Cptnrydr - Road Trip 2009 - part 1

[captainryder]

Back from my first Road Trip. My wife and I bought our 2008 Can Am Spyder with the intention of touring with our in-laws. When BRP created the Spyder, I don’t think they saw it as a touring vehicle. But many of us have proved them wrong and BRP probably is seriously thinking of a lot of potential customers who will find that the Spyder can also be a great machine to explore the open road. I know that it has for us.

There were a few things that I set out to discover what the Spyder could do in regards to creating a great road trip vehicle. First, we modified the seating and steering to make it more comfortable. ( Magic Man risers & Russell Day Long seat). Then we increased our gear “carrying” capacity with a Bushtec trailer hitch and an Alumna trailer. Then it was up to the new configured Spyder to meet the demands of extra weight, road handling, and performance in all kinds of weather and road conditions.

We travelled 14 days, 3294 miles, and through six states from as high in altitude as 12,050 ft above sea level on Trail Ridge Drive in Rocky Mtn Nat. Park to rolling hills in Kansas. We travelled back roads, interstate highways, and through road construction. And I can truly say our Spyder has what it takes to be a great touring machine.

Over the next 10 days or so, I’ll post our trip as a daily or two day diary. Being our first road trip, I did not know what to expect, and probably was a little over cautious, however, it was one of my all time greatest experiences. Touring on a bike (roadster) is so much different than going somewhere in a car. The Can-Am Spyder can be one of the great “rides” for open road travelers.

[captainryder]

Here is a quick copy of our journey, we travelled from Kansas City north by northwest through Nebraska, then into the Black Hills, across Wyoming via Sheridan and Cody into Yellowstone Nat Park, then home via Rawlings,WY onto Denver and quick detour to Rocky Mountain National Park and city of Estes Park, CO and then across Kansas back to Kansas City, MO.




You may be wondering what type of gear we carried. We actually went overboard with precaution:


In the Trailer:

• A false bottom created by standing 2x6’s covered with plywood hid our spare tire, an extra Kevlar drive belt, and all my tools, complete set of metric wrenches, torx heads and hex sockets as well as a 36mm socket and break-away bar for removing rear axle.[1]
• Additionally we had under this false bottom, 12 volt air compressor, and bottle jack.
• Next comes the clothing, divided into 3 days worth in space-saver bags and a 4th space saver bag with heavy clothing for the cold nights and mornings in Yellowstone we experienced.
• We also carried a toiletries and make-up bag with hair dryer and curling irons as well.
• Then there was a full 24 plastic bottles of water case as well as the ice chest up front stocked with water and pop and lunch meat, cheese, and bread and condiments as we ate most lunches at parks and rest stops.

In a bag on the rear seat, (my wife rode with her sister on the H.D. Trike most days)
· Complete set of rain gear for both of us, extra pair of riding gloves, cleaning rags for the bike, and maps
· There was room occasionally for my camera to be stored for quick retrieval as well.


In the front luggage compartment on the Spyder

• A bag of Nikkon Lenses for my camera (about 10 lbs of camera gear)
• A bag for various electronic gadgets and chargers such as for two cell phones, the Contour HD portable video camera, another Garmin Colorado 300 handheld GPS and papers / confirmations of hotels and lodging pre-arranged.
• 3 cleaning rags, and can of “Spare Tire” sealant

My camera tripod was strapped on top of the Alumna Trailer..

You can see we were stocked. Estimated about 200 additional lbs in addition to the 175 lbs of trailer…… quite a load for Spyder but it handled beautifully. I led the pack most all the time, and left them behind on most hills, especially the H.D. Lehman conversion Trike….. Bro-in-Law wants to get a trailer for the trike, not sure it can handle the job as when my wife and his wife were seated, it seemed to be very un-performing on hills.

[1] As you may recall, I have a hole in my original belt, but a dealership told me it should be alright, but I brought a spare just in case, … Original still on…. With 4000 miles since hole was noticed!

[captainryder]

July 5th 2009
Kansas City, MO
Cloudy, looks like rain… Temperature 64 degrees

• Calm winds, but break in clouds starting to show as we headed North up I-29 towards St. Joseph, MO for breakfast after a quick 50mi shakedown ride.
• After brkfst and fuel, stopped at rest area and met some folks returning from the “Big (Gold)Wing-Ding” in Oklahoma City 4th of July wknd.
• Crossed into Iowa quickly before turning off on Nebraska Hwy 2. (which we will take all the way northwest for 2 days through Nebraska.
• First stop, Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City, Lied Center – a all wooden lodge with decorated grounds ( you gessed it! Trees of every kind) and a forest walkway to a treehouse!
• Next stop, Lincoln, NE and the capital building which happened to be open for tours this Sunday. 15 stories up and a view.
• Weather fantastic now, sunny, fluffy white clouds. We stopped for lunch outside of Lincoln at a picnic table on a hill overlooking a lake. People still getting last minute recreation this holiday weekend in before Monday.
• Arrival at Grand Isle, NE about 5:45pm, Weather Sunny, almost 90 deg, and 6-8mph winds.
• First day ride, no rain, and everything on the bike performed beautifully. Still don’t have an iron butt, as we stopped about every 60-80 miles for something to see or do.

Travelled 347 miles in 6.4 hours of engine time

[Derek Paisley]

Sounds/Looks like a great time!

[Bersquack]

Sounds like a fun trip. Cannot wait for mine in just a few days.

[Mo Lee]

I was wondering why you had not been posting recently. Sounds like yo had a great time. I look forward to the rest of the story.

[bjt]

Sounds/Looks like a great time!

Sounds like yo had a great time. I look forward to the rest of the story.

+1 times 2.

[ataDude]

W-a-i-t-i-n-g.....

ataDude... the guy who vicariously takes vacations

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