Why wait?

[Lamonster]

I've been all over North America on my Spyders and one thing that comes up all the time is the comment "when I get so I can't hold up a bike anymore I'll be looking real hard at one of those", or "when I get older I plan on getting one of those but not yet". If they stick around long enough to listen to my argument for getting one now here's what I normally say.

The main reason folks say this is because there is something special about riding on two wheels compared to three. I get that and I agree with them but would you wait to ride a ATV till you got older or couldn't hold up a dirt bike any longer? To me it's the same thing, I like things that are fun and that's why I ride them, not because I'm limited to something I don't have to hold up. I'll say this, I've been riding and racing dirt bikes most of my life and to me it takes more skill to ride a 4-wheeler fast than a dirt bike. I get wore out a lot sooner on my 4-wheeler than I do a dirt bike but they are both a blast to ride.

I was 12 in this pic


Clean fun


I'm not saying this to brag but I've had more horsepower between my legs on two wheels than most Hot Rodders have had in their cars. I owned a Boss Hoss for 5 years before getting my first Spyder and it had just shy of 400hp and it weighed in at close to 1200 lbs on two wheels. I had no problem holding that up nor some of the 500-600hp big blocks my buddies let me ride. So for me it's not about what I can hold up or wanting something slower because it's safer. The Spyder has held my attention for the last 5 years because it's so different and it's just flat out fun to ride. It's the slowest thing I've owned but I got to say it's more fun than anything else I've ever owned. Just because it's not the fastest toy on the planet doesn't mean it can't be one of the funnest thing on the planet. Just like a 4-wheeler can be more fun in some ways than a dirt bike so can a Spyder be more fun than a two wheeler. In a perfect world you can have both like I do but I've found myself grabbing the keys to my Spyder before my two wheeler for the last 3 or 4 years now to where I need to go though my bike and get it running again because it just hasn't had the love the Spyder has gotten.

So all you folks out there that are waiting till you're old or can't hold up a two wheeler anymore you're really missing out on a great time not riding a Spyder now while you can still ride both. You may be like me and park the bike and grab the Spyder when that perfect or not so perfect day for a ride comes up.

My Boss Hoss on Deals Gap. I put over 30,000 miles on that bike and loved it. It was sold soon after getting the Spyder in 2007 because I just didn't ride it anymore.


This was the first prototype Vanquish my friend Mike Kelly built. He through me the keys and said have fun and I did. This bike has over 550hp


My Valkyrie with Super Charger, Nitrous system and flame throwers. Yes I built that.


This is a custom VTX I built. It was raked out 10 degrees, custom softail suspension custom built by me and was one of the first all out custom VTX's


I still have my M109R but I need to go through it as it hasn't been ridden in awhile. Still love this bike and always will.


So as you can see I love two wheels just as much as the next guy but the Spyder bit me back in 2007 and I have yet to get over it. Once again I say "Why Wait"?

[Ga Blue Knight]

I agree entirely. I can still ride two wheelers but my wife is nervous on the back but absolutely elated to ride with me on my RT. Just having her along is all the thrill I need. LOL!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Yea I know exactly what you are talking about.....I have a 65 Shelby Cobra 427 that just mostly sits.....No it's not original......Yes it's a replica.....But I built it and I love it......But my Spyder's get way more attention....Mike.......................PS YOU GOT SOME SWEEEEEEEEEEEET STUFF

[MarkLawson]

We have two Spyders and a Goldwing. Only have enough room in my side of the garage for two, so the Goldwing stays in the enclosed trailer with a battery tender attached. Tore me up to put it out there, but it almost never gets ridden...

[bmwlarry]

Could not have said it better!!

[MouthPiece]

Although I in no way have the back ground or riding experience that you have, Lamont, your reasoning is right on point when it came to my decision to get a spyder. It wasn't so much that I couldn't ride a two wheeler as much as it was that this "in the future looking machine" intrigued me, and I thought how much of a ball I would have riding it. I also felt that my wife, Cindy, would feel more secure on the spyder as well. (which she does).

Chris

[budsspuds]

I have owened a bunch of two wheeled bikes . all good some better than others . all were fast all are gone Now I am a Spyder Lover no way I have ever had so much fun on two , I am hooked after 4000 miles on the spyder . The thing just flat out works on so many levels . fun ,safe ,fast ,different ,fun ,reliable ,easy to operate ,auto trans, fun .

[NancysToy]

I couldn't agree more! My bikes sit, my hotrod sits, Nancy's Falcon sits. I'd rather ride the Spyder than work on a car or bike. That says a lot, given my track record. When they are all side-by-side in the garage, and you consistently pick the Spyders, there has to be more to it than a ride for the geriatric set. The Spyders never fail to bring smiles to our faces.

[harrypottar]

, couldn't agree more, I'm still more than capable of holding up some of the biggest bikes out there. I traded my VTX 1800R for a Goldwing then traded that for the Spyder, miss the VTX more than the Goldwing. I had no intrest in a trike but once I saw and rode the RT I feel in love with it. I have posted before that I was getting board with the wing, been ridding over 35 years and was ridding less and less. The spyder is so much fun, it as given me a new reason to ride, I just love it for the sheer fun it is to ride. I chose the Spyder not out of age, disabilities, health or lack of experance but out of the shear difference it is and the enjoyment it brings.

harry

[ARtraveler]

Well said.

[Mr. White]

Good post, Lamont. I triked my GW due to my bad leg acting up. I had to trike or quit riding, a no brainer. Love my GW trike and thought a RT would be a hoot too....it is. I never raced but we used to sneak out to the local fair ground 1/2 mile horse track at night and roar around on our two wheelers...

I guess I have a different reason for my trikes, they will extend my riding life for many more years....as long as I can get my gimpy leg over the seat and not worry about falling over, I will ride. (My wife said "I will get you a little step stool to climb up on to your trike.")

Lamont, what about a Boss Hoss trike...they look neat...have you ridden one? Your thoughts if you have....

[Ken Thomas]

[Lamonster]

Lamont, what about a Boss Hoss trike...they look neat...have you ridden one? Your thoughts if you have....

Rode the 502 Big Block Boss Hoss and it was too hot for me. There's no way I could have as much fun in the twisties with the Boss trike either. I really had zero interest in any trike till I saw the Spyder, to me it's not a trike, it's a custom.

[asp125]

Wifey and I have his & hers sportbikes and dirt bikes, 6 including the Spyder. The two wheelers are fun and freedom on a different level; in the canyons I still prefer my knee dragger. The Spyder is "ours" for two up rides and luggage space; it's kind of relaxing cruising together on the RS. I suppose when arthritis claims my ankles (one was reconstructed after a track incident) I'll sell the two wheelers and buy an ST.

[Mr. White]

I understand, Lamont. I sold my 2007 Suzuki 1250S Bandit when I got BR1....I was riding the trikes and not the Bandit....it was a fine machine but no longer appealed to me.

[Adirondack Mik]

Great post Lamont! Rar still worries that she is not a biker because of the 3 wheels on he Charlotte. My Scrat sits right next to my HD and I laugh every time I don't get a wave.

[PrairieSpyder]

I only briefly considered a "traditional" trike. They just strike me as a step backward from a 2-wheeler. But the Spyder is like a whole 'nother animal. It's no compromise, but a ryde in itself.

[Ivorspyder]

Rode the 502 Big Block Boss Hoss and it was too hot for me. There's no way I could have as much fun in the twisties with the Boss trike either. I really had zero interest in any trike till I saw the Spyder, to me it's not a trike, it's a custom.

Couldn't agree with you more.I rode my ST1300 &Goldwing all over the US.Over all famous roads out West.I was not interested in a trike.Last Feb I saw for the 1st time a bunch of RT,s at Lake Okeechobee in Florida.Decided then&there I would get one after our Summer ride out West&British Coumbia,Alberta etc.Ended our trip Jul3rd and July 6th traded the Goldwing for a2012 RT Limited.I have no problem riding 2 wheels but thought The Spyder would be fun.
It sure is.I am having a ball riding it.I will be doing a lot of trips all over with it.

Ivor

[Kratos]

Awesome thread and well said Lamont....

[jerpinoy]

Spyder venom is our veins and no going back now. Ride safe, humble, proud and more fun than others

[retread]

I've been riding almost 60 years, had my share of 2 wheelers, a few trikes. That said, my Spyder is more pure fun than almost any bike or trike I've ridden, although the Maico K-501 came close.
And a big part of the enjoyment is the other folks who ride them.

john

[Lamonster]

I've been riding almost 60 years, had my share of 2 wheelers, a few trikes. That said, my Spyder is more pure fun than almost any bike or trike I've ridden, although the Maico K-501 came close.
And a big part of the enjoyment is the other folks who ride them.

john

That's funny, I had a 500 M- Star that I traded a welder for. It was a fun bike till I poked a hole in the fuel tank.

[Pennyrick]

We began riding in 1974 when my wife and I visited Anderson's Motorsports in Pontiac, Michigan and came away with two Honda CB 360T's. Over the years we have owned multiple Suzukis, several Hondas, Harleys, Yamahas, and others but until my wife got her first RT in 2010 the cycles were supplemental to our automobiles.

Then I traded my Valkyrie on the first Spyder and then traded away my Gold Wing on the 2012 RT I drive now. These machines are now our primary vehicles. Whether taking trips or just going out for dinner, it's more enjoyable on the Spyders.

We have two automobiles in the drive. One has been driven less than 1,000 miles this year and the the other was purchased new in March of this year and just turned 8,000 miles. Last year I sold my Thunderbird that had been sitting in the garage undriven for so long I felt guilty.

What does that tell you about the Spyders??

[retread]

Interesting, I got my first 2 wheeler from Anderson's when they were on Paddock, just off Pike Street. They sold Cushman scooters then, and grew and moved at least 2 times to get to Telegraph Road. Andy retired and his kids didn't want the business, so it's Motor City now; I bought my Spyder there, cause there weren't any dealers in Indiana in early '08.

john

[Sarge707]

Well Said, And the reason I Now have 2 Spyders in the garage and ONLY one Jet Ski??
But there ALL BRP!!!