[Drillman]

Hello

To introduce myself, I'm from NJ and have been riding on/off for almost 50 years but age is slowly catching up. I refuse to give up!

First time posting! Looking for expert help.

I'm hoping to get my wife to ride again as a passenger but getting too old to support both of us safely on two wheels.

I see that the Spyder has been out 3+ years now but do not know the history of changes or upgrades.
Has there been any significant differences between model years that affect reliability or safety? The Spyder concept is new and many times it take some real field testing to show any weaknesses.

The dry weight in 2008 was less than 700 lbs. and now it seems that the weight is much more. Why?

Is the semi-automatic reliable? I see that it has a recall for clutch problems. I'm happy and prefer to shift but maybe my wife will drive again also. She previously had a 500# Honda Silver Wing Scooter but the weight and seat height were too much to feel at ease. She prefers not to shift or to keep shifting to a minimum.


Thanks for any help.
Joe (Drillman)

[Trickie Dick]

Drillman, on 21 November 2010 - 09:39 PM, said:

Hello

To introduce myself, I'm from NJ and have been riding on/off for almost 50 years but age is slowly catching up. I refuse to give up!

First time posting! Looking for expert help.

I'm hoping to get my wife to ride again as a passenger but getting too old to support both of us safely on two wheels.

I see that the Spyder has been out 3+ years now but do not know the history of changes or upgrades.
Has there been any significant differences between model years that affect reliability or safety? The Spyder concept is new and many times it take some real field testing to show any weaknesses.

The dry weight in 2008 was less than 700 lbs. and now it seems that the weight is much more. Why?

Is the semi-automatic reliable? I see that it has a recall for clutch problems. I'm happy and prefer to shift but maybe my wife will drive again also. She previously had a 500# Honda Silver Wing Scooter but the weight and seat height were too much to feel at ease. She prefers not to shift or to keep shifting to a minimum.


Thanks for any help.
Joe (Drillman)

Welcome Joe.
I don't think there have been any appreciable changes in the RS(08-GS) since its inception in in 08. Some of the early 08's had some issues that have since been resolved. I have a late 08 SE(semi-automatic transmission) and I really have not had any problems with it in just under 20,000 miles.
The difference in weight is due to the difference in models. The RS is the sportier of the 2. It is lighter and a little quicker. It also handles a little quicker.
The RT was introduced in 2010 and is a touring model. It has a softer suspension and is set up for a more comfortable ride, especially for the passenger. It weighs about 200 lbs more than the RS. It is also more expensive.
Both the RS and the RT come in manual or semi-automatic transmission. The choice, of course, is yours.
As far as updates, recalls, etc.; the most recent is the most important. It is a DPS(Dynamic Power Steering) replacement. It is being done to all the spyders, both RT and RS. Whatever you purchase, make sure this has been done or will be done in the future. The replacement process is probably going to take another 6 months. If you are buying new, this should be done by the dealer before its delivered. Also, the dealer can hook up any spyder to their computer and tell you what has been done and what, if anything, needs to be done. So, if you are purchasing a used machine, I would take it in to have them do this.
Good luck in your purchase. I don't think you can go wrong either way. It's going to be a different ride for you and it will be a little learning process, but I know you will love it like most of us do.