Can-Am surprised the powersports world with the introduction of its original Spyder trike 15 years ago. Featuring two steering wheels up front and a belt-powered rear drive, the Spyder is designed for powersport riders seeking something different. The 2022 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited ($27,499) is positioned as a luxury-touring three-wheeled motorcycle. Think a cross between a convertible-style automobile and a cruiser-style streetbike.
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Editor’s note: We have reported on the Spyder RT’s technical improvements in the 2020 Can-Am Spyder RT First Look Preview and 2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Sea-to-Sky First Look Preview write-ups. Legal restrictions and vehicle classification vary from state to state. Review your state’s local laws before operating this vehicle on public roads. In California, the Spyder is defined as a three-wheel motorcycle. Operators need a standard Class C driver’s license and a DOT-labeled helmet.
Swing a leg into the cockpit and you’ll be impressed with its posh accommodations for rider and passenger. The seats are broad, thick, and well supported. The Spyder RT is inherently stable at a standstill so there’s no kickstand. An electronically actuated parking brake prevents the 1,000-plus-pound RT from rolling away. Twist the good ol’ fashioned mechanical key and the unit powers on.
Next hit the mode button (confirming that you have read the safety information at boot up), flip the ignition switch to “on,” press the right-hand-side-mounted foot brake (linked to all three brake calipers), press the starter button, and the 1,330cc inline-three fires to life. A six-speed semi-automatic transmission does away with a conventional clutch lever...
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/can-am-spyder-rt-limited-mc-commute-2022/
Photography: Joseph Agustin
Video/edit: Adam Waheed
Motorcycle Gear Worn
Helmet: Shoei RF-SR
Jacket: REV'IT! Tornado 3
Gloves: REV'IT! Sand 3
Pant: REV'IT! Jackson SK
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
--
Editor’s note: We have reported on the Spyder RT’s technical improvements in the 2020 Can-Am Spyder RT First Look Preview and 2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Sea-to-Sky First Look Preview write-ups. Legal restrictions and vehicle classification vary from state to state. Review your state’s local laws before operating this vehicle on public roads. In California, the Spyder is defined as a three-wheel motorcycle. Operators need a standard Class C driver’s license and a DOT-labeled helmet.
Swing a leg into the cockpit and you’ll be impressed with its posh accommodations for rider and passenger. The seats are broad, thick, and well supported. The Spyder RT is inherently stable at a standstill so there’s no kickstand. An electronically actuated parking brake prevents the 1,000-plus-pound RT from rolling away. Twist the good ol’ fashioned mechanical key and the unit powers on.
Next hit the mode button (confirming that you have read the safety information at boot up), flip the ignition switch to “on,” press the right-hand-side-mounted foot brake (linked to all three brake calipers), press the starter button, and the 1,330cc inline-three fires to life. A six-speed semi-automatic transmission does away with a conventional clutch lever...
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/can-am-spyder-rt-limited-mc-commute-2022/
Photography: Joseph Agustin
Video/edit: Adam Waheed
Motorcycle Gear Worn
Helmet: Shoei RF-SR
Jacket: REV'IT! Tornado 3
Gloves: REV'IT! Sand 3
Pant: REV'IT! Jackson SK
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Howdy folks, good morning and welcome to this episode of Motorcyclists MC Commute.
00:05 Today we're gonna be driving, excuse me, riding Can-Am's new Spyder RT Limited.
00:12 This is Can-Am's vision of three-wheeled luxury touring. Let's throw the helmet on
00:18 and go for a ride. Alright folks, here it is, Can-Am's Spyder RT Limited. This is
00:26 Can-Am's three-wheel equipped motorcycle. Now compared to other vehicles in its
00:35 class, this is defined as a motorcycle, a three-wheeled motorcycle. We have two
00:42 wheels in the front, one in the back, and we have a set of handlebar. A handlebar
00:48 is what makes this vehicle a three-wheeled motorcycle. It has a
00:54 steering wheel like the Polaris Slingshot. It would be defined as an
01:01 auto cycle, but this is actually a three-wheeled motorcycle defined in the
01:07 state of California. You need an automobile driver's license and a DOT
01:15 labeled helmet to operate this vehicle. You do not need a motorcycle endorsement
01:21 to ride this vehicle. And that's one of the big alluring things about this Can-Am
01:29 Spyder RT. Can-Am's been building these Spyder three-wheeled vehicles for
01:37 probably since 2007, I believe. This vehicle came out, the Spyder RT
01:43 touring specification variation around 2009. So Can-Am's been building these
01:50 things for quite a while and they've really refined this vision of three-wheel
01:56 touring. These vehicles are now bigger dimensionally. The cockpit is bigger. The
02:02 engine has an extra cylinder. It's now an inline three and it has all the bells
02:08 and whistles and touring friendly accommodations. The thing I really like
02:14 about this machine the most is just the the luggage capacity of this thing. Look,
02:19 this thing has a luggage capacity of 47 gallons. That's nearly three times more
02:26 than Honda's 2021 Goldwing Tour. So much luggage capacity. It's also neat that
02:34 this thing has Bombardier's proprietary system so you can easily remove this
02:40 case and fit a rack, fit a hitch, fit a cooler, fit any number of devices so you
02:48 can really customize this vehicle. You can actually literally tow. This vehicle
02:52 has a towing rating so you can actually tow things behind it if you want it. I
02:57 also really like just the sheer amount of comfort you can have. Now I'm not much
03:07 of a three-wheeled guy but if you are someone who wanted just something that's
03:11 very comfortable for tuning at a moderate speed, this isn't the kind of
03:16 vehicle you want to be rushing around at 90 miles per hour on. You can but you
03:20 don't want to be doing it. But if you are someone who likes to follow the speed
03:24 limit and follow the rules of the world and just cruise very slowly, this vehicle
03:30 is good for that. And look at the passenger accommodations. I mean this
03:34 passenger accommodation setup is just luxurious. Heated grips, heated seat for
03:40 rider and passenger, a six speaker system that actually pounds out the tunes. It
03:47 pounds out the tunes which we will show you in a little bit. But enough talking
03:51 about this thing. Let's throw the helmet on and go for a ride. Alright folks, here
03:58 we are. A good old-fashioned mechanical key. Yes, I love mechanical keys. Now like
04:05 a motorcycle, this vehicle has a handlebar and it has a white right twist
04:12 grip for the throttle. There is no conventional clutch lever or front brake
04:18 lever. Instead there is brake pedal here on the right-hand side. But this brake
04:24 pedal not only operates the rear brake like a traditional motorcycle but it
04:28 operates the front two brake discs as well. All three brakes are linked to this
04:35 brake pedal. The starting procedure consists of turning the key on, hitting
04:40 the mode button which confirms that we've read the safety card which
04:45 is in here. We flip the switch to run and then we press the starter button and the
04:52 engine fires. I really would have liked if K&N would have integrated the
04:57 starter button right into the switch. That would be a much more slick setup.
05:02 Now this vehicle is equipped with an electronic parking brake. You push this
05:07 parking brake button here to release it. It takes a second. Every time you hit a
05:12 button on this vehicle there's a slight delay and it just could be a little bit
05:18 more responsive in my opinion. Alright, let's notch this bike into first gear. We
05:23 have a six-speed semi-automatic transmission with these shifters here on
05:30 the index. Use your index finger on your left hand to put it into neutral and
05:34 then your thumb to put it into gear. There's also a big reverse. So you hit
05:39 the reverse and then you put it... I'm sorry you hit the reverse and then you
05:43 hit the back button and now you're in reverse and you can go backwards. But
05:48 we're gonna go forwards. So let's notch it into neutral and now we're in first
05:52 and away we go.
05:56 Right away sitting on this Can-Am Spyder RT this thing is very comfortable. No
06:07 doubt. The seat is very wide. It's deep. It's super plush and well supported. I
06:13 love the rider backrest that it has. It really scoots up the bottom of your
06:20 butt and the bottom of your back. It just keeps you in place on this vehicle. It is
06:25 extremely comfortable. The handlebar bend on this bike is pretty nice too. It's not
06:32 too high. It's not too low. It does have a good amount of rearward sweep which in
06:38 a way would compromise the maneuverability on a traditional vehicle.
06:42 But because this vehicle is so easy, its steering manners are so easy, it really
06:49 moots the fact that it has that not excessive but but moderate rearward
06:57 sweep. And away we go guys. Power steering, electronic power steering allows this
07:05 vehicle to handle so nimbly. It is really amazing how maneuverable this nearly
07:13 1,100 pound Can-Am Spyder RT Limited is.
07:20 Now the transmission in this vehicle is semi-automatic so it automatically
07:29 launches you. You don't have to work the clutch. These gear shift buttons though
07:35 you do have to upshift. There is no fully automatic mode on this vehicle which is
07:41 really strange to me. So every time you want to upshift you have to push that
07:46 plus button. Conversely when you are decelerating the vehicle will
07:53 automatically downshift for you even if you don't push the button. So the
07:58 vehicle is automatically downshifting for us even if we don't push the button.
08:02 But if we want to upshift we have to push the button. Very very strange to me.
08:09 I would like if Can-Am put a fully automatic mode in. So you could either
08:15 switch from the manual shift pattern which is always the way it is or have a
08:21 big auto button where you push auto and it automatically shifts. That would be a
08:26 worthwhile improvement on this vehicle and I'm surprised why it wouldn't have
08:31 that. Now I really like the throttle response on this vehicle. It's very easy
08:38 to accelerate on. The throttle isn't herky-jerky. It isn't overly responsive
08:43 nor is it too muted. The engine that powers this Can-Am Spyder RT Limited is
08:55 an inline 3 1300 cc liquid-cooled dual overhead cam 12 valve cylinder head. This
09:05 engine is built by Bombardier's sister company which they purchased a long long
09:12 time ago, Rotex. So Rotex is the engine supplier out of Austria in Europe. They
09:22 are the engine supplier which is owned by Bombardier which also owns Can-Am.
09:27 This engine is a big improvement versus the V-twin engine that powered the old
09:33 Spyder and Spyder RT. That engine definitely didn't have, just because this
09:42 vehicle is so heavy, it didn't have the power to really propel it. This vehicle
09:46 is much more adept. It has a lot more torque. Can-Am says 96 pound-feet of
09:55 torque are available at the crank and 115 horsepower at the crank. Realistically
10:01 the highlight of this vehicle is just the torque. The torque and the fact that
10:06 it has six gear and it cruises very well at freeway speeds. The outright
10:13 acceleration of this vehicle isn't really that good. You nail the throttle,
10:18 the bottom end is pretty soft. Mid-range comes in early, top end, it hits early but
10:25 you have to shift right away. If you don't shift right away it just falls
10:29 really flat. So while outright acceleration isn't anything to really
10:35 write home about, its actual freeway cruising capability is which we will get
10:41 to in a minute. Now I do like the twist and go simplicity of the automated
10:50 clutch. All you do is twist the throttle and you go. Again shifting the gears is
10:55 kind of a pain for me. I wish this had fully automatic mode. That would be a
10:58 much better solution based on the dynamic of this vehicle.
11:06 It really is amazing how nimble that this 1100 pound Can-Am Spyder RT Limited
11:14 is. These things handled night and day better than the original Spyder RT.
11:22 The vehicle feels like it sits a little bit lower. The center of gravity
11:30 feels lower. You feel a little bit lower in the cockpit as well. And it is a very
11:38 maneuverable machine at these low speeds that we are riding right now. The braking
11:48 also is a tremendous improvement. The original brake package on these Spyder
11:54 and Spyder RTs was downright horrible. This braking package is much more adept
12:01 at slowing the vehicle. I like the added power and response of the brakes on this
12:08 vehicle.
12:12 Can-Am was an early leader. Its Spyder RT has always had electronic counter
12:19 measures to keep the vehicle stable. ABS, traction control. And the
12:27 stability control system of this vehicle is much improved. We were riding the
12:31 other evening in the rain. It actually downpoured rain here in Southern
12:36 California. We were riding this Can-Am Spyder RT and I was really impressed
12:42 with how you could zip around turns and the stability control was so accurate
12:47 that it did a much better job of keeping the wheels in line than the previous
12:54 version did. God these brakes are way better. All right let's give her the
13:00 beans. This is full beans guys. This thing doesn't come off the line like a rocket
13:07 ship. Shifting into second. The transmission has a bit of a delay.
13:11 Realistically this whole vehicle has a bit of delay. That's one of the biggest
13:16 gripes I have with it is every time you push a button on this vehicle it takes
13:22 half a second for it to actually complete that task. It almost feels like
13:27 this vehicle could benefit from faster computer processing power or a quicker
13:33 code because every time you push something it it takes a second for it to
13:38 engage. And I'm an immediate type of guy when I push a button it has to happen
13:42 now. And that is my biggest gripe with this vehicle whether it's engaging the
13:47 parking brake, putting it in reverse, putting it into gear, everything takes a
13:51 second. Now we have a nearly nine inch wide color TFT display that keeps tabs
13:59 on the vehicle vitals. I like how wide this display it is is but it needs to be
14:04 way deeper. The other motorcycle manufacturers they measure their screens
14:11 diagonally. So even though this is wider in terms of width it doesn't have the
14:18 depth and all of the instrumentation on this is pretty scrunched down. You know
14:24 I'm a younger guy but this ambient air temperature clock, the tachometer,
14:30 everything is scrunched down. They need to fit a larger display with a larger
14:36 surface area. This is just too small.
14:40 It is a pleasing upgrade from the old-school analog instrumentation on
14:47 that previous gen Spyder and Spyder RT. Now this RT Limited is configured with a
14:58 six speaker stereo and this stereo system is just it is insane how loud it
15:05 gets. This vehicle easily has the loudest stereo system of any power sport vehicle
15:13 made to date. It is really impressive how loud it gets.
15:18 All right folks we're gonna go left here holding up traffic behind us. If we were
15:23 on a motorcycle people could pass this way more easily. Give her the beans that
15:28 bottom end is so soft. This thing could really benefit from more bottom end
15:33 power. Yes some curves! Now the best way to describe the handling of this Spyder
15:42 is almost a cross between an ATV and a jet ski. A sit-down jet ski and a ATV.
15:50 This does not handle like a motorcycle whatsoever. Not even close. Nor does it
15:57 drive like an automobile. It literally feels like you're riding a quad jet ski.
16:03 Now while this vehicle is exceptionally nimble at low speed and even moderate
16:10 speed, its maneuverability comes at a price. When you operate this vehicle in
16:17 a more sporting manner this thing is just it is all over the place.
16:22 It hunts the road. It's going left right left right and it really lacks a degree
16:30 of sport ability to make this thing competent when you're trying to go fast.
16:35 Again these Spyder RTs are not designed for speed. These things are designed to
16:41 cruise at the speed limit. So this type of more aggressive sport riding is
16:51 absolutely totally out of this thing's element. Yes you can do it but just be
16:56 aware that the front tires are hunting. It constantly wants to turn and it just
17:01 feels very loose and unnerving. But the trade-off is the extreme comfort you
17:09 have at freeway pace. At speed limit freeway pace which we will talk about in
17:16 a second. I love using the brakes on this thing.
17:21 They are so much more powerful. Yes I love that sensation. All right folks let's
17:29 give her the beans.
17:32 Second gear. Third gear. This 1300 cc engine is just way more capable. It has
17:45 so much more torque where you can carry six gear now at 50 miles per hour with
17:54 it only revving at 2600 rpm and it still has the torque to accelerate even
17:59 in top gear. That is probably the biggest difference in terms of three-cylinder
18:07 versus two-cylinder. It's just that added wave of torque. Now these K&M Spyders
18:12 they... who would buy something like this? This vehicle is designed for someone who
18:20 wants to experience the open-air freedom of a motorcycle but doesn't feel
18:25 comfortable for whatever reason balancing a two-wheeled vehicle. That is
18:33 the whole point of these Spyder vehicles. It's almost like a cross between a
18:41 convertible and a motorcycle kind of. Now obviously here in the state of
18:49 California you do not need a motorcycle endorsement to operate this vehicle. All
18:53 you need is a standard driver's license. California state law requires you to
19:00 wear a DOT labeled helmet when you operate this vehicle. So you need an
19:05 automobile driver's license and a DOT label helmet and you are off to the
19:10 races. These vehicles are also very nice for someone who has more limited
19:16 mobility. They don't have good balance. Their mobility is a little bit more
19:21 limited and they want something that is just easier to balance on. That's where
19:26 this vehicle would come into play. Now even though this has three wheels, one
19:32 more than two, one less than four, this vehicle is not subject to any automotive
19:37 safety testing or safety practices. There's no airbag. There's no seatbelt.
19:43 This vehicle doesn't have trumple zones built into it. If you get into an
19:47 accident you are not going to benefit from the same safety technology you
19:53 would in that vehicle or that vehicle or that vehicle. So that's something to be
19:59 very aware of. Realistically this vehicle doesn't feel much more open air than a
20:06 convertible. I feel like a modern convertible vehicle would give you the
20:10 same open air feeling with a lot more practicality, comfort, and safety. But if
20:19 you are a motorcycle person maybe that won't be the same for you. Yes, braking.
20:26 Obviously due to this vehicle's configuration it is ineligible for lane
20:31 splitting in the state of California, which is a pretty big strike. The whole
20:39 point of operating a motorcycle in the state of California is so you can be at
20:45 the front. That guy knows. And away we go guys.
20:55 Still if you know how to drive quickly you can still cut through traffic pretty
21:01 well. And the added torque from this engine really gets this thing going good
21:06 at a high weight pace.
21:11 The electronic windshield does a great job of protecting the rider from the
21:17 elements as this huge canopy, this whole width of this vehicle does a great job
21:23 of cocooning the rider from the elements. We rode in torrential downpour rain and
21:29 this windscreen really did a great job of helping to protect us from the
21:36 weather. Of course in a big down rain down storm nothing's gonna protect you
21:42 not even the extreme width of this vehicle. But still if you're someone who's
21:47 really gonna log miles on the interstate and cover ground this vehicle would be a
21:55 good option for you just because it's gonna give you that cocoon of comfort.
22:03 77 degrees on the thermometer so we do not need the heated seats or heated
22:09 grips but in chilly weather that is going to be a big plus. Now the whole
22:17 vehicle is controlled by this switch gear here on the left side clip-on. So
22:27 with this we have vehicle statistics which we can view right here. Again all
22:34 of these fonts are way too small and this display is just way too small it
22:39 needs to be way bigger it's hard for me to read and ride at the same time.
22:44 Another gripe is the switch gear is super clunky not only is there a delay
22:50 but the tactile function of this switch gear is downright poor. It is even poorer
22:58 than than Polaris's switch gear which is really poor. So definitely Bombardier
23:07 needs to work on the switch gear of these vehicles that has been historic
23:12 problem for Bombardier for decades is the switch gear and the fit and finish
23:18 and the way the tactile function of the buttons feels. They still have a long way
23:24 to go. I do like the ability to pair your Bluetooth enabled smartphone with the
23:34 vehicle you can also pair your Bluetooth enabled headset with the vehicle which
23:40 is really slick. The interface works fairly well it's easy to to pair my
23:47 phone with the vehicle. There was some fumbling in the menu there's multiple
23:52 Bluetooth menus so it's you don't know which Bluetooth menu to be in whether
23:56 it's the setting or the actual Bluetooth audio menu. So definitely Can-Am can do
24:03 some work in the user interface department but that goes along with
24:08 increasing the surface area of this display and increasing the fonts but the
24:13 menu system and the UI could be streamlined as well. That's a common
24:17 complaint that many power sport manufacturers have these days not even
24:23 companies like Honda have figured it out but hopefully these guys can get on the
24:29 ball. Let's enable cruise control. Cruise control switch here again tactile
24:34 function feels sloppy. Cruise control is on you can see the on it's super hard to
24:39 read because of how low it's positioned. Let's turn it on. Cruise control is on.
24:47 Ride by wire throttle enables a very accurate cruise control that is super
24:53 responsive to input. It also does a really good job of maintaining speed.
24:59 When we up shift like that it automatically disables cruise control.
25:03 There also is no cruise control disengaged from rolling up the throttle
25:08 forward. Vehicles like Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle and Honda with this
25:15 gold wing employ that feature where you can manually disengage cruise control by
25:20 rolling the throttle forward. This vehicle does not offer that. Cruise
25:24 control engaged again. We rode this vehicle after dark in the rainstorm. The
25:30 headlights do a pretty decent job of illuminating the road ahead. LED
25:35 headlamps front and back. This R/T Limited also includes some very nice
25:41 signature lighting which I like a lot. There's also LED lights in the front case
25:46 so you can find your goodies when you are loading or unloading the vehicle
25:52 after dark. The headlamps do a decent job of illuminating the road ahead but they
25:58 don't benefit from cornering headlight functionality. Considering the
26:04 price of this vehicle and its size, this vehicle really should have cornering
26:09 headlight function.
26:12 Alright folks I forgot my iOS enabled smartphone at home so we cannot play any
26:20 Bluetooth music right now. We will show you how that works though when we are at
26:24 stopped. When we are stopped let's see if we can put the radio on easily. We go here
26:33 no down FM. This whole display is positioned too low - it needs to be
26:42 positioned higher. It's hard to keep your eyes on the road and look at the display
26:47 at the same time. There are other motorcycles that do not have this issue.
26:54 So Bob Mardi 8, bigger screen, move it higher please.
27:01 Alright we are gonna try to play some music. There is a dedicated volume button
27:08 here. We are on a static channel. You push right and left on the
27:16 on the seek and it doesn't seem to be working for whatever reason. So that's
27:23 strange how you push the right and left and it doesn't have a seek. Very strange.
27:28 Alright we're gonna disable the volume for now and we will tune in with the
27:32 Bluetooth audio later.
27:36 I love the torque of this engine. It is really capable at cruising. If you're
27:46 looking for just an easy bike to cruise at the speed limit, at the posted speed
27:53 limit on, this vehicle is it. These rear view mirrors do a nice job of showing
27:59 you what's going on behind you. There is a hint of engine vibration present in
28:06 this vehicle but I wouldn't say it's excessive. You definitely do feel it
28:11 through the hand controls especially at this engine running speed which we can't
28:19 see right now because we're in the audio menu.
28:24 Let's see if we can exit it. There we are. 3200 RPMs. You definitely feel some
28:32 engine vibration through the controls but it's not off-putting. These floor
28:37 boards. This Spyder RT Limited has huge floor boards. Huge. You can put your feet
28:44 farther back. You can put them far forward. These floor boards are
28:48 very nice. It is very easy to feel comfortable on this motorcycle. That is
28:55 its strong suit. It's just the sheer level of comfort you have when you're
29:02 operating this vehicle at the posted speed limit. It is very comfortable. We've
29:07 averaged right around 33 miles per gallon on this vehicle which isn't that
29:17 bad but it also isn't that good. Obviously we haven't really been riding
29:21 this thing at very high speed so 33 MPG is what we've been averaging. Fuel
29:29 capacity on this vehicle is 7 gallons and realistically for a vehicle of this
29:36 size the fuel capacity needs to be way bigger. BMW R 1250 GS Adventure bikes are
29:42 equipped with 7 gallon capacity fuel tanks and those bikes weigh less than
29:48 half of what this bike weighs. Realistically this vehicle needs a much
29:53 bigger fuel tank size. You have all this room on this vehicle. Why would you not
29:59 fit a 10 gallon fuel tank on this vehicle? Another gripe I have is that
30:06 Can-Am wants you to put premium unleaded fuel in this vehicle. This vehicle should
30:13 run on 87 octane. It doesn't have the performance to necessitate premium fuel.
30:21 Other vehicles like Honda's Goldwing can run on 87 octane just fine and we want
30:28 this vehicle to run 87 octane too. The powertrain just isn't nearly high
30:34 performance enough to necessitate that manufacturer recommendation fuel.
30:40 Maintenance wise Can-Am suggests engine oil and filter changes every 3,000 miles
30:47 after that. After the initial 3,000 mile service 9,400 is what maintenance
30:54 intervals stretch to. So engine oil and filter every 9,400. Air filters at every
31:03 19,000 miles and brake fluid flushes every 2,000 miles. I'm sorry every two
31:12 years. It's really important to maintain the
31:16 braking system on these vehicles because they have so much hydraulic brake lines
31:21 going through this system and there's only one linked brake pedal. You
31:25 definitely want to stay on top of brake fluid flushes. Now we didn't really get
31:35 into the suspension on this vehicle so let's talk about that. This vehicle rolls
31:40 on double a-arm style front suspension with a motorcycle style swingarm, a belt
31:46 final drive, transfers power between the six-speed semi-automatic gearbox and the
31:53 rear 15-inch rear wheel. Now this vehicle has nearly seven inches of suspension
32:01 travel and it really goes over the road very well. We talked about the high level
32:07 of comfort this three-wheeled motorcycle has and the suspension just glides over
32:13 road imperfections very well. Comfort is a sheer strong point in this
32:21 Can-Am Spyder RT. I love the brakes on this thing. It's so fun to use them in an
32:30 aggressive manner. All right this vehicle also has an eco mode so you have
32:37 standard mode and eco mode. An eco mode is allegedly defined to give the
32:46 motorcycle greater fuel efficiency. I can't tell much of a difference in terms
32:51 of fuel efficiency or even throttle response. They both feel identical to me
32:57 but it's nice that Can-Am offers it. Realistically it would be nice if they
33:03 had even a greater or rarer of engine map and throttle map settings. It would be
33:10 good to have a more sensitive throttle map. It would be good to have a less
33:14 sensitive throttle map and for a vehicle of this price it should have greater
33:21 electronic adjustability. Warranty on this vehicle. Can-Am and Bombardier
33:28 recreational products stand behind their Can-Am Spyder RTs with a two-year
33:34 unlimited mile warranty with roadside assistance. Two-year warranty definitely
33:41 good but there are other manufacturers out there that offer three-year
33:46 warranties with roadside assistance for essentially the same vehicle price. A
33:52 three-year warranty would be better for this vehicle. This vehicle is
33:59 manufactured in Canada in Quebec. Quebec is where these vehicles are designed and
34:10 manufactured. Real quick guys we'll show you where you get fuel. This is where the
34:16 seven gallon fuel tank lives underneath the seat. That's how you access it
34:21 underneath this front seat which is now two-piece which I really like. Again this
34:27 seat offers extreme comfort. Let's go into the trunk. We have one trunk right
34:34 here. We failed to open it somehow. Let's try it again. Now it is open. It is not
34:46 open. There it is and look how big that trunk is. A lot of storage space. 47
34:54 gallons of storage for all of your things. Three times more than a Honda
34:58 Goldwing. This fit and finish needs to be improved. This feels very sloppy and
35:04 cheap but besides that it is awesome to have so much storage on this vehicle.
35:10 All right boys and girls let's play some music to show you how this thing works.
35:19 We have this device connected with the K&M Spyder. Again loading this
35:29 everything on this vehicle takes forever. It needs to be faster the whole
35:34 processing power and speed of all of the electronic functions of this vehicle. We
35:42 have this button here. This button I forgot to talk about lets you navigate
35:47 between audio sources and your Bluetooth enabled headset and the speakers. So yet
35:56 another specific button interface. We like it but it's mounted realistically
36:01 it's mounted so low you're gonna have to do this while the vehicle is parked.
36:06 Listen how good that sounds. Six speakers one two three four and two behind us.
36:13 This sounds so awesome to me. Easily one of the best audio systems on a power
36:19 system, power sport vehicle to date. I also like that it displays the name of the track
36:26 and the artist right there. All right folks let's wrap it up on this vehicle.
36:35 All right folks there it is K&M Spyder RT Limited. I really have to hand it to
36:43 K&M. They have made this vehicle extremely comfortable. It is much more
36:50 comfortable than that used to be. It really does a good job of riding over
36:56 the road at posted speed limit speeds and delivering the rider and passenger
37:03 somewhere in extreme comfort. I like the added torque of the inline 3 engine. I
37:13 like that the engine now has a better sound to it. We didn't talk about that
37:18 but the actual character is better than that vacuum cleaner sounding V-twin
37:24 engine that they used to use before. It's not as sweet sounding as a motorcycle
37:31 inline 3 is but there is some character in there. I also like the styling of this
37:38 thing. Even though three-wheeler vehicles aren't really my thing this thing does
37:44 have a flashy cutting-edge look to it. However this vehicle could benefit from
37:51 better switchgear, better menu navigation, better tactile function with the
37:57 switchgear. It could use a larger display and its electronic adjustments. It needs
38:06 to offer greater rider safety aid electronic adjustment. I'd love to see
38:11 different throttle modes, different engine power maps. It would also be nice
38:16 to see different ABS level adjustment. Would I spend my $27,300 for this
38:26 1,100 pound Can-Am Spyder RT? I would not spend $27,400 on this vehicle.
38:35 Although I like what Can-Am has done with it and I like how they're progressing the
38:39 sport and making it more comfortable, more easy to ride, adding nice creature
38:45 comforts. I do all like that but realistically I would just buy a
38:48 motorcycle or I would just buy a convertible style car. Either or. I would
38:54 value either one of those conventional vehicles more than this three-wheeled
39:01 hybrid. Still if you're someone who really wants that open-air experience
39:06 but you just don't feel comfortable balancing a two-wheeled vehicle and you
39:12 don't want to have to get a motorcycle endorsement in the state of California,
39:16 this Can-Am Spyder RT Limited, if you're someone who wants to really cruise long
39:23 distances at the posted speed limit, would be a good option for you. Well
39:28 folks, that's a wrap from today's MC Commute Review. Log on to
39:32 MotorcyclistOnline.com. That's where all of my written content lives. Give
39:36 this video a thumbs up if you liked it, thumbs it down if you didn't, and we'll
39:40 see you guys next time. Thanks for riding with us today.
39:45 [Music]