Newbie Spyder Rider Introduction

[awood279]

Hello Everyone! My name is Angela and I live in Suffolk, VA. I recently purchased a 2009 Spyder Phantom Black Edition off of ebay. We actually haven't even picked it up yet. We're gonna head up to Chadds Ford, PA to get it next Saturday. I'm totally excited beyond the calming point!!! I really don't even know much about the bike other than it's wicked sexy and I find myself daydreaming of it in a lustful manner. :shocked:

I have been riding a Buell Blast for the past couple years which is my very first bike. I completed the motorcycle safety course a couple summers ago and my honey got me the Blast. I found myself just never quit being able to get 100% comfortable on it. I was always afraid of laying it down and was not able to fully enjoy our rides. Only on rare occasions was I able to fully relax and just enjoy the ride. I know, I'm such a sissy! :(

We took the bikes out last weekend and after cutting a corner too sharply and almost ending up on a windshield of an oncoming car (tight cow trail of a back road) I found myself ready to cash in and call it quits. I told my honey that if I was going to continue this bike riding adventure then we would need to look into other options. So I started shopping around for a used inexpensive Spyder. I found one on ebay that was at a HD dealer in PA. and I fell in love or maybe it's lust:dontknow:, don't know, only time will tell if it's true love. My honey called the dealership and we worked out a trade on his Buell Ulysses and some cash and we sold my Blast to a friend. (With the death of Eric Buell's company at the hands of Harley, it wasn't a hard choice.) He's gonna start riding his Ducatti 998 Matrix Edition for now until it sells while works on building an cafe bike.

Also, I have a 13 yr. old daughter who loves to ride with us. I never rode two up with her because of my fears and lack of experience, she always rode with my honey. She has always wanted to ride with me though. Every time we stop for gas, she hops off of his bike and jumps on the back of mine while we wait for our turn at the pump. She's totally psyched that she gets to be my passenger now! And she thinks the Spyder is wicked cool!!

So anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and give ya'll a little back story of what lead me to my very first Spyder. And if any of you live near me, lets hook up and ride!! As long as you don't mind a Duc coming along, LOL!!

PS - How come Can-Am's site calls my bike "2009 Spyder RS Phantom Black" but when I search for that on the internet all I get is "2009 GS Phantom Black"? Which is it....RS or GS? Or is there no difference? I just don't want to look like a dumb :cus: and call my bike something that it isn't. Thanks!

[nudle]

welcome

[SpyderSteve]

:congrats: and welcome

[8LEGS]

Welcome and congrats on your new Spyder.

sent using Tapatalk.

[Bob Denman]

:2thumbs::agree:welcome and congratulations! Your Daughter will love riding with you now for sure! :thumbup:

(GS and RS are the same... they went with "RS" to match up better with the new RT model name...)


...a lustful manner?? WOO-HOO!! :ohyea:

[Yazz]

welcome Yup, Phantoms can cause all sorts of lusty thoughts...:D

[awood279]

(GS and RS are the same... they went with "RS" to match up better with the new RT model name...)

Thanks for clearing that up for me. So which is more politically correct to use: RS or GS? :dontknow:

[bullant12]

:congrats:welcome

I too took the MSF course and took several workshops because I still have a balance issue but thanks to the course and the workshops I got more confidence. Maybe later I'll buy me a used Yamaha or Honda to keep the pace, but I defently feel a lot more secure in my Spyder!

Enjoy the ride! Hope to see you in Cuba, MO!

[retread]

welcome:congrats: Just a suggestion - practice with the Spyder in a clear parking lot, it takes some getting used to. But when you get used to it, WOW.:doorag:

john

[SpyderAnn01]

:congrats: welcome

[DynamoBT]

Similar riding history as I took the MSF course, never felt comfortable on my bike. Only thing different is that I did not have a "close call". I stuck at 2 wheels maybe longer than you too. But, whatever. Small details.

I too wanted more security. I had a back injury that has made my left leg weak which got me to worrying, big time, about dropping the bike. So, enter the Spyder!!:clap: Got it used for a good deal at the time. Values have dropped. That's typical. But I'm happy with the deal I got. Had a great first season rying it, not last summer but the summer before. More health issues ensued. Just got a total hip replacement. I'm am progressing like blazes!!!:D Can't wait until next season!!!

I agree that you should open the Owner's Manual and practice the suggested ryding drills in a big parking lot. I cut a few tennis balls in half to make markers. These drills really gave me a better sense of how the Spyder handled. I had done a wild and crazy demo ryde at a BRP event with hardly any practice prior. Even then, I handled the Spyder well enough for me to follow the goal of getting one. But once I had my own, I hit the parking lot again. Made a BIG difference in my confidence on the road.

I rode solo for half the season before I picked up my hubby as a passenger. Got to have the suspension bumped up to the max and the general recommended tire pressure of 20 in the front and 30 in the back. Probably could use better shocks and even the Evolutione sway bar. But I don't ryde aggressively and especially don't ryde agressively with a passenger. Hubby and I are all our dogs have. We want to come home to them.

Enjoy your new ryde!! Welcome to the forum. This Spyder forum is the absolute bestest best one!!! Have fun on your new ryde!!! :thumbup:

[dltang]

welcome and you will love the new spyder as will your daughter. :congrats:

[ARtraveler]

welcome :congrats: on your new :spyder2:

[awood279]

Thanks for all the awesome feedback and welcomes! I definitely will do some parking lot practice before a full on road assault. But I gotta tell ya, I'm just dying to hit the road for a good day long adventure (maybe even more). I am currently going back to college full time and plan on utilizing my Spyder a lot for commuting. The trunk will come in super handy for holding my textbooks. My Spyder won't get as good of mileage as my MINI but its still gonna be a hard choice in the morning when I'm headed out the door. LOL!

[Bob Denman]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. So which is more politically correct to use: RS or GS? :dontknow:

I guess you could call it "Mine"! :2thumbs: Technically though it's a "GS"

[Bob Denman]

And a MINI owner too??? :D :2thumbs:

[pjp623]

:congrats: & welcome

[medic 1]

:congrats:welcome ryde safe

[Justin]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. So which is more politically correct to use: RS or GS? :dontknow:

GS= Grand Sport
RS= Rally Sport
RT= Retired.lol

[retired1]

:congrats: and welcome! I think '08 and '09 were GS's and the '10s were switched to RS. I would just call it " my phantom", and enjoy the ryde!:D

[XLT]

Thanks for all the awesome feedback and welcomes! I definitely will do some parking lot practice before a full on road assault. But I gotta tell ya, I'm just dying to hit the road for a good day long adventure (maybe even more). I am currently going back to college full time and plan on utilizing my Spyder a lot for commuting. The trunk will come in super handy for holding my textbooks. My Spyder won't get as good of mileage as my MINI but its still gonna be a hard choice in the morning when I'm headed out the door. LOL!

A MINI AND A SPYDER....COOL!

[Oldmanzues]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. So which is more politically correct to use: RS or GS? :dontknow:

Welcome to the Spyder web.
I have never been politcally correct in my life, so no help on that.
OldManZues

[awood279]

Yeap, a MINI too! It's my 2nd. First was a Cabrio Second is a Clubman. Her name is Trixy. Here's a pic. of her outside my vinyl guy's house with her brand new hot pink stripes. Pretty obnoxious, right? LOL!

[stormtrooper]

:congrats: welcome :yes::yes::ohyea::ohyea:

[bullant12]

welcome:congrats: Just a suggestion - practice with the Spyder in a clear parking lot, it takes some getting used to. But when you get used to it, WOW.:doorag:

john

:agree: Now the wife wants to learn how to drive it. But I will have her practice on a parking lot and take her to the DPS and take both written and ridden exam since she doesn't want to get on a 2-wheeler. I'm trying to convince her into doing the MSF course but oh well...:chat:

[awood279]

Ya'll are gonna slam me for this but....I haven't even test driven a Spyder, let alone the one we just bought in PA. So I'm not 100% sure how they handle or what to expect. In my mind I'm envisioning it to be similar to a four wheel ATV. Is there any truth in what I'm expecting? Or am I totally off course? (Be gentle please, LOL!)

[MouthPiece]

PC is an abridgment of our right to free speech. Call it whatever you want. Welcome, and I do hope you love yours as much as I love mine.

Chris PE# 0004

[Boriken]

:congrats: and welcome! I think '08 and '09 were GS's and the '10s were switched to RS. I would just call it " my phantom", and enjoy the ryde!:D
:agree: that's what I call mine.

[ntxYguy2009]

welcome and :congrats: on your new :spyder2:!

David

[NancysToy]

Ya'll are gonna slam me for this but....I haven't even test driven a Spyder, let alone the one we just bought in PA. So I'm not 100% sure how they handle or what to expect. In my mind I'm envisioning it to be similar to a four wheel ATV. Is there any truth in what I'm expecting? Or am I totally off course? (Be gentle please, LOL!)
It is similar. If you have ridden an ATV, it will seem very familiar to you. There are differences you are going to want to be aware of. There is a skills course in the manual and on the DVD (also available on YouTube). Lay out some soccer cones or half tennis balls in a parking lot and do some practice before you hit the road in earnest. It pays to know the machine and its quirks and capabilities before you get stuck in traffic in an uncomfortable situation. A couple of days of practice, a little time on the secluded streets in your neighborhood, and you'll be hitting the highways and rush hour with confidence in no time. Enjoy the Ryde!

[Lisbeth]

You will love your new Spyder. Like you I took a motorcycle safety course, but never felt truly comfortable on a bike. So after having a motorcycle license for eight years, but mainly riding on the back of my husbands bike, I finally got my own. In March I got a 2010 RS-S and have almost put 4000 miles on it so far. I also strongly recommend doing the riding drills. My husband insisted, and we set up cones at an abandoned runway. Since I grew up riding four wheelers, I would say the Spyder handles somewhat like a Four wheeler. Have fun and ride safe

[awood279]

Thank you so much Scotty & Lisbeth. I will definitely sit down with my honey and watch the youtube video (DVD might not make it thru the resale) then go practice. We have some little cones we picked up for me to practice with after I took the MSF course. We'll have to put them to use again.

Thanks the up about my 4 wheeler notions. Good to know that I won't feel 100% foreign on my 1st trip out.

I do have to say.....1) this week is going to take forever! We pick up my Spyder on Saturday! 2) I wanna ride it! NOW!!

[bullant12]

Thank you so much Scotty & Lisbeth. I will definitely sit down with my honey and watch the youtube video (DVD might not make it thru the resale) then go practice. We have some little cones we picked up for me to practice with after I took the MSF course. We'll have to put them to use again.

Thanks the up about my 4 wheeler notions. Good to know that I won't feel 100% foreign on my 1st trip out.

I do have to say.....1) this week is going to take forever! We pick up my Spyder on Saturday! 2) I wanna ride it! NOW!!

I know the feeling! I'm on business travel right now and I miss riding my Gray Recluse!:yikes:

[Lone Spyder Ryder]

welcome
Hi Angela,
I hope you enjoy your Spyder whatever you decide to call it! I never road anything before I bought my Spyder. Most the people I have talked to say riding it is very much like a snowmobile. When I picked mine up I went out into the parking lot and rode it around in circles at low speeds. Got it up to about 25 and slammed on the brakes a couple time. Did some slow full turns in both directions, and then went and got a hamburger. Took a ride that weekend with a couple other Spyder rides and at the end of 18 months had put 25472 on it. You are going to love it I am sure. I would get 4 or 5 hundred mile on it before riding 2 up.
I don’t know about politically correct but I called mine everything in the book in the 18 months I had it. I told myself I would never own another one but in only took about 6 weeks without it before I bought another one.
Have fun and ride safe.
leoejr
:congrats:

[GloryRyders]

welcome and :congrats: Hope you can make it to :spyder2:fest in April

[COOLMACHINE]

Congrats Angela,
The spyder is certainly a blast to ride. I'm sure your daughter will love hanging on to you while on the machine. Have fun!

[awood279]

I know I am going to have to fit the urge to just hop onto it and disappear for a couple days! LOL!! Gotta take it to the local high school parking lot and get used to it first.

I told my honey the other day, "Here in a few weeks I will be done with Fall semester and then I don't have to go back to school for a month. Guess what I'll be doing while you're at work?" He said he was gonna hide the keys from me! :roflblack:

Good lord, it's only Wednesday!! I have a whole 3 days till we pick it up!!! I'm dyin' here!!! :helpsmilie:

As for Spyderfest, big trouble there! We have a MINI Cooper event that we attend every year at Fontana Village near The Tail of the Dragon (Minis on the Dragon) and it overlaps the end of April & beginning of May. So we're gonna have to pick and choose each year, I guess. Maybe one year MOTD then the next year Spyderfest. :dontknow:

However, I did notice on Spydertalk that there is a SITS (Spyders in the Smokies) which looks like it occurs at the end of September each year. Totally do-able! We already are planning on attending that one!! Anyone know the projected dates for 2011?

[Bob Denman]

(Has anybody had the guts to tell her that she's within easy rding distance to the Tale of the Dragon yet??):spyder:

[awood279]

Dude! I totally know! We go there every year for a big MINI Cooper event. I really want to go to SITS next year too!

[Bob Denman]

Now why didn't I remember that as a MINI owner that's like a trip to Walt Disney World? My bad... :shocked:
Well now you've got 2 good reasons to go! :2thumbs:

[awood279]

You beatcha!!! Disney with much better rides!!! :yes:

[awood279]

OMG! I can't stand it! We are in route to PA to get my Spyder! We left the house at 5am. I could barely sleep last night!!

[irish2themax]

welcome and :congrats: on the new purchase. In addition to SITS, there is a SpyderFest (http://spyderlovers.com/SpyderLovers/spyderfest.html) in Cuba MO in April. 2011 will be the 2nd annual and, so far, 149 have signed up. We look forward to seeing you there!!

[jnt]

welcome ! ! ! ! Totally understand. It was MY honey that got us into Spydering for very similar reason - instant comfort on Spyder, even in traffic!!

Happy ryding!!

[JJW SpyderRider]

welcome Don't let the cold keep you off the Spyder! I bought my '09 GS three weeks before I had my M/C license, had it my grasp but could not ride it :gaah:

[pastorchuck]

:congrats: on your new :spyder2:. Enjoy every minute your daughter wants to ride with you.

[babyanlee]

welcome:congrats::yes::2thumbs::yes:

[awood279]

So we made it home safely with my Spyder!!! Dang that thing is sexy!! I drove it around the parking lot of the dealership a little then my honey hopped on and I slid to the passenger position and we hit the road for a short ride just to test it out and make sure everything worked good. Everything was great so we loaded it up and headed back home.

We had an autocross event all day Sunday so I couldn't go play on it. Booooo!!! But I did take first in Ladies class at autocross so all was not lost. :2thumbs:

Monday (after errand running) I headed home and was overtaken by desire.....I threw on my gear, checked the tire pressure, and hit the road! My intention was to ride up and down our country road a few times just to test the water. Yeah right!! I hit the end of our road and kept on going. It felt awesome!!!! I love my Spyder!!! I ended up being out for a little over an hour, cruisin' around on back roads and two lane highways. Not much traffic to contend with but a little here and there.

:bowdown:I love love love love my Spyder!!! (did I mention that?)

Funny thing...just to show ya'll how crazy & silly I am....On the way to pick up the Spyder I started singing (to the tune of Spyder Pig from the Simpson's movie) "Spyder bike, Spyder bike, does what ever a Spyder bike wants, because he's a mean & nasty Spyder!" LMAO!!! And it just downward spiraled from there in to more and more ridiculous verses. So....my Spyder is now called "Spyder Bike" and he has his own jingle. :roflblack:

[Bob Denman]

:congrats:welcome I'm glad to hear that you're having fun already with it!
(You compared "the Tail" to Disney... my kid works there and he might argue a bit with you about that point... but he'd capitulate after a fashion! :D)

[sealfloorboards]

:congrats:Angela. If it wasn't for my :spyder2: I wouldn't be riding today. Take your time getting used to it, I tended to oversteer at first. Just relax your death grip on the handle bars and roll with it and you'll love it.

Enjoy,

John
sealfloorboards.com

[Roger]

Enjoy your RS my daughter has one also and she took the MSF and shes lovin her Phantom. :congrats::clap::clap::clap:

[Shewhoprays]

I've had a tough year beginning with broken ribs and a frozen shoulder. My goal was to take the Riders Edge course so I would have some "sound" knowledge encase something happened when out riding with my husband on his Harley. We go on long trips and I thought that would be wise. Then I got to thinking if I had my own bike I could ride along with him instead of seeing the back of his head. In May I took the Riders Edge course and unfortunately my boot got caught in the gear shift of the Buell I was riding and ended up going up over the handlebars. I don't remember anything of the crash but the recovery has been painful. More cracked ribs, blown tendon in my right hand, face shield broke off and got inside my mouth causing damage, bone contusions, etc..... My husband had gotten me a 2008 Buell Blast for Christmas so I got back on it and kept at it and took the course again. This time I PASSED!!! While I was recovering the first couple weeks we went to Iowa and happened to see a couple Spyders. I immediately knew it was for me. I do have back and hip problems so the touring model is more to my liking. This past Friday we drove to Cuba, MO and Cowtown USA and test drove one and I instantly fell in love. It shifts soooo easy and my daughters should be tickled that this one won't fall over like the regular 2 wheel bike. I'm a grandmother of two and my daughters are afraid of losing me so I'm hoping for good reviews from them. I drove the RT back from Cuba and got a lot of looks and waves. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

PS. The staff at Cowtown were INCREDIBLE!!!!!

[Mo Lee]

I've had a tough year beginning with broken ribs and a frozen shoulder. My goal was to take the Riders Edge course so I would have some "sound" knowledge encase something happened when out riding with my husband on his Harley. We go on long trips and I thought that would be wise. Then I got to thinking if I had my own bike I could ride along with him instead of seeing the back of his head. In May I took the Riders Edge course and unfortunately my boot got caught in the gear shift of the Buell I was riding and ended up going up over the handlebars. I don't remember anything of the crash but the recovery has been painful. More cracked ribs, blown tendon in my right hand, face shield broke off and got inside my mouth causing damage, bone contusions, etc..... My husband had gotten me a 2008 Buell Blast for Christmas so I got back on it and kept at it and took the course again. This time I PASSED!!! While I was recovering the first couple weeks we went to Iowa and happened to see a couple Spyders. I immediately knew it was for me. I do have back and hip problems so the touring model is more to my liking. This past Friday we drove to Cuba, MO and Cowtown USA and test drove one and I instantly fell in love. It shifts soooo easy and my daughters should be tickled that this one won't fall over like the regular 2 wheel bike. I'm a grandmother of two and my daughters are afraid of losing me so I'm hoping for good reviews from them. I drove the RT back from Cuba and got a lot of looks and waves. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

PS. The staff at Cowtown were INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Welcome to the Mo Gang, Look forward to meeting you in April if not sooner.

[rcantrell52]

Angela,
We just joined this board and bought our 2010 RS-S Spyder 11/20. We have never ridden before and we are older so this is quite an adventure for us. What little we've ridden, it's been SUCH FUN! We are going to a school in a couple of weeks so we can be street legal and are talking about a his-hers situation. Your 13-year-old will probably LOVE riding it with you. We know where Suffolk is - our 2 kids/spouses lived in Newport News for a while.
Regards,
Reese and Ann

[SpyderDog65]

Gratz on your new Spyder and Welcome to Spyderlovers :-)). I have a 08 SE5 in Roadster Red i've got sooooo many mods on it I've lost trak
I know it's over 11k in mods lol and I just got the wicked cool new DPS installed yesterday drives like a new bike

[webslinger]

I thought I had read in one of the forums, that there is simply a fuse that can be unplugged that will disable the power steering. Is that true, and if so, would that not cure all the DPS problems folks have been having. I have not had the porblem of the steering sticking, but I do seem to have a lot of drift, even after having my 2008 Spyder in for the two steering recalls.

I have been riding my Spyder for two years, and the problem seems worse than it used to. The dealer said he didn't notice any problem when he test drove it, after the DPS recall. Anyone have any advice?