Thanksgiving Contest AKA Once upon a time..

[Magic Man]

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we thought an ESI Thanksgiving Giveaway contest might be fun.

We are going to giveaway a pair of the new ESI Up & Out Mirror Extensions http://www.esicycleproducts.com/upandoutmirrorext.html this time, so get your typing hands ready.

Now here are the Rules for this contest...

Being it is a "Thanksgiving Contest" we want your best "why you're thankful for your Spyder" story (or poem) in 200 words or less.

There will only be one story per person allowed, so be sure to post only your "best" story.

Our panel of judges (LOL, Patti Jody and myself) will pick the story we feel best describes this.

The stories must be posted here by Thursday November 26, and we will then choose the winner from the stories posted by then.

With what seems like so much "bad press" for the Spyder right now, I thought this might help remind us all of why we bought the Spyder in the first place, how cool it still is, and the good things we might not have ever experienced if we did not own a Spyder.

So, get out your thinking caps, warm up your typing hand, and lets hear your best "why you're thankful for your Spyder" stories.

[effgjamis]

Needless to say, I am not sure that I can put together 200 words to describe why.
However, many many years ago I started riding a 2 wheel cycle and got hooked. Then a few years ago, about 10 plus, I no longer felt that I could ride safely on a two wheeler.
I gave up the ride. About 2 years ago I thought that I might look for a 3 wheeler. I saw a number of trikes and rode a couple of them and I didn't quite get the ride buzz.
I happened to stop in a store which had a video of the spyder and I watched the video. It so happened that they had a spyder in for service and the owner just came in to pick his spyder up. The service manager knew that I was a bit interested and asked the owner of the spyder if I may at least sit on it and the the owner said take it for a ride. I then took it for a ride around the dealers lot and then decided it was a machine for me. ( 5 minutes of ride).
I then searched the internet for a dealer who had one.
The rest is history.. LA owners event, Gatlinburg, all over Florida and Got my IRON BUTT, but most important of all, the purchase of the spyder gave me an opportunity to meet alot of wonderful people and the ability to ride in the wind again.

[stgilmer]

My story starts with a very traumatic experience that landed me in therapy for a driving phobia. To this day I still struggle with driving but I do believe the Spyder has helped 100% in my recovery.

September 27,2008...Our church motorcycle ministry was riding a benefit for the Ronald Macdonald House. It was a beautiful day. Over 500 riders were involved; everything went smooth to the destination. Before I go on, I had been riding for years and will mention I was riding a 2008 Vstar 650 Classic with only 300 miles (brand new). Trouble from the bike was the farthest thing from my mind. The day went on and it was time for our 12 members to head back home. It was a slow 45 mph cruise from West Point, Ga. Five miles out we come around a curve, immediately I feel something wrong, coming out of the curve into the straight away I was violently slammed onto my right side. The front forks Failed in the curve, as they did not stand back up after straightening out causing the devastating loss of control. I thank God that I always rode in a Joe Rocket armored jacket, EMT said if not, my back would have definitely been broke from the eyewitnesses (rider behind me) 8 flips once I could no longer hold on. All I remember is blackness and yelling from the other riders "he's dead". I wasn't severely hurt, I was severely stunned, road eaten, bruised and cut. For the longest it would just keep playing over and over in my mind, it got to where I couldn't even drive a car.

But I knew my days of feeling the wind were not over. A few weeks into therapy I kept hearing more and more about the Spyder. After one test ride, it was on the trailer to my home. To this day I don't go on long trips, but with time that will change. My wife just loves even short rides. So I truly think the Spyder is a blessing to me in many ways. I feel safer on it; I get to spend more time with my wife and the saying “ A biker truly knows why a dog hangs his head out the window”. Even with its issues lately, I wouldn't have anything else, just getting the extra time with my wife makes it worthwhile.

[vt228]

I was helping a lady pull tires out of her trunk she pulled it out and let her side go my back went pop I was taken to the hospital and they told me my L-4 L-5 where brocken had to be fuzed my back. And my ryding days where over for 4 yrs no bikeing at all I had a 2003 fatboy and it sat in shed.for 4 yrs I couln'd ryde .I tryed to ryde once almost dropped her My days where over till I test road a spyder and my eyes teared up I was reborn .I sat there terrey eyed my wife aske me you ok I didn't want to get off the spyder.I put 1,000 dollard down on a new 2008 spyder from bobs skydo in massachusetts .I am glad I found this god send of a bike I am thankfull for BRP and my spyder. PS,, and all the people I have met are all family and the spyder's are ower children lol.....

[Magic Man]

It's good to hear that the Spyder has allowed all three of you to keep riding!

MM

[Lamonster]

Wow, I expected a little more participation than this.

Come on guys, this is a great giveaway.

[Magic Man]

Wow, I expected a little more participation than this.

Come on guys, this is a great giveaway.

MM

[DynamoBT]

Just need time to sit and compose something. I'm sure others don't want to simply hit "Reply to Thread" and wing it.

[VIspyderman]

because it has changed my life. I was introduced to motorcycling in 2000. I had already suffered a back injury while serving as a Peacekeeper in the middle east. After a few years of riding cruisers & my Gold Wing it became evident that my two wheel days were ending. I was going to trike my wing when the local BRP dealership sent me to San Diego to see the unveiling of the Spyder. I ordered one immediately and the rest is history. I have over 60,000 KM's of pain free ryding and just can't get enough of it.
Thanks BRP & Courtenay Motorsports for the Spyder.
Spyderlovers.com has been a tremendous resource for helping my customers make informed choices about accessorizing, repairs and just general observation of what the Spyder community has to offer.

[shunkmanitu]

Iktome Luta @ West Pensacola Dialysis Center.

[QuadManiac]

So, I sat down to write this and by the time I was done, it was over two thousand words... sheesh. Back to the drawing board. Here's the edited version:

I was hooked on motorcycles at age 12; my dad’s friend taught me to ride his Hodaka 90. The years didn’t help with my dreams, however. My parents were too safety conscious, “Can’t have one.” Then, later, my wife was dead set against motorcycles. I’ve spent 40 years dreaming and borrowing a ride whenever I could.

The kids grew up; my wife decided to search for HER dreams, alone. I lived in fog until my daughter’s boyfriend invited me to the desert to ride quads... It all came back – freedom reminiscent of an 8 y/o with cards in my spokes.

I have since met a wonderful woman who shares my dreams. We now have 4 quads and a motor home and spend as much time enjoying the freedom as possible. Waiting for cooling - desert season to start - is painful. Then we saw a Spyder ad and knew immediately. She found it, I bought it. The same freedoms and joys we have in the desert are now available all year round (most of our Spyder’s miles are 2 up).

Why are we thankful for our Spyder? Because it is the culmination of 40 years of dreams, finally come true.

[Firefly]

A great giveaway and GREAT stories thus far.

Can't even try to hold a candle to those that got a Spyder to continue/help them ride due to being unable to ride on 2 wheels.

Can't even imagine the new found freedoms you guys have gotten back--- that many of us just take for granted.

[bjt]

A great giveaway and GREAT stories thus far.

Can't even try to hold a candle to those that got a Spyder to continue/help them ride due to being unable to ride on 2 wheels.

Can't even imagine the new found freedoms you guys have gotten back--- that many of us just take for granted.

[Magic Man]

So BJT where's your story????

MM

[dltang]

I love my spyder for so many reasons. Yes it is cool, yes it is fun, yes it is different and yes it can make you feel like a Rock Star. But the best reasons have to do with the relationships. This is a hobby that both my husband and I can participate in together. We are able to spend time together working on our mods. We have been able to travel and enjoy the the open road from a whole new perspective and share that with one another. We even spend time on SpyderLovers together. The friends that we have made all over the USA and Canada have been amazing. We have made bonds that I know will last a lifetime. One last thing that truly puts a smile on my face about owning and riding a spyder is that my daughter would think it was so cool.

[aerialdall]

Once upon a time
I tried to make up a rhyme
About my awesome 09 SE Red Spyder
And why I'm such a Happy Ryder
I thought & I pondered
As my mind just wandered
What has made me so Thankful
As I fill up each tankful
My Spyder has given me such joy
Because she is not just a toy
I've again been allowed to have the wind in my face
As my heart beats at a faster pace
We cruise down the highways
Exploring the backwoods & byways
What am I thankful for
I couldn't ask for any more
All the new friends I have met
Everyone here on the Spyder Lovers net
Thank-you to each & every one
I could never imagine my life being so much fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[GeminiJane]

I’m thankful for my yellow Spyder
‘Cause it makes me such a happy ryder.
I love to ryde it … it’s such a hoot –
I start smiling as I don helmet and boot.

I step right up and climb right on
then hit the starter and vroom, I’m gone.
I zip and zoom and bob and weave
and soon forget all my pet peeves.

It’s fun and fast and sleek and mean,
and it doesn’t take long to master the “lean”.
I love the look, the sound and feel..
It keeps me happy and on an even keel.

A sunny day, a curvy road –
My life is good I’m often told.
I twist the throttle and feel the surge,
I’m truly hooked on that rydin’ urge.

I bought my Spyder and then tuned in
To Spyderlovers and found new friends.
I’ve learned a lot from all the forum
and appreciate the typical friendly decorum.

My thanks to Magic Man for this contest
which helped me remember why Spyders are best.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone…
Go get on those Spyders and have some fun!

[mike3069]

Way back when, the Day Before Elvis Died, (if you don't remember, I wish I was your age!) I had the misfortune to be going a bit to fast on my TX500 Yamaha and my front wheel tried to occupy the same space as the front wheel of a 4WD F-250. It didn't work well. Turned the truck into a Trike, the bike into a unicycle and me into a monoped!

Needless to say, bike riding hasn't been taking up a lot of my time for the last 31 years. The open road and I have not seen much of each other except thru a windshield.

Suddenly, ALONG CAME A SPYDER! The first time I saw a picture of the Spyder on the web, I realized that the open road was coming back to me!

I have, thanks to the Spyder, been able to rediscover something that has been missing in my life for over thirty years. The pleasure of riding the open road with the wind in my face!

Thank you BRP! I can’t begin to say how much pleasure I have gotten from your innovation in just the last 18 months (over 20,000 miles so far).

[irish2themax]

At 65 years of ripening age,
I thought my riding days had turned the last page.
Back surgeries and knee surgeries had taken their toll.
It was if someone had taken my soul.

I looked at the Harleys, the Gold Wings and more.
To find a good trike but they’d all make me poor.
Then one day I just happened to see.
This weird looking bike with wheels numbering three.

The two wheels were not in the usual place.
Among my friends, would I lose face?
But I said to myself “Go ahead…what the Heck.”
Test drive the sucker and see if you wreck.

I mounted the and off we two went.
In an instant I knew what fans meant.
I knew from the start this thing was for me
This weird looking bike with wheels numbering three.

From that day ‘til now, we’ve gone far and wide
The smile on my face is impossible to hide.
Of my POW*MIA I must say I’m proud.
Wherever we go, we draw a good crowd.

Some questions are stupid but most are sincere.
About this odd trike with one wheel in the rear.
I tell all I meet, every day that I ride her.
I thank God that BRP invented the .

Yet as good as it is, it still needs some more
So I surf on net for an aftermarket store.
That’s where I found Evan and No Magic Neon
Now ESI, their gear’s made in Heaven.

Now my ’s complete and I love the look now
Evan can take a justified bow.
Some vendors make me understandably nervous
But not ESI…they know customer service!!

[docdoru]

Can we rename ESI up & out mirror extensions into ESI up and out front turn signal extensions? Who need mirrors other than to see the traffic we just past?

[Magic Man]

Can we rename ESI up & out mirror extensions into ESI up and out front turn signal extensions? Who need mirrors other than to see the traffic we just past?

Hey Doc, and I thought you were going to say how thankful you were for me.

MM

[bjt]

So BJT where's your story????

MM

It's a tale as old as time....

Boy gets motorcycle. Boy likes motorcycle. Boy gets scared off motorcycle by careless car drivers.
20 years later... Boy sees Spyder. Boy becomes infatuated with Spyder. Boy buys Spyder.

I'm thankful for the Spyder because I feel I can safely share the road with cars again.

[docdoru]

It's a tale as old as time....

Boy gets motorcycle. Boy likes motorcycle. Boy gets scared off motorcycle by careless car drivers. 20 years later... Boy sees Spyder. Boy becomes infatuated with Spyder. Boy buys Spyder.

...Boy scare careless car drivers.

[Putt-Putt]

I'm not a good story writer.But I got a spyder. I need the rear view so I can see who's sneaking up on me. So with just a quick glance and not taking a chance, I could see. I'm old and don't want to get a crick in the neck so what the heck.
I want to be the WINNER!

[Capt John]

The Spyder has opened up many roads in my life. After an ugly divorce over fifteen years ago. I have spent the majority of that time working and raising my three daughters (2 of them still with me) and because of problems and their disabilities. I basically put my life on hold to tend to their needs. Very little time for friends or hobbies. The Spyder and this forum has given me an avenue to explore both new friendships and a unique ryding experience. The spyder has givien back to me something that has been missing for a long time. A passion and an exhilaration for life. Even my daughters have mentioned that they have seen a change in me since I bought the Spyder. I'm thankful for these new friends I've met and the pure pleasure of ryding the