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spyderryderone
12-07-2007, 03:19 PM
There seems to be a lot of confusion out there as to exactly what a "Spyder" is. Some compare it to a revised snowmobile. Others to some sort of an ATV. Many just lump it into a general name like "Roadster" or "Adventure Machne." All of that is wrong.
I'm thinking of what must have been said in the 1930's when the first single-winged airplane came of of some mehchanics hanger. "That's no airplane, it only has one wing!" some surely said. Or when the Germans took to the skies in the mid-1940's with the ME-262, the first jet engine powered aircraft. "Can't be an airplane" some exclaimed, "it doesn't have a propeller!"
Or how about this more recent situation. When Harley-Davidson unveiled it's first new engine in almost 20 years, the air-cooled Revolution, Harley purists almost puked in unision. The uproar was - and in some quarters still is - monumental. "Betrayal!" they screamed. "Not a Harley" other moaned. And so on. Some still feel that way even though the Revolution is a much better powerplant that the Evolution or it's predecessors. Traditional design dies a hard and long death in many minds. Even now, four or five years after it's introduction, H-D uses the Revolution in only one of it's sixteen or so production models. Fear of losing it's primary market holds them back.
So what is this thing we ride? The Spyder is a motorcycle. Yep, a motorcycle. OK, so it doesn't look like any motorcycle you've ever seen, I'll give ya that. But are "looks" the defining factor? NO. Does a MotoCross bike look much like a Gold Wing?
Spyders are motorcycle trikes .. with a new design of having the two wheels up front. There is good reason for this change of positioning as you all know. You can bet your bottom dollar that Spyder won't be the last of it's configuration. As the general biking public comes to recognize the inherent advantages having the two wheels up front offers, and the styling possibilities it presents, others will follow. But I get off point.
Spyder is a motorcycle first and foremost because the VIN identifies it as such. There are strict guidelines used to classify a vehicle when a VIN permit is requested. Insurance companies are keenly interested in seeing that a vehicle has a proper VIN identification as this greatly affects rates. Govenments also watch this closely because a VIN will affect the taxes the owner pays, the tag and license fees, and the places where the vehicle can be lawfully ridden. Our VIN's say "MOTORCYCLE." End of discussion ... for legal purpose. But let's look further at why we ought care.
On this site and others there is a lot of discussion of accessories, both existing and wished for. Eventually, BRP will provide all of it. But they are limited as to how much resource and production they alone can carry out. To fill this gap, in will come the aftermarket suppliers, and then things will start to get heated up for sure. Different designs, different colors, innovatiove stuff you haven't even dreamed of will be offered. But it will ONLY BE OFFERED if these aftermarket suppliers think of the Spyder as a MOTORCYCLE! They don't do ATV's and Snowmobiles and little fun vehicles. They do MOTORCYCLES! So, if you want some real options and accessories on down the road, you'd better do all you can to tell people that this is a MOTORCYCLE, not some other thing.
Next, to prove my point, I contacted one of my favorite - and most demanding - motorcycle organizations, The IronButt Association (WWW.IRONBUTT.COM). This is a long-distance and endurance Motorcycle Association which can't be "joined" without earning the right. And even the basic qualifications are difficult. More to the point, they deals ONLY with motorcycles and their riders. I have had comfirmed that the Spyder will qualify within the IronButt Assn. as a motorcycle and can be used to attempt and complete their rides.
Then consider, and I accept that this is not definitive and/or necessary as a motorcycle, Spyder is powered by a V-Twin engine. I know not all motorcycles use that configuration, but some of the most recognizible (can you say Harley-Davidson) do. It's a hallmark of motorcycling, and we've got it.
The reason behind my writing this today was a phone call I got this AM from a supplier of aftermarket automatic shifting devices. Since I don't have a left leg, I had made inquiry of them a few weeks ago about having their device installed on my Spyder. The owner was talking and said " .. when you get your bike, ... well, it's not really a bike, let's just call it an adventure machine, .. ". See? They've got the wrong idea already. We need to fight that if we want them to accept us as what we are ... motorcyclists riding a new, non-traditional motorcycle!
Jim S.
Royal Palm Beach, FL
Member, IronButt Association
Member, American Motorcycle Association
Member, National Harley Owneers Group
Member, Ft. Lauderdale, FL H.O.G.
Dealer, Amsoil Motorcycle Lubricants (www.lubedealer.com/biker)

Lamonster
12-07-2007, 03:27 PM
This is right out of the Owners Manual

Driver’s License and Local
Laws
Driver’s license requirements for operating
the Spyder roadster vary by
location. Depending on local laws, you
may need a motorcycle endorsement,
three-wheeled vehicle endorsement,

Sounds to me it can go either way. To me it's not a motorcycle, it's a trike. ::)

Spyderman
12-07-2007, 03:30 PM
This is right out of the Owners Manual

Driver’s License and Local
Laws
Driver’s license requirements for operating
the Spyder roadster vary by
location. Depending on local laws, you
may need a motorcycle endorsement,
three-wheeled vehicle endorsement,

Sounds to me it can go either way. To me it's not a motorcycle, it's a trike. ::)


According to BRP, it's not a Trike, it's a Roadster.

Lamonster
12-07-2007, 05:35 PM
According to BRP, it's not a Trike, it's a Roadster.
In TN if it's not a motorcycle it needs to have seatbelts.

spyderryderone
12-07-2007, 06:43 PM
Yes, I'm aware that BRP themselves refer to the Spyder as a "Roadster." It's a cool way to describe it and all that, but that's not the point. They had a reason for doing that. Back in January '07 when there was a review of Spyder in the AMA mag, BRP admitted they didn't know who their target customer might be; motorcyclists, sports car owners, other owners of things like snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, personal watercraft, etc. They didn't want to put the Spyder in a marketing box yet, and thereby eliminate potential buyers from even considering it.
My point again is we as a community need to push the idea - actually the reality - that the Spyder is a motorcycle and ought be treated as such. In addition to the reasons I posted previous, from what I see on this site and others, there are a lot of buyers that aren't experienced motorcyclists, and they need to have their head in the right place for learning to ride. The Spyder is so simple and easy to ride in comparsion to a two-wheeled motorcycle it can lull an inexperienced driver into a false sense of security. As I'm sure you know, the rules of the road are by necessity different for motorcycle riders - if you want to live to ride another day. Thinking you're riding something else and adopting that psychological attitude is a recipe for possible disaster safety-wise.
Jim S.
Royal Palm Beach, FL

mrb
12-07-2007, 06:55 PM
Hi Guys

This reminds me of a story I heard about when you are considered a "local" in some country towns (bear with me here I am an Australian). Is it after a set number of years or do you have to be born there? The final comment from one old guy was "just because the cat has kittens in the oven does not make them biscuits". Hopefully you see my point.

Here in Queensland Australia - Gold Coast - its a motorcycle according to the government and I need an unrestricted motorcycle license to ride it. Hopefully by February 2008 I will get the chance to find out. :dontknow:

smokster
12-08-2007, 08:42 AM
Hi Guys

This reminds me of a story I heard about when you are considered a "local" in some country towns (bear with me here I am an Australian). Is it after a set number of years or do you have to be born there? The final comment from one old guy was "just because the cat has kittens in the oven does not make them biscuits". Hopefully you see my point.

Here in Queensland Australia - Gold Coast - its a motorcycle according to the government and I need an unrestricted motorcycle license to ride it. Hopefully by February 2008 I will get the chance to find out. :dontknow:


Kitten biscuits, sounds good.
I will tell my Queenland healer about them

bushhog
12-13-2007, 02:15 AM
We call them cathead biscuits ;D