I think it will and over the next few years I think we'll only see this platform get better and better.
I am an avid Victory fan and owner of several Victory machines (Vision, Vegas, Crossroads). My wife also owns a Spyder RT-S SE5, unfortunately. I'm going to assume that the Slingshot is a higher quality machine, just because of who makes it. I certainly can't be worse than Can-Am at the least, no one can. That being said, working on that plastic paneled Can-Am pos is an exercise in patience and vocabulary. The simplest maintenance requires extreme disassembly. I hope the Slingshot isn't like that, but when I saw the photo from the rear, with the shock and drive belt sticking through holes in plastic riveted panels, I was crushed. It reminded me so much of looking at the wife's Spyder. But at least the Can-Am seats 2 and has saddlebags, trunk, frunk (trunk in front) for storage. We can pack enough to take multi day trips, which I don't see as an option with the Slingshot. It may not be designed for long trips, but for a machine that will take up that much of my wallet and garage space, it has to be more than a one trick pony.
I can shed some light on this topic although I haven't test drove the Slingshot. I can tell you there are many angry Spyder owners out there as BRP and their Spyder dealers have this policy: if you have a complaint or an ongoing problem with a Spyder the dealer can't solve,
they hand the problem back to the customer, stating "you have to call BRP (Spyder's mfg in case you didn't know). if you want to get anywhere. BPR in Quebec has a call center for this and the person will be very well trained in giving you empathy, sympathy, or whatever emotional response the situation requires. Then they will open a case number and
send you back to contact your dealer like a yo-yo. In my 2 very different experiences here was the end result:
NOTHING! The first time they send me a kit, easy to self install, in which every component broke after a fifteen minute ride at 30-45 mph. The only thing that didn't break were iron brackets, but all the plastic component were cracked or shattered. So I went through their process (in my opinion a store that sells you something should be in contact with the mfg, not the customer). Case opened, dealer had their little tete a tete with BRP and BRP told the dealer to tell me it was my fault because I installed the thing wrong. Anyone with a set of screwdrivers with phillips and torque heads could do the install in 15 minutes. BRP offered nothing, not even a discount on a replacement. My dealer ended up selling me the item at cost and this time it worked fine but IMO the plastic parts are cheaply made.
With my second Spyder I learned (after this happened to me) dealers don't disclose a known innate serious fault as this disclosure during the sale would cause most of us to walk out. The check engine sensor is faulty and can cause the check engine screen to go on in warm climates, taking up the full vehicle status screen and distracting the driver as the screen turns bright orange. In the user's manual in the trouble shooting section BRP clearly states
"engine management malfunction, remove and reinsert key." An absurd solution if you are in traffic as the recycling process takes 15-20 seconds. Besides, the solution does not work unless you have driven 5-10 miles with the fault condition on your display. I don't have to tell you guys this is a major distraction as our eyes are wired to things that move, change color and status. Rider distraction, as we all know, results in accidents, injuries, and sometimes death, which is why all MSF courses emphasize where your eyes should be. So I go through the usual yo-yo process and had my answer in 2 days. BRP has decided this is a normal operating condition (when even in their own manual they state it is a malfunction) and will not fix it. I went back and forth with my dealer, asked for a refund, less wear and tear for 1,000 miles as this had happened to me at least 10 times in the 3 months I've had this (expletive deleted). My total cost after taxes and everything was $24K. My dealer offered me less that half of that. Bottom line, if you are comparing the Slingshot to the Spyder, they are apples and oranges; however, my dealer tells me every Spyder since 2012 has this issue, yet they go on selling them without informing the customer during the sale. Non disclosure and fraud laws are fairly onerous to the dealers and BRP buy they are banking that no one will bring this to the National Transportation Safety Administration. Well, they hopes are going to be shattered when I contact the feds today. The Spyder is a very good toy, but if you live in a warm climate area I wouldn't consider it as a possible purchase, as this is what causes the malfunction. In the US the NTSA would force a fix and a recall as accidents will most likely be with cars,so (and this is pure speculation, I have no proof or "whistleblower") maybe BRP did what Ford did once upon a time? Is human life (lives) worth the cost of a fix and recall? Ford and other auto manufacturers learned the answer to that question years ago, and it cost them a fortune. This is my last Spyder as I will not deal with unethical business conduct by dealers and manufacturers.
So I hope this sheds some light on the comparison. You have to look deeper than which vehicle I like better. You have to look at who stands behind it. In BRP's case I'm sure they have helped some, but my own personal experience is the opposite. BRP has this customer service mantra "the moment of truth," when there is an opportunity to help a customer. Draw your own conclusions. I agree with the original post when reach stated " I'm going to assume that the Slingshot is a higher quality machine, just because of who makes it. I certainly can't be worse than Can-Am at the least, no one can.