Interesting thing in the OP is that he just has a permit, no license yet and has only been riding for two years.
It might not be a case of preferring years of 2 wheel experience as he doesn't appear to have that. It may just be that he doesn't have enough experience at all yet.
In NJ if he still just has a permit you're not legally permitted to ride as a passenger. Not sure about PA or NY.
That's a good point. I'm not sure. I'll go check. Yes, your "supervising rider" can go with you as a passenger.
He hopefully will take BRC to get his license in NY in April.
We went out. I got him to shift higher and today was much better than yesterday. I think we will be okay!
RE: Learning curve. Most people do start to feel comfortable after 500 miles or so. This will vary depending on how much two wheeled stuff you have to "unlearn."
Me personally, riding two wheels since the 60's, it took me about 1500 miles before I was comfortable with my 2008 GS spyder.
My friend Linda, it took her about 250 miles to get comfortable. No experience whatsoever. She did have almost 10K of passenger riding on my the first summer. I got her to try driving on the last two rides of the season and gave her an additional three months into the next season. We bought her her very own in July. She put 750 miles on it the first weekend we picked it up.
Shift Points: The 998 likes to be revved and driven in the 5000 - 5500 range. This is where the power band kicks in on the 998. Riding in the 3000 range on the 998 can cause issues. It takes a while to get used to driving in the 5000 rpm range. It may mean first gear only in 30 mph speed limit areas. We drove the Hana Highway in Maui, HI (50 miles +, one way--speeds usually under 20 mph.) using first gear all the way. I never use 5th gear on the 998 unless I am exceeding 60 mph.
Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.
I have to tell you I have been catching hell from a lot of my buds for riding a "backwards tricycle".....but I just smile and know the ride is my dream and safer than two wheels ever could be. Man card be damned, I like my bike and don't care what others think. Usually I get asked many questions in parking lots because they just have never seen one up close.......they think its awesome or weird. I tell them its the best thing I have ever bought and a blast to ride. I hope your guy comes around one day......but if he wants to ride two wheels then let him and you ride the Spyder till the wheels fall off and enjoy!
I just came off my Harley Ultra Classic and got the Spyder 10 months ago. My best find was this forum. After reading the do and don't info I learned fast! I was all over the place until I relaxed my grip more and made sure the front tires were both at the same psi and within .25 psi of each other. Then getting used to leaning my body properly and not steering like a motorcycle it all came together. If the disc from BRP was with the bike it definitely answers a lot of riding style questions. If you can get him to go through this he should be about 300-500 miles from enjoying it. Good luck.
Okay: what about the Camaro that has to sit outside???
As I said: REALLY neat toys!
'87 Grand National, '78 Trans Am, '86 Corvette, '87 Porsche, '98 Jaguar XJ8 (my old "lawyer car" for when I practiced), 2010 Challenger, '72 Road Runner, 2014 Camaro, 2016 WRX
I came into the marriage with eight cars. Yeah, I'm really into motorized things! I'm loving the Spyder. The rest of the cars are in NY, the Camaro was living in PA with the Challenger.
Maybe you need a new boy toy to go along with the spyder. Tell him to but on the big boy boxers and deal with it.
I think he's getting adjusted to it. We went on a ride from Lancaster to the Spyder dealer in Hallam and back, probably 50 miles round trip. He listened to me about the shift points and we were pretty good, no twisting roads like yesterday (which was all of six miles). These roads were two way 30-45 mph roads, with no real turns.
'87 Grand National, '78 Trans Am, '86 Corvette, '87 Porsche, '98 Jaguar XJ8 (my old "lawyer car" for when I practiced), 2010 Challenger, '72 Road Runner, 2014 Camaro, 2016 WRX
I came into the marriage with eight cars. Yeah, I'm really into motorized things! I'm loving the Spyder. The rest of the cars are in NY, the Camaro was living in PA with the Challenger.
Did you bump the Grand National up to GNX specs?
We've got a guy in the next Town over; he's got one with less than 2,500 miles on it!
V-6 in the Camaro? Or did you get the BIG engine??
The 87 "Porch"; a 911 I hope!
I'm a big "Car-A-holic"... I watch all of the Barrett-Jackson and Mecum auctions that I can!
Jen, one thing to be aware of, keep in mind, and tell hubby. There is no keeping secret your shifting habits. The time the engine spends in the various RPM ranges is recorded by Nanny and she tattles to the technician when he hooks up BUDS. One of the bits of info that is shown is a histogram of the time the engine is run in the ranges of 0-2000, 2000-4000, 4000-6000, 6000-8000, and over 8000. If the graph shows a lot of time in the 2000-4000 rpm range, and not much above that, you, or hubby, very likely will get an chewing! So, don't shift until you are above 3600 - 4000 rpm. Below 2000 rpm will most certainly be just idling time. But here again, if the 0-2000 graph is high be ready to be chewed out.
2014 Copper RTS
Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
It took about 100 miles for me to adjust, coming off a Honda ST1300. I actually preferred the SM5 2010 RT....however, I haven't driven any other Spyder yet. I just like to shift with the clutch and shift lever at my left toe. It did take a while to get used to no right hand brake, but I got over that too. I think it's funny the way you describe his willingness, or lack thereof to ride on the back...made me chuckle a bit. Let him ride his two wheeler on longer rides if he wants to. You know the Spyder and how it rides...enjoy it and let him lead the way
Did you bump the Grand National up to GNX specs?
We've got a guy in the next Town over; he's got one with less than 2,500 miles on it!
V-6 in the Camaro? Or did you get the BIG engine??
The 87 "Porch"; a 911 I hope!
I'm a big "Car-A-holic"... I watch all of the Barrett-Jackson and Mecum auctions that I can!
The Grand National is stock.
For the Camaro, I actually went with the V6. It has 325 HP and takes regular and gets decent gas mileage. For another 10k, premium gas, and lower fuel mileage. I couldn't justify the SS.
The Porshe was actually a " commuter car" that I got because gas was insane in NY at the time and I had to use premium and the Jaguar was getting in the teens for mpg. It's a 944.
This older professional guy decides to put an ad in the local paper:
"I need to have my porch painted, and I'll pay $300 to anyone willing to do it."
After a couple of days; this young kid shows up...
The guy gives him the paint, and goes on back inside.
After a couple of hours, the kid knocks on the door, and says that he's finished.
"Oh, Sir; I took a closer look at it while I was painting, and it's not a Porch: it's a Ferrari!"
This older professional guy decides to put an ad in the local paper:
"I need to have my porch painted, and I'll pay $300 to anyone willing to do it."
After a couple of days; this young kid shows up...
The guy gives him the paint, and goes on back inside.
After a couple of hours, the kid knocks on the door, and says that he's finished.
"Oh, Sir; I took a closer look at it while I was painting, and it's not a Porch: it's a Ferrari!"
The transition from 2 to 3 wheels takes MILES. I have 2 Two-wheelers and my wife rides the spyder. I also ride the spyder and love the way it handles, and I have ridden on the back. I can switch back and forth now with no problem except if I ride the spyder a lot I forget to downshift the 2 wheelers when I come to a stop. The RT is an SE.
And I still feel there is more to learn....I am still only about 80% confident in twisties and am planning a Baha Ron Sway bar in the future to help with this...And since I picked up a Sporty for 1-up riding (which is excellent for keeping my twisties appetite satisfied) I have found it a tiny bit awkward switching back and forth........But I would say My confidence level became "adequate" after about 3000+ miles of getting used to 3 wheels, confident enough to ride it relatively safely...
And I still feel there is more to learn....I am still only about 80% confident in twisties and am planning a Baha Ron Sway bar in the future to help with this...And since I picked up a Sporty for 1-up riding (which is excellent for keeping my twisties appetite satisfied) I have found it a tiny bit awkward switching back and forth........But I would say My confidence level became "adequate" after about 3000+ miles of getting used to 3 wheels, confident enough to ride it relatively safely...
I was wondering about that, too. After three hundred miles in two days, I rode my FZ-09. It was fine. I had to pay a lot more attention to certain things like being stopped at a hill, but that's no different than before the Spyder.
I rode two wheelers for many , many years . Decided to convert my GW to a trike and had a terrible time the first couple hundred miles getting used to it . Decided to get a spyder and the first ride I knew I had made a terrible mistake , I couldn't do anything on it . Curves across the center line and really had to go slow in order to navigate . Realized I was fighting the bike and concentrated on loosening up on the bars . Made a big difference once I quit fighting it and finally started enjoying it but still wasn't totally confident .Had to completely undo everything I had gotten used to riding a regular trike. Spyder loves power in curves but in a lower gear , too high of gear and you drift. This is hard to get used to but once you get a little confidence it becomes second hand. You have to allow the bike to do what it's designed to do .
I thought I was pretty good at handling the spyder on twistys until I rode behind Lamont and Spyderpops a few years ago. I only had the spyder for a few months and attended one of Lamonts BBQ's and he led a HUGE group of riders on the rattler .I had never ridden curves like this road had and was in for an experience but for the better .Being behind someone that really is a master of the spyder is def an experience you'll always remember . I was so far out of my comfort zone it was pathetic at first but I had listened to what he said about how to ride the spyder and IT WORKED. Gentle on the grips , lower gear and power out of the curves.I was 3rd in line going out and I will admit I let one other rider pass and didn't always have Lamont right in front but I made it through and kept up with the guy that I let pass and for the most part could always see Lamont. He had just pulled into the parking lot when I pulled in. Lamont had just installed a set of pegs on my bike and I told him I needed them readjusted because they had moved forward. Spyderpops asked me how that could happen and I said I was using the pegs to keep my foot off the brake because we shouldn't be using our brakes on the curves . Oops ! Learned after that that I could keep from braking in the curves and allowing the bike to perform.
All I can tell your hubby is to let the machine do it's thing and he'll be amazed at what it can and will do ........and safely too. And I agree with him on one thing ....I ain't getting on the back , no matter who is doing the steering , just can't do it .
I could say it took me 7 years to adjust to 3 wheels. I bought an RS in 2009 and now I am trading my Victory two wheeler in on an F3-S ending ownership in any two wheelers. I just got to the point where I feel more in control and safer on the Spyder . Advancing age is part of it as birthday #70 is right around the corner
I rode out of the dealership on my 2010 RT without ever having even SAT on one of these things...
For the first two miles: I was SURE that I had just made a $25,000 mistake...
It was twitchy, and I was fighting to keep it where I wanted it to be in the lane.
Finally; I realized that the folks who make Ski Doo snowmobiles should be more than capable to building something that could go straight down the highway...
I relaxed my grip on the bars: "the clouds parted, and the sun shined down on me!"
After that: it was maybe about another 500 miles or so (to get the cornering stuff into my head!)
My thoughts exactly! Never demo'd or ridden. 500 feet to the freeway and 90 miles home with the wife following. Not sure which lane I would be in next. I hated it. Was I going to admit I made a mistake to the wife? No way. I toughed it out. Joe and Ann got me "Squared Away" with L/A and Baja Ron Sway Bar and the rest is history.
Jack
All my life I wanted to be somebody, now I realize I should have been more specific.
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2011 Polaris Ranger green
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Originally Posted by Trbayth
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the first summer. I got her to try driving on the last two rides of the season and gave her an additional three months into the next season. We bought her her very own 
)
BRAVO!! 
chewing! 
2012 RT-S SE5
