captainryder
06-29-2008, 03:32 PM
My wife couldn't come with me, visiting her mother, so the first thing I do after leaving the SpyderTeam is call... "Hello honey, Just want to tell you that I'm going to be un-bearable if my SE5 doesn't arrive soon".
SpyderTeam came to Kansas City, set up tents in the huge parking lot of a grehound dog racing track about 3 miles from the Kansas Speedway. The temperature was 84 deg. F. and a brisk 20-25mpg wind blew constantly. I registered, and went back to my car for my own helmet and riding jacket. (Had my boots on). Sound like a pro at this right? Here's the truth, I've never ridden a motorcycle in my life. So shifting, clutching, braking experience is "nada" no-hands but I can read.
After an 8 minute video on the VSS and ABS system, our group of 5 riders was sent over to the parking lot where one SM5 Manual Spyder sat, punished, to go around and around the 100 yd by 50 yd oval with an "S" curve on one side and 6 stop signs on the other straight stretch to give everyone who is going to ride today a quick on-hands. I don't volunteer to be first.... but finally go 4th. I turn the key, on switch, brake depressed, starter and turn the wheels left then right. "Now release the parking brake and take the first time around the track stopping at each stop sign and then on the second time around shift to at least 2nd gear.." Well I stall at the first three stop signs, but finally am getting the hang of it, then the "S" curve and WOW there was alot of power even in 1st. Now comes the second time around the course, and I have to shift to 2nd. Okay, it was easy!!! I can do this. (The Spyder shifts very smoothly, even one of our group says the shifting was the smoothest he has ever seen on a motorcycle!). Well, I decide to take another turn around the track, just to be safe and I shift, accelerate, and almost don't make the turn at the end.
The team member asks me, if I ever rode a motorcycle, ( I'm caught, and reply "no"). But I tell him I have an SE5 automatic on order.. and then he replies " Would you like to ride an automatic SE5?" "Yes, I said" So he pulls one out of the lineup of Spyders waiting in a straight row for us to open road test and says, let's go over some basics here in the parking lot just to be sure. "Great, I say"
Everything was basically same except, when you shift, you push the toggle switch forward and downshift by pulling back using your thumb (upshift) and index finger (downshift). Also remember, when standing still at a stoplight, in 1st gear, have your foot on the brake as you can actually end up moving.
Well the parking lot course just got darn Simple!!! You roll the throttle, and off you go, push the brake and you stop, roll the throtte.. your moving again. Then the second time around roll throttle to about 2500rpm, push the toggle, magically your in 2nd gear and then brake... the bike downshifts automatically. I can now really enjoy steering.
Well it's time to get in line, and open road test this baby! I was placed immediately behind the leader and then the other 4 riders behind me with a 2nd team member taking the rear. They used Chatterboxes to communicate. We start off out of the parking lot, come to the first stop, I turn on my turnsignal and wait for traffic, roll the throttle and actually shifted into 2nd gear before completing the turn, then continued throttle up and pushed into 3rd. Going about 34 mph now, 3200rpm. Up the hill, Spyder takes it with plenty of power. Down to the next stoplight, braking, and the bike is downshifting through each gear, (as soon as rpm gets below 2200 rpm it makes the shift, finally stopped and look at the gauges and I'm in 1st!
Accelerate through 3rd gear, 3500-3700rpm, and decide to shift to 4th, no problem, no lugging, just smooth. Never throttle down when shifting they say, and they were right it is smooth at constant acceleration vs. throttle down, where it "clunks". Okay, coming up on a busy intersection, Look to the sides, no problem, all I have to actually worry about is foot on the brake.... That's going to take some muscle memory. The rear team leader, calls up ahead and at the stoplight, the leader gets off his bike walks back to me and says, your riding your brake..... Remember to just roll the throttle and take foot back off brake untill you need to stop...... I practice through next 3-4 turns and finally get the hand of it.
I got it into 5th gear once on a straight stretch when the leader opened up the lead. Started to understand what they mean about wind force against your chest. All these bikes had the standard windshield, not touring. One Spyderteam member says that he likes the sport "V" notched windshield the best, rode from St. Louis to Kansas City with it and although the wind creates pressure, it wasn't swirly or buffeting his head like the touring windshield. A couple of the bikes had the custome seat covers. Spyderteam says these are a "bitch" to get on, need two guys and a six pack to make it right! One had a backrest and one had a tank bag. "I've got both of those accessories ordered" I won't be buying chatterbox com equipment. The Spyderteam has gone through 5 units in this 4 month long tour. I saw the wind blow one of the team members helmet to the ground and that was the last of the chatterboxes in reserve!
Back to riding, we finally return to the parking lot, I want to ride more. I tell the leader that I have one of these on order, an SE5. He rolls his eyes and says " I, know" (I guess I must have said that to everyone of the team members 4-5 times and they were getting sick of hearing it. But let me say again.)
I HAVE ONE OF THESE (SE5 MOON SILVER) ON ORDER! And I can't wait!
P.S. The silver ones are faster !
SpyderTeam came to Kansas City, set up tents in the huge parking lot of a grehound dog racing track about 3 miles from the Kansas Speedway. The temperature was 84 deg. F. and a brisk 20-25mpg wind blew constantly. I registered, and went back to my car for my own helmet and riding jacket. (Had my boots on). Sound like a pro at this right? Here's the truth, I've never ridden a motorcycle in my life. So shifting, clutching, braking experience is "nada" no-hands but I can read.
After an 8 minute video on the VSS and ABS system, our group of 5 riders was sent over to the parking lot where one SM5 Manual Spyder sat, punished, to go around and around the 100 yd by 50 yd oval with an "S" curve on one side and 6 stop signs on the other straight stretch to give everyone who is going to ride today a quick on-hands. I don't volunteer to be first.... but finally go 4th. I turn the key, on switch, brake depressed, starter and turn the wheels left then right. "Now release the parking brake and take the first time around the track stopping at each stop sign and then on the second time around shift to at least 2nd gear.." Well I stall at the first three stop signs, but finally am getting the hang of it, then the "S" curve and WOW there was alot of power even in 1st. Now comes the second time around the course, and I have to shift to 2nd. Okay, it was easy!!! I can do this. (The Spyder shifts very smoothly, even one of our group says the shifting was the smoothest he has ever seen on a motorcycle!). Well, I decide to take another turn around the track, just to be safe and I shift, accelerate, and almost don't make the turn at the end.
The team member asks me, if I ever rode a motorcycle, ( I'm caught, and reply "no"). But I tell him I have an SE5 automatic on order.. and then he replies " Would you like to ride an automatic SE5?" "Yes, I said" So he pulls one out of the lineup of Spyders waiting in a straight row for us to open road test and says, let's go over some basics here in the parking lot just to be sure. "Great, I say"
Everything was basically same except, when you shift, you push the toggle switch forward and downshift by pulling back using your thumb (upshift) and index finger (downshift). Also remember, when standing still at a stoplight, in 1st gear, have your foot on the brake as you can actually end up moving.
Well the parking lot course just got darn Simple!!! You roll the throttle, and off you go, push the brake and you stop, roll the throtte.. your moving again. Then the second time around roll throttle to about 2500rpm, push the toggle, magically your in 2nd gear and then brake... the bike downshifts automatically. I can now really enjoy steering.
Well it's time to get in line, and open road test this baby! I was placed immediately behind the leader and then the other 4 riders behind me with a 2nd team member taking the rear. They used Chatterboxes to communicate. We start off out of the parking lot, come to the first stop, I turn on my turnsignal and wait for traffic, roll the throttle and actually shifted into 2nd gear before completing the turn, then continued throttle up and pushed into 3rd. Going about 34 mph now, 3200rpm. Up the hill, Spyder takes it with plenty of power. Down to the next stoplight, braking, and the bike is downshifting through each gear, (as soon as rpm gets below 2200 rpm it makes the shift, finally stopped and look at the gauges and I'm in 1st!
Accelerate through 3rd gear, 3500-3700rpm, and decide to shift to 4th, no problem, no lugging, just smooth. Never throttle down when shifting they say, and they were right it is smooth at constant acceleration vs. throttle down, where it "clunks". Okay, coming up on a busy intersection, Look to the sides, no problem, all I have to actually worry about is foot on the brake.... That's going to take some muscle memory. The rear team leader, calls up ahead and at the stoplight, the leader gets off his bike walks back to me and says, your riding your brake..... Remember to just roll the throttle and take foot back off brake untill you need to stop...... I practice through next 3-4 turns and finally get the hand of it.
I got it into 5th gear once on a straight stretch when the leader opened up the lead. Started to understand what they mean about wind force against your chest. All these bikes had the standard windshield, not touring. One Spyderteam member says that he likes the sport "V" notched windshield the best, rode from St. Louis to Kansas City with it and although the wind creates pressure, it wasn't swirly or buffeting his head like the touring windshield. A couple of the bikes had the custome seat covers. Spyderteam says these are a "bitch" to get on, need two guys and a six pack to make it right! One had a backrest and one had a tank bag. "I've got both of those accessories ordered" I won't be buying chatterbox com equipment. The Spyderteam has gone through 5 units in this 4 month long tour. I saw the wind blow one of the team members helmet to the ground and that was the last of the chatterboxes in reserve!
Back to riding, we finally return to the parking lot, I want to ride more. I tell the leader that I have one of these on order, an SE5. He rolls his eyes and says " I, know" (I guess I must have said that to everyone of the team members 4-5 times and they were getting sick of hearing it. But let me say again.)
I HAVE ONE OF THESE (SE5 MOON SILVER) ON ORDER! And I can't wait!
P.S. The silver ones are faster !