New Member Intro & Questions re Upcoming Purchase Decision

[WoodmanTX]

Completely agree!!!!

I know of 3 in the DFW area and 2 are gone already

 

[Deanna777]

I went from a 2 wheel motorcycle to a Spyder in 2012 because I could not get the clutch/brake and shifting down pat. Also, I wanted my own motorcycle. I bought my first Spyder in 2012 (a 2012 RTS-SE5).

Yes, I would do it again.

I would go with the 1330 Triple ACE Engine, because of the lower maintenance, stability, more visible on the road, comfort, meeting other Spyder owners, and attending Spyder events.

I am currently on my 3rd Spyder.

Deanna

 

[Little Blue]

Glad to be a little help.

A little Tip on buying a newer Spyder.
Do your homework before you purchase Anything..

I am happy about my 2016 Spyder RTL.
It's paid off. It's still works great

 

[Syracuse]

I also own a Kawa 1700 Nomad, but what with getting older and getting heavier, I researched the Spyder for a couple of months. A buddy of mine bought a 2011 RT, and I went with him to pick it up. They had a couple new RT's there. I'd never been on one, so took his for a ride. I know that the early generation Spyders are a little different to the current generation, but I wasn't comfortable, it was too straight up for me. Later, I went to a car show and a lady there had an F3. She let me sit on it, and voila, it fit like a glove! Sooo, come Halloween, I picked up a 2022 F3 Limited. I love the cruiser style and the red and black. I will do all the basic maintenance my self, I hope your search goes well.

 

[Mrmikey]

Mine was an '09 1700 Kawi Voyager, sold it for the same reasons. It was a great ride, but I have no complaints about my current ride, a '15 F3S, and I'm glad I got it.

 

[S2Sryder]

Hi! New member here seeking advice.

Background: Long-time Goldwing rider. 66yo. Retired. 140k on my 2018 Wing with 9 IBA’s and been to all continental States except NE. I love riding and exploring new places. I crashed on some debris last October. Bike totalled. I am OK but got really lucky. Shook me up mentally, thus been thinking about what is next. 3 wheels appears to be in my future. Trikes don’t appeal to me, leading me to research on the Spyder. Long time GW Forum member, so I know the drill. I have done a lot of reading here and educated myself and waited to post until I was able to secure a test ride so that my questions would be relevant. I also know that most posts on forums are problem related, thus exaggerating some issues. I value the experience and advice of forum members also. Seeking wisdom and info in my upcoming decision to purchase a 2026 RT S2S.

In no particular order or priority, I seek feedback on:

• Why did you switch to a Spyder and would you do it again?
• Other than TPMS (coming in 2027), semi-auto tranny (just why not go full auto?) and lack of ‘Sport’ mode, the S2S appears to be fully loaded. Are there any rumors to a significant model change upcoming that I should wait for? What are other things you wish were on the bike?
• There are very few test rides available in DFW area and no S2S that I can go look at. I found and rode a 2018 RT Limited at my local Honda dealer. Very smooth and quiet. I did not experience the handling transition problems that are mentioned online as I ride a lot of ATV’s, but did note the power steering sensitivity at speed. Engine is not as peppy as the Wing, but I knew that going in. Downshifting provides plenty of power when needed. Main question - I am 6’3” and the cockpit felt cramped. I could not stretch out my feet and the brake pedal positioning felt inconvenient.
  • 1) Has there been a redesign since 2018 improving the room in the cockpit? And
  • 2) are there seat options to move the seating position back some? I did note online that there are highway peg aftermarket options.
• I noted that when accelerating from a dead stop, there was a brief momentary pause (say 1/2 to full second) prior to the tranny engaging and beginning to pull away. Is this normal or maybe just on the bike I rode?
• A lot of scary posts online and this forum regarding technology glitches, primarily CarPlay and Limp Mode. I see a recent software patch, it's probably too soon to know if it is working, but it seems to be a very slow response from BRP. Question: Is this a widespread issue or just a few limited occurrences? FYI, if I pay $30k+ and am 2,000 miles from home, I certainly don’t want to deal with issues like this. Reliability is really important to me. Should I be concerned?
• Concerns about the Dealer Network and quality/timely service - what are your experiences? I am used to knowing my techs by name and having them in my phone via a long relationship with a Honda Powerhouse Dealer here in DFW. I haven’t worried about parts/scheduling/quality service in a long time. I realize I will be stepping down from a high standard set at Honda, but how bad is it? How did you go about finding and building a relationship with a certified dealer to service your machine. Does it matter if you bought it there or not?

Again, thank you for your time. I decided to put a lot into 1 post rather than bother everybody with a series of posts. I hope my strategy is ok. Probably looking to make a decision in the next month or two.

Woody

Buy the S2S. Research all the mods on this forum (there are many) and install them based on your preferences. A cat delete along with a new high flow air filter and an ECU flash will address the throttle lag, a Baja Ron sway bar and upgraded shocks will dial in your handling, and a new set of bars and highway pegs might address your current cockpit setup. But put a few thousand miles on your machine before you determine which mods you want to pursue. Enjoy!