Hate to be a party pooper but...

[GregQ]

Got a new out of the box 2019 Spyder RT Limited in April 2021. Just passed 1000 miles on the odometer. Here's the deal.

Of course, 3 wheels is not 2 wheels. Still getting used to that. But I've got some gripes and would love to hear your comments.

I cannot enjoy the ride because of the left/right twitchiness. Bought a Baja Ron sway bar but have not yet had it installed. Hoping that will make a difference.

The Spyder size for me seems a bit cramped. I'm 5'10", 242 pounds. It seems especially cramped when riding 2-up. Duh.

I'm 65 years old, started riding with a Cyclops mini bike at age 8. I've had a lot of bikes of various styles. I'll list some highlights below. This is my first 3 wheeler. I got the Spyder cause I dumped my 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale while STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN! So the Spyder keeps me from repeating that stupidity. That's good.

But the Spyder feels a bit like a toy compared to ALL my other bikes. I don't want a toy, I want a BIKE! Being passed on the expressway at any speed by a tractor/trailer is very disconcerting.

As background for my riding experience, some of the bikes I've had are:

Honda Super Cub - 125cc
Allstate Scooter - 90cc
Norton Atlas - 750cc
Harley Sportster XLCH - 900cc
Kawasaki GPz 750
Yamaha Venture Royale - 1200cc - which I currently still own and love.

The reason for my post is this: I really want to like the Spyder and can't quite get there. I frequently ride 2-up and the wife LOVES it.

Any thoughts?

[bigbadbrucie]

You don’t mention having had it done, so I’m guessing that you haven’t.....Get a Lazer alignment done. It’s not a two wheeler but a three and thy need wheel alignment and needs to be done by a SKILLED technician.

[CopperSpyder]

Here is what I see. The seating is way different then what you are use to. Looks like you are use to having your feet out front like the Spyder F3L has not the RTL so you will have to get use to having you feet bellow you instead of in front like your two wheeler. The Bajaron bar will help with cornering and feeling more stable. I would look to see if you have someone around your area that do laser alignment on Spyders. Then there is just plan 'o seat time and reading the forum here for things that might interest you like better tires or other mods like arm rest etc. It's never as easy as it sounds, Good luck it will come to you with a little time.

[UtahPete]

It's a completely different riding experience from anything you've ridden before. It has its pros and cons and a (re)learning curve.

Comfort seat will give you more room, but your passenger less. I think you need to get more miles on it before deciding what mods to make to it.

Twitchiness is relative. A beefier sway bar won't help with that, but an alignment MAY be in order. More likely it's in your riding technique. Plenty of info on this forum about that.

[BajaRon]

There is a definite transitional period of varying degrees from 2 wheels to 3. At 1,000 miles, you should be just about there. Are these all your miles? 1,000 miles in maybe 2 years isn't ideal. It's a bit of a vicious cycle. If you don't like the Spyder, then you don't ride it. But you have to ride it to get used to it. And you won't like it until that happens. 1,000 miles in a few months would give you a quicker trip over the learning hump.

When you have 2 wheels out front, the machine necessarily has to follow the road surface. 2 wheels will never encounter this left/right movement. The Spyder has no choice in this. It's a matter of physics. Though there are some things that will help to control and lessen it. Most learn to ignore it. If you concentrate on any particular Idiosyncrasy that aggravates you. You'll never get over it. It will just get worse.

As far as getting passed on the highway. I find that I don't get passed unless I don't care one way or the other. Your 2019 Spyder isn't a crotch rocket. But it should have no trouble keeping up. Even 2-up. Don't be shy to rev it. If it's lagging. You may be lugging it. It doesn't really make good HP until you get to 5,500+ RPM.

I too had been riding for a long time when I went to my Spyder. I absolutely hated it. It actually scared me for a short time. But I rode it as much as I could. It took about 600 miles and 30 days to get the hang of it. It's been all love between us since then. Hopefully, you will find the same. There has to be some incentive to make it work if the wife is happy.

[Bartender]

Actually, one of my previous rides was a twin to your Venture followed by a BMW 1200rt and a Kasasaki Councours C14 just so you will know that I have known and loved some well performing two wheelers. I too hated the Spyder when I first got it. I could repeat BajaRons comments and in fact at some points at first it actually scared me. It is a 2019 RTL SE6. At first I was ready to sell it and go looking for another two wheeler but I didn't. I had sold my C14 at the same time I bought the RT just so I wouldn't be tempted to just slide back. I did get it lazer aligned, installed a BajaRon Sway bar and new tires all the way around. Now I love it. I think the sway bar and alignment were the real solution but who knows. I just know that now I'm glad I want to Spyder Land. No more worrying about dropping the bike in the parking lots, looking for a level place to park and on and on. Get your bike aligned, install a sway bar, loosen your grip on the bars and enjoy it. You won't regret giving it a chance. I plan to get the ECU flashed to Monster Stage II this fall but if you give it a chance to rev a little it will get down the road.

[JayBros]

Others have addressed the sway bar and, most important, laser alignment plus MILES YOU NEED TO GET ON THE BIKE. Regarding the twitchiness, you absolutely MUST learn to totally relax your grip on the bars. With a tight grip EVERY movement of your arms and torso, no matter how slight or what causes it, gets transferred to the bars and causes the twitchiness.

[Mazo EMS2]

Lazer alignment, sway bar, proper/equal tire pressures up front, and a looser grip will all help you adapt to the two wheels up front. Remember, you're feeling twice as much of the road contours and that will give it that twitchy feel too. Give it time and keep that grip loose. You'll learn to like it and then ask why you didn't do it a long time ago. There are after market seats that would help you too.

[pidjones]

I was having issues with the being tossed about right-left until I realized that I was locking my elbows. Once I bent my arms at the elbows it suddenly became natural. Many things are this way - fly casting and bait casting are different but each has the things that you must learn to make them work.

[BajaRon]

A bit off subject. But let me just say this.

There are a lot of boards out there, that if a person made similar comments about the groups beloved ride, would have gotten flamed unmercifully by this point. It would be a dog-pile for sure. I commend this great bunch of Spyder Ryders for not only being kind, but giving some very good, heart felt advise to someone going through the discouragement and indecision of a new ride that might be giving him buyers remorse. I suppose it helps that most of us have gone through this same scenario.

I appreciate all of you! You make this, what I consider to be, the best forum I've ever been a part of.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Having many years of riding TWO wheelers is IMHO a detriment to riding a Spyder .... If you just drive it like a CAR you will do much better .... The Spyder feels much better if you ONLY " guide it " around. As others haver said it is going to take about 1000 mi. before you start to feel comfortable. Mike :thumbup:

[Bill W.]

Wife was in the driveway one afternoon as I was putting my 1985 Venture away coming home from work. She told me that after all the years we had been together, she really wanted to start going on rides with me. I jokingly said "Well, we will have to buy a different motorcycle then." "OK" she said, and walked into the house. The rest, as they say, is history!
Wanted a trike, no more holding up a bike at a red light sort of thing. A work friend had an F3, said you've got to try a Spyder! Went out and rode a couple, liked the RT best. Ended up getting a used 2014 RTL, and have proceeded to put over 30k miles on it, about a third of them 2-up.
The hardest thing for me was to loosen my grip on the handlebars. It's going to wander a bit more than you're used to, just because you've got more rubber on the road, more contact with the bumps and cracks and all the other stuff that roads can throw your way. You have to unlearn the 2 wheeled-ness that you're comfortable with, and learn the ways of 3 wheeled-ness. We've all done it! Get out there and ride, ride, and ride some more! Have fun! Isn't that why you own a Spyder??

[BajaRon]

Having many years of riding TWO wheelers is IMHO a detriment to riding a Spyder .... If you just drive it like a CAR you will do much better .... The Spyder feels much better if you ONLY " guide it " around. As others haver said it is going to take about 1000 mi. before you start to feel comfortable. Mike :thumbup:

I agree to a point. There is no doubt that a 2 wheeled brain is, initially, a great detriment. But once you get your brain cross trained. There are a great many 2 wheel safety skills that transfer to the Spyder. Skills that an inexperienced rider is wise to learn. The safety factor of a Spyder is light years ahead of 2 wheels. But you still need to lean the tricks to riding safely. So, what you learned on 2 wheels is far from a total loss on a Spyder.

[JKMSPYDER]

Greg regarding Laser alignment, Extreme Propulsion in Cartersville does Laser alignments. They aligned my new ‘2015 F3-S when I bought it over five years ago and did a great job. Check your tire pressures, use a loose grip on the bars, get a Laser alignment and BajaRon’s bar and I think you will fall in love with your Spyder.

[GregQ]

Greg regarding Laser alignment, Extreme Propulsion in Cartersville does Laser alignments. They aligned my new ‘2015 F3-S when I bought it over five years ago and did a great job. Check your tire pressures, use a loose grip on the bars, get a Laser alignment and BajaRon’s bar and I think you will fall in love with your Spyder.

I've been to Extreme Propulsion and talked to them about Lazer Alignment. Really good folks. Based on that conversation, my plan is to get the Sway Bar installed, see what difference it makes, then get Lazer Aligned and see what difference THAT makes.

Regarding tire pressure, after much tweaking, I've settled on 18.5 PSI* up front and 20 PSI rear. Again, all comments welcomed and encouraged.

I've read the "Do's and Don'ts" sticky 50 times. And as was stated by Bill W. and JayBros, loosening my handlebar grip made a LARGE positive difference.

As far as flaming goes, I spent a lot of time lurking and reading before I posted about "Party Pooper". It seemed most folks were just friendly and happy to help. So I knew there was a risk, but based on my observations, went ahead with the post. And so far, it turns out I was right. Look at the helpful replies I've gotten already. You folks are fabulous and should be proud to be on this forum. I know I'm proud of it.

My "Being passed on the expressway" refers to the wind blast that seems to adversely affect the Spyder more than any of my other large bikes.

I put the thousand miles on the Spyder since April this year. So I'm also hoping that continuing to ride will will settle some of my qualms.

Thank you all so very much. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!:bowdown:

[happyspyder2039]

Check your tires pressure. If the fronts are to high the twitches are worse. Especially on stock tires

[Navydad]

Yes, the wind blasts can be brutal, but remember the RT is a much bigger target than a two wheeler. I compare it to pushing a barn door down the road. The sway bar will help with that a good bit.

[bigbadbrucie]

GregQ, your tire pressures sound in the ballpark...IF YOU’RE ON CAR TIRES, but if you’re on Kendas, you’re too light. As for the swaybar and the lazer alignment, I’d reverse the order...alignment first and see the difference. After 5 years of my RTS, I still have the original swaybar. jmho

[RICZ]

+ TWICHINESS is caused by too tight a grip and tense arms. OPEN HANDS, LOOSE ARMS = no twitches.
+ Yes, get that laser alignment. It will help with control.
+ No, don't put the sway bar on until you feel you have complete control of the bike. First, it isn't going to help you climb the learning curve. Second, once you mastered controlling the bike, only then put the sway bar on. Then you will know what it dos for the handling. Bajaron told me that and I am grateful I listened.
+ Make certain there is the correct air pressure in the tires per the manual and the sticker under the frunk lid. Very important.
+ These engines love to rev -- shift at 3500+ rpm. Don't ride under 2800 rpm.
+ Lastly, but most importantly -- read the manual cover to cover.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

IMO the most important thing is be open minded and recognize that being an experienced two wheel rider does not make you an experienced three wheel rider. Recognize and accept the fact the Spyder is different, especially in cornering. Look for those differences and then figure out how to deal with them. As far as buffeting let your body be buffeted and stay loose on the Spyder. The Spyder will track straight as long as you don't let your body movements get transferred to it.

To a great extent you ride a two wheeler but you drive a Spyder, especially in corners.

[Woodaddict]

have you ever rode a off road 4 wheeler?? or the really old 3 wheeler?? I have when you make a turn, they want to throw you opposite way of the turn. kinda same way as spyder. best way to ride, is keep torso / body upright, let the spyder follow pitch / roll of road by flexing elbows / wrist. this will keep you from getting seasick!!

i still have 2 wheeler, i much like the spyder better for wind blasts. on 2 wheeler you'd be leaning into the wind blast and maybe more swaying back and forth. following a semi with wind whipping around sides of trailer, can get you scared in a hurry on 2 wheeler, more stable for me on spyder.

JUST MORE SEAT TIME NEEDED................. lately, been alot of these same new spyder rider comments, "I don't like my ride", that this forum are helping these new riders get acquainted with 3 wheels

[MonPaul]

A lot of great advice here. I just wanted to add that if you are feeling like you made a mistake purchasing the Spyder, I think those of us who came from 2 wheels all felt that way at some time. Just give it more time, it took me like 1500 miles to feel comfortable! But I still remember that day - it was like riding a different bike and I was wondering why I had so many problems before.:thumbup:

[Piratezz]

Agree with all the advice given, Ride your spyder, go to a parkinglot, or large slab of asfalt, look for the limits( while being comfortable), and you'll see, that the spyder, is more than capable, of fullfilling all your needs.
I tried many manouvres, and still not close on the limit, with the spyder, but don't backup at high speed (ask me how I know), that's terrifying.... :2thumbs:

Furthermore, it's a blast to drive, when you get the hang of it, I ride in a group, with all kind of motorcycles, Ducati's, Honda's etc. even a few quad's, mostly the racers have commented, wow, your spyder does corner....
Have a Laser aligment, swaybar, and upgrades shocks, on my spyder f3s, even a custom tune, but do your upgrades, one at the time, so you feel the difference, Myself did it in this order, swaybar, aligment, tyres( that makes the most difference), and then shocks front and back, Now the machine is ready to tackle anything.

So drive, enjoy, It will grow on you

[Patt]

After riding 2 wheels for 55 years,had a crash,6 weeks in hospital,time for 3 wheels,took to the Spider like a Duck to water,maybe being a Plant Operator helped,Diggers in particular require soft hand operating,probably can get through the twistis quicker than when I was on 2 wheels ,ride 2 up with the wife,after 18 months she is still not liking it as much as my bikes,not leaning in the corners is her problem ,but does enjoy the comfort & smooth ride, good comments from other riders you will master it in time,my F3 Limited is Stock Standard,it does get a little body roll 2 up , might look at a sway bar in the future but only because I ride 2 up regularly.
John

[fredgal]

after riding atv's all my life, it was a piece of cake when i first rode my F3L, almost 1000 miles and i love it, spyders have a fun factor, fun to ride, i also came from a 1500 vulcan classic, sold it and will never own another 2 wheeler.... hang in there, nice roads are your friend ,

[ThreeWheels]

This is already a long thread, so I apologize if one, more or ALL the posters have made these same comments.
Get a laser alignment. Probably not your issue because the later (2014 and up) Spyders generally ( I say generally, not all) were aligned at the factory much better than the earlier models.
A properly aligned Spyder will track like it's on rails.
Check your front tire pressures. Is the pressure much over 20 PSI ? If the pressure in the tires is too high, the contact patch is rounded off. The bike sort of sits up on the balls of it's feet and can be very twitchy.
Be careful, the reverse is also true. If you lower the pressure too much, the bike becomes difficult to steer.
Most people find between 16 and 20 PSI as the right pressure for the front tires. Also make sure the pressure in both tires is the same. They should be plus minus 1/4 psi from your set pressure, so that the tires won't be more than 1/2 PSI different from each other.
As a new bike, I'm assuming there aren't any component failures such as tie rod ends and such.
The RonBar is an excellent upgrade to the suspension, but you'll mostly feel that when making turns.
And, make sure you're not gripping the handlebars too tightly.
I hope this helps. Keep us posted so we know how you make out.

As always, my free advice comes with a double your money back guarantee.

[Little Blue]

Remembering back, I had the same problems as you are having. I read a lot of the Tips on this Forum. Just take it easy and in steps, that works for you.
The 1000 miles is general time for most people to be in the comfortable zone with ryding your Spyder. Ryde Safe and enjoy some Spyder time.

It came to me and I know it will come to you.
Good Luck on Your Mission. ....:thumbup:

[Snoking1127]

Having many years of riding TWO wheelers is IMHO a detriment to riding a Spyder .... If you just drive it like a CAR you will do much better .... The Spyder feels much better if you ONLY " guide it " around. As others haver said it is going to take about 1000 mi. before you start to feel comfortable. Mike :thumbup:

Guide it! That is my term, on the open road set the cruse control and rest your hands on the bars. For course corrections or turns only a slight pressure pushing forward on the outside(off side) hand grip makes it turn smoothly. I have a Ford Edge ST (Ford's "Sports Technology" chassis with the twin turbo V6) and it drives the same way, and is all over the road if you over steer it.

I did my upgrades in steps:

1. Federal Formoza AZ01 car tires on the front
2. BajaRon's HD Sway Bar
3. BajaRon's Shock Adjusters
4. General Altimax RT43 out back.

Each step weeks apart with rides in between was an improvement in handling and overall stability.

I think that LED highlights up front our a great safety addition day or night. In day light I run high beams. I also put LED turn indicators on the rear with the resisters to prevent hyper flashing. I put on a third brake light that strobes of 6-7 seconds and then goes steady on.

[Snoking1127]

Also two+ year tires that just sat may that loss something, as tires like to be used! Lots of reading here on tires. Motorcycle vs Car! The Spyder does not have motorcycle rims, it has car like rims with J style bead area, just like 99.99 percent of automotive rims.

[Southpaw58]

Hey GregQ,
I didn't see where anyone mentioned any solutions to the cramped feeling. Did you dealer set the foot pegs and handlebars up for you? A lot don't. I believe all new Spyder come with the foot pegs in position 3. The pegs can be moved closer (2 positions) or further out (also 2 positions). If this needs to be adjusted you will need to purchase the appropriate brake rod. My dealer didn't even offer to check it. I'm 6'4" and I needed to move mine from position 3 to position 5 to get the comfort I wanted. As far as handlebars go, the stock bar worked for me so I can't say much other than there are a couple other options that will get your arm position correct. One last thing. I have added several mods to my Spyder (sway bar, taller windshield, backrest, etc.), but in my opinion the best mod I have done was add the Ultimate Floorboards from Can-Am Spyder Accessories. It allows me to stretch my legs all the way out, bring my feet more under my body, or even stand up while riding to alleviate cramps and sore muscles.

Anyway, just my 2 Cents
Bill

[old Timer]

Greg, with all due respect, and I mean it, at 65 years old 5'10" tall and 242 lbs you should loose at least 50 lbs. That alone will solve a lot of issues.

[GregQ]

Actually, I need to lose at least 75 pounds. But point taken and I agree.

[JayBros]

I've been to Extreme Propulsion and talked to them about Lazer Alignment. Really good folks. Based on that conversation, my plan is to get the Sway Bar installed, see what difference it makes, then get Lazer Aligned and see what difference THAT makes....

Personally and as a frugal thinker (wife calls it world class cheap) I would have the alignment checked first. Why? First, because BRP does not do the best job aligning Spyders on the assembly line. Second, many shops that do laser alignments will not charge for the service if the Spyder is within spec. Third, if the Spyder is out of spec and it is properly laser aligned it will make the biggest difference in handling because all three wheels will be aimed in the proper direction. Fourth, having Ron's sway bar installed after the alignment will have no impact on the alignment; i.e., it will not have to be realigned. The sway bar will have the most impact on cornering and in crosswinds and passing semis at interstate speeds. Installing the sway bar first won't help if the Spyder is out of alignment spec. You'll have a better performing Spyder sway bar-wise but the alignment will still be lousy.

[old Timer]

Good luck Greg, it's not an easy thing to do.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I tried many manouvres, and still not close on the limit, with the spyder, but don't backup at high speed (ask me how I know), that's terrifying.... :2thumbs:
Nanny limits you to 9 mph in reverse! Avoid quick turns in reverse and you'll be quite OK!

[vito1943]

As a new Spyder rider I found this thread very valuable and interesting. I come from 35 years of 2 wheeling, but at 78 the big Goldwing was just too heavy for me. A garage tipover that I could not get back on the sidestand without help convinced me t was time for something different. I've had the 2021 RT for about 6 weeks now and have put 1,500 miles on the odometer. Maybe its just the new bike, or maybe its me, but I have not found ANY twitchiness at all in the handling. I've always kept tires a bit higher than what was recommended, so I did the same with the Spyder, keeping 22 in front and 30 in the rear and it rides just fine in my opinion. My "learning curve" was pretty short. I took a 40 mile ride home from the dealer (I live about 10 miles from the dealer) and by the time I pulled into my garage I felt comfortable enough to take my wife for a ride with me (she absolutely loves the Spyder and is SOOOO glad that I got rid of the Goldwing). As to wind blast, I have felt that the Spyder is much more resistant to wind blast from passing 18 wheelers, or when those big trucks come down the opposite side of the two lane road than was about any motorcycle that I ever owned.

At this stage I have very few negatives regarding the Spyder. I'm not impressed with the BRP Connect, at all. I would have preferred if the shift button was designed for more comfortable downshifting. I find it awkward to get my finger behind the button and so rarely downshift. I'm not a big fan of the loud clunk when I put it into Reverse. And while I am accepting of it, steering and feeling my body want to move to the opposite direction is not nearly as satisfying as leaning into a curve on a two wheeler. On the other hand, I have no concern over tipovers, and riding on gravelly or dirt roads is no longer a concern as it was on the Goldwing.

I almost feel guilty saying that I have not felt a need for either a sway bar nor for seeking a laser alignment of this new Spyder. Maybe I just don't know what I am missing but right now I'm happy as can be with the way this 3 wheeler has been. My only major mod was to add a passenger backrest (I have the RT, not the Limited). I am having risers installed next week and a phone mount attached so that I can use Waze on my Iphone rather than the Genius Maps in the BRP app. I probably should figure out how to pair the phone with the speakers in my helmet but haven't done that yet either.

And I am not impressed with the mpg that I am getting, even being pretty good at upshifting in the Eco mode as soon as the indicator tells me to do so. Getting 34 mpg with Premium grade gas is even less than what I had been getting with the big 6 cylinder Goldwing engine, and that was with regular gas. Since I'm listing negatives, I will end with wishing the electric adjustable windscreen was more adjustable. I like the few inches I can move it but wish it would have been adjustable a bit more down and a bit more up as well.

[BajaRon]

I've been to Extreme Propulsion and talked to them about Lazer Alignment. Really good folks. Based on that conversation, my plan is to get the Sway Bar installed, see what difference it makes, then get Lazer Aligned and see what difference THAT makes.

Regarding tire pressure, after much tweaking, I've settled on 18.5 PSI* up front and 20 PSI rear. Again, all comments welcomed and encouraged.

I've read the "Do's and Don'ts" sticky 50 times. And as was stated by Bill W. and JayBros, loosening my handlebar grip made a LARGE positive difference.

As far as flaming goes, I spent a lot of time lurking and reading before I posted about "Party Pooper". It seemed most folks were just friendly and happy to help. So I knew there was a risk, but based on my observations, went ahead with the post. And so far, it turns out I was right. Look at the helpful replies I've gotten already. You folks are fabulous and should be proud to be on this forum. I know I'm proud of it.

My "Being passed on the expressway" refers to the wind blast that seems to adversely affect the Spyder more than any of my other large bikes.

I put the thousand miles on the Spyder since April this year. So I'm also hoping that continuing to ride will will settle some of my qualms.

Thank you all so very much. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!:bowdown:

A sway bar upgrade will make a big difference in how much you get tossed around at freeway speeds.

[jerrydonna]

ok IM just like all the others in this group talking about 2 wheel to 3 wheel mind set. I have a 2012 RTL I picked some years ago, at the time I had a BMW1600gtl and a Vulcan 900. The BMW was for travel and the Vulcan was just about my 1/2 time daily ride to work 25 miles.
My wife and I looked at the Spyder back in 2010 and have been watching them grow up thru the years.
I think I was able to speed up my MIND SET a little fast due to working many OVER NIGHT shifts. Meaning I had to leave in the dark and most times drive home in the dark as well. This made me TRUST the bike more. And than even with in a month I was asked to drive down to see my bother (200 miles) making that trip all thru dark of night on roads I knew where to turn but not the road surface. Once again learning to trust the spyder,
I have trust enough like most of the above memebers to set my cruise on 75 when possible, put one hand and my my knee, with other hand just the finger tips laying on ONE grip. Once you can relax (not in traffic) let go of the fingers and see the spyder travel more stable without any help from you.

[GregQ]

Personally and as a frugal thinker (wife calls it world class cheap) I would have the alignment checked first. Why? First, because BRP does not do the best job aligning Spyders on the assembly line. Second, many shops that do laser alignments will not charge for the service if the Spyder is within spec. Third, if the Spyder is out of spec and it is properly laser aligned it will make the biggest difference in handling because all three wheels will be aimed in the proper direction. Fourth, having Ron's sway bar installed after the alignment will have no impact on the alignment; i.e., it will not have to be realigned. The sway bar will have the most impact on cornering and in crosswinds and passing semis at interstate speeds. Installing the sway bar first won't help if the Spyder is out of alignment spec. You'll have a better performing Spyder sway bar-wise but the alignment will still be lousy.

JayBros, after reading all of the replies, I have decided to do exactly as you suggest. Alignment first, sway bar second.

Are there people with Spyders that are not members of this forum? How do they do that? You folks are essential to Spyder ownership and invaluable.

Thank you!!!

[RayBJ]

"Are there people with Spyders that are not members of this forum?"

Based on my personal observation here in NJ, I'd guess the percentage of Spyder owners that frequent this forum is quite low. Maybe 10% at best. I rode with a group of 9 other Spyders recently and I only know of 1 other member of SL. Either they are lurkers or they are unaware of the wealth of knowledge they're missing.

[RICZ]

I follow a few Spyder groups on Facebook. Some of the questions and answers are not only bazar, but show that; 1. They didn't read the manual and 2. That they are not on this forum. So I provide a link to steer them this direction.

[mrpeeps240]

Don,t hold the bars tight,u r pushing againest the power steering

[ARtraveler]

:welcome: and :congrats: on your new Spyder even though you may not be feeling the magic at this point.

Coming from two wheels also, back in 2008 (GS/SM5) it took me about 1500 miles to get used to the quirks. I am considered one of the "slow" :spyder: learners. 175,000 miles and seven :ani29: :spyder2: :spyder:'s later, I am still enjoying the ride. Traded off my last two wheeler about two months ago. Now it's my two F3's. One belongs to the Lady Linda.

All of the advice above is good and right on. Let me add a helpful read that you may enjoy.
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?41346-quot-Do-s-and-Do-Nots-quot-for-new-Spyder-owners

Hang in there and you too will be enjoying it. :yes:

[pegasus1300]

In the riding club I belong to in my area of 15 members 5 of us ride Spyders ,but despite telling them how good this sight is I am still the only member here.

"You can lead a horse to water ....etc.etc.etc." and sometimes salting the oats doesn't help.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Wife was in the driveway one afternoon as I was putting my 1985 Venture away coming home from work. She told me that after all the years we had been together, she really wanted to start going on rides with me. I jokingly said "Well, we will have to buy a different motorcycle then." "OK" she said, and walked into the house. The rest, as they say, is history!
Wanted a trike, no more holding up a bike at a red light sort of thing. A work friend had an F3, said you've got to try a Spyder! Went out and rode a couple, liked the RT best. Ended up getting a used 2014 RTL, and have proceeded to put over 30k miles on it, about a third of them 2-up.
The hardest thing for me was to loosen my grip on the handlebars. It's going to wander a bit more than you're used to, just because you've got more rubber on the road, more contact with the bumps and cracks and all the other stuff that roads can throw your way. You have to unlearn the 2 wheeled-ness that you're comfortable with, and learn the ways of 3 wheeled-ness. We've all done it! Get out there and ride, ride, and ride some more! Have fun! Isn't that why you own a Spyder??

If you haven't had that Spyder " LAZER " ... aligned this may be the wandering feeling .... I have had My 14 RT over 100 MPH and could actually Remove all hand- to- grip guidance. .... And it will track straight ..... good luck .... Mike :thumbup:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Personally and as a frugal thinker (wife calls it world class cheap) I would have the alignment checked first. Why? First, because BRP does not do the best job aligning Spyders on the assembly line. Second, many shops that do laser alignments will not charge for the service if the Spyder is within spec. Third, if the Spyder is out of spec and it is properly laser aligned it will make the biggest difference in handling because all three wheels will be aimed in the proper direction. Fourth, having Ron's sway bar installed after the alignment will have no impact on the alignment; i.e., it will not have to be realigned. The sway bar will have the most impact on cornering and in crosswinds and passing semis at interstate speeds. Installing the sway bar first won't help if the Spyder is out of alignment spec. You'll have a better performing Spyder sway bar-wise but the alignment will still be lousy.

:agree: X's 10 ..... Mike :thumbup:

[Piratezz]

My Spyder dealer, where I bought the Spyder, did the laser alignment, with no extra cost for me, The dealer were I bought the spyder is also the importer for the whole Benelux,( I am from the Netherlands) and every spyder/ ryker he sells from his dealership, gets this alignment, He is a Championship racer, and won a few titles in his day, He thinks it's important to ryde with confidence, not all dealers are stealers.

even when I testdrove a spyder, he went along, and was giving me pointers, I also came of a two wheeler (dirtbikes/ and cruisers) ofcourse it helps that he is a good friend of my father, hahahaha

[shakin_jake]

In the riding club I belong to in my area of 15 members 5 of us ride Spyders ,but despite telling them how good this sight is I am still the only member here.

"You can lead a horse to water ....etc.etc.etc." and sometimes salting the oats doesn't help.



~~~I totally agree with you regarding the quality of this site I've only been on the internet a little better than 20 years. In that time I have frequented quite a few forums for whatever motorcycle or scooter (including a few for sidecars) I was riding Some were great, others mediocre. The quality of the members here is high The mods aren't too shabby either=:-)

As to the OP and his current Can Am problems, I'm not going to pile on. He received plenty of good advice. I will say this though (perhaps I'm contradicting myself?=:-) The two Can Am on road three wheelers I bought new from the same dealer (CycleZone Topeka Kansas), they both (2020 Ryker Rally/2021 Spyder RT Limited) were aligned properly. Both, and I mean this w/o exaggeration, feel like riding on rails. New fresh rubber, proper alignment on a trike, is tantamount to safe riding

In regards to tires, I always felt the price you pay for tires to be a good investment in your predictable outcome of how your machine will ride and handle. A good lesson I learned when I started my motorcycle roadracing career back in 1995 was my introduction to using race rubber on the race track. My first day in roadracing school I rode my street bike to the race track. It had potential to become a race bike yet on that first day I rode it on the racetrack for the track portion of the roadracing school, I attended, I left my DOT street tires on, mainly because I didn't have a lot of time to swap tires for race rubber. Needless to say, going into the turns at speed using DOT street tires instead of softer compound race rubber, it felt like riding on marbles going in to the turns. What a revelation the first time I got on the track and had race compound tires on my bike The difference was night and day yet the same can be said for using rain tires on the track in wet weather. They too are essential if you want to ride at 10 tenths in the wet

The point I'm trying to make in the aforementioned paragraph, and how it relates to riding a three wheeled Can Am on road vehicle like the Ryker or the Spyder series, its essential to have a fresh set of rubber on your rims. Bad tires will give you a bad ride There's no economy there, in fact, iffy tires are a liability I've been in a fortunate position this past week as I just took possession of a new 2021 Can Am Spyder RT Limited I haven't checked the DOT date on the tires but I have an idea they were built within the last 15 months. This RT I just purchased goes down the road straight like its on rails I did check tire pressure all around They (the selling dealer) set the air pressures according to the manufacturer's spec. 20 PSI in the fronts, 28 in the rear, that's for the stock Kenda tires and although many here gripe and moan about the stock Kenda's, for the string straight (mostly) roads I ride here in north central Fla., they work just fine

That's it, rant off But just to recap, tires are cheap (read: not costly) Just remember, when going down the highway or any road, the only thing keeping you afloat is your tires and the amount of air pressure keeping them round


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
I may not agree with what you say...
but if you say it with fewer words I'll try harder...

[LifeLongRider]

I think what you are feeling is completely normal for a new owner. I owned my 2019 F3 Limited for over two years and loved it - - but . . being 6'2" and 230 lbs I never could get comfortable on it, even using an Airhawk cushion. After two hours in the saddle my hip joints were hurting so bad I had to get off. Consequently I sold the Spyder and went back to two wheels, which in my case was quite a decision because I'm 74 years old with health issues. Bought a new Indian Chieftain and couldn't be happier. The Spyder was a great ride and I never had any issues what so ever, but they're not for everyone.

[BajaRon]

IMO the most important thing is be open minded and recognize that being an experienced two wheel rider does not make you an experienced three wheel rider. Recognize and accept the fact the Spyder is different, especially in cornering. Look for those differences and then figure out how to deal with them. As far as buffeting let your body be buffeted and stay loose on the Spyder. The Spyder will track straight as long as you don't let your body movements get transferred to it.

To a great extent you ride a two wheeler but you drive a Spyder, especially in corners.

Excellent advise. Well said!

[wmjweber45]

Hi, Greg. Been there. Got my F3L for the same reason. Hated it, but hated not riding even more. Eventually we came to an agreement. I would stop trying to ride it like a motorcycle and it would stop trying to put me in the ditch. It took me over a year before I stopped hating it for what it was not and started appreciating it for what it is. I enjoy riding it now, though not near as much as I did two wheels. The Baja Ron sway bar made a huge difference in handling for me, and perhaps a custom seat would make you feel less cramped. Anyway, I can't walk all that well, but with the Spyder I can still ride.

[ChicagoSpyder]

Riding a Spyder was easy for me as mentally I looked at it as my summertime snowmobile, and you do get the best handling when move your body weight around the cockpit. I found the stock seat on my F3L wanted to keep me stuck in the center of the seat, so when I had Lamm rebuild my seat I had him open it up so I could move my arse around the cockpit easier.

[sledmaster]

Riding a Spyder was easy for me as mentally I looked at it as my summertime snowmobile, and you do get the best handling when move your body weight around the cockpit. I found the stock seat on my F3L wanted to keep me stuck in the center of the seat, so when I had Lamm rebuild my seat I had him open it up so I could move my arse around the cockpit easier.

Ditto. Those of us familiar with riding a snowmobile take to the Spyder almost instantly. The body influence is quite similar. We actually lean slightly forward and into the corner (think leaning towards the inside front tire slightly) and it goes like telepathy. If you just sit there the centrifugal force will pull your weight to the outside, which is un-nerving. So it works well to lean your upper body slightly forward and into the corner. Very contrary to a 2-wheel rider's intuition.

Chicago Spyder - love your snowmobile photo from the Firesteel Bridge on the Bill Nichols trail there between Mass City and Twin Lakes!

[Fat Baxter]

For me, dumping the front Kendas made a MUCH bigger difference than a laser alignment and sway bar, which I had done before I got the new Kuhmos. Completely different machine -- more composed, less head wagging, MUCH better cornering.

Dump the Kendas NOW. Any other brand tire will be a marked improvement.

[RykerRider1959]

Ditto. Those of us familiar with riding a snowmobile take to the Spyder almost instantly. The body influence is quite similar. We actually lean slightly forward and into the corner (think leaning towards the inside front tire slightly) and it goes like telepathy. If you just sit there the centrifugal force will pull your weight to the outside, which is un-nerving. So it works well to lean your upper body slightly forward and into the corner. Very contrary to a 2-wheel rider's intuition.

Chicago Spyder - love your snowmobile photo from the Firesteel Bridge on the Bill Nichols trail there between Mass City and Twin Lakes!

I have had the same reaction with my Ryker. Absolutely no issues with having to learn to ride it. Probably the same reason as you, I have been riding sleds for 53 seasons, with over 200,000 miles under my belt...It just feels like a natural transistion...Im so impressed with this 600 motor I might just go buy a new Ski-Doo with a 600 ace...I remember crossing those Firesteel bridges for the first time waaay back in 1983 on a bagger trip from Eagle River,Wi to Copper Harbor,Mi...Semi-Retired transplant from Elmhurst,il...

[Schreckftw]

IMO the most important thing is be open minded and recognize that being an experienced two wheel rider does not make you an experienced three wheel rider. Recognize and accept the fact the Spyder is different, especially in cornering. Look for those differences and then figure out how to deal with them. As far as buffeting let your body be buffeted and stay loose on the Spyder. The Spyder will track straight as long as you don't let your body movements get transferred to it.

To a great extent you ride a two wheeler but you drive a Spyder, especially in corners.

Love that you said be open minded. That made all the difference for me. At about 1500 miles I started to realize what the Spyder was and was not. It completely changed the way I ride and how I felt about it. For me I was able to let go of the motorcycle mentality I was holding on to. This is hard to explain but I think most will understand. For me I honestly feel the throttle is the only connection I shared with a motorcycle. I felt more connected to a motorcycle. It was an extension of me when I moved. Its hard to put in words. The way I sit on my RTL, corner, shift, break, and just generally feel are all different and that is very OK with me. I loved two wheels but I love this just as much just in a different way. Its weird but I enjoy the openness more and I am more open to what's around me because I am giving less thought into to the physical ride IMO.