Need advice - is it worth going to 2 wheels first, or is 3 OK?

[Spyderman41333]

Hello everyone. As a long time rider of Spyders, I still have the need to prove to myself that a can and could ride a motorcycle. I am a 62 yr old male, with no health concerns, and am thinking about buying a motorcycle and learning to ride. I have to admit, I am a little nervous about 2 wheels, although I have driven everything from ATV, Snowmobiles, up to large trucks. From the vast amount of experience among the members of this forum, I would like an honest opinion if I learning to ride a motorcycle would be worth the stress and expense (have to buy one) or if I should just be happy riding on three wheels. I realize the steering is completely different and braking is done mostly with the hand brake. By the way, I love my Spyder and would never consider selling it.

Thanks for any feedback.

[Gwolf]

Ever rode a bicycle?

[dpetrick]

I ride a Spyder and also have a 2 wheel motorcycle. Have been riding on 2 since the 1960’s.
What type of riding are you thinking you would want to do on the 2 wheel cycle? If you are looking for something to run around on, I would look at the various offerings in the 900 cc and under range. I am currently looking for a smaller 2 wheeler to replace my 1600 Kawasaki Nomad and am currently looking at the Kawasaki Versys 300 or 650 or the Honda 700 NC 700 series. I like the Versys 300 because it is light and capable of running easily at highway speeds. Can also run at interstate speeds. Reason I like it is lightweight, nimble, economical and fits my riding desires well, as I ride mostly rural back roads. You could also look at the Honda Rebel 300 or 500. These are nice all around bikes, light, easy to ride, relatively inexpensive to purchase and maintain. Great starter bikes, and the 650 - 900 are also good all around machines, and are capable of touring at highway speeds.

[fatboy]

up grade spyder and be happy

[trikermutha]

Got to the point for me I was having a hard time holding up the two wheeler. Between oil puddles and wind I gave up and its been three wheels ever since.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

It's a balance thing - I had lost a bit of my equilibrium back in 09 ....had been riding various touring bikes for a couple decades ..... but it was getting harder to keep it up while standing or turning at very slow speeds .... I can still handle a light bike but not a tourer / cruiser ..... good luck ... Mike :thumbup:

[triplethreat]

I started riding motorcycle in 1971 and spent the last 20 years riding sport bikes. My wife and I even worked for a Motorcycle track day organization, teaching/coaching/Instructing folks how to ride sport bikes on racetracks....think Road Atlanta, Barber Motorsports Park, CMP, etc. We both retired from doing the track riding and Instructing but still had our street bikes too. A few months ago we sold both street bikes and bought a Spyder RTL and have been riding on that. I still miss having two wheels and may at some point in time buy another one....but keep the Spyder too. BTW, I'm 65 years old and she is 67 years old and she can probably outride a lot of men on two wheels through the twisty stuff. Having said all of that, 62 years old is certainly not too old to take up two wheels if that is something that you might enjoy. There will certainly be a learning and leaning curve, but I feel that it would be lots of fun to have that choice of which one to take out for a ride.....two wheels or three wheels.

And BTW, if you think I'm joking about my wife's skill set....here's a pic of her coming onto the front straight at Barber Motorsports from a few years ago. If you zoom in close enough, you can see the "Honda" sticker down at the bottom of the fairing.....the one on the Opposite side of the bike. Yep, she ain't afraid to lean 'em over going through a turn.
https://i.imgur.com/IW9uhGP.jpg

[JayBros]

I temporarily gave up riding motorcycles when I gave up racing to raise two progeny. Many years and tens of thousands of single and tandem bicycle riding followed. When my wife could no longer bicycle long distances because of RA that wrecked her feet I decided at 72 to buy my RT. I took a MSF course to get a break on the Spyder insurance rate and in NC it qualified me for the riding portion of getting my license endorsement. The course was on small, 250-350 cc machines. Although I was by far the oldest guy in the class all of the motorcycling skills, helped undoubtedly by the years of bicycling, came back very quickly. Take the MSF course and then make your decision.

FWIW, at my age now, as much as I'd like to go back to occasional two wheel adventure, I pass on buying a bike because of two artificial hips and I don't need to be served divorce papers.

[ARtraveler]

I have been riding two wheeled M/C since the mid 60's. Have owned everything from an 80cc to a 2000 cc and most in between.

Hip issues caused me to give up two wheels so I got into Spyders. Got the hip fixed and bought me another 2 wheeler because I missed the occasional ride on them.

Traded the two wheeler off on a second Spyder for Linda. About five years later had to have another two wheeler. The last two m/c I mentioned above were a little smaller than the 1100# touring bikes that I drove for quite a few years. I still ride my Vulcan 900 a couple times a week. And I might add, I will be turning 75 this year.

It is a different experience than the Spyder...but being an old time two wheeler rider, I like it a lot.

Maybe yes, maybe no for you. It is not to late to get in some two wheelin at age 62. You might want to consider one of the mid size bikes, and used if possible. A bike like my 2015 Vulcan 900 can be had for about $5K.

Still a lot of money for a woulda coulda situation. Good luck with your decision.

[SportsterDoc]

After 17 M/C over 57 years, I am more comfortable with high speed turns on two wheels.
The Ryker was an answer to getting my face back in the wind after promising my wife no more M/C following a medical issue, since resolved.

[Bfromla]

Check for local motorcycle training course, mine provided bikes to train on:ohyea::2thumbs::clap: bit small for my taste but recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury & a # of balance/ coordination issues it helped me prove & train myself that I could ride again. :yes::yes::yes::yes: & corrected some things I was unfortunately doing wrong from when I taught myself years ago.:gaah: :banghead::barf:

[Marlin336]

Got to the point for me I was having a hard time holding up the two wheeler. Between oil puddles and wind I gave up and its been three wheels ever since.

That happened to me. Could no longer hold 800+ pounds up if it got of center.

[Marlin336]

By the way I had to give up two wheels last year at 79. Miss it though. I am starting to learn and get more enjoyment out of my RT.

[VStarRider]

I took the opposite route ... I have had my kneez in the breez since 2010, and currently own a 2016 Gold Wing. I bought a used '15 STS SM5 kinda on a spur of the moment decision for a good price. I bought because it is completely the opposite of the GW, which I wanted ... diversity is the spice of life ... Gold Wing has navigation, Bluetooth, tons of storage, low revving torque monster six cylinder throttled by a cable, with an upright but relaxed seating position while the STS is a high revving, electronic throttle, with no infotainment system three-wheeler. Can't get more different.

I like them both, as I suspected I would when I bought the Spyder. As for your question about bikes, it is never too late to do anything because there are so many different bikes and options to accommodate whatever you need that bike to do for you, to tear it up in how ever define that phrase yourself. Ride is different in that the Spyder rides better - more tires, wheels and suspension to absorb bumps and distribute that energy through the chassis - a two wheeler may surprise you in the area of comfort vs. three wheels. Handing is .. well ... different. Riding a two-wheeler is far more technical in my opinion, but once mastered, more capable and far more natural than the Spyder (though BRP has it down pretty good). However, the thing I notice most about 2 vs 3 wheels is that I feel safer on 3. The stability factor ... and accounting for that in any maneuver you need to make on two wheels ... is not in the mix with your Spyder. This is as simple as not having to think about downshifting and which brake to transition to at what speed, and what foot to put down at a stop, or both or as complicated as regulating the pressure on the brake in an emergency stopping situation. For the record, I would highly recommend buying a bike with ABS.

Good luck!

[Cobwebs]

Extra running costs come to mind for me owning both but all is forgotten with a twist of the wrist.You seem like an ambidextrous sort of guy so no drama adapting.62 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! man you've had it, take up crosswords:shemademe_smilie:

[Ex-Rocket]

I started riding motorcycles back in the late 70's. Started with a Yamaha 500, then a couple 750's, then a 1100 all the way up to a 2300cc beast. Then a bad knee turned me on to the Spyders in 2013 and have owned 3 Spyders total. Got my knee fixed and I still had the urge to get back on 2 wheels. I now own a Honda VTX 1800 and my other is a 2017 F3 Limited. I don't consider myself real old as I turned 70 this year and enjoy my 2 or 3 wheels when I can.

[Spyderman41333]

Triplethreat Wow, now that is impressive. I call "uncle" and not embarrassed to say that.

[Navydad]

Check out scooters. I'm 65 and love my Yamaha T-max. It is a wolf in sheeps clothing, but there are many different brands and sizes out there.

181647

[Raprider]

I'll add my 2 cents...
I've been on 2 wheels for 30 years, mainly smaller cruisers starting from 250cc up to 750cc (my current Virago), and usually with a passenger. I'm in mid-50's and decided 2+ years ago that since I wasn't getting any taller than my current 5-1 and 26 inseam, and starting to notice some weight balancing issues at stoplights and such, the Sypder was the route for me.
I still have the Virago, and ride it about once every month or so to maintain my skills (I became an MSF instructor last year). Usually solo...recently with my passenger...the balancing issue is still there, but I manage it better than before.

I suggest to find yourself a local MSF course and see if you CAN and WANT to be on 2 wheels, and then decide what to do about it. If NO, only cost you about $350...if YES, go from there. Lots of choices.

Good luck!

[RICZ]

Take the rider course and you will learn two things; 1. If you are cut out to ride a two wheeler and 2. If you are, you will not be burdened with bad riding habits that can lead to a tragedy. There is much to be learned to be able to ride a two wheeler and live to tell about it.
If 62 is considered old, then at 84, I have outlived my sell by date.

[LongIsland]

A different perspective. I retired in 2009 and got the motorcycle bug in 2010 at 58 yrs old. I took the MSF safety course and received my motorcycle endorsement. I decided to rent a bike for 3 days. I requested a cruiser figuring the seat being lower to the ground and no leaning would help me. When I went to pick up the rental it was a brand new Honda (I can't remember the model) but it wasn't a cruiser. I told the owner that I just got my license and wanted a low seating bike. He told me I would be fine on this bike. Well I dropped the bike 3 times, once each day damaging the saddlebags and a bit of my pride. All 3 times occurred when I was moving from a stopped position into a turn, rookie mistake. At any rate I decided that I was too old to learn how to ride 2 wheels and looked at trikes, fell in love with the Spyder and purchased a brand new 2012. I upgraded to a 2014 and haven't dropped it yet!

[tntnj]

I rode when I was 17 to 19 I had a few friends get hurt, then 1 got killed .I stopped riding for 30 years, got married ,but I never lost urge to ride (wife gave a hard time about a motorcycle. ) I got divorced , Kids are grown, bought my house and then bought my 1998 Yamaha V star , a year later I bought my 98 heritage soft tail ,sold it 2018. I stopped riding because my back and legs hurt. But I have been watching Can Am's since they came out. But when I saw the F3, I said that is my next bike. I bought my 2017 F3 LTD November 2019 and have not regretted it 1 second.

[MonPaul]

Very interesting question! It makes me think about how riding a 2 wheel motorcycle gives you a lot of muscle memory and habits that are hard to break when going to the Spyder. I am sure it works the other way around, where you have picked up a lot of habits and muscle memory riding your Spyder that would make going to 2 wheels a lot harder. Not saying that you couldn't, just that it would probably be harder than learning 2 wheels as your first bike.

[Arion]

If your sense of balance hasn't deserted you, and you're generally coordinated, there isn't any reason you couldn't ride a motorcycle if you chose to. As others have suggested, you should take a basic rider's course - both as an educational opportunity and to assess whether you like what you experience. Then it's a matter of finding a machine you feel comfortable with and will suit your riding needs.

I'm 75 and have been riding since the 1960s. Over the years I've has a pile of bikes ranging from very heavy and powerful to light and not so powerful. I feel each filled the expectations I had at the time I owned them. As I've matured (ripened?) I've made changes I hope have accommodated the aging process which includes, significantly, diminished upper body strength. I now have much lighter and easier to handle machines than I did 30 to 40 years ago when weight wasn't as much of a concern, and speed was much more of an essential thrill than it is now.

Several years ago I exchanged my beloved '93 BMW K75S for a much lighter and more nimble BMW G310R, and I'm completely happy with it given where and how I normally ride it. My wife also exchanged her Yamaha 535 Virago for a Suzuki TU250X and is much happier with it as well. Both of these bikes are well suited to the two lane country roads that are commonplace around our Maine home (where the bikes reside permanently).

Having said all that, we disposed of the two wheel machines we keep at our Texas winter home (her Honda CTX700 and my Kawasaki Versys 650) and replaced them with a pair of new-to-us Spyder RTs which, in our minds, are perfect for the wide open spaces we find in the U.S. southwest - Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc.

Explore, research, examine, assess, and then decide is a reasonable way to approach the issue, in my opinion. Unfortunately, this isn't a definitive answer but maybe it offers another perspective.

[Peter Aawen]

Hello everyone. As a long time rider of Spyders, I still have the need to prove to myself that a can and could ride a motorcycle. I am a 62 yr old male, with no health concerns, and am thinking about buying a motorcycle and learning to ride. I have to admit, I am a little nervous about 2 wheels, although I have driven everything from ATV, Snowmobiles, up to large trucks. From the vast amount of experience among the members of this forum, I would like an honest opinion if I learning to ride a motorcycle would be worth the stress and expense (have to buy one) or if I should just be happy riding on three wheels. I realize the steering is completely different and braking is done mostly with the hand brake. By the way, I love my Spyder and would never consider selling it.

Thanks for any feedback.


Seriously?? :shocked: Have you thought any on 'Why' you feel this? Is it an ego thing, or what?? :dontknow:



For my 2 bob's worth..... Sure, if you've always had a burning desire to learn to ride a motorbike, then go right ahead; and more power to you for at least attempting a lifetime desire! :thumbup:

But if it's 'just' a 'need to prove that you can', then I'd hafta say 'Why??' :dontknow:

I reckon that sorta 'need' to prove yourself is more than just a little bit like the kid who can't refuse a dare.... only most of us grow out of that, and the majority are a lot better off for doing so!! ;) So if that's it, I reckon you too would probably be a lot better off just to get over that 'need' & go on enjoying ryding your Spyder!! There's a bit of a difference in the skill-sets required to ride each of these things, motorcycles & Spyders, and many moving from 2 to 3 wheels, & especially to Spyders/Rykers, find they hafta spend a LOT of time 'un-learning' many of the in-grained skills & responses motorcycling has taught them before they can learn to get the best ryding enjoyment out of their Spyder/Ryker - why would you risk detracting from what you have already just to show yourself that you can... for no real &/or burning reason?? :banghead: I promise we won't respect you any less if you decide not to learn to ride a motorcycle! :thumbup:

It's not WHAT you ride, it's just THAT you ride! So unless you've really had that burning desire to ride a 2 wheeled machine forever, then just get out there & Ryde your Spyder more, and worry about proving anything to anyone (yourself included!) a whole lot LESS! :ohyea:



Well, you did ask?! :lecturef_smilie:

[ARtraveler]

I am liking the idea to take a course and ride their bikes for a couple days. That should get you to the point to see if you want to pursue the subject further.

Bottom Line: It is mostly about your ability to hold up 500# + safely, and ride in a way that does not endanger yourself or others. :yes:

[Gwolf]

If you just gotta do it, get a used 100+ cc dirt bike and practice riding in the dirt. Won't hurt to drop the dirt bike and dirt does not hurt nearly as bad as pavement. If you get good with it, you can decide then, if you want a street bike or maybe you will be happy with just riding the dirt bike. Even the small ones are lot of fun. My old TS-185 was street legal and it would climb some steep dirt banks. Rode it about as much as the 750.

[RICZ]

MonPaul makes a good point about muscle memory. After 68 years on 2 wheels, my body and brain were well tuned in to what that's like. When I got my Spyder, I started climbing a very long and steep learning curve that took 1,000 miles before I gained confidence enough to go from liking it to loving it. Now, with over 2,000 miles, I'm tossing 'er around in the twisties with abandon.
The one thing that can be very dangerous, going from 3 to 2 wheels is forgetting to counter steer. There was a forum member who posted he did the opposite and on the way home after buying his Spyder, he counter steered his bike into the weeds.

[Peacekeeper6]

Hello everyone. As a long time rider of Spyders, I still have the need to prove to myself that a can and could ride a motorcycle. I am a 62 yr old male, with no health concerns, and am thinking about buying a motorcycle and learning to ride. I have to admit, I am a little nervous about 2 wheels, although I have driven everything from ATV, Snowmobiles, up to large trucks. From the vast amount of experience among the members of this forum, I would like an honest opinion if I learning to ride a motorcycle would be worth the stress and expense (have to buy one) or if I should just be happy riding on three wheels. I realize the steering is completely different and braking is done mostly with the hand brake. By the way, I love my Spyder and would never consider selling it.

Thanks for any feedback.

You're still young. I know LOTS of Harley riders who are WAY older than you.

That said, I HIGHLY recommend you take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course. It's really the proper and safest way, not by friends who have been motorcyclist for years. So I say, if you can hold a 500 pound bike up, go for it.

By the way, the transition from 3 wheels to 2 is A LOT more difficult than going from 2 wheels to 3. But it can be done, don't let others discourage you.

Good luck !!