toy car, few people buy a motorcycle based on what they *need*, but based on what they *want*: it's an aspirational purchase. Riders ask themselves all the time, "Do I want to be a Harley guy?" "Am I an adventure rider?" "I'd look pretty cool on a cafe racer."
What do *Spyder* riders ask themselves? More accurately, what do *non-Spyder* riders ask? If people don't feel "cool" on a Spyder, but instead buy it out of necessity-- "I want to keep riding but I don't want to hold up a bike at my age"-- BRP is just going to build itself a very high-priced demographic ghetto.
That's fine if that's all they want; there will surely be lots of money in it as riders age. But I don't think that's what BRP wants-- their marketing doesn't say that (lots of pretty young people in the commercials and catalogs), and the F3 is definitely not aimed at the RT demographic.
Anyway, long rambling here, repeating a lot that's been said before (often by me!). I'll be curious where BRP goes with the Spyder from here.
I think the piece was fair, and made the astute observation (made here all the time) that the Spyder is fundamentally too expensive a product to make a mass-market penetration. When your cheapest model is ~$17K MSRP out the door, you are simply playing in a different, more exclusive marketplace than every other motorcycle manufacturer.
If you look around the marketplace today, you'll notice that every manufacturer is making a play for new riders, offering great, newbie-friendly bikes that come under $10K, even $5K. The Japanese have been playing this game for years, but even H-D is doing it now. The reason why is obvious: the domestic bike market skewed increasingly older, and was priced accordingly, but there weren't enough *new* riders coming into the pipeline, especially after the 2008 crash redefined "disposable income" for many people.
That said, I think BRP has a core problem in that their product by definition appeals most strongly to a demographic that is inevitably going to be disparaged (in general) by other riders: older riders "retired" from two wheels, disabled riders, and riders who feel more comfortable on three wheels versus two (i.e. the "wussies"). There's absolutely nothing wrong with catering to that demographic-- in fact, it's *awesome* that they do, seeing as other manufacturers have long neglected that group. And, obviously, that group has a lot more disposable income relative to other demos, which means a lot more RTs get sold at premium prices.
Thing is, the Spyder has quickly-- perhaps permanently-- been defined by its most successful demographic, making it harder for riders outside of that group to imagine themselves on three wheels.
Remember: motorcycles, especially in the United States, aren't a means of regular transportation for most people. They're a second or third vehicle, a hobby or a toy. Just as nobody buys a Toyota Camry as their toy car, few people buy a motorcycle based on what they *need*, but based on what they *want*: it's an aspirational purchase. Riders ask themselves all the time, "Do I want to be a Harley guy?" "Am I an adventure rider?" "I'd look pretty cool on a cafe racer."
What do *Spyder* riders ask themselves? More accurately, what do *non-Spyder* riders ask? If people don't feel "cool" on a Spyder, but instead buy it out of necessity-- "I want to keep riding but I don't want to hold up a bike at my age"-- BRP is just going to build itself a very high-priced demographic ghetto.
That's fine if that's all they want; there will surely be lots of money in it as riders age. But I don't think that's what BRP wants-- their marketing doesn't say that (lots of pretty young people in the commercials and catalogs), and the F3 is definitely not aimed at the RT demographic.
Anyway, long rambling here, repeating a lot that's been said before (often by me!). I'll be curious where BRP goes with the Spyder from here.
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