Are there really THAT many differences between the Spyder and two wheels?

[SpyderSkeets]

Besides the obvious ones (for the Spyder, no need to put your feet down, safer, etc. For the 2wheels, prob a little more nimble in the curves(or are they?), are there really that much difference between the two in terms of actual riding? Of course the differences that I listed are the main reasons, and that is why I bought mine

[billybovine]

The big one is counter steer. It can be very difficult for some to adapt their muscle memory not to counter steer on a Spyder. That's where the statements come from that Spyders are dangerous. For others it's not a big deal. It depends on what you have driven with handlebars and how much.

[johnsimion]

Are there THAT many differences? No, just one that's critically important, the Spyder drives and handles like a car and a motorcycle rides like, well, a motorcycle. The Spyder also has car tires and you stop with your right pedal just like car, and the majority of Spyders have a transmission that's more like a car than a motorcycle. People who never rode motorcycles can easily drive/ryde the Spyder but not vice-versa. It's easier to say what the Spyder has in common with a motorcycle: You sit on both of them, you steer with handlebars instead of a steering wheel, and you adjust the throttle with your right hand instead of your right foot. That's about it. I consider my Spyder to be the world's smallest sports car.

[Chupaca]

Guess it would depend on where your coming from. Yes of course there is the confinguration, three wheels , single brake pedal, no leaning etc but how well you handle the change and learn to handle your ryde will determine what are the big differences you feel. Too many speculate on what they think would be the differences without giving the change time. Mine can best be discribed as driving a F1 on horseback....:roflblack: granted no one mentioned a horse.....

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I find this interesting - I went from 50 + years on two wheels to the Spyder GS ( manual ) with ZERO issues …. The dealer said drive it like a car and you won't have any issue …. that's exactly what I did - No issues …….. I think ( besides what's mentioned ) the biggest change for me was when I bought a Spyder ( RSS ) with the semi-auto trans ….. what a game changer …. I wouldn't own a Mtc. without this feature …… jmho … Mike :ohyea:

[starrider60]

After 60+ years on two wheels I still found the learning curve on the Spyder quite a struggle until I read a few blurbs from more experienced Spyder riders. I relaxed and put on the miles. After 800 or so miles, I was more relaxed. Now have 21,000 plus on my 2017 RTS and am relaxed at highway speeds and comfortable in the twistees. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. :doorag:

[canamjhb]

Very different IMHO. The leaning and balance of your body are different. I still own a Goldwing and have over 300,000 miles on Goldwings. I have just over 30,000 on a Spyder. With a little PLP I can outride myself on the Goldwing -vs- Spyder. But I am more relaxed on the Spyder. It is more forgiving. When switching from one to the other I have to consciously think about what I am doing. Muscle memory from one to the other doesn't change immediately for me. But, it doesn't take long before I'm back into the groove..... Jim

[cruisinTX]

I have made the transition from two wheels to three without many issues. My first ride on a Spyder was back in 2015 when I first started looking for one for my wife. She and I both test rode a friend's RT with him on the back, but only about 5 minutes each. The next ride was on a 998 of some model I don't recall at the dealership in Altus, OK. It felt pretty unstable but did not have the aftermarket sway bar. The next time I rode one was when we met the seller of our 2014 RT in Denton at my in-laws. He gave me some pretty good and extensive pointers before I ever fired it up and drove off for about 15 minutes in the neighborhood where we met. After giving a couple of family members rides, I set out for home and did just fine for the 420 mile trek. I did have to force myself relax and let the bike rock around under me instead of fighting the motion; much like you need to do on a sailboat I guess. The second thing I had to overcome was reaching for the clutch and hand brake; I still do that occasionally even after ~7K miles. Otherwise; easy change over and switching back and forth with the bikes I still have is pretty easy. This is after ~460K miles logged on motorcycles since 1968, but 360K of that since April of 2000. I'm pretty happy with the performance of the Spyder mainly because of the seat comfort, cruise control, single input for all the brakes, power steering, and immensely safer at stops because of being vertically challenged with weak arthritic hips and knees. The only part I miss a lot is the speed with which I can go through twisty roads on the bikes. I still get that fix when riding alone on one of the bikes and just learn to soak in more scenery when on the Spyder.

[JP58]

The switch from 2 wheels to 3 wasn't bad because a rode ATV's for years and the handling for me is about the same as the Spyder. So I knew when I was on my cycle or ATV how to handle both differently. They are very different machines. I only have a Spyder now but love riding both my Spyder and 2 wheels when I can.

[Jeriatric]

Still ride both and the difference(imo) is Night & Day. Not a bad thing, they're simply different platforms.

[JP58]

Still ride both and the difference(imo) is Night & Day. Not a bad thing, they're simply different platforms.

Your Indian is what my last 2 wheeler was. 2014 Chieftain. Same color. Love that bike.

[Valkrocket]

Apples and Oranges...…. they're both fruit but not alike. :lecturef_smilie:

[Jeriatric]

Your Indian is what my last 2 wheeler was. 2014 Chieftain. Same color. Love that bike.

If we weren't separated by so much real estate you could take this one for a putt every once in a while. For old times sake ;)

[ozarkryder]

Been riding somthing with 2 wheels and an engine since I was about 10. I'm 64 now. We got our first trike in 1992, a VW based Trike Shop (now Roadsmith) Runabout with an automatic transmision. It was mostly my wife's ride, and I had a 1990 HD Electra Glide Sport. They were so different I never did trike stuff on the bike or bike stuff on the trike. We have had other trikes and bikes, but the difference between bike and trike was always apparent. On the other hand, a friend had a silver gray 1996 GL1500 2 wheeler, and a silver gray 1996 GL1500 trike conversion. He had signs on the windshield just below the air vent that said "Bike" and "Trike" so he could remeber to what Goldwing he was riding.

[Spyder Insyder]

Probably the biggest difference in handling is steering as opposed to counter steering a two wheeler. I hear a lot of experienced two wheel riders comment about how "twitchy" the steering is on Spyders when they first ride them, and I think it is just the sensation of lateral side-to-side G forces of a three wheeler vs. the almost undetectable downward inline vertical G forces of a two wheeler.

[Musashi]

Here's a big one nobody has mentioned:

If you fishtail a Spyder, you are NOT going down and very unlikely to come off. You can only make this happen while accelerating in a turn on slick road, gravel, dirt (usually from a dead stop). The Spyder auto-corrects this kind of instability. On a motorcycle, you have to fix this yourself quickly to keep from getting intimate with terra firma.

A couple more true of all trikes that actually make a difference:

Riding 2 abreast in a single lane is a bad idea with a very, very narrow margin for error.

Parking 2 in a car parking spot (side by side) is tricky at best.

WAAAAAY more integrated cargo space on the Spyder (even over most trikes).

[mrNewt]

Is enough differences to literally scare a 2 wheel rider (when they get on a Spyder for the first time) - not all, but most.

[Bob Denman]

Apples and Oranges...…. they're both fruit but not alike. :lecturef_smilie:
:agree: 100% :thumbup:

[billythekidd]

The switch from 2 wheels to 3 wasn't bad because a rode ATV's for years and the handling for me is about the same as the Spyder. So I knew when I was on my cycle or ATV how to handle both differently. They are very different machines. I only have a Spyder now but love riding both my Spyder and 2 wheels when I can.

I always thought it rode like an ATV also... Now I don't even think about it when I am riding.

[billythekidd]

Here's a big one nobody has mentioned:

If you fishtail a Spyder, you are NOT going down and very unlikely to come off. You can only make this happen while accelerating in a turn on slick road, gravel, dirt (usually from a dead stop). The Spyder auto-corrects this kind of instability. On a motorcycle, you have to fix this yourself quickly to keep from getting intimate with terra firma.

A couple more true of all trikes that actually make a difference:

Riding 2 abreast in a single lane is a bad idea with a very, very narrow margin for error.

Parking 2 in a car parking spot (side by side) is tricky at best.

WAAAAAY more integrated cargo space on the Spyder (even over most trikes).

For Parking we pull one in and back the other in... Not to hard to do....

[billythekidd]

Are there THAT many differences? No, just one that's critically important, the Spyder drives and handles like a car and a motorcycle rides like, well, a motorcycle. The Spyder also has car tires and you stop with your right pedal just like car, and the majority of Spyders have a transmission that's more like a car than a motorcycle. People who never rode motorcycles can easily drive/ryde the Spyder but not vice-versa. It's easier to say what the Spyder has in common with a motorcycle: You sit on both of them, you steer with handlebars instead of a steering wheel, and you adjust the throttle with your right hand instead of your right foot. That's about it. I consider my Spyder to be the world's smallest sports car.


I just bought a Slingshot to add to my collection, and even though they sell it as a motorcycle (just so they do not have to have all the car safety features) it is a Car. Three wheels, but a car for real. Even the little kids in my neighborhood say as I am driving by... "cool car". A bunch of states now classify it as an "Autocycle". I still love my Spyder, but find myself driving the SS more and more. In all honesty, driving the Spyder never felt like a car to me, but really like an ATV. You sit on top of it and it does try to move you like an ATV or Snowmobile... I do not have as many miles on my SPyders as some but I am rocking about 80k on them and really think they are the best for touring. I have only ever had the RT so that is where my opinion comes from. I sold my GW to get a Victory Vision sold my Vision to get my first Spyder in 2011 and now when I ride a 2 wheeler it seems like a lot more work. (Side note... got my first 2 wheeler at 15 and am 66 now) Anyway, regarding the difference, there is no comparison between the two for me other than you ride on top of both of them.

[Musashi]

For Parking we pull one in and back the other in... Not to hard to do....

That's the only way it typically works, which brings up another common difference between trikes and bikes: Reverse.

[billythekidd]

That's the only way it typically works, which brings up another common difference between trikes and bikes: Reverse.

My Goldwing and my Vision had reverse. My buddies Harley has reverse... Just saying...

[sandeejs]

Another big difference for me is the braking. I did not have the integrated brakes on my Shadow. I do love that you can stomp on the Spyders brake in an emergency, and it STOPS!
~Sandee~

[UtahPete]

Another big difference for me is the braking. I did not have the integrated brakes on my Shadow. I do love that you can stomp on the Spyders brake in an emergency, and it STOPS!
~Sandee~

:agree: that's what sold me on the Spyder.

[UtahPete]

My Goldwing and my Vision had reverse. My buddies Harley has reverse... Just saying...

Don't they all use the starter motor rather than a true reverse gear in the transmission?

[wingit3611]

Another big difference for me is the braking. I did not have the integrated brakes on my Shadow. I do love that you can stomp on the Spyders brake in an emergency, and it STOPS!
~Sandee~

Stopping is another BIG plus. More rubber on the road per pound of weight. That's what gets you stopped. I have a CT on my vision which really helps it stop.

[Revalden]

I love driving my Spyder like I stole it, and I lean way in on curves and keep it reved up to slingshot out. Ya just keep loose and let the machine do what it does best, keeps your adrenalin pumping. It's the most fun I have with my pants on.

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I'm still riding my Victory Cross Country and the F3 alternately. Except for reaching for that nonexistent clutch and front brake on the Spyder from time to time, I don't have any issues switching between them as they're so different.

[ChicagoSpyder]

When I first started riding the F3L I had a few stop lights where I wanted to put my feet down LOL, other than that being a snowmobiler I find myself wanting to side saddle in agressive corners and curves, and quite frankly the seat isn't real conducive for sliding ones ass side to side.

[Eviltwin]

Quite a bit of difference really. Riding the Spyder, you may feel a bit like you are riding a bike, open air, handlebar, but that is where it ends. It's much more like a car than a bike. On the other hand, 2 wheels is 2 wheels. I enjoy the 2 wheel ride much more, to me it sorta feels like flying, lean into the curves, use your body to move the bike. I keep the Spyder for my wife to ride on the back, and use for towing behind the camper. But I just got a BMW because of the way it handles and how it feels going down the road. I'd much rather spend the time on the BMW then the Spyder.

[lstayner]

Don't they all use the starter motor rather than a true reverse gear in the transmission?

Yes, both bikes use the starter. The one thing my wife likes about the reverse in the Spyder is how fast it goes vs. the snails pace of the GW. ( I owned both too)

[Musashi]

Yes, both bikes use the starter. The one thing my wife likes about the reverse in the Spyder is how fast it goes vs. the snails pace of the GW. ( I owned both too)

Exactly. Big difference between a Reverse GEAR and the assisted reverse on some big cruiser bikes. Even some traditional trikes have a granny gear reverse that won't do more than about 5 mph. People should actually be aware that the Spyder is NOT like that. I don't recommend it, but I've tested the reverse gear on mine and it is pretty close to a mirror of 1st gear. I got mine up to about 20 mph on a straight line back (controlled environment) without red-lining the tach, laid off and eased to a gentle stop, took a deep breath and said out loud, "Wow. I won't be doing that again."