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For some background, I am not your typical touring rider....usually my focus is just how fast can I get something going and take as little as possible with me in the process.... so this has been a lot of fun to have my first 'touring' experience be on BRP's first touring Spyder.
Over two days I was able to run the RT in a variety of riding from twisty country roads, large interstates, two lane highways, and lots of small towns throughout Quebec and upstate New York. 700+ miles in total.
Here goes...
Mirrors....positioned perfectly, clearest mirrors I have ever used, could actually tell for sure if I was being followed by the local law enforcement and exactly what make car they were driving
Windshield...does a great job deflecting the wind and the adjustability is a nice feature especially when adding a passenger as that changes the air flow. Being short, I am never able to position the windshield to a spot that I can look over it...and because in it's lowest position I'm looking through the top inch of the shield, I found myself raising it up so I could look completely through it.
Storage...lots of places to put things. The compartments close securely and enabled me to easily carry a few days worth of gear and all my computing and photography equipment. There is a new glove box in front of the seat that is great for wallet, sunglasses, toll tickets, etc. One of my favorite features.
Hand Warmers... My ride home was a chilly September night..and the hand warmers worked great. Hot was too hot in my conditions...so they will work great well into the cold riding season.
Seat... nice and comfortable. With the king/queen seat, you are limited to how far back you can sit, but for most of my ride I was pretty happy in the standard positioning and when I got tired of it, I'd move up for a few minutes just to get a quick break.
Audio system... I have never ridden a bike with a radio system before. This worked well. It took me a while to figure out how much volume was really needed to hear over the sound of the wind and to compensate for the full face helmet, but it really cranks. The volume is speed sensitive which is a nice feature. I have yet to figure out how to use my iPod with the audio system...but some guys did...so I know it works.
Power... The new engine is calibrated well to match the touring ride and the heavier machine and it runs very smoothly. The engine actually makes the vehicle feel like it is geared higher as it only runs 5500 RPMS at 75MPH. I did not have that desperate feeling that I wanted a 6th gear. Riding with a passenger, the engine still pulled strong. I ran much of my highway riding at 70-80 MPH and always had more to spare if needed.
Handling... This is a bigger and less nimble unit than the RS (GS). That being said it still handles well. The adjustable rear suspension is nice and I had mine cranked up to a high setting. The front spring tension was set pretty low, I would prefer having them cranked up a bit tighter to eliminate some of the body roll, and will do that soon. Handling was not negatively impacted by a passenger.
Lights... I rode about 100 of my miles in the dark, and the lights worked great. High Beams are very bright and the running lights really light up the road in front of you.
Gauges... The new gauge cluster is very nice. The lighting of the cluster changes from day to night and they are easy to read. I really like the additional Analog gas and temp gauge. Controlling the features of the cluster is done through a 4 way toggle switch...much like you have on a Cable Remote Control. Settings are easy to get to and easy to change.
I'm sure I'm forgetting something...but this will give you a quick first impression. Feel free to bounce back with any questions.
Here's a pic of Philippe from BRP (on right) handing over the key to Spyder RT #20 to me (on left) yesterday in Valcourt.
-Craig
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Posted 11 September 2009 - 08:56 PM
