Harley Tri Glide versus Everyone Else

[clint44]

Where's that recipe for crow I had? It's around here, somewhere.

 

[DJFaninTN]

congrats on the F3. very nice bike and lots of fun to ride.

I'd look into the Baja Ron's sway bar and links as well. It will make a lot of difference. You might also see if you can get a laser alignment as well. Your alignment may or may not be off but never hurts to check. Once you get that then the F3 will run like it's on a rail.

 

[Capt.Bob]

Where's that recipe for crow I had? It's around here, somewhere.

Don't I only need to eat half the crow since I am keeping my TGU?epper:

 

[Fearless]

Com'on all in good fun?

:AGGHH: I'm glad or once I kept my 2 cents to myself but you must realize it is all in good fun :cxtv: travel safely fearless

Where's that recipe for crow I had? It's around here, somewhere.

 

[clint44]

Don't I only need to eat half the crow since I am keeping my TGU?epper:

:laugh: How did you know who I was referring to?

Glad to see you keep an open mind, Bob. Now, I'm going to have to give one of those a test drive.
A good friend and former co-worker owns a CanAm dealership, about fifteen miles away.

 

[Capt.Bob]

:laugh: How did you know who I was referring to?

Glad to see you keep an open mind, Bob. Now, I'm going to have to give one of those a test drive.
A good friend and former co-worker owns a CanAm dealership, about fifteen miles away.

Clint, Overall, I have pretty thick skin and a thicker skull. When I purchased my TGU, I was aware of some of the mechanical/performance limitations of the machine. I really had a difficult time wrapping my head around the Can-Am design because when you get close to them like my F3-S, they really are snowmobiles for the dry times. It does not take much imagination to see the front tires on my Spyder as skies and the large rear tire as a rotating drive belt. That being said, snowmobiles can really rocket down trails these days and I was not oblivious to those performance capabilities. I did have to sort of suspend my conventional thoughts about what is a motorcycle/trike and was interested in the performance benefits of a more complex machine that was developed from a clean sheet of paper.

The BRP Can-Am Spyders have had a certain amount of growing pains in terms of reliability with all those complex systems but my read on this has been that they continually seem to be improving processes such that reliability overall has steadily and positively increased. BRP does not have the long manufacturing history of say Harley or Honda but they have been making significant strides in the past couple of years. I think that is why we are seeing greater acceptance and larger numbers of the BRP machines on the road. I personally have really taken to the trike concept and when I became aware of some blow out factory supported pricing on some left-over trikes, I figured that my financial exposure to this wild adventure was fairly limited.

I think the next big thing in trikes will be the leaning machines that are coming out and there is one particular manufacturer that is likely going to license their technology to someone with deep pockets and we may yet see further inroads into the two-wheel motorcycle domain. Acceptance of these new-fangled machines of whatever lineage are an uphill battle that I think requires some pretty deep pockets like Bombardier has mustered to be able to ultimately be successful with their Spyders.

I thought that your comments about eating crow were both lighthearted but also accurate because I look back on my rapid progression in this new trike arena and have seen how rapidly some of my own biases are falling away. It remains to be seen in my own situation how things will play out? For the time being, I am delighted that I have added the Spyder F3-S to the arsenal of play toys as I just retired 6 weeks ago and am looking for fun things to do with part of my increased leisure time. In some ways, this seemingly new found freedom for activities makes me feel like Don Quixote who got on his horse and rode off in all directions. I sort of feel like that is the essence of some of these expensive and somewhat confusing motive pursuits.

 

[clint44]

I can't justify the cost at this time but I'd really like a T-Rex w/BMW 1600 engine & sequential six speed or a Boss Hoss trike w/525hp LS3 & 4L70 four speed automatic.

 

[consitter]

Bob, congratulations on your retirement. Exactly 8 years from now, I will have been retired for 2 days.

 

[Capt.Bob]

Took my first spirited ride on the Can-Am Spyder F3-S. Wow, is it ever different than the Tri Glide (Doh). It is more like a sport bike on three wheels. The power of the 1330 Rotax is pretty intoxicating. It has a lot of low-end torque not unlike the Harley only at different rev ranges. The first stage of torque is something like 2500-3500 rpm and the second stage of torque is some like 4000-5500 rpm with the torque curve flattening out fairly quickly above 5500.

One of the very neat things about this trike is that it is so different from the Harley and in my mind could never replace the comfort, carrying capacity and feel that the Tri Glide provides. Rather than being competitors, they are extremely complementary to each other. One thing that is stunningly different is the amount of handlebar input needed to go around twisty roads. The Can-Am has speed adjusted variable assist power steering and this makes for a VERY different feel when operating the machine. The handlebar controls are much more sensitive and lighter than my TGU with the DK custom lift kit. This was to be expected but I was amazed at how differently I have to adjust my thinking to accommodate the difference in real time when riding.

I keep chuckling about the lack of a front brake control lever on the handle bars and sometimes find myself reaching to pull a non-existent lever. It is really weird to have to rely on a foot pedal that controls the input into all three wheels based on computer-assisted parameters. Before anybody starts flaming about computers etc., please remember that our TGU's have ECM's that are necessary to keep our bikes functioning as well.

It has been very interesting in this short time to have two trikes to play with. They obviously sprung out of two very different design concepts but as someone else remarked, can do the same things but in very different ways. Both are bringing smiles.

 

[HDB0B]

And in the Winter months ....

 

[Capt.Bob]

And in the Winter months ....

View attachment 37347

Oh no HDBOB, I was just commenting yesterday to my wife that all you had to do was put some skies and a drive belt on the thing and it would be a great snowmobile. This picture will be permanently etched in my brain! However, I used to have the fastest two-stroke jet ski in production and the Can-Am reminds me of that as well. Too bad that we don't get much snow here in Florida. It is polymorphic!!!

 

[rhino 2]

At one time i had one of the first Spyders in NJ... And i can't tell you how many times someone would pull up next to me and ask , Is that a converted Snowmobile...:laugh::Shrug:

 

[Capt.Bob]

With the exception of one 100 mile ride after my recent 6k cross-country journey in early June on the TGU, I had not operated the trike. Today was a beautiful day and I decided to head down to the Gulf of Mexico and Alligator point which is a promontory of land extending in the Gulf. The ride is about 65 miles for me to the end of the road on the point and I took some back roads to get there and some of them had canopies of trees overhead.

What was really amazing is how somewhat unnatural the ride was for about the first 45 minutes since I have been playing with my new-to-me Can-Am Spyder F3-S. The riding position, shifting, handle bar placement, brake placement etc. were all different and there was a slight learning curve in getting back on the Harley. I was LOL in my helmet thinking about how strange it is to transition between trikes when you have limited time really on either one. I have only owned the TGU for about 6 months and 12.5k miles and now have about 300 miles on the Spyder. They are very different in their seat positions and function and it is a real hoot to go between the two of them.

I plan to ride the F3 tomorrow and suspect that it too will feel a bit funny for a few miles and I will likely be grabbing for the non-existent handlebar brake. I did find that I was not as aggressively using my front brake on the Harley at first due to the change of procedure with the Can-Am but also know that the Harley has linked brakes but not in the same way as the Can-Am. In the near future, I will be practicing emergency stop procedures with the Can-Am and maybe the Harley on the same day so that I develop some strong muscle memory for the differences between the two trikes. The fact that the wheels are reversed between the two trikes does not make things easier:AGGHH:

 

[Capt.Bob]

Wow, I feel like I am on a path to a complete wreck lined with smiles! I just ordered a Drop-Tail SCT-2200 trike trailer that will carry either my TGU or my Can-Am Spyder. One trailer, two applications. I can see taking the TGU up to the mountains and using it for day trips with my wife who enjoys riding on that.

I can see other times, going to the mountains solo with the Can-Am F3-S on the Drop-Tail trailer and strafing the twisty mountain roads with the closest thing to a 3-wheel sportbike that I can think of. All I have to do is unbolt 4 bolts and the wheel chock comes off so I can roll my Can-Am up on the trailer.

Drop-Trailer is currently offering fixed $100 shipping through July to any place in the country which seems like quite a good deal. I can't wait to get mine which should be here within a couple of weeks. Great people to work with on the phone when ordering.

 

[clint44]

$3,500 for an open trailer? Can buy a pretty decent enclosed V-nose trailer for that amount.

 

[Capt.Bob]

$3,500 for an open trailer? Can buy a pretty decent enclosed V-nose trailer for that amount.

Not one that folds up and stores only 40 inches deep in your garage

 

[rhino 2]

Not one that folds up and stores only 40 inches deep in your garage

Yep... You have to pay for the convenience, If i was going to tow Just a trike and also had limited space to store a trailer i would seriously look into that one also...ThumbUp

 

[Capt.Bob]

Rhino, I have owned a bunch of open and closed trailers. In the end, they generally are a PIA in terms of storage and maintenance if not stored in a relatively dry environment IMHO. I am fortunate to have 4 garage bays but live in a community where we cannot store a trailer outside of our garages. I didn't want to dedicate an entire garage bay to a trailer. It is bad enough that I am using the bay to store a second trike along with the trailer. I can't seem to convince my wife that I need her parking space for more toys

It kind of goes along with my inability to have convinced her in our working years to take an extra job so I could kick back some more :Shrug:. I guess I just don't have the touch. She and I both just retired in the past two months but I think I am going back to work in the next few months. Retirement doesn't seem as appealing as I thought it would and no, I lost that Type A personality a long time ago. Yeah, I could get more self-absorbed in nonsensical hobbies but there must be a limit to how much one can self-stim or even ride our cool trikes? Guess I ought to help others while making a few bucks :Angel: or :qpnmt:?

 

[rhino 2]

Rhino, I can't seem to convince my wife that I need her parking space for more toys

If you can convince her' Let me how you did it.:laugh:.. My Wife's car is a 2002, And she still won't leave it out side, Come to think about it' Maybe thats why it still looks new after 14 winters in NJ..:Shrug:

 

[trikermutha]

That TRIGLIDE was almost the same color as what I had..I always liked the Candy type of paint..

 

[clint44]

Rhino, I have owned a bunch of open and closed trailers. In the end, they generally are a PIA in terms of storage and maintenance if not stored in a relatively dry environment IMHO. I am fortunate to have 4 garage bays but live in a community where we cannot store a trailer outside of our garages. I didn't want to dedicate an entire garage bay to a trailer. It is bad enough that I am using the bay to store a second trike along with the trailer. I can't seem to convince my wife that I need her parking space for more toys

Your wife's car is in one space and your trikes occupy two more spaces. What's in the fourth space?

 

[Capt.Bob]

Your wife's car is in one space and your trikes occupy two more spaces. What's in the fourth space?

Honda Odyssey and telescopes. However, I am getting out of astronomy after hitting it really hard at a high level for about 15 years. I am down to only 5 fairly small scopes but have owned a couple that were state-of-the-art reflectors that had 32" primary mirrors that weighed about 120 pounds just for the primary mirror. I usually get into something, beat it to death and then move on to something new. This is currently the beginning of my trike phase. There may be a 45 c.i. Servi Car in my future? I really like this whole trike thing and don't have to worry about balancing a bike anymore.

 

[Phu Cat]

When I first saw the Spyder I didn't care for it, thinking Can Am must be aiming at people that don't have enough guts to ride a single track vehicle. But the more I thought about it, I realized it would be great for people with disabilities.

As for riding better than a Harley I don't think that's a fair comparison. The rider on an HD is closer to the back wheels than the front. At least I get a lot more of the rear tire movement and feel almost nothing of the front tires movement. Is the reason I'm feeling more of the rear tires movement because there's two of them? It is when there are enough bumps for both tires to hit. Consequently, the spyder only has one smaller tire in the rear to hit a bump that the rider is close to and the two tires on the spyder that are much smaller than the Harley's two tires and the Spyder rider is farther away from them. No wonder a Spyder rider would feel a smoother ride. That may just come down to a personal taste issue.

What might be interesting to see is the two bike's stopping distances. I'm confident my Tglide stops shorter than any of my old Electraglides, but am curious how it would stack up against a Sypder or conventional trike.

PC

 

[rhino 2]

When I first saw the Spyder I didn't care for it, thinking Can Am must be aiming at people that don't have enough guts to ride a single track vehicle. But the more I thought about it, I realized it would be great for people with disabilities.

As for riding better than a Harley I don't think that's a fair comparison. The rider on an HD is closer to the back wheels than the front. At least I get a lot more of the rear tire movement and feel almost nothing of the front tires movement. Is the reason I'm feeling more of the rear tires movement because there's two of them? It is when there are enough bumps for both tires to hit. Consequently, the spyder only has one smaller tire in the rear to hit a bump that the rider is close to and the two tires on the spyder that are much smaller than the Harley's two tires and the Spyder rider is farther away from them. No wonder a Spyder rider would feel a smoother ride. That may just come down to a personal taste issue.

What might be interesting to see is the two bike's stopping distances. I'm confident my Tglide stops shorter than any of my old Electraglides, but am curious how it would stack up against a Sypder or conventional trike.

PC

I had a Spyder.... And when the rear tire hits a pothole its just as hard as My Tri-Glide... But i can also tell you that the brakes are hand's down better than my Tri-Glide... By a wide margin i might add...
And ill throw in the spiders Reverse is a real mechanical reverse.
Also most newbies to the motorcycle world buy the Spyder because of the optional Auto trans.... I bought mine because it was a novelty and at the time the only factory made trike... That said i don't think i'll every buy a Spyder again ....
Let me add a ''maybe'' to that last sentence.... the newer Spyders are looking interesting....

 

[Capt.Bob]

As Rhino2 opined, the Spyder F3 hands down will stop much faster than the Tri Glide for numerous reasons. Firstly, the Spyder has VSS (Vehicle Stability System) which integrates: anti-lock brakes; traction control and stability control. The operator has only to mash one foot control and all of the systems and sensors kick in to stop the bike rapidly and without fear of locking up the brakes. The Spyder F3 only weighs 850 pounds dry and the Tri Glide Ultra weighs 1180 dry.

I don't think that a human can generally operate the Harley's front/rear braking systems as efficiently as the computer controlled Can-Am on all three wheels simultaneously. Additionally, the weight difference is significant. Add to that the fact that the Can-Am reverse trike is transferring a lot of its energy to two wheels in front as opposed to one on the Harley when stopping.

When you add up all the differences, there is no doubt that the Can-Am is heads and shoulders above the Harley in terms of weight and its ability to stop significantly shorter in a panic situation.

Rhino2 was mentioning the shock felt by the Can-Am single rear drive tire. People are now replacing the standard shock with a two-up shock designed for more weight bearing and the ride is reported to be much better and more comfortable. I will be doing this to my F3. One last thing is that the Can-Am's suspension is significantly more sophisticated than the Harley's and seems to take road shock much better in many situations. However, the reverse trike has disadvantages like the front wheels wanting to more readily track toward the grass with roads that are tilted significantly for water run-off.

All of this said, you couldn't pry my dead cold fingers off my Tri Glide Ultra at this time. It is so much more comfortable and has sounds, features and responses that the Can-Am can only dream about. Again, it comes down to different horses for different courses IMHO. BTW Phu Cat, when I first saw the Can-Am vs. a conventional trike, I was not that excited about the reverse trike concept. However, as I am getting to know and upgrade my Spyder and comparing it to the TGU, they both seem to hold very different places in my lexicon for trike riding fun!

 

[clint44]

If CanAm builds that turbocharged F3 I keep seeing and reading about,I will go test ride one. The touring models still look too weird to me,though.

Boss Hoss is under new ownership after 25yrs and they are making some great changes that might get us back on one.

 

[GARYD]

The only reason I would never consider a Spyder is because of the 2 front wheels. I want to at least feel and look like I'm riding a 2 wheeler which the TriGlide provides.
Besides the TriGlide has a hundred time better dealer network.

All this talk about who has better brakes - I don't care. In the 57 years of riding I can't think of one time I had to smash down the brakes in an emergency. I guess I've been very lucky - or - I actually know how to ride and what to watch out for. Some people aren't so lucky or skilled so they need all the help they can get.

I bought the TriGlide because of it's ancient technology - I don't want all this new age crap. I want to actually ride/control a bike and not rely on mechanical wizardry.
If space age design is your preference, I'm happy for you, I'm glad they have something for you - just don't take away my preference.

I still wave to Spyders as I do to any 2 or 3 wheel bike.

I've had Italian's for 4 years, UJM's for 25 years and Harleys for 28 years. They all have a place in the motorcycle family. All that matters is what you enjoy. ThumbUp

I'm waiting for a CVO TriGlide.

 

[Capt.Bob]

The only reason I would never consider a Spyder is because of the 2 front wheels. I want to at least feel and look like I'm riding a 2 wheeler which the TriGlide provides.
Besides the TriGlide has a hundred time better dealer network.

All this talk about who has better brakes - I don't care. In the 57 years of riding I can't think of one time I had to smash down the brakes in an emergency. I guess I've been very lucky - or - I actually know how to ride and what to watch out for. Some people aren't so lucky or skilled so they need all the help they can get.

I bought the TriGlide because of it's ancient technology - I don't want all this new age crap.
I'm waiting for a CVO TriGlide.

Gary, I only have 51 licensed years as a biker and another 2 before my license with only 400k bike/trike accident-free miles so I am a bit behind you but trying to catch up I too love my 2016 Harley Tri Glide because of its more "agricultural" characteristics. However, with upper head water jackets, linked brakes and a ECM, it isn't quite like our grandfather's bikes/trikes.

Gary, luck and skill are definitely part of the equation in being accident-free. However, performance features that make our rides safer are always welcome to me like increased brake sizes and calipers, etc. None of us who ride a lot will ever know when we might need that extra margin provided by the higher technology to save our butts? Luck and skill can only go so far IMHO and distracted drivers with poor driving skills are getting more and more prevelant.

I don't quite get the lust for a CVO TG because it is like putting a supercharged-LS1 engine in a Humvee. I suspect that your wish will come true for the upgraded engine in the TGU in the next year or two. I think increasing horsepower/torque is what helps propel Harley sales and upgrades from existing users.

I know in my car, I have had to "mash" down hard on the ABS-linked brake pedal to save my butt a time or two so I am not averse to the increased safety offered by some of the newer technology. Like you mentioned, everyone has their own comfort level for adopting newer technologies and that's cool. I can't tell you how fun but what a POS my braking system was on my former 1975 Shovelhead bike. I could have gotten rich just selling the metal from the rear brake caliper housings and hardware off that old scoot.

 

[trikermutha]

Gary, I only have 51 licensed years as a biker and another 2 before my license with only 400k bike/trike accident-free miles so I am a bit behind you but trying to catch up I too love my 2016 Harley Tri Glide because of its more "agricultural" characteristics. However, with upper head water jackets, linked brakes and a ECM, it isn't quite like our grandfather's bikes/trikes.

Gary, luck and skill are definitely part of the equation in being accident-free. However, performance features that make our rides safer are always welcome to me like increased brake sizes and calipers, etc. None of us who ride a lot will ever know when we might need that extra margin provided by the higher technology to save our butts? Luck and skill can only go so far IMHO and distracted drivers with poor driving skills are getting more and more prevelant.

I don't quite get the lust for a CVO TG because it is like putting a supercharged-LS1 engine in a Humvee. I suspect that your wish will come true for the upgraded engine in the TGU in the next year or two. I think increasing horsepower/torque is what helps propel Harley sales and upgrades from existing users.

I know in my car, I have had to "mash" down hard on the ABS-linked brake pedal to save my butt a time or two so I am not averse to the increased safety offered by some of the newer technology. Like you mentioned, everyone has their own comfort level for adopting newer technologies and that's cool. I can't tell you how fun but what a POS my braking system was on my former 1975 Shovelhead bike. I could have gotten rich just selling the metal from the rear brake caliper housings and hardware off that old scoot.View attachment 37615

From the picture it looked like the brakes were upgraded already??

 

[Capt.Bob]

From the picture it looked like the brakes were upgraded already??

Sort of, but the upgrades were tanks like the originals! Here is a pic of the crew that used to work on this ride. Both old school and could tear knuckle, pans and shovels apart like a surgeon and put them back together again. I miss seeing these guys but occasionally ride my Tri Glide down South of town to say hello.