Thinking of switching to a Spyder, any others jumped from their Harley's to Spyders? Any advice welcome...

srd9711 said:

I am thinking of selling my Harley and switching to a Spyder, and I wondered if there are any others out there who have made the jump? I'm looking for more stability, and hopefully the wife will want to ride more too. But I still want the air, smells, temp changes, etc.

Any and all advice welcomed.

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DO IT!
YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!

As Knizar said, you won't be disappointed going to a Spyder. I rode my brother's trike 3 times. That was 3 times too many riding it. Bought my Spyder and what a difference there was! So much better ride, shifting with my fingers, no clutch to deal with, it was just smooth and comfortable. Wife got a Spyder too. I'm now on my 2nd Spyder. Go for it!

Rode a ton of Harleys over the years. As I got older and less stable, I bought a 2016 HD TriGlide. Rode it for 4 years, and while it was better than nothing, it didn't hold a candle to a Spyder. I currently ride a 2018 F3 Limited. Great ride, better handling, and much more power.

I truly appreciate all of the good things of the Spyder. My most favorite is Not having to worry that the bike will fall over.

Your life, your money, do what makes you happy.

So go for it. Be sure to do your homework before you purchase.

My most favorite is Not having to worry that the bike will fall over.

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I didn't come from a Harley, but a 1700 Kawi Voyager, so we're talking about the same size and weight. As LB said above, the falling over fear was what drove me to the Spyder. At 70, I'm not quite as nimble nor strong as I once was, that, two replaced knees, and a hip, so I figured that if I dropped it, it would be a battle getting it up.
I will say, the first trip I was saying to myself, "What have I done" but after I got used to it, I love it. I don't dislike the semi-auto but I think I'd prefer the standard.
A friend of mine said that it was boring riding it. Don't know how he figures that, as you get to lean in the corners... just the opposite way.
Power - it puts my old Kawi to shame.
Throttle control being fly by wire... mehhh, a bit different feel, for lack of a better word, not bad, just different.
It's a different beast for sure, but I have no regrets about buying it.

I thought I had to give up riding and sold my Kawasaki Vulcan S after very serious health issues. On a whim, I took a 3-wheel Total Control class because they supplied the bikes. The next week, I owned a 2019 Ryker 900 ACE and my riding days, though different, were back! After 28,000 miles in just over 3 years, I traded it for my 2017 Spyder F3-T. Now, I'm busy riding most any afternoon the weather permits. (My husband often rides with me on a Triumph Tiger 900).

JUST DO IT!!

srd9711 said:

I am thinking of selling my Harley and switching to a Spyder, and I wondered if there are any others out there who have made the jump? I'm looking for more stability, and hopefully the wife will want to ride more too. But I still want the air, smells, temp changes, etc.

Any and all advice welcomed.

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You can't begin to count the number of us who've found our way from two wheels to Can-Am. You've come to the right place. Have you had a chance to sit on the various models? That's the start.

Sarah

You won't regret it!
I looked at the Harleys Tri-Glide, thought it was a piece of crap. Thought the Goldwing might be the way to go. Went to a Can-Am dealership to look at a Goldwing they had, lady gave me a Spyder brochure, once I read it, I've had two! The safety engineering they put into them is awesome!
I took a Spyder course, I would recommend that to anyone!

My story isn't important here, but if you are coming from a Harley you will have to remember not to have a death grip on the bars or you will initially think a Spyder was the worst mistake you ever made. Do some research here to see how others who made the switch grew into the Y-ride. Good luck.

Keep the HD and buy a Spyder too!

That's what I did except it's a Kawasaki in my case.

When I bought my F3S in 2019, I also owned a H-D EG. For two years, I switched back/forth but found myself riding the Spyder more. I sold my H-D to a buddy in 2021. Still healthy but enjoyed the Spyder more...

Just made the switch two weeks ago. Had many bikes through the years, but my wife and I rode a Goldwing that was an awesome cruising bike. Her health went south, and after one knee and two shoulders replaced, she hadn’t ridden for eight years. I was riding a 2023 BMW GS, but I really missed her riding with me. Just put the BMW up for sale and purchased a 2026 RT Sea to Sky. After eight years, she crawled back on and she loves the Spyder. I have to admit that at 67, I’m not as agile as I once was, Lol. I’m really starting to like this Can Am Also, the safety factor is one big reason, so much less work with two riders, we can just relax and enjoy. The engineering in this bike is awesome. Only 200 miles so far, but we’re looking forward to riding together again. 100% no regrets. I’m happy we made the switch. Great Machine

I came from a Goldwing because of balance issues. The ride comfort on the Spyder is better than the wing. Make sure to give yourself some adjustment time, it took me a couple thousand miles to begin to make the adjustment needed to enjoy the Spyder. As mentioned before the very first issue is having too firm of a grip on the handlebars. I was all over the highway before I finally began to understand and deal with how to keep it between the white and yellow line.

srd9711 said:

I am thinking of selling my Harley and switching to a Spyder, and I wondered if there are any others out there who have made the jump? I'm looking for more stability, and hopefully the wife will want to ride more too. But I still want the air, smells, temp changes, etc.

Any and all advice welcomed.

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Tons! It's not my story, but we have a great many customers who have come off of Harley's.

Here are the hurdles.
1. You may tend to lug the engine on a Spyder. The 998 really needed to spin. Power curve begins at 5,500 RPM. The 1330 is more forgiving, but you should not let the RPM drop below 3,500 RPM on either engine if it is an SE. This kind of RPM can be anathema to a Harley rider's ear. But it's where these engines live. You may have to retrain your auditory sensors.

2. The Spyder steering will hunt. This can be quite unnerving coming off of any 2-Wheels. The key is to let it. As mentioned above, you need to RELAX, RELAX, RELAX! Hands, wrists, arms, shoulders. The Spyder will hunt, but it will come back on its own. If you try to adjust, then you'll have overcorrection. The ride will seem tedious, twitchy, and even uncontrollable. If you relax and let the machine work as designed, you won't even notice it after a while.

3. When you want to accelerate aggressively, drop down a gear or 2. You'll get much better response, and it will be easier on the engine.

Give the Spyder a chance to win you over. It's a totally different animal. It may take a few hundred miles for the relationship to cement. My first few hundred miles, I was convinced that the Spyder was the worst decision I'd ever made. And I am dead serious about that. I didn't have anyone to tell me how to ride this new machine and I did all the wrong things. The tendency is to stiff arm the handlebars. Very bad idea. It makes things much worse.

If you follow the advice you get here, you'll be whizzing down the pleasure highway in no time. You will find that the Spyder is just as much fun as 2-Wheels. Just a different kind of fun. No, it doesn't lean like 2-Wheels, you may miss that. And it will never sound like a Harley (what does?). But you won't miss having to put your foot down at every stop, or having the thing fall over on you. Wet, sand, large rock, wood, or other debris on the road will no longer make you pucker in a blind curve.

You will find there is much to appreciate when riding a reverse trike.

Monk/Bob said:

I came from a Goldwing because of balance issues. The ride comfort on the Spyder is better than the wing. Make sure to give yourself some adjustment time, it took me a couple thousand miles to begin to make the adjustment needed to enjoy the Spyder. As mentioned before the very first issue is having too firm of a grip on the handlebars. I was all over the highway before I finally began to understand and deal with how to keep it between the white and yellow line.

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I tell people you just "guide it" out of the open road. Activate CC, rest your hands on the handlebars, and gently keep it in the part of the line you're riding. Even though the Spyder is wider than a 2 wheeler, we still ride staggered in a group rides. I lead a lot, so I stay to the left part of the lane. I like everyone to run high beams, as it makes it easier to keep track of the chicklets! The 2020+ RT headlights have a very narrow beam width, which makes them less visible based on the angle to them on roads that are not straight. Also, non LED head lights suck for keeping track of the chicklets!

The long time Harley dealer in town became a Can-Am dealer, but only Side by sides. He told me they did take in a used Spyder and he test drove it. In his words "When I was a Harley dealer I would not have admitted this, but the Spyder makes the Harley trike ride and handle like a dump truck".

In 2022 I came off of a Victory CCT onto my Sea to Sky. No health issues or worries about handling the bike, just looking for a different ride. I have zero regrets. This is the most comfortable touring bike I've owned. High mileage days are just about effortless and not nearly as fatiguing. Twistys are just as fun, albeit, a little different kind of fun. Weather is mostly a non-issue.
Do your research, take a test ride or two if you have the opportunity, and good luck on your decision.

Like some others here I came from a Goldwing, and 40 years on 2 wheels. In the 5 years that I have been riding my Spyder I have not regretted the switch even once. After a year with the Spyder I sold my only other 2 wheeler because it never got ridden; I just preferred riding the Spyder that much more.

Some advice if you do join the Spyder community:
1. As others have said, do not develop the "death grip" obsession. Two finger control will get the job done.
2. Be prepared to needing time to stop reaching for a clutch lever and a front brake lever. For me to took no time at all, but each of us is different.
3. What took me the longest to get used to is lane positioning. On a 2 wheeler I generally rode in the left third of the lane. On a Spyder you need to position yourself right in the middle of the lane so that your front wheels stay in your lane.
4. A Spyder is steered through curves, not leaned. No countersteering, no body leaning at all (unless you just like to do it for nostalgia sake). For some, giving up leaning through curves is too much to give up. For me it was not a big issue at all. I still enjoy curvy roads, but maybe not quite as much as when I had my Goldwing.
5. Getting to the tire valve on the rear tire is a challenge for many of us. Invest in a good TPMS system, such as what FOBO2 offers for 3 wheelers, and save yourself a lot of uncomfortable lying on the ground just to check tire pressure. (I slightly over inflate my rear tire each Spring, and I put a fresh battery in the sensor. Most years, even with slight pressure loss during the riding season, the tire is still good for riding when I put it away for the winter when the riding season ends.)
6. If not buying new, try to get one no older than the 2020 model year, according to many folks here on the forum.

Good luck, and welcome to our community!

RangerRick said:

... the Spyder makes the Harley trike ride and handle like a dump truck".

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The exact words used by an X-TriGlide neighbor of mine.

I don't disparaged anyone's ride. I ride what I want and I am more than happy to let you do the same. But when a dyed in the wool, long time Harley rider says this to me, I definitely take his word for it.

Actually, his wife was not as charitable with her description. I didn't know ladies were supposed to use words like that!