Can-Am Spyder F3-S vs. Harley Tri Glide For Fit

[Capt.Bob]

It has been an interesting journey owning both a 2015 Can-Am Spyder F3-S and a 2016 Harley Tri Glide Ultra. There is about a $14k difference in price but I swear, I had to spend a bunch to fit myself to the Spyder in comparison to the Tri Glide. I have a deteriorating left hip from injuries that made fitting the F3-S more difficult than my TGU.

First off, the Spyder did not come with a windshield like the Harley and so I had to experiment with two different shields to find one that worked well. Secondly, I had to mess with the seats on both machines with driver backrests for each and added a complete BRP Cannonball seat to the Spyder for comfort. On the Harley, I just added a $200 Air Hawk. Thirdly, the Harley needed floor board extenders to get the boards out a bit where the Can-Am required me to replace the footpegs for BRP floorboards to get comfortable.

Suspension wise, I added a DK Custom Lift kit on the Harley to make the ride better and added a Baja Ron Ronbar antisway bar on the Can-Am to make it corner flatter.

Grips needed to be changed on both trikes to add comfort.

It seems to me that it was a bit of a longer journey parts wise to get the Can-Am dialed into my personal physiology but I am happy to report that both rides now are pretty darn comfortable.

The performance of the two trikes is so different that it makes riding each of them on different days a real hoot!

The Can-Am has 115 horsepower and a very linear 3 cylinder Rotax engine that makes the 800 pound machine a real screamer. OTOH, the Harley is significantly down on horsepower and much heavier but has plenty of torque and just has an addictive rumble and feel as I ride down the road that brings gobs of smiles. I feel very fortunate to own both of them and now that the Can-Am is dialed in, the pleasure factor for both bikes is high and yet quite different in terms of how they get you down the road.

[trikermutha]

I found between the two to make it the way I like it cost about the same, maybe less for the Spyder compared to the Triglide.

Between the two the Spyder was far more comfortable for me. Went on a trip a few months ago and was really happy with the lack of fatigue compared to the Triglide.

Maybe a few more changes on the Triglide would make me test ride one again but have no plans anytime soon.

[Capt.Bob]

I found between the two to make it the way I like it cost about the same, maybe less for the Spyder compared to the Triglide.

Between the two the Spyder was far more comfortable for me. Went on a trip a few months ago and was really happy with the lack of fatigue compared to the Triglide.

Maybe a few more changes on the Triglide would make me test ride one again but have no plans anytime soon.

Trikermutha, It is so weird how different our bodies are in terms of all the little things that go into making a ride comfortable. For me, I had just the opposite experience where I had to spend a couple of grand and a LOT of fiddling to make the F3-S comfortable whereas the Tri Glide was less than a grand and not much creativity to make it fit me.

[Keystone]

Trikermutha, It is so weird how different our bodies are in terms of all the little things that go into making a ride comfortable. For me, I had just the opposite experience where I had to spend a couple of grand and a LOT of fiddling to make the F3-S comfortable whereas the Tri Glide was less than a grand and not much creativity to make it fit me.

Thanks for posting Bob. I've been trying for years to get some people I know to listen to that. I have an Auto-immune disease called Anklyosing Spondylitis (AS). Simply declaring a particular trike as the best in comfort doesn't mean it will be for someone else. Getting even close to comfortable on most bikes is near to impossible. When I road my sisters GL1800 the 1500 miles up from TX I learned that no matter what I could do I just would not be able to sit on one comfortable (maybe if I could ride from the passenger seat). Most of the Spyder models too. I think I could do longer trips on the F3 if it had the right seat/bars/foot controls, but I've only spent 20 minutes on one. Loved the ride. Hated the traction control!

It would not let me do some maneuvers in a parking lot that I wanted to do.

I must get my feet/legs out in front of me. Any other riding position causes allot of pain/discomfort in the hips/lower back etc. I can not sit in that Sport bike "cruising" seating position.

[rhino 2]

Hated the traction control! It would not let me do some maneuvers in a parking lot that I wanted to do

Yep the traction control made it impossible for me to to get my Spyder up my driveway when it was covered with snow!... My Tri-Glide powers right up the driveway like a tank'''

[trikermutha]

Trikermutha, It is so weird how different our bodies are in terms of all the little things that go into making a ride comfortable.

For me, I had just the opposite experience where I had to spend a couple of grand and a LOT of fiddling to make the F3-S comfortable whereas the Tri Glide was less than a grand and not much creativity to make it fit me.

Now keep in mind I have the Limited Spyder you have the F3-S - I have never driven a F3 that could make some difference??

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for posting Bob.

I've been trying for years to get some people I know to listen to that. I have an Auto-immune disease called Anklyosing Spondylitis (AS). Simply declaring a particular trike as the best in comfort doesn't mean it will be for someone else. Getting even close to comfortable on most bikes is near to impossible. When I road my sisters GL1800 the 1500 miles up from TX I learned that no matter what I could do I just would not be able to sit on one comfortable (maybe if I could ride from the passenger seat). Most of the Spyder models too. I think I could do longer trips on the F3 if it had the right seat/bars/foot controls, but I've only spent 20 minutes on one. Loved the ride.

Hated the traction control! It would not let me do some maneuvers in a parking lot that I wanted to do. I must get my feet/legs out in front of me.

Any other riding position causes allot of pain/discomfort in the hips/lower back etc. I can not sit in that Sport bike "cruising" seating position.

I have the same condition as you but went with the Limited model..They do have a F3 that can be bypassed or is setup that way now. Believe its the Daytona Model.

They call it the sport mode



The TRIglide was way to hard over time on my body and decided to try the Spyder. The more I rode the bike the more I found out more time could be spent riding and enjoying it versus trying to get comfortable the entire ride time.

I will admit the Limited Spyder seat is ok but went with a Ultimate seat and I can sit on that for a lot longer time.

As Bob has posted you have to set the bike up the way that fits you. I haven't found one yet that it setup for everyone.