ownership costs

[BlkHawk73]

As I said in my intro, I'm not yet a Spyder owner - still toying with the idea. One concern I have is the service & maintenance costs. Having experience with the traditional motorcycles, I can do some of the general service requirements. With the technology in this machine though, I'm wondering...Is it still something that can be serviced, within reason of course, in the home garage? I'm seeing that oil changes are a DIY thing but the rest...? Only a couple dealers from these within a reasonable distance and 1 I'll avoid as much as possible so being able to stay out of the shop is a BIG benefit.
I gotta believe insurance costs are higher than usual so that's something I'm going to call on and check for myself.

[Paladin]

it depends on what kind of servicing you want to do?

it is best to let the dealer do the first 2/3 as they replace a bunch of stuff and make sure everything is doing what it's supposed to, but they are expensive.

in reality anything to do with Spyders is more than likey more expensive than normal bikes one reason is all the plastic as in most cases something has to come off to do just about anything on it. plus the fact they are still considered a new kind of specialty bike so there are not a lot of places to get them fixed and parts are expensive ( stock and after market )

eventually if you want you can do most basic maintenance if you want. if you are going to add mods then most you can do yourself also, just plan on it taking a bit longer trying to figure out how the jigsaw puzzle comes apart and goes back together.

as for insurance I can't really address that as I live in Western Canada and all motorcycle insurance is expensive here, the Spyder is no different than a big Goldwing or Harley

[BlkHawk73]

Thank you! Hadn't realized the body panels were such a puzzle to take off and put back on. Time cost $ so yeah, I can see that adding to the service costs when necessary. These bikes seem to have a god track record as far as time in the shop goes so that's a plus for the owners. My brother worked at two different dealerships and is quite versatile in the motorcycle area as far as repairs and such. More worried about all the technology (electronics) on these more than the mechanical aspect.

Thanks again. Any and all feedback is appreciated by this newbie.

[Paladin]

hehe

I see you have not read some of the horror stories yet, but I think it's just like any other vehicle . some people seem to have nothing but issues and others don't

the bike has some issues that most peole have figured out how to get around, but like anything else you deal with them or get something else

the electronics actually make the Spyder the safest bike on the road today there are things you can do on just about any other bike, but it won't allow you to do them on it. "Granny/Nanny" takes a bit of getting used to but once you figure her out, then almost anything is possible on them

if you have ridden a regular " fall 'em off " bike then the Spyder takes a bit of getting used to as it handles totally different than any other bike including a normal trike

[spyderdave]

I've had one horror story, but love the bike. My wife would not go out on 2 wheels at all. 3 wheels is a much different story though. Also the comfort of the RT's is hard to beat for long distance.

Much of the normal service details are in the owners manual just waiting to be looked up. The Rotax engine has a long history and is pretty bullet proof.

Just make sure that you keep up to date on the factory recalls and you should be fine.

[BlkHawk73]

Thank you folks! Still learnin' and investigatin' these creatures. Seems it's a love it or hate it thing. Those that see themselves as motorcycle "purists" hate 'em those that ride 'em love 'em. While I'll admit that from the front it has a frog-like appearance, I'm looking more at comfort and ease of taking my son or wife for a ride which with the Bonneville is kinda difficult (solo seat, no pegs, etc) Still gotta convince myself to let part of one hobby go to make this jump and a purchase - that's the hardest part.

[Paladin]

try to take one for a couple of hour test drive, try to learn some of the weird things

then do your homework

I have never ridden a bike before in my life. but I would never ride a "fall 'em over " bike. For me the few issues the Spyder has out weigh the 10x as many issues that a regular bike can have

such as safety and comfort

[BlkHawk73]

I have no issues with what you call "fall 'em over" bikes. Been riding on two wheels for a loong, long time. No issues doing so. The Spyder would just be something different and allow me to bring my son. Current bike is set up for solo riding only and I do NOT like doubling up on 2 wheels unless the rider knows exactly what they're doing. Gonna try and get to a dealer soon.

[Paladin]

kewl

just keep in mind that it's NOT the same as a motorcycle it handles totally different, most people who ride normal bikes will tell you that they did not like it all

the first time at least, but after about 500 miles or so they get the hang of it
if you have ever ridden an ATV then you will get the general idea

good luck and have fun

[BlkHawk73]

Thanks again. I've talked with a couple folks and all said it's NOT like riding a real motorcycle. (no offense intended) have ridden and am quite comfortable on ATV - both 3 and 4 wheels types - and on snowmobiles. Figure with that behind me and the past and current bike experience, it'll be a relatively short and painless learning curve adapting to the nuances of the Spyder. Good to know this before ever getting on one so it's not a *surprise*