Bike vs Spyder

[StriperKing]

Finally had a day warm enough to get out and nothing to do so of course that means a RIDE, warm enough for me is in the 40`s. I had to go get a Honda VTX1300 S that I bought to resale in the spring and it was 45 min. away. This is the first bike I had been on since I bought the Spyder. When I got home the wife and I hopped on the Spyder and rode for about an hour and a half (first time with the new Elkas up front ). I missed having a regular bike but after my back to back rides today I will never go back to a bike. The open free feeling you get from a bike is somewhat lost on a Spyder RT S but the easy care free feeling you get on the Spyder more than makes up for it. Just wondering what some others who have had bikes before and now ride a Spyder think.

[NancysToy]

I still own and ride both. I think you have described it quite accurately. I still love the feeling on a bike, and leaning in the turns, etc., but riding the Spyder feels much the same, but very care free. This is especially noticeable on a long trip, in bad weather, or when you are tired. A lot like driving a convertible sports car...without all that confinement. I'll continue to ride both, but the Spyders are the choice for two-up and longer trips these days. My friends can kid me about our "motorized milking stools", but riding a Spyder will get you, hook, line, and sinker!

[SpyderDen]

I still own and ride both. I think you have described it quite accurately. I still love the feeling on a bike, and leaning in the turns, etc., but riding the Spyder feels much the same, but very care free. This is especially noticeable on a long trip, in bad weather, or when you are tired. A lot like driving a convertible sports car...without all that confinement. I'll continue to ride both, but the Spyders are the choice for two-up and longer trips these days. My friends can kid me about our "motorized milking stools", but riding a Spyder will get you, hook, line, and sinker!

[StriperKing]

Ya everyone sais I ride a southern snowmobile, lol. Everyone wants to try it though .

[usurp31]

I was riding yesterday and waved at a on a Honda Fury. He was laughing and shaking his head and didn't wave back. I smiled as I watched the wind blow him and his Honda all around the highway. My wife and I were also smiling at the number of people pointing, staring and taking photos of us during the ride. I don't miss my Shadow at all.

[boborgera]

I ride my two wheeler every chance i get, I'll never get two wheels out of my system.
That said when the roads are bad, I'm tired, looks like rain/snow, I ride the Spyder every chance i get.

[Dudley]

After over 40 years and 500,000 plus miles on 2 wheels, never again. It's either Spyder or cage.

[StriperKing]

WoW 500,000 miles, that is impresive. I am jelious. I have a goal to put as many miles on my Spyder as I can this year. 12,000 in one year is my record. That was 25 yrs ago on a Honda V30 Magna with my girlfriend who I have now been married to for 24 yrs.

[MMcc]

Sold the last of my 3 Honda PC 800's this summer to buy the . Still have my old Zundapp. When people ask about the difference between the two modes 3 vs 2 I tell them, With the Spyder on the highway there are no surprises. I loved the 2 wheels but the bad road surfaces in Minnesota made riding less than relaxing. I am finding the same thing here in southern CA. Wind, rain and damaged roads don't seem to have the same impact on my riding now. Today my wife and I took the spyder for a short ride, about 50 miles for lunch. The wind was 20 mph gusts to 30. At the cafe we spoke about the wind effects with other bikers. All others said they were being blown around, nothing bad but hard to relax. We also felt the wind but my wife said this ride was much more enjoyable than on the 2 wheels. Don't think I would ever go back to 2 wheels when riding 2 up.

[Questions]

I wish there where someone with an education that could tell us the mental diffrance between 3 and 2 wheels.
i guess its cos we have thought 2wheels as cool since most of us where born i guess you that are 80 i dont know what columbus rode but i guess it wasnt a bike (i hope you get the joke even though my english are bad)
wish i had more 2wheel experiance but the little i got say 3 wheels are more fun in a diffrent way then 2 but the same goes aroudn the other way

but i find it kinda odd all the elitist 2wheelers dont seem to understand that "we" are the same, ppl liking the free air. its just that we like 3 wheels.

And some call our spyders expensive.. i dont see why..
think about the development cost.. most bikes are the same year after year and if they make a new its not nearly the cost of the spyder. even though the spyder is not more expensive then the 2wheel cousin of them.

[dave01]

I'll continue to ride my Hayabusa as long as possible. The feeling of 2 wheels is so much more of a connection with the bike than the feeling of ryding the Spyder. Mentaly, I am drained after a few trips thru the Smokies on the bike, but with the Spyder I can enjoy all of the scenery around me and relax a little more. Spyders can still jump up and byte you if you become complacent, but its just a different feel on 3 wheels. Both totally enjoyable too.

Plus, gotta love the acceleration that you get on 2 versus 3. Nothing I have tried can compare.

[dancogan]

I've divided my riding into two parts: when my wife and I ride together, we're on the Spyder. I wouldn't go back to 2 wheels. Too hard to keep upright on off-camber stops. Too tiring in stop and go traffic. Too much responsibility for my best friend in the event of sand or other problems in a corner. That's why we got the Spyder.

However, when I ride alone it will be on 2 wheels. Part of it is just the feeling of leaning over in turns. Part is the increased responsiveness of the two wheeler due its weighing in at about half of the RT. And part is because the 800cc engine regularly gets 50-60 mpg.

I love them both, and if I could only have one it would be the Spyder, because riding with my best friend is my favorite kind of riding.

[boborgera]

but i find it kinda odd all the elitist 2wheelers dont seem to understand that "we" are the same, ppl liking the free air. its just that we like 3 wheels.
.

I don't think it's so much as that the 2 wheelers don't understand, so much so as some Spyder owners need/want acceptance from the 2 wheel crowd.
Ride your ride don't worry about what others think.
Life go's by to quick.

[Campverdefela]

I've divided my riding into two parts: when my wife and I ride together, we're on the Spyder. I wouldn't go back to 2 wheels. Too hard to keep upright on off-camber stops. Too tiring in stop and go traffic. Too much responsibility for my best friend in the event of sand or other problems in a corner. That's why we got the Spyder.

However, when I ride alone it will be on 2 wheels. Part of it is just the feeling of leaning over in turns. Part is the increased responsiveness of the two wheeler due its weighing in at about half of the RT. And part is because the 800cc engine regularly gets 50-60 mpg.

I love them both, and if I could only have one it would be the Spyder, because riding with my best friend is my favorite kind of riding.

Awwwwww

[IWN2RYD]

For us...

We miss the two wheel experience. But because of a near death experience (Not the one we miss) two wheels is no longer an option in our relationship. Additionally my wife does not have the strength to ryde two wheels more than 30 minutes anymore (Disability).

So for us the three wheels gives us the type of ryding feel we are looking for.

We looked and looked and looked at the original trikes for years... Never liked the look and hated the feel in turns. When BRP brought these Spyders out, we knew one day we would own one. Only thing we had to figure out was when and what color.

As far as other folks goes not liking them... So be it. To me this is why the Spyder is even here. Someone was tired of the same unappealing look of the Trike, and wanted a safer fun ryde than it or the two wheeled brothers offered.

To this day I have never had any bad vibes or otherwise in a bike ryde with multiple bikes. Quite the opposite. Just the scattered few preaching to the Church of Harley at the local store. I still go anyway. It is good to be proud of your ryde. No reason for us to not be either...

[bikeguy]

I agree with Scotty, MMcc, and dancogan. I love 2 wheels and 3 wheels in different ways. Somehow, 2 wheels still feels a little bit more adventurous, just like it did when I first got on one about a hundred years ago. But I doubt I will ever ride two up on a 2 wheeler again. Bikes just kept getting taller and heavier, and my legs don't get any longer. And like dancogan, my favorite riding is when my best friend is behind me.

Since I sold my R1100RT BMW, I need to spend a little time getting my old R90/6 completely road worthy again so I'll have a 2 wheeler for solo rides. I still ride my dirt bikes and I'll keep doing that until I can't.

Cotton

[Eraser]

I've been riding on 2 for most of my life...without my best friend,my wife.2 wheels has always scared her.But 3 seems to work for her and now "ryding" has become a family affair!
Do I miss the speed of my treasured Hayabusa...oh yeah! I've kept a 600 GSX around for old times' sake.

[Bob Denman]

Once in a while I get accused of needing "Training Wheels",
But I ain't going back!

[Questions]

Im not saying i want acceptence, just some respect "they" can hate me all they want i mean im that kind of personality that you love or hate
well mostly ppl find me strange :P but most of the time ppl dont tell me that more then if i get to know them more..
Its just kinda.. "so what you hate my trikey, do i care?" no i do not care i just care about the disrespect.. do you tell every biker that have a custom that you think looks wrong that its ugly? well i guess some do.

if i ride an R1 instead of hayabusa and you hate the R1 and love your hayabusa maybe you would normally say "my busa is faster" or something simular.. hardly ive seen the amount of unpropitional disrespect.. these things get. But hmm its more popular in the US.. so maybe it catched on faster there, i think we are more used to smaller bikes here if i look whats more "common" here. so i guess its a multiple thing.
so in the end it might just come down the the typical MC in an area

[usurp31]

How does the one song go, "Love me or hate me, it's still an obsession"... I happen to enjoy the attention the draws anywhere I go; but that's my ego and the showman in me. I wave at everybody, I don't care what they are on if it's not a cage.

[Slybird]

During the past six years, my wife has purchased and sold at least 4-5 motorcycles, trying to find one that she's comfortable riding. I made the "mistake" of letting her drive my 2010 RT-S a couple of months ago and she started whining "I want one!". Well, we're now a 2- family. I flew down to Phoenix in December to pick up her "new" used 2010 Orbital Blue RT-AC and she's now out on the roads ryding like a champ! God bless Spyders! Can Am's accomplished something Yamaha, Suzuki and Harley couldn't - got my wife up and ryding WITH me - not SITTING BEHIND me!

[2Gunns]

I've been riding since High School (many moons ago).... since buying the Spyder in Dec. 2009, the Yamaha VStar has been riden out for state inspection and my Harley has been only a few mile more. The Spyder has TAKEN CONTROL. In fact, the last charity ride I was invited on, I was asked to bring the HD. Left the house,,,,got a few miles down the rode and turned around....showed up on the RT. My son has taken the MSF course and I plan to give him the vstar..... I'll keep the HD for awhile but doubt it gets much rode time.

As other have said... it has also gotten my wife involved. Spyder was the best purchase I ever made

[ARtraveler]

Interesting first post. Im storing a brand new 2009 Honda VTX 1300 for a friend who bought it real cheap (how about $3000 off sticker--blow out sale) from the dealer. She was ready to graduate to bigger than 650 cc and the opportunity came along.
I also ride two wheels in addition to my Spyder. I bought a brand new 2009 Vulcan 900 LTD last august--because I missed riding on two wheels. I had a two year period of Spyder only--but backslid. I find that riding a two wheeler seems to give a little more excitement than the Spyder, but I really like the RTS and all the amenities for long trips, as well as riding in inclement weather.
It's different strokes for different folks. We all have our reasons for the way, and what we ride. It's all good though. IMO, there is no such thing as a bad ride.

[BikerDoc]

I still love the two wheeler (Ducati PSE 1000) for around town or short furious rides but when you start thinking about 1000 plus mile trips -- the Spyder is the only ride in my thoughts.. My friends on two wheelers seem to think that 200 or 25o miles a day is the max range to ride when I just feel warmed up on the spyder at that point...

[Chikez]

I have riden motorcyles only as an adult. Getting my license at the age of 35 and being female turned quite a few heads in the 80's. I gave up riding by the end of the 80's because money was low and I could only afford one vehicle. Riding in Maryland on a motorcycle in winter is not a good idea so I bought the cage and sadly left the world of two wheels. Career and life took my time though I always wanted to go back to riding. I met someone in 1997 and this partner has been with me ever since. She never rode a motorcycle.
Due to life and a car accident in high school my knees soon deterioated until in 98-99 I had both knees replaced. After a year I felt so good I went to my doctor stating I wanted to ride the motorcycle again. He agreed, explained the risk and off I went to the safety course along with my partner. We both took the course and she got her license. I had never given up the license, just the bike.
I bought a 2001 Suzuki VL800 Volusia.. she has a vintage 1987 Honda Rebel 450 (yes 450) in excellent condition. We rode for 8 years until the arthritus caught up to me. My feet hurt so badly I could not trust myself to hold up the bike. My partner is a very timid rider and will not ride alone.
Fate turns a twist and to seal the end of two wheels, I then needed both rotator cuffs repaired. I still love bikes, but knew I could not ride safely. I had heard about the spyder RS and even took a test drive before the shoulder surgeries, but my limited range of motion of the knees and bent forward riding position made it impossible to ride. I remember telling the dealer in Virginia that obviously Can Am had invested a great deal in this vehicle and they were smart people. I said then that sooner or later Can Am would come out with a touring vehicle.
In 2009 I attended the DelMarVa Bike week in Ocean City Maryland. I had seen online that Can Am was having a factory demo at Short's Marine in Delaware. I drove the truck up to Delaware to see if I could ride or see the sitting position on the RTS. I met the rep, asking my question he walked me around to the opposite side of the 18 wheeler, pointed to the graphic on the side of the trailer and said, "I think you will be just fine."
One year ago this month, between blizzards in Maryland, I got a call to come take the demo ride on the RTS in Delaware. I took the test ride and fell in love with riding again. I did not order then because I wanted to test the semi automatic transmission. I went to a dealer in Maryland in April and bought my RTS. I can ride again without worry of dropping a bike, not being able to pull it back out of a parking space or drop a bike at a traffic light because of oil. Yes, I miss the lean, but I have earned comfort. Thank you CAN AM for making it possible for all the aging baby boomers like me to keep their love for the open road alive and do it with a reasonable amount of risk. My partner loves to ride and this season I promise to get her back in the driver's seat.
Thank you all for your help, tips and overall guidance and support. Keep posting, our family will only grow.