Learning how to ryde the Spyder

[GaryTheBadger]

This past weekend, my wife and I completed the MSF Motorcycle Safety course, 36 hours across five days, at Pig Trail Harley-Davidson in Rogers, AR. During lunch on one of the course-driving days, I was allowed to have free-run of the range by myself on the Spyder.

Picture a football field area, with pylons already set up for the next motorcycle practice after lunch. I turned it into an autocross on the Spyder for 30 minutes; I could drive however I wanted, no one else on the course, any speed, any direction, whatever I wanted to try.

My point is that that I learned more about how to drive the Spyder in those 30 minutes than in the 350 street miles I've put on it since I bought it. In a safe environment, I was able to learn exactly where the electronic limits come in, how sharply I can corner, the anti-lock threshold, and so on. I am way more confident driving on the street, it doesn't feel like I'm going to be thrown off or flip it over and I can drive head-up, not looking down at the controls or tensing-up.

And...it was fun showing off in front of the class!

Highly recommended., you just need a big empty lot.

[NancysToy]

BRP recommends some parking lot practice, and has a whole routine in the manual and on the video. I had my wife go through several hours of this before she ventured onto the street, and it was worth every minute of the practice. Highly recommended! I even did a little practice myself, after I had already ridden the 35 miles home from the dealer...through the slush. Well done!
-Scotty

[Spyderjuice]

That is a big confidence booster. Recommend for all - and it's fun!

Juice :thumbup:

[Major Finder]

I got my Spyder in May of 2008 and went right to our huge church parking lot and practiced just like the BRP video recommended. It really helped to know the limits of the Spyder just like you discovered. I have to take my wife back to the parking lot so she can learn to drive the Spyder with confidence, too. The DMV of Nebraska looked at the Spyder and waived the requirement to "go through the cones" to license it. The DMV tester told me just to drive ahead and she would follow in a car. I was to watch her turn signals and turn a few times, left and right, and proceed through an intersection and back to the headquarters. Bingo, we licensed it in less than 15 minutes, in the rain, too.
However, Army soldiers have the requirement to take the MSF motorcycle safety course to get permission to ride. I had a heck of a time getting that nightmare validated until we found the Army regulation that excludes three wheeled vehicles and motorcycles with sidecars from the obligation to take the MSF course. They were sure the Spyder wouldn't be able to follow the course through the cones. I was prohibited from riding, even off duty, for several weeks until we found the exclusion policy in the regulations. Whew.
I would still recommend ryding in a large empty parking lot for practice before hitting the real road. By the way, the parking lots don't stay empty very long before folks start driving in to see the Spyder and ask questions. It's all good.

[gjco]

I wish I had tried it in a parking lot first. I bought mine in Durango, CO and left the deal and headed for Red Mountain Pass for a 4 hour ride before it got dark. Lets just say that all the turns and the drop offs were scary as hell.

[LDFIREWORKS]

:dontknow::2thumbs::spyder2: