Considering purchasing Spyder ST with no experience_need encouragement

[Newbee93003]

Hi there:
I thought I'd read through this forum before I purchased this expensive toy. I have no experience with motorcycles, scooters and have only ridden an ATV once and worried it was going to tip around corners. I am not a speed demon and usually ride my brake going down steed hills while on my mountain bike (which frustrates the heck out of my husband).

A Can Am dealer would not allow me to test drive yesterday because I was honest and told him I was slightly intimidated by the entire prospect. Maybe part of that was my ego worried about being embarrassed in front of a shop full of experienced motorcycle riders. At any rate, I would love feedback from any of you who may have been in my shoes at one point. Do you have any suggestions for overcoming this *fear* or intimidation of this powerful vehicle?

Thank you

[ARtraveler]

Test driving or maybe riding as a passenger will tell you if a is for you. You may need to go to a different dealer for a test drive. Driving better than riding as a passenger though.

You should do a careful check as to what model you really want. The biggy is two cylinder (RS, or ST) or three cylinder (RT or F3).

Both have their pros and cons and various threads on SL discuss these.

[Newbee93003]

Yes, I did a test ride behind my husband who was driving. We test drove the F3, and I was the passenger. I must say I was a bit freaked out when he accelerated because I felt like I was slipping off on the slightly raised seat behind him. I am not sure if being a passenger is going to really tell me if this is something I can do...

[WEB-WVR]

Yes, I did a test ride behind my husband who was driving. We test drove the F3, and I was the passenger. I must say I was a bit freaked out when he accelerated because I felt like I was slipping off on the slightly raised seat behind him. I am not sure if being a passenger is going to really tell me if this is something I can do...

I have been on motorcycles for about 43 years. One time many years ago....I rode as a passenger (the operator was an idiot)....and I will NEVER do that again. When on a motorcycle I believe you need to be in control of your own life....not another (my opinion only). Go back to the dealer and if they have a big parking lot....ride around the lot, then maybe some side streets...just slow speeds 5-15 mph. Get the feel of the Spyder and get use to the openess and seeing the road move under your feet. You can go to another dealer for a test drive too...same thing...just go in the low speed streets/neighborhoods around the dealer. Stay off of main streets and lighted intersections. If/when your confidence comes up....get to a country road and try it at 45 mph.

I have had my Spyder since April getting away from 2 wheels due to health problems. It is a different ride and you need to get use to it. If you buy one....in the manual is a suggested course to ride to get use to it (using cones on a empty lot)....do this !

I went on a long trip about 9 years ago with some other guys that I had not rode with before. They were speed demons and knee draggers going around 5 mph corners on California 1 (coast hwy)with shear cliff drop offs at higher speeds......I broke the rule of ride your own ride.....I tried to stay with them and the result shacked my confidence of many years of riding. SO....if you get a Spyder....ride your own ride ! Ride with your own level of confidence and build your skills.

The Spyder and open air type recreational vehicles are all kinds of fun but not for everyone.

If you get one....be safe and keep the shiny side up ! (also watch out for traffic.....cagers are out to kill you. )

[WEB-WVR]

I always suggest.....if you are going to carry a passenger......HAVE A BACK REST ! If not....the sensation of going off the back of a Spyder/motorcycle can ruin the experience for the passenger.

[Newbee93003]

Thank you very much for your input. If I purchase it, I definitely plan to tread lightly at the beginning. I appreciate your advice.

[Don in E Texas]

..don't ride as a passenger unless bike (ANY bike) has a back rest!

A little throttle will really get the bike going!! Need to be aware of that. Also the semi-automatic (SE5 - SE6) would be far easier to handle than a straight manual transmission. If you ride again, just place transmission into 1st gear with your right hand OFF the throttle - you can place your right hand ahead of the throttle for full control of steering. See how it handles at that low speed - you could get nervious with hand on throttle and twist it - that would not be a pretty picture and not at all enjoyable for you. Do this in an empty parking lot (Wal*Mart or something like that). Foot (right) ready to apply the brake when needed. Also here is a link that is full of helpful information that is a must read for all of us Spyder nuts:

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...-Spyder-owners

Ride your own ride; not what others say/do. Be careful and ENJOY your travels.

We will be looking for photo's of your new ride.

Don

[BikerDoc]

Yes, I did a test ride behind my husband who was driving. We test drove the F3, and I was the passenger. I must say I was a bit freaked out when he accelerated because I felt like I was slipping off on the slightly raised seat behind him. I am not sure if being a passenger is going to really tell me if this is something I can do...

My wife was a nagging nervous nellie as a passenger.. Now that she has her own Spyder and she is in control, she has no problem at all. Truly I think the being in control or not is a big issue with many folks.

[tobor9]

My Wife(SDM) and I learned to ryde our 's going around our block many times till we felt comfortable with it then out on local roads till we mastered that before we went on longer rides and highways. ryde at your pace and enjoy the ryde!.

[Darren111]

By joining Spyderlovers you have made a great move because you learn something new everyday on this site. I am still a newbie on this site and by hec I have learnt loads of new things since joining this site 3 months ago and continue to learn new things everyday.
For me it is about doing your homework but the best people to speak to are the Spyder owners, so good move on joining this site.

[Trbayth]

Look up on the BRP web site for the dates and location of their demo tour. The set up a course in the parking lot and you learn the basics under the instruction of BRP folks. That will tell you a lot.

[JerryB]

Hi Newbee,

Re: A Can Am dealer would not allow me to test drive

Hopefully, some of our members from the LA area will chime in and offer you a chance to ride/drive one.

Anyone out there??????

Try the internet & see if any are for sale in your area; go see it & maybe take it for a ride/drive.

Just some thoughts,

Jerry Baumchen

PS) I bought my Spyder in the LA area last year. I have owned scooters and bikes but nothing like a Spyder. I was down in SoCal and stopped by and met the private seller. We went for a ride with me on the back, and then I drove on the leg back to his place. I now own that Spyder.

[Don in E Texas]

My suggestion to place Spyder in gear and allow it to move at slow speed. I must have been thinking of an automobile -- Spyder does not move forward in 1st gear - needs some throttle. (SE transmission). Problem is if you give it too much throttle, it may move you back in the seat causing your grip to move the throttle even more.

Hope there are some Spyder Lovers in your area to give you support.

Sorry for my error.

Don

[Bob Denman]

Right now; you don't even know what questions to ask...
But that'll change!
The great "Do's and Don'ts" thread, has tons of good information...

[fratzba]

Hi!

I just wanted to ask, why are you looking to get a Spyder? Give us a little more information, and I'm sure that there's someone else here in a similar situation.

For me, I can't stand being a passenger. Probably comes from my time being a pilot... If I had based any desire to ride on being a passenger, I never would have started riding.

-Fratz

[Thebrainn]

I rode motorcycles for 26 years before I bought my Spyder. As was suggested above, I took it slow on local roads and worked my way up to busier/faster roads. You might be surprised at how far and fast you can go without taking the highway. If you don't want to go on long tours, you can go years without the need to ride on the super slab. Trust me, the highway is nothing but a fast and usually ugly way to get from A to B in the least time. Back roads are where the beauty is and honestly, the fun.

A good dealer should allow you to at least ride around the parking lot. Being a passanger is very different from being at the controls.

[Kwalsh]

keep looking around , a good dealer will at least show you the bike and let you try it around the empty parking lot. a really good dealer would take you to a bigger empty lot if needed
keep searching they are out there

[Brettssunshine]

Hi there Newbee

I'm also a new female rider and never had any experience driving anything other than a car. I'm in week 3 now of my riding experience and it just keeps getting easier and more fun. I'm confident enough in my skills that I take her out by myself now.

I purchased my Spyder (2009 RS SE5), rode up and down the drive-way for a couple of days, then on to back roads, and by my third trip out, my husband had me on the highway. I'm still getting a feel for the curves but there is a lot of good information on here as to how to do that.

You may also want to check out Girls on Spyders on Facebook. They are very knowledgeable when it comes to being a woman rider.

Oh and one important thing about the Spyder......do not ride the brake. I believe that tid bit of information is in the Do's and Don'ts on this forum.

The most important thing is RELAX and enjoy the your ride.

[Orange Spyder Man]

I may suggest check the cost of maintaining a spyder, one thing I did not do before buying a spyder, but if I had, my choice to buy one would have different ... they are very, very expensive to maintain !!!

osm

[Brettssunshine]

I may suggest check the cost of maintaining a spyder, one thing I did not do before buying a spyder, but if I had, my choice to buy one would have different ... they are very, very expensive to maintain !!!

osm

That was something that I didn't take into consideration either. I haven't experienced that yet, but I'm sure I will.

[spyder pilot]

Newbee,
I was in the same situation as you are. Virtually no cycle experience at all. No test ride prior to purchasing a RSS. My first ride on the Spyder was the ride home from the dealership. I planned the ride for a Saturday morning when traffic was light. Got comfortable with throttle, brakes and shifter in the parking lot next door to the dealer. For the first few weeks, I Googled farm roads in my area and then pre-drove the route in my car to determine road hazards and traffic flow. If in doubt, I had my wife follow me in the car. I never went anywhere that wasn't analyzed first. This allowed me to concentrate on the Spyder, not the road or traffic. Took about 10 trips to get my confidence up, but now it's a blast. I'm old and super careful. But what fun!

[Newbee93003]

Hi!

I just wanted to ask, why are you looking to get a Spyder? Give us a little more information, and I'm sure that there's someone else here in a similar situation.

For me, I can't stand being a passenger. Probably comes from my time being a pilot... If I had based any desire to ride on being a passenger, I never would have started riding.

-Fratz

Hi there:
Thanks for your response. I have always wanted to ride a 'motorcycle' but at 103 lbs, felt like I would fly off of it. With 3 wheels, I felt like--finally--I could have an opportunity. My husband thinks I will not like it because I don't like speed. Although I am a good driver and tend to drive faster than I probably should in my 4Runner. For $20K +, it would be hard to justify if I only rode it a few times per month.

[Ronbo]

Hi there:
Thanks for your response. I have always wanted to ride a 'motorcycle' but at 103 lbs, felt like I would fly off of it. With 3 wheels, I felt like--finally--I could have an opportunity. My husband thinks I will not like it because I don't like speed. Although I am a good driver and tend to drive faster than I probably should in my 4Runner. For $20K +, it would be hard to justify if I only rode it a few times per month.

Try it! You will love it!

ron

[Brettssunshine]

Hi there:
Thanks for your response. I have always wanted to ride a 'motorcycle' but at 103 lbs, felt like I would fly off of it. With 3 wheels, I felt like--finally--I could have an opportunity. My husband thinks I will not like it because I don't like speed. Although I am a good driver and tend to drive faster than I probably should in my 4Runner. For $20K +, it would be hard to justify if I only rode it a few times per month.

You don't have to spend $20k+ for a Spyder to see if you like it. I had never been in the "driver's" seat of a Spyder until I purchased mine 3 weeks ago. Knowing this, I searched on a daily basis Cycle Trader, Craigs List (I know, I know) and Ebay for a used Spyder. I found my 2009 RS SE5 with 2500 miles in show room condition on Craigs List. I have under $10k invested in her. Having done this, I would be able to get rid of her easily and probably not lose a dime. There have been quite a few Spyders posted in this forum for sale.

There's actually a 2010 Phantom Spyder posted in our forum that's for sale. Asking price is $10k and they are located in California!

[PistonBlown]

Hi,

Firstly I don't blame you for feeling a little intimidated by the idea of riding a Spyder. Despite having ridden motorbikes since I was 17 I was scared rigid when I first rode mine. It's a learning curve for everyone - in fact after my nervous start I found that part exciting and fun, it was like being 17 again:-)

I wouldn't worry about having little or no motorbike experience because that's actually a handicap when you start riding a Spyder as there are so many habits you have unlearn or change.

It's easier coming from a car because:

• The brake pedal under your right foot just like a car - and lets admit, it knowing how to stop is reassuring:-) Motorbike riders are constantly reaching out for a handbrake that's not there.
• You have to steer around corners, sounds logical to a car driver but motorbike riders are used to just leaning.
• The Spyder will feel smaller, more nimble and quicker to stop than a car so the size isn't intimating once you're on it.

If the dealer refused to let you test ride because you were nervous then they are an idiot - any normal person is going to be when trying something different. Personally if I was a dealer it would be the ones that weren't nervous that I'd be worried about:-)

When you do ride for the first time you will worry and it will feel strange. It will wobble around because you'll be gripping the bars too tight (everyone says don't do it but we all do at first). It will take a while to get used to how it turns, goes and stops but it soon clicks into place. When you're in the front seat you'll find the power will feel very manageable and pretty smooth.

Obviously I can't directly comment on its suitability for the female rider:-) However the two fastest, and smoothest, Spyder riders I know are both women.