Trike vs. Spyder

[2010 trike]

I ride with a group that mainly has Cam Am Spyders. There is a couple in the group always asking me what the old Trike (2010) will do in the quarter I told them I have know idea. I just love to ride. I love the group of guy but it can be annoying. I haven't rode all that long so I have no clue. Will I guess I will as my experts YOU guys. Will a Harley beat a Spyder in a race?

[56Elwood]

Not much data available about three wheeler's performance but I pulled these numbers from another website:

2010 Spyder RT-S 1/4 mile time 14.9 seconds

2011 Tri-Glide 1/4 mile time 15.5 seconds

2012 Goldwing 1/4 mile time 14.1 seconds

2014 Street Glide Special 1/4 mile time 13.3 seconds

Amount of time I've spent racing my trike 0.0 seconds

[2006gold]

Good grief!!!!! When did riding three wheelers become about drag racing regardless of what you're riding??? Those Can Am riders need to get a clue.

[rhino 2]

I ride with a group that mainly has Cam Am Spyders. There is a couple in the group always asking me what the old Trike (2010) will do in the quarter I told them I have know idea. I just love to ride. I love the group of guy but it can be annoying. I haven't rode all that long so I have no clue. Will I guess I will as my experts YOU guys. Will a Harley beat a Spyder in a race?

I had a Spyder, And now a Tri-Glide... And the Spyder ''will'' beat the Tri-Glide in the quarter.....But the Tri has a Soul.. I can't tell you how many times a Spyder owner will post about how they beat a Harley at a stop light[Whether or not they tell the Harley rider their racing] like they have something to prove.. The Spyder is just a Trike. Just tell a Spyder owner its not a Motorcycle and see what happens!..When i sold my Spyder and a Got Tri-Glide i was asked to leave a Spyder Forum.. Trike and Bike riders are very Clannish...EXCEPT FOR TRIKE-TALK.... Every one is family here...

[David357]

Our triking/biking community is not about how fast you go or how quick you can get there or what your choice of ride may be.

We are all about the adventure of how we got there and the enjoyment of sharing that experience.

[pioneer11]

Not much data available about three wheeler's performance but I pulled these numbers from another website:

2010 Spyder RT-S 1/4 mile time 14.9 seconds

2011 Tri-Glide 1/4 mile time 15.5 seconds

2012 Goldwing 1/4 mile time 14.1 seconds

2014 Street Glide Special 1/4 mile time 13.3 seconds

Amount of time I've spent racing my trike 0.0 seconds

With those numbers it would come down to rider skill.

[Fearless]

I have heard from several Spyder riders, it is nicer and faster than a Harley TriGlide well that is their opinion and you know like parts of the body you sit on, everyone has one and some are bigger than others. I ride to enjoy the trip not how fast or in competition with anyone. If I do get a little crazy it is not with another machine of any type I'm to old to die stupid now. I have nothing to prove only getting home safely at the end of the ride... Travel safely Fred

[67wizard]

I was gonna race one once but I told him I didn't think his was running and that would not be a fair race of he couldn't get it started (I couldn't hear it running. LMAO). Love my slow going Tri Glide with soul and rumble. To each his own.

[jc1300]

Nope......

[hogcowboy]

Everyone thinks their WHATEVER is better or faster or fancier or you name it than any other. No matter where you are. Usually they are losers looking for recognition. I totally ignore them and try to distance myself from that kind but it can be a challenge as some just don't get it and literally hound you. They will stop if you can ignore them long enough but I know they'll get under your skin. Spyders are quick. Especially since they came out with the 3 cylinder. I know, my wife rides one. She could not keep up with me with her 12 but she can with her 16. Now she claims that's not why she wanted a new 16 but I'm not so sure.

Oh...and I'm still on 2 wheels.

[trikermutha]

I went from a Tri to A Spyder and I don't give a rats ass how fast it goes compared to the other. I switched over for a few reasons but one of them was not to race the other.

[Freewheeling Ron]

I just read an article on trike comparisons. The 2 I read about were the new spyder and the Freewheeler. The spyder has as I remember, 115hp and 70 something ft lbs of of torque. Don't even know what my Freewheeler has, doesn't matter. It gets the job done, the quality of the trike is excellent, and it looks and sounds so much cooler than the spyder. The article's concensus was the spyder was faster, more stable and superior in ride. But they just don't float my boat. I've never ridden one but have followed people that do. What jiggle we get up our backs from a live rear axle over rough and uneven roads looks better than what is going on with their shoulders and arms on like roads. Like I said I've never one, just my observation.

But give me a few years, I might ride one, the looks may grow on me, and think it's the best. People that have them typically love them.

Update edit...just read this on motorcycle.com. discusses most reliable manufacturers, can am and harley are ranked.

http://www.motorcycle.com/top10/the-...at.net20170529

[Capt.Bob]

Freewheeling Ron, Thanks for that very interesting article on motorcycle reliability ratings. I own a 2017 HD Tri Glide Ultra and a 2015 Can-Am Spyder F3S. They are both terrific trikes but in very different ways. It's funny but when I am on one, I think it is the best and then when I get on the other one, I think it is the best. Go figure

The Harley is just so visceral throughout the power range. However, when you get my 1330 Rotax on the pipe in the F3S, it is really a hoot with its 115 horsepower. The Harley is rough where the Can-Am is smoother. However, smoother does not always make for a more fun ride as I have come to find out. Having owned both, I really wouldn't want to give up either one. It is sort of a ridiculous use of money but they are both a lot of fun. BTW, although HD is rated 6th in reliability as compared to Can-Am which is rated 10th, my particular 2017's M8 engine garbaged itself at 15 miles but is coming up on 3000 miles on a factory replacement engine and is running perfectly. Bad oil pump in the original 2017 engine. OTOH, my 2016 HD TGU only had a radiator leak and a failed rear shock in the 15k I rode that fun ride. The Can-Am hasn't shown any problems at the 8500 mile mark other than the frame reinforcement recall where a few of them had broken at a particular welded area.

The FW looks like a very fun hot rod that doesn't have all of the pork that my Tri Glides have but then again, I bought the TGU's for long-range touring. The Can-Am F3S is more like the FW and is not really designed for long distance riding because of the lack of storage space.

Here is a picture of the two trikes. Sorry that my shop is so messy. I am working on my race car installing heavier coils for my shocks and have street and race slicks strewn all over the shop. Sheesh!

[Avenger61]

How can a Spyder rider tell when the engine is revved up enough to pop the clutch? Can't hear it next to a TG! Maybe those guys think they're riding a three wheeled form of a crotch rocket. I've checked mine and there is absolutely nothing on there that would ever make me think it was made for racing. The only thing that goes fast on my Tri Glide is my money!!

[bagger51]

It's not how fast you ride, it's how you ride fast.

[Rev J]

I ride a Triglide for comfort and as someone said it has character, soul. Wife and I test drove a can-am spider, was not impressed at all. We really didn't like anything about the spider. Keep in kind that I am not bashing the can-am. It just wasn't for us. However the first test ride on a Triglide and we fell in love. The ride, the sound just everything about the Triglide was what we were looking for. What ever you feel comfortable riding is the right bike for you. All I can say is that we love our Triglide.

[GARYD]

I would never ride a Spyder unless it was the only motorcycle on earth. I like to feel like I'm on a 2 wheeler when I'm riding not on an ATV. Can't stand all that crap up front.

I don't care what the 2 wheel crowd thinks about a TriGlide not being a motorcycle. It is to me.

It has the same handlebars, front wheel, floor boards, engine, gas tank, disk brakes, sound, feel, windshield, majority of parts, and sold by a motorcycle company, and it is according to the majority of states, uses the same lubricants, seat, tour pac, etc. etc.

And I can go around a corner faster then a 2 wheeler and have proved it to a few non believers in my chapter.

Enjoy whatever you have

[Capt.Bob]

I would never ride a Spyder unless it was the only motorcycle on earth. I like to feel like I'm on a 2 wheeler when I'm riding not on an ATV. Can't stand all that crap up front.

I don't care what the 2 wheel crowd thinks about a TriGlide not being a motorcycle. It is to me.

It has the same handlebars, front wheel, floor boards, engine, gas tank, disk brakes, sound, feel, windshield, majority of parts, and sold by a motorcycle company, and it is according to the majority of states, uses the same lubricants, seat, tour pac, etc. etc.

And I can go around a corner faster then a 2 wheeler and have proved it to a few non believers in my chapter.

Enjoy whatever you have

"I would never ride a Spyder unless it was the only motorcycle on earth." Have you ever ridden a Can-Am Spyder? Rather strong words to put out to fellow trike owners and I would suspect that you have likely never ridden one given the strength of your passionate words? BTW, all that "crap" up front from an engineering/performance standpoint allows a Can-Am like my F3S Spyder to outperform my Tri Glide in a number of interesting areas.

Some people think that men that ride trikes are "girly" (No offense meant for our female riders that are often tougher than some of us men). I just don't get how riding a two or three wheeler is "macho" or for that matter that any motorcycle makes one more or less manly? Isn't it frankly what's between your ears and not what is between your legs (both physically in the case of motorized vehicles and anatomically) that makes one "manly" or not? Just saying... And if you don't believe me, I will show you a woman who can kick both of our asses with one hand tied behind her back

[geezerglide11441]

I would never ride a Spyder unless it was the only motorcycle on earth. I like to feel like I'm on a 2 wheeler when I'm riding not on an ATV. Can't stand all that crap up front.

I don't care what the 2 wheel crowd thinks about a TriGlide not being a motorcycle. It is to me.

It has the same handlebars, front wheel, floor boards, engine, gas tank, disk brakes, sound, feel, windshield, majority of parts, and sold by a motorcycle company, and it is according to the majority of states, uses the same lubricants, seat, tour pac, etc. etc.

And I can go around a corner faster then a 2 wheeler and have proved it to a few non believers in my chapter.

Enjoy whatever you have

Have surprised a few two wheelers myself Gary!! Mine is definitely an adrenalin rush, and I also had a 2013 V-Rod Muscle if I wanted to go REAL fast. Enjoy the hell out of my Triglide.

Roger

[rhino 2]

"I would never ride a Spyder unless it was the only motorcycle on earth." Have you ever ridden a Can-Am Spyder? Rather strong words to put out to fellow trike owners and I would suspect that you have likely never ridden one given the strength of your passionate words? BTW, all that "crap" up front from an engineering/performance standpoint allows a Can-Am like my F3S Spyder to outperform my Tri Glide in a number of interesting areas.

Some people think that men that ride trikes are "girly" (No offense meant for our female riders that are often tougher than some of us men). I just don't get how riding a two or three wheeler is "macho" or for that matter that any motorcycle makes one more or less manly? Isn't it frankly what's between your ears and not what is between your legs (both physically in the case of motorized vehicles and anatomically) that makes one "manly" or not? Just saying... And if you don't believe me, I will show you a woman who can kick both of our asses with one hand tied behind her back

My Wife can and does kick my Ass...But she just does it with ''The Look''