All Duels – Duel Spyder RT Vs Tri Glide Ultra: never two … so three? – The rules of three

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Duel Spyder RT Vs Tri Glide Ultra: never two … so three ?

All Duels - Duel Spyder RT Vs Tri Glide Ultra: never two ... so three? - The rules of three

For some, large displacement 3-wheelers combine the faults of a motorcycle and a car. Others think the opposite. MNC does the sorting (cycle) by opposing the must of the 2014 novelties accessible to B licenses: the Spyder RT and the Tri Glide Ultra.

The rules of three

"Don’t judge him for the next half hour: under these conditions, you will only see his bad sides", warns Maxime Jessionesse by handing us the key – coded – of the new Can-Am Spyder RT Limited, the most opulent and comfortable version of the three-wheeler range of the Canadian manufacturer (read our).

Lucide, the regional sales manager at BRP France – a group employing more than 6,500 people worldwide to build, among other things, quads, buggies and Spyder under the name Can-Am, water scooters and Sea-Doo snow and Ski-Doo or even the Rotax and Evinrude engines – knows that as a biker, these first laps of (three) wheels will be painful: we are in the heart of Paris on a Friday late afternoon and the mercury is close to 30 ° C…

In other words, the traffic is at a standstill, Bison Fute is crushing black and the drivers see red … Even an asthmatic turtle would travel faster than the endless congested stream of cars! However, with 1572 mm separating its two large juxtaposed front wheels (165/55/15), the size of the equal to that of a small city car of the Smart type. Out of the question, therefore, to sneak in to "jump the traffic jams" as on a motorcycle on average half as wide. Misery…

A raindrop crashed at this moment on the huge electrically adjustable windshield – but without memory function – of the Can-Am. As if to remind us that the excellent protection provided by its front face evoking a snow scooter has its limits, both in the face of climatic hazards and against injuries following an ejection. Misery of misery…

B licenses in sight

Here is for the first point of view "biker". But let’s widen the focal length a bit to try to capture the situation with more depth. First, large displacement three-wheelers such as the Spyder RT are not designed for city use. And even less in Paris, known for its traffic jams. For this, Piaggio built scooters MP3, Peugeot of Metropolis and Quadro of 3D.

Deuzio, these atypical machines target a very specific fringe of users: motorists – and their spouses – attracted by certain good aspects of the motorcycle (feeling of freedom, direct contact with the elements, etc. ) but put off by its precarious balance and difficult access (more complex and expensive permit).

So at Can-Am, "60%"" Spyder-men "do not have a motorcycle license (license A), assures us BRP France, which refuses on the other hand to communicate its sales volumes. Six buyers out of ten therefore consider that the constraints developed above are not not as prohibitive as for a biker or a scooter rider.

Same story at Harley-Davidson France, whose officials tell us that the Tri Glide Ultra has seduced since its release in September "around 200 people, 42% of which have A license and 58% B license (car license, Editor’s note) ". Satisfactory results for the French subsidiary of the American manufacturer, which has struggled for a long time to add this Trike derived from the Electra Glide to its catalog (read our).

At the controls of the Tri Glide Ultra, in fact, urban evolutions are proving to be as complicated as with the Spyder … or more. Yet less wide by almost 20 cm (1390 mm between the rear wheels of 205/65/15), the Harley-Davidson Trike remains too bulky to go up a line. Above all, its "Delta" configuration requires more attention. Unlike the Can-Am on which the gaze rests on the widest part (the front), with the Trike you have to "watch your back" in narrow or crowded areas..

The exercise is not facilitated by the poor visibility offered by its small mirrors. The large – and easily adjustable – mirrors integrated into the body of the Spyder RT, automotive style, are much more effective. In town, the "Triker" must also deal with an extremely heavy steering and generous heat releases from the partially water-cooled Twin Cam 103 twin, inaugurated on the .

Equipped with power steering, its Canadian rival requires significantly less effort to turn … but much more space because of its limousine turning radius! On the other hand, the evacuation of the calories generated by the new 1330cc in-line three-cylinder – developed specifically for him by BRP – is better managed..

Compared to the Rotax twin-cylinder installed on the previous generation Spyder RT – and which continues to power the ST (Sport Touring) and RS (Sport Roadster) models – this aspect has been greatly improved by the adoption of front fans, whose direction of rotation is reversed when stationary or at very low speed. In this way, the hot air is extracted away from the driver and not pushed towards his legs. Smart !

On the Tri Glide Ultra, the radiators are discreetly integrated into the fairings surrounding the engine crash bars and the water pump stashed in front of the lower crankcases. The cooling system hoses are barely visible, while the generous fin maintains the illusion of an "air block". No offense to diehards, Harley-Davidson has elegantly negotiated the delicate transition of liquid cooling.

Sweet potato versus generous potato !

Completely chrome, this sculptural 1690cc engine retains all the particularities of Harley v-twins. At start-up already, this long-stroke block (98.4 x 111.1 mm) literally makes the Trike shudder. It’s only fair if its 90/72/16 front wheel doesn’t twitch at idle! And yet, these vibrations are never bothersome while driving: with 110 years of experience, the Motor Company knows how to perfectly manage their frequency and intensity to make them "good vibes".

The deep and syncopated "potato-potato" of the twin also plunges the Triker into the "American" trip. During long journeys, its high volume nevertheless seemed a bit tiring to us, even more so for the passenger because the exhausts open just behind their helmet. No doubt: we are on a vehicle "made in Milwaukee", as also evidenced by the hard clutch (and not adjustable in spacing, no more than the front brake), as well as the slow and noisy selection !

Equally imposing at 2667 mm long – 2670 mm for the HD -, the Spyder RT Limited (the top-of-the-range version supplied with heated passenger grips, electrically adjustable rear suspension, rubberized steps, GPS and bracket, chrome parts and a "Trolley" type suitcase with the dimensions of the front trunk), on the other hand, is clearly more moderate mechanically speaking.

Its modern "3-legged" with dimensions of 84 x 80 mm produces in particular much less vibrations and decibels. Some tremors under the soles are very sensitive to the 3000 rpm cap, but they then fade. Likewise, the Spyder RT purrs elegantly but quietly. Never intrusive, the noise level is perfectly in line with a vehicle designed for the long haul.

Equipped as an option with a six-speed sequential gearbox, our test model therefore did not have a clutch lever: the speeds go up and down via a well-designed trigger under the left stalk, while the electronics automatically manage the clutch functions as on .

In use, the device is generally satisfactory with the strong point of smooth and silent operation, perfectly supported by an injection with impeccable calibration. It is enough to shift a gear and to open the throttle and the Spyder takes off smoothly: the power transmitted to the tire of 225/50/15 is exactly proportional to the command given.

An "auto-downshift" function intervenes between 1200 and 2500 rpm (depending on the report) to avoid excessive under-revs. The most distracted will appreciate, just as they would probably have liked to be able to activate an "fully automatic" function on this type of vehicle equipped with all the equipment to cut the road (cruise control, sound system and complete instrumentation managed on the handlebars, as on the Tri Glide Ultra).

The only small flaws concerning this "SE6" gearbox: its lack of responsiveness (a mechanical selection or the Yamaha electronic system is much faster) and the slight jerk induced by the load break when upshifting. To compensate for this brief push forward, the trick is to close the electronic accelerator a few degrees when engaging top gear. Indispensable in pairs to avoid "telescoping" of helmets !

Also flawless in terms of the "throttle grip-rear wheels" connection, the Tri Glide Ultra is not however completely transparent at the level of its final transmission, ensured as on the Spyder RT by a belt. At low speeds, a resumption of the gas stream insufficiently accompanied generates a jerk, coupled with a snap..

Unsurprisingly less available than the elastic three-cylinder Canadian, the American twin open at 45 ° is nevertheless able to cross an urban area in 4th without hiccuping. By coaxing the rocker arms, it is even possible to drop the speed down to 1500 rpm on the first three gears without having the impression of leaving a connecting rod behind..

More at ease from 2000 rpm, the Harley engine is fully expressed from 2500 to 4500 rpm. Beyond that, the power stagnates, until the brutal switch placed at 5500 rpm. Full of vigor despite the weight to be towed (148 kg more than the Electra Glide!), The mechanics offer convincing times on the first four reports.

From the fifth, the revving becomes laborious while the sixth, of the overdrive type, is to be engaged only to lower consumption. An operation not to be neglected given its gluttony: 8.18 l / 100 km measured on the Trike (7.3 l on the Can-Am), with peaks exceeding 9 liters for the two tripods (read our box " Conditions and route "opposite). Alive if not mind-blowing, the Tri Glide Ultra’s accelerations are no match for the more muscular – but smoother – ones of the Spyder RT.

If the 138 Nm of torque of the Twin Cam 103 (130.1 Nm for the Can-Am) allow it to support the comparison at mid-range, its lack of extension and its enormous power deficit (around 85 hp for the block HD, 115 hp for the BRP!) Quickly forced him to surrender. Also sure that his additional quintal (545 kg dry against 459 kg) does not benefit him !

Soft and smooth, the BRP unit starts again from idle (or almost, because the SE6 gearbox does not allow it) and extends the stride without slackening or forcing up to 4500 rpm. Then the constant thrust is reinforced and knows no dead time, until the gentle regulation at about 8500 rpm. Costaude with regard to the mass to be moved, the acceleration lacks on the other hand relief. This linearity is pleasant in terms of comfort, but less in terms of sensations.

Capable of easily exceeding 190 km / h in fifth gear, the powerful three-cylinder leaves the voluntary twin-cylinder in the towers, struggling to exceed 155 km / h. At these prohibited speeds, the stability of these strange machines is not subject to criticism, even if the Spyder appears to be more firmly planted on its supports. And this trend is confirmed on bad coating…

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