HarleyTechTalk

OK well you already have an idea (if you've read a few of my posts) that I'm not the biggest fan of the Harley Triglide for what they cost. It's a functioning trike, I'll give it that, but I've ridden better. Today, as a treat from a friend of mine, who bought one for his bride, I got to play with a (top of the line) Can Am Spider RT Limited. I think it was a 2012 model, not too sure. So here is my impression and experience with it:
First off, if you ride a motorcycle, forget a lot of what you think you know and go in open minded. After a short block of instruction on just how to start it, get it into gear and how to change gears, I had it down pretty fast. It was very similar to the Honda 750 automatic that I rode a couple of weeks ago, using the paddle shifters. For those who've ridden a Goldwing before (1500 or 1800) and liked it, you'll like the seating of the RT. For me it was very similar but was not as crunched in behind the big Goldwing engine. So let the dash do it's self test, cycle, what ever it's gonna do, then put your foot on the brake and hit the starter button and it jumps to life. After the motor jumps to life, the radio comes on, and the gauges appear on the infotainment screen. Was kinda nice, but took a little long for me. OK push the paddle shifter and she's in gear and with a light twist of the wick, away we go! I'm already missing my footboards as I pull out into traffic, but the machine is very responsive as I remember that I have to hit the paddle shifter again to change the gears. (that Honda had it pretty nice, just hit the paddle once and it did the rest)
After I got over the foot peg thing and figured out the shifting, I noticed that the windshield was set to the highest position and my ponytail was trying to cover my face. there is a large vacuum behind that big windscreen, but there is a button for that too. I put the windshield down and it all got better really fast. Just like the Indian Chieftain, it goes from full on touring windshield to nice n low like a Streetglide. I like the breeze, so I kept it low. (yeah, I played with the buttons a little too much, it has a BUNCH of them) The good thing, it downshifts on its own when you gotta nail the brakes to avoid traffic! Really good feature,( I wish my wife's Mustang did that when in manual mode)  So with my mind back on what I'm supposed to be doing, we twisted off yonder way! First thing, once you get out onto the open road, it don't feel like you can over rev the motor at all, I ran it high and I ran it low. Anything below 3500 rpm just felt too low, that Rotax motor, likes 4000rpm pretty well, so that's where I hovered it at. The ride on the straights, is exceptionally smooth. Now my buddy told me to torture it, so I hammered the hell out of it a couple times, tried to spin the back tire and best I could get was a chirp! The electronics took over, try to over ride a turn and the traction control takes over. (hey this thing is kinda cool!) I felt a whole lot like I had my old sidecar except I couldn't fly the car! I found myself looking for a front brake a few times, but there is nothing there.
Now for a little story inside this one... the state of Texas recently enacted a law that requires every "Motorcycle" to have grab bars or straps for passengers. I'm positive after reading the bill, that it was aimed at the Can Am Spiders, specifically. When this thing is cornering, with the throttle wide open, you get a feeling that you are being slid across the seat. I can only imagine that it is even more so from a passengers point of view. My personal opinion, for high performance riding, (as in really hitting the twisties hard enough for the traction control to take over) it needs stiffer traction bars (anti roll bars) in the suspension. It leans a little too much for my liking as it is, in stock form.
Riding it normal, as in taking your time like most people on an all out touring rig normally would, it is fantastic. I took it through some really tore up roads, that on an Ultra Classic will bottom out the rear end, or a Softail Classic would bounce me off the seat, it glides right through. No jerking or wheel hop like the Triglide gives me.
OK back onto the subject of Triglide Vs Can Am..... (Or maybe I should say Harley Trike Conversion as well).  I'm no fan of the electric reverse on any trike, so the Can Am has this one hands down, it's a real gear. The Harley conversions with the Champion reverse have the Triglide beat! The Can Am IRS suspension is smoother than ANY Harley trike conversion I've ever ridden, even the IRS air ride models. Seating position of the Harley is better but I'm used to a Harley. I don't like the pegs on the Can Am forcing me into a certain seating position, I like my boards so that I can move my feet around. Also on the big bagger Harley, I like my bucket seat. I sit IN it not on it. The Can Am, you sit on and it just does not give the feeling of a seat that will keep you in place. (just my opinion, you might not agree.) Power, yeah it's there. Not overwhelmingly, but it didn't seem to run out for any of the situations I put it through. The Rotax, it there when you want it.
SO all in all it boils down to personal taste. If you're looking at that third wheel, they are well worth a test ride. Technology on the Can Am is there, by my feeling, above and beyond what Harley is offering. The ride is smoother than any Harley trike I've ever ridden, but I think that the Harley just "Feels better" from the seat and the footing.
EASY

I would have to agree  two wheels in front are better than the two in back ,but I would put  'get a leg up' on my bike so I could still keep the motorcycle ride once I have too 

Good article. I have to disagree on some points and agree on most.  I like the Harley better because when riding it it feels and looks like you're riding a motorcycle not an ATV like the Spider.

I agree with you on the reverse - it is noisy, but it hasn't failed to do what I want it to do yet. I even backed up on the highway about a 100 feet because I missed a sign I wanted a picture of.

I love the handling. Coming back from Rolling Thunder in May I had some rice rockets come up behind me on the Cherohala Skyway. I pulled over when I got the chance(as you're suppose to do) and let them go by. As they passed I pulled in behind them to see if I could keep up - just for giggles - I stayed with them for 7 miles only lagging behind a little on the straights(not many of those on the Skyway) and on the twisties I stayed right behind them as they had to scrub off some speed and I didn't. When they finally pulled over they gave me the thumbs up as I passed by. I think I really surprised them.... and myself for that matter. I wouldn't have tried that right after buying a trike but I have about 25K miles under my belt on the TG. Now I'm not saying I could keep up with a professional racer, but I held my own with these guy and they seemed to know what they were doing. It was still a bunch of fun.....and exhilarating.

I still ride 2 wheelers, but I bought the TriGlide for future health problems because I want to be able to ride when I'm 80 - I'm only 70 now, but I feel the pain coming

As long as people ride and have fun I don't care what they ride - they're all brothers-in-arms to me and I do wave at every one of them.

Gary, if you are keeping up to a crotch rocket on anything other than another crotch rocket the riders either don't know how to ride, or they did not know there was a race. I may not be the best rider out there, but t I can run circles around most people I ride with. On the other hand a friend of mine rides a Yamaha R6 and he can smoke me riding one hand popping a wheelie.

The Harley triglide is one of the worst handling machines on the planet.  The can am is a pretty good handler.

If I had to ride a triglide I wouldnt.  They are nothing like a motorcycle, save for the bug hits. 

Quote from: ndmp40 on August 08, 2014, 12:11:46 PM
The Harley triglide is one of the worst handling machines on the planet.  The can am is a pretty good handler.

If I had to ride a triglide I wouldnt.  They are nothing like a motorcycle, save for the bug hits.

ndmp40, and you know this how?  Have you ridden one longer then say Oh about half hour??  You said you never did. Have you even rode a CanAm for that matter?
Too bad you don't know what you're talking about, maybe we could have had a conversation, but that's unlikely.  I do agree 100%, the TG is nothing like a 2 wheel motorcycle - it's a whole lot more fun to ride and not everyone can even ride a trike and you have to be a little more physically in shape to do so.  Try watching new riders trying to ride one at a demo day sometime. You'll laugh your ass off....everyone thinks it's so easy - it's not - at the beginning.


PoorUB, Were you there? I didn't see you. I guarantee you those rice rockets were not lazily riding along and I WAS STAYING UP WITH THEM - PERIOD. Your right they weren't professional racers (I don't think), but they sure seemed to know what they were doing.
I'll guarantee if you're riding a 2 wheeler around a hair pin turn and I'm an a TG, I'll go through that turn faster then you can dream of while still staying in my lane. Too bad you don't live close to me, I'd love to make a wager with you. 

Next time I'll try and video it just so I can watch you eat crow. Now I just have to decide if I want to spend $300 just to prove what I already know......naw. Don't need to.

Good luck when you guys are 80 trying to keep that 2 wheeler up. I'll be laughing and giggling as I ride past you.     

Quote from: GARYD on August 08, 2014, 01:03:15 PMPoorUB, Were you there? I didn't see you. I guarantee you those rice rockets were not lazily riding along and I WAS STAYING UP WITH THEM - PERIOD. Your right they weren't professional racers (I don't think), but they sure seemed to know what they were doing.
I'll guarantee if you're riding a 2 wheeler around a hair pin turn and I'm an a TG, I'll go through that turn faster then you can dream of while still staying in my lane. Too bad you don't live close to me, I'd love to make a wager with you. 

Next time I'll try and video it just so I can watch you eat crow. Now I just have to decide if I want to spend $300 just to prove what I already know......naw. Don't need to.

Good luck when you guys are 80 trying to keep that 2 wheeler up. I'll be laughing and giggling as I ride past you.     

Gary, you may be able to out ride me, but no way you can out ride a better than average crotch rocket rider with anything with a HD label on the tank. That I will wager in a heart beat.

I have ridden along with a rider with some skill on a crotch rocket and when I was rolling a corner , dragging parts on my Ultra he passed me in the other lane like I was standing still, riding one handed, looking over his shoulder and laughing, hell he was not even breaking a sweat. Then when the road straightened out he was gone. Pretty hard to compete with a 35 degree lean angle versus 60 degree lean angle, 120 HP and 400 pounds versus 100 HP and 900 lbs. Even simple math picks the winner pretty quick. I would guess he was running at least 50% faster than me and not even trying.

Must have been Mopeds not Crotch Rockets!

since this aint a race on here.... it's a good thing everybody rides what they want at their own skill level! Be a poor world if we didn't!! I seen Sunday drivin' and races thet'll make you shake ur head...
Remember that video of a chopped Pan that spanked a 'go fast" bike every time??   

I never thought the TG would handle a corner as well as a two wheeler until I was following this guy on his TG. I kept watching the rear wheels to see if they would lift as he made some fast right and left handers, they never did. I was impressed. I didn't drag my floorboard or my kick stand on my '11 RGU through the turns but we were moving at a pretty good clip.
   Bigs

Like I said, before someone shuts this thread down, it's a matter of taste. I've seen some crazy SOBs twist it up pretty hard on some trikes. Can't say that they'll keep up with a Gixxer that wants to git gone but they can hang in there pretty good. A stock Harley against a stock Gixxer, not gonna happen, i really don't care who's riding what.
Points was, that the Can Am is a considerable machine for those looking to add the third wheel. I gave what I think is a fair, unbiased ride report for the vehicle. Would I buy one, I dunno. Now for those of you who get butt hurt by the truth, deal with it. That's life, grow up and move on. I did years ago.
EASY

I'll edit this and add: By no means am I sayin that the Triglide is a bad machine. Yes they have their problems, like any other one, my biggest complaint about them is it's just not enough machine for the price. It is under engineered. I expected more from Harley freaking Davidson on that "Top of the line" trike. I have ridden worse, but I've also ridden far better. So for the money they want, it is just not enough. It's a dressed up Servicar compared to most.

Those Can Ams look like a lot of fun, but way too rich for my blood.

Bigs, I've lifted my inside wheel exactly once and that was by accident and only slightly.  But I can make that baby fishtail.

Keeping up with the guys I ride with in the corners is no problem as I can lean harder than they can.  I can over lean, they can't.  NO WAY! could I keep up with metric bike in the corners,tho.  All I'd see is tail light.

My Triglide may not be the best riding trike in the bunch, but gettin a new pair of shocks is easy.  Just gotta remember to sit down and call a couple shock manufacturers for recommendations and prices.
I've read enough about Spyders to know they'll out run the TG .  And it's been that way for so many decades.  Why won't Harley get off their hands and give us a performance engine?  They did it for their racers.

To whoever said TGs are over priced: YOU ARE RIGHT ON!

I don't care how good a Spyder rides or handles, I can't get past its looks.  It's just not for me. 

PC

Yes Tri Glides are over priced, why because they can get it, but so are the Ultra Classics same reason. Most of the Harleys are overpriced. Most big boy toys are overpriced.

Quote from: GARYD on August 08, 2014, 01:03:15 PM

Quote from: ndmp40 on August 08, 2014, 12:11:46 PM
The Harley triglide is one of the worst handling machines on the planet.  The can am is a pretty good handler.

If I had to ride a triglide I wouldnt.  They are nothing like a motorcycle, save for the bug hits.

ndmp40, and you know this how?  Have you ridden one longer then say Oh about half hour??  You said you never did. Have you even rode a CanAm for that matter?

Yes I have ridden both.  I did not say "I never did".  Don't put words in my mouth, I can speak for myself.

I have ridden on and with triglides many times.  They are the poorest handling trike made. 

Spyders are being investigated by the safety people because they catch on fire. Years affected are 2008 to 2014.

So some of them really do burn up the road.    Rick

Before you buy a spider...find a dealer mechanic that works on them and take him out for a beer.....I doubt if you will buy one after ...as for the TG being the worst handling trike ever made.....You never drove a Lehman conversion trike for HD ...Yes they were worse ..... ALL Trikes handle bad...as do Side car rigs ..Id rather ride a side car then a trike if I had to... the best handling trike Ive ridden...was the Lehman Gold wing conversion...it was actually not too bad... the new HD Street Glide trike may be better...we will see ....Spider for me is ..Butt Ugly over engineered ...ridiculously expensive to maintain...and has Made in Quebec Bombardier built in TechnoBloat

ndmp40, in post #4 you said if you had to ride a TG you wouldn't. I took that to mean you haven't rode one, But since you said it's the worse one in the world then am I to assume that you've ridden every single vehicle in the world? 

I'll say it again for the slow learners, a 2 wheeler can not take a high speed turn and stay in their lane as fast as a trike can -period. I don't have the ground clearance problem that a 2 wheeler has.
I do not think those rice rockets were trying to race me, just that they were out for a good spirited ride and I happened to join them for a few miles. No way were they riding sedately believe me.......or don't - I don't care. I know what I did and that's all that matters. 
Maybe if some of you took the time, and I don't mean an hour or two or a week or two, maybe you'd be surprised - matter of fact I know you would be surprised, but I can see you won't do that so there's no point in asking. Just keep your silly ideas to yourself so you won't  embarrass yourself.
Everyone in my chapter that has ridden behind me say they can't believe the quickness of the TG..... like Bigs mentioned.

If someone said I'd be taking corners as fast as I do now, I'd would have had them committed.  I did not say I kept up with them on the straights - that would be impossible.

Boy, would I love to get the naysayers out on a twisty road. Would be very interesting.

I won't disagree about the price(on any Harley) , but it's still the only factory made traditional  trike out there and made in the good ol' US of A.
Gold Wing or any conversion aren't cheap either. 
How many Can Am dealers are out there like Harley has??? Just about anyone can work on a Harley(that's the beauty of a Harley) not so with the Can Am or GoldWing conversions.
I still would like to know what's so bad about the TG's handling. I can do pretty much the same things a 2 wheeler can do and more. Someone give me specifics and let's see if I might agree with you.
All I can say is ride what you like and be happy, I know I am.

I love my TRI Glide. As a matter of fact I love it so much I just sold my Street Glide because It would have just sat in the garage. I was going to keep it as we'll as the trike but I would have not ridden it . My wife rode two wheels for over 20 years and went to a trike several years ago for health reasons and says she would not go back even if she could. As far as handling I have no issues with it. It does take a while to get used to it. The few times I rode my wife's before getting mine did not do it for me. I found a smoke'in deal on a 10 TG and could not pass it up and after 3000 miles its awesome. I had ridden 2 wheels for 50 years and what difference. Brought back the joy and excitement again. I had a Motor Trike conversion a while back I bought to re sale and it was not near the machine that this TG is . It would have never made me want to sell my SG.

Quote from: GARYD on August 09, 2014, 10:00:42 PM
ndmp40, in post #4 you said if you had to ride a TG you wouldn't. I took that to mean you haven't rode one,

That is what I said, if I HAD to ride one, I wouldn't.  Its pretty plain english, not hard to understand.

Well, I spent May and most of April unable to ride, couldn't get the Ultra off the side stand but I did eventually sneak a ride on my lowered shovel. Looking back I've done a few things I said I'd  never do dammit .  I don't think I'd let the concept of three wheels take me off the road.

Nice write up easy.

Thanks!
Mark

Quote from: ndmp40 on August 10, 2014, 05:41:31 AM

Quote from: GARYD on August 09, 2014, 10:00:42 PM
ndmp40, in post #4 you said if you had to ride a TG you wouldn't. I took that to mean you haven't rode one,

That is what I said, if I HAD to ride one, I wouldn't.  Its pretty plain english, not hard to understand.

So, how long a ride did you do VOLUNTARILY???           AN HOUR      

................and you did ride every vehicle in the world (planet) too, right???           I did read that in pretty plain English  didn't I??      Not hard to understand??   

Quote from: GARYD on August 10, 2014, 08:35:44 AM

Quote from: ndmp40 on August 10, 2014, 05:41:31 AM

Quote from: GARYD on August 09, 2014, 10:00:42 PM
ndmp40, in post #4 you said if you had to ride a TG you wouldn't. I took that to mean you haven't rode one,

That is what I said, if I HAD to ride one, I wouldn't.  Its pretty plain english, not hard to understand.

did ride every vehicle in the world (planet) too, right???           I did read that in pretty plain English  didn't I??   

No you didn't.  I never said that either. 

It's time to halt this He Said She Said stuff. If you want to beat each other up, use PM's or email.