Is a Spyder a motorcycle, trike or something else?

[broderp]

Legal definitions aside, does the community here generally consider themselves a member of the motorcycle community, the Harley/Goldwing trike community or our own Can-Am community?

I'm just curious, no right or wrong answers. :cheers:

[Steve W.]

Looks like I get to be among the first responders. :shocked:

Personally, I am going to rule out the Harley/Goldwing groups. Why? They are all CONVERSIONS. Honda never made a road-ready trike. Harley started their motorcycle down the assembly line, then diverted it to the Lehman trike factory for fitting the rear end, then Lehman sent it back to Harley for final assembly.

Between the other two choices, I would guess that a sizeable portion of Can-Am owners are former two-wheel operators, so would still consider themselves to be "motorcyclists". And, in that community, a dedicated Can-Am community makes as much sense as a dedicated BMW/Honda/Kawasaki/Yamaha/Suzuki/etc. community.

.

[ARtraveler]

Another vote for the "Can AM Community."

I think that sums everything up quite well. Most of us are "brand snobs" concerning "our" specific brands. There are different nuances between Harley owners, Goldwing Owners, and BMW owners. We are ALL members of the "motorcycling" community, but rides, camaradarie, tastes, etc. will vary. This is my opinion of course. I don't charge for this advice, so be gentle if you do not agree with me. :thumbup:
'

[Bfromla]

SCREW the names - Lets RIDE:yes::yes::doorag::riding::riding: acknowledge/appreciation waves optional - good times *REQUIRED* , decency preferred
**{don’t get me wrong, do appreciate the poll any # of wheels, thanks}**

[BamaJohn]

:popcorn:
According to the followingL
The Spyder has a motor(engine);
The rider sits astraddle the vehicle, not in it;
The Spyder is a cycle and has 3 wheels and is called a "reverse trike";
The Spyder is therefore a Motortrike specifically, or a Motorcycle generically.

It's a Can Am Brand, if that even matters.

Ok, I have my chain mail suit on, so let the remarks fly! :cheers:

[shakin_jake]

What licensing plate does your state require? Fla. has my Can Am designated as a motorcycle so, I had to purchase a motorcycle plate, or did I use a plate (motorcycle ) I had lying around?!? Guess it doesn’t matter, I affixed a motorcycle plate to it. Call it whatever you like. Life is beautiful


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

[Jesster72]

The forum? I think aligns as our own community. Because most of our discussions are CanAm specific.

Forum members? I can only speak for me, I am a motorcyclist that rides a CanAm Spyder. I would speculate that most came from a two wheel background.

[CopperSpyder]

This forum is a Spyder, Ryker (Can AM) Community. This Community is a growing part of the overall Motorcycle Community that Harley Davidson, Honda and other brands are a part of also.

[Navydad]

I think the Spyders or any three wheeled "motorcycle" are an entity to themselves, but a segment of the motorcycle world. We have touring bikes, sport touring bikes, adventure bikes, dual sport bikes, and more segments. We are but one of those segments. Like any other group we Spyder guys tend to gravitate towards other Spyder folks because it is something we have in common. Same as the HD crowd, The GW crowd, or any other group. While my many years of riding have leaned towards the sport bike and sport touring segment I have no trouble joining in with any group because it's motorcycles we have in common overall.

[RayBJ]

If you mean 'forum members', I ride 95% with 2-wheelers. They have no problem with me in their groups and I frequently am the lead. Therefore, I fully align with the 'motorcycle' community. Can Am, like all my previous rides is a BRAND. It isn't WHAT you ride, it's the FOLKS you ride with and share experiences that matter. Wheel count means NOTHING!

If you mean the forum itself, the answer is obvious - Can Am.

[canamjhb]

I identify as a motorcyclist. Many, many years (decades) on 2 wheels, mostly Goldwings. Went to a Spyder RTL. Then back to 2 wheel Goldwing and then to a 3 wheel Goldwing trike. Like them all. And all were/are licensed and insured a motorcycles. I ride motorcycles.....

[EdMat]

It seems the thread title and the question on the poll suggest 2 different things.

[Flamewinger]

I did mostly ride with the Goldwing group as I had 5 Goldwings in over 36 years but anyone could ride with us. Now the new EWMA wants anyone that rides and if they start promoting it more I’ll ride with them. 2 wheelers are a bit faster than trikes which makes for a bit more fun.

[pegasus1300]

I checked the "our own CanAm community" as I felt none of the others fit. I rode two wheels for years, Montesa, Suzuki, BMW, Triumph, Norton, BSA, Yamaha Ventures, Royal Stars, DKW, NSU and others I can't remember, even a Honda Trike. This forum is about Can-Am Spyder while I do still identify with the "motorcycle" community, I also identify with this community of three wheel motorcycles made by Can-Am.

[Gwolf]

I rode sport bikes back in the 60s and 70s. Rode mostly Hondas at first. Wasn't a lot of choice at some of the places I had to live. Rode Sukis, Yamahas, several kinds of dirt bikes. The metric bikes were just getting up to the 750cc range when I bought my first Harley. It wasn't about the image, it was because Harley had about the best belt drive around and I lived on a dirt road, which eats chains for breakfast. Rode Harley Sportsters for about 30 years. Mine was all the old carb, hard mount, Harleys. They seemed to be almost indestructable and easy to work on. I bought the Spyder in 2019. Bought it mostly because I am old as dirt, nobody would work on my 20+ year old Harley, and it was gertting hard to find parts for it. The Harley vibrated so bad my arms would go numb after a couple hours. The Spyder is smooth as glass. Very little vibration, good suspension, and plenty of power.

I don't care what anybody rides. I don't care how many wheels it got on it. If you straddle it and it has handle bars it is a scooter. It don't make no difference what anybody thinks about the 3 wheels, if you out on the open, wind in your face, and having a good time, don't get involved it the technical details. Just enjoy the ride.

[LALoner]

Just for info - The "Run for the Wall" signup sheet has three catagories - Motorcycle, Trike, and Spyder.


All I personally know is, I have to have a motorcycle endorsement to ride a Spyder in Louisiana.

And I would add... A visit to Louisiana Power Sports today to check on expected delivery still has my 2024 F3-S at the end of Jan or sometime in Feb. No firm dates as yet. AAARRRGGGGH

[Woodaddict]

.... A visit to Louisiana Power Sports today to check on expected delivery still has my 2024 F3-S at the end of Jan or sometime in Feb. No firm dates as yet. AAARRRGGGGH

don't get your hopes too HIGH!!! we usually don't see new model year spyder's until March. dealer might have been too easy to give early date to get a sale!!

[Gwolf]

don't get your hopes too HIGH!!! we usually don't see new model year spyder's until March. dealer might have been too easy to give early date to get a sale!!


True dat! I wanted a specific model, and they said all kind of silly stuff that I did not believe. I put a $500 deposit down on it and told them to send me a message when it came in. I got it about the middle of April. Probably depends on the model you order too. I wanted the Special Series, and they were only shipping one per dealer to start with. I understand that later in the year, if a dealer did not sell the one they got in, it was fair game to move to other dealerships. It probably does not make that much difference which dealership gets it in first. All the dealerships in this whole tri-state area are owned by the same parent company.

[Pirate]

My Spyder is registered as a motorcycle and I consider it a motorcycle. This forum is mostly devoted to Can Am products which include the Ryker and Spyder.

[Peacekeeper6]

I'm lucky that the bikers I've had the pleasure of "wasting fuel" with have this mantra:

"It doesn't matter WHAT you ride, as long as YOU ride".

That said, I've ridden with people who have all sorts of bikes/trikes manufactured all over the world.

And that, my friends, is how it should be ....

[Lew L]

.

+1

[vito1943]

I rode 2 wheelers for several decades, but traded in my Goldwing for an RT two years ago when I was 78. I love my Spyder and despite steering rather than leaning I find it very much a motorcycle experience. But I think that deep down I know that my RT is not a "real" motorcycle the way most of this think of it. I also own a 2 wheeler, and between the leaning, the manual transmission, the need to put a foot down when stopped, etc. the experience of riding my "real" motorcycle is not exactly the same as when I ride the Spyder. And I do think we have our share of folks in the Spyder/Ryker community who want to think of themselves as motorcyclists but never were willing or able to go through the learning process to confidently ride two wheels. I'm not sure if the only bike I had was my Spyder if I would still feel that I was genuinely still a part of the "Bike" community, and someday I likely will find out if this is true. As I get older I realize that I well might reach the point of needing to give up on 2 wheeling totally, and just have the stable, reliable 3 wheel Spyder to keep me in the wind.

In a way this is all similar to when I owned just a scooter. It did pretty much anything that a motorcycle could do, including going over 100 mph. The main difference between that Silverwing and a motorcycle were the size of the wheels, the automatic trans, and the seating position. But good as it was, I found that I yearned to return to riding a real motorcycle. Maybe this was all in my head, but it was real for me. I ended up trading that Honda mega-scooter for a Triumph America, a mid size cruiser that really was far less capable and with less features, but I was happy to be back on a real bike.

[AndysF3S]

I owned a 350 Yamaha XT back in the early 80's but rode it offroad because I didn't like the highway feel on 2 lane roads by cars and trucks. I did a test ride of the Canam trike when they first came out and finally decided to buy my F3S because it was looking lonely in the show room this summer.
I maintained my motorcycle license since the 80's and the Spyder is registered as a "motorcycle". My first (long highway) ride was with a friend who was riding a 2020 HD Roadglide that he bought new.
I currently own a 2019 Defender XT Cab, 2013 Outlander and a 22 Renegade XRS Turbo R that I will be taking out to the lake to do some ice riding, trace of snow. Basically SkiDoo, SeaDoo, Skidoo offroad and now Spyder.

[Dubliner]

In Canada the Spyder is considered a motorcycle for insurance purposes. I have had a few people say to me that I'm wrong however my insurance states that it is indeed a motorcycle! Having ridden bikes for most of life I consider it a bike, my sidecar combination is also a bike both have three wheels and I have to wear a helmet to ride both.

[Dasmoetorhead]

Motorcycle

[exbrc1]

I use the term reverse trike.

[Calimusjohn]

Not to be picky, BUT . . . Harley-Davidson produced a trike from 1932 to 1973 known as a Servi-car. Many police departments used them for traffic control and meter-maids. In the 30s and 40s, car dealerships would hook a Servi-car to a clip-on bumper hitch and pick-up at, or deliver a serviced automobile to your home. The trike took the dealer employee back to the shop.
A bike with a sidecar has three wheels and no one doubts it is a motorcycle. Whether the third wheel is in front, the side, or on the rear, they are all motorcycles.
I had my first motorcycle ride while lying in a cardboard box in my dad's 1937 Harley-Davidson's sidecar. I've been riding the 84 intervening years on a variety of machines with all of the wheel combinations listed.
Long live motorcycles!

P.S. I was two weeks old on my first ride!
Motorcycle riding is never boring.

[Motorcycledave]

Legal definitions aside, does the community here generally consider themselves a member of the motorcycle community, the Harley/Goldwing trike community or our own Can-Am community?

I'm just curious, no right or wrong answers. :cheers:

In California.... the CanAm Spyders All Models, A motorcycle with a SideCar, and a standard Trike type unit are considered to be
an ( AUTO CYCLE ) none of them require a motorcycle license your standard car driving Lic. is all you need.
I Do not agree with that law but it is what it is...

[2dogs]

When asked, I tell people I ride a 3wheeled motorcycle called a spyder. "What's that they ask?" It's a trike. More to the point, it's a reverse trike. Two wheels in the front and one in the back. "Ok."

[Peteoz]

When asked, I tell people I ride a 3wheeled motorcycle called a spyder. "What's that they ask?" It's a trike. More to the point, it's a reverse trike. Two wheels in the front and one in the back. "Ok."

Yes, I can’t be bothered with the pettiness of the “is it a motorcycle”, debate, 2dogs. Life’s too short;) I just tell people I ride a trike. If they show further interest, I mention reverse trike.

Pete

[NorwegianRT]

If people ask what I ride, I say it is a CanAm Spyder.
That usually triggers more questions about the brand and what kind of engine or is it good to ride?
I answer the best I can and people are usually very nice and curious about it. When I mention that i use my car license only to operate it they seem to get more interested and the usual reply is "hey, my wife/girlfriend could ride one of these instead of hanging on my back "!
And my registration papers says it is a "motorcycle with 3 wheels"
As a good friend of mine said once:"The best motorcycle is the one you have right now!" It took a while before I understood the deeper meaning of what he said. (some like this and some like that)

Stay safe all

[LimaNiner]

I go with the designation in practically all jurisdictions in North America, that being it is a motorcycle. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but motorcycle works for me, though if others refer to is as a trike, reverse trike, three-wheeled vehicle etc., makes no difference to me. When people ask if I'm still a biker after trading 2 wheels for 3, I tell them hell ya! However, being called a motor cyclist works too. As a blanket statement for me, it doesn't really matter, so long as I can still ride.

[sledge]

As a child, some of us from the old days rode a Trike ... 2 rear wheels, 1 front wheel ... sooooo, after that, Goldwings & Harleys are Trikes... Can-Am Spyders are NOT a Trike ... I guess they are...... .... .... A SPYDER! LOL

[DrillSgtDon]

I'm a US Disabled Veteran with an Indiana Hoosier Disabled Veterans motorcycle license plate on my Spyder. I guess to me, they're all just different kinds of motorcycles, right handle only different; but we all generally seem to think it belongs to the same piece of wind therapy.

[ARtraveler]

I'm a US Disabled Veteran with an Indiana Hoosier Disabled Veterans motorcycle license plate on my Spyder. I guess to me, they're all just different kinds of motorcycles, right handle only different; but we all generally seem to think it belongs to the same piece of wind therapy.

:welcome: Your post is right on. :yes: