Begs the question

It 'begs the question' How do Can Am manage to sell these things!

I meen, i had some idea about the handling issues but geez it really put me off.

On my demo ride it really did feel 'so wrong' it was just what i had read on these type of sites [ from knowable/helpful folks] and the promise that a wheel alignment would 'fix it up' that kept me interested. Even when mine was delivered it felt dangerous.

I think a simple test ride would kill it for a lot of people!

Still i'm glad i stuck with it as you can see from my recent posts.

I get it - on my test rid, I almost took it back after the first mile or two. After a few more miles I started to adjust. If you're coming from 2 wheels, everything feels "wrong". But after some advice from here, I'm still looking for my RT.

If you are coming off 2 wheels, everything DOES feel wrong with a Spyder. TRUE THAT!

In my experience, this 'Wrong' feeling is about 90% rider and 10% Spyder. Though I can assure you, in my case I thought it was 100% Spyder and 0% me! And no one could have talked me out of it. It was only after several hundred miles that my opinion started to change and reality finally broke through.

Once I started to admit that it was me and not the machine, I began to make the necessary adjustments and everything started to get much better. I am so glad I stuck with it. I'd have missed out on so much if I'd have thrown in the towel (which believe me, I was tempted to do more than once).

The moral of the story is that you can adjust. Though it might take a bit of time, it is well worth the effort.

Helicopters and airplanes both fly. But they require a completely different approach and skill set to operate as designed. True also of 2 wheels compared to 3.

It took me about 3000 miles and a change from the RTL to the F3L. My RTL was suceptible to crosswinds and was very sensitive to crowned roads. It did have a lazar alignment.

When I test drove the F3 it was a breath of fresh air for me. I loved the lower center of gravity and how it tracked on two laners. You never know, each bike and rider are different.

I understand totally. The first 500 miles, I thought I had made a terrible mistake. After that, it just keeps getting better.
I also rented a harley road glide for 6 hours in the mountains. Before that, I had only taken short test rides. About 30 miles into my rental, I continued to complain about the character of the road glide. But after that, and learning that I could not take corners hard, due to low ground clearance, I started to like it. Would I buy one, no. But was it worth the experience, yes indeed.

I loved mine from the first ride.

I took about half a dozen test rides before I bought one. I bought it because my wife said she would no longer ride with me on a 2 wheeler. Now she feels more secure and is happy again. I am also happy to get some wind in my face and not worry about hurting my wife and not dropping my bike. Evolution I guess.

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Originally Posted by Eckhard

I took about half a dozen test rides before I bought one. I bought it because my wife said she would no longer ride with me on a 2 wheeler. Now she feels more secure and is happy again. I am also happy to get some wind in my face and not worry about hurting my wife and not dropping my bike. Evolution I guess.

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I didn't take as many test rides but this is our exact reasoning for getting our RT. I still feel more comfortable on 2 wheels when by myself (we have only put 1000 miles on the Spyder so far), but I feel better 2 up on it than on a 2 wheeler and I know she feels a lot safer too. I still feel a bit uneasy going into some corners (maybe a Baja Ron swaybar will help) but she doesn't know that on the back so all is well:)

You learn it you love it.

That about says it all. Glad you stuck with it.

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Originally Posted by Cobwebs

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Love it!

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Originally Posted by Cobwebs

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Reminds me of my first wife!

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Originally Posted by SpyderAnn01

I loved mine from the first ride.

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:agree:

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Originally Posted by Wahrsuul

I get it - on my test rid, I almost took it back after the first mile or two. After a few more miles I started to adjust. If you're coming from 2 wheels, everything feels "wrong". But after some advice from here, I'm still looking for my RT.

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My experience exactly.

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Originally Posted by Eckhard

I took about half a dozen test rides before I bought one. I bought it because my wife said she would no longer ride with me on a 2 wheeler. Now she feels more secure and is happy again. I am also happy to get some wind in my face and not worry about hurting my wife and not dropping my bike. Evolution I guess.

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Got it, after my Saturday ride i was so happy with the progress i was making i felt confident to take my wife for a ride on Sunday, she thought it very stable and the most comfortable bike she'd been on the back of.

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Originally Posted by Eckhard

I took about half a dozen test rides before I bought one. I bought it because my wife said she would no longer ride with me on a 2 wheeler. Now she feels more secure and is happy again. I am also happy to get some wind in my face and not worry about hurting my wife and not dropping my bike. Evolution I guess.

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Exactly what happened to us I had a bad 2 wheeler accident in the mid 70's and never thought of getting back onto a 2wheeler but when we saw the Spyder at our local dealer on a Saturday and they had a tent sale the next Saturday with a $2000 discount on a 2012 RTL We bought it and have never being happier both LOVE riding our Spyder

As I mentioned in a previous post, the dynamics on three wheels are totally different from two wheels. I think the fact that I owned a Ural sidecar outfit before buying a Spyder was a factor in my case. If you think a Spyder handles differently, try a sidecar. On a sidecar left turns are different than right turns. If you take a right turn too fast it will lift the car. When you accelerate, it wants to veer right. When you decelerate it wants to veer left. Even with all those idiosyncrasies, it was a hoot to ride. But my point is, by comparison, the Spyder felt very tame.

rickmiller48...
Look into PA SpyderRyders (on Facebook)...they're out of Allentown area and will help you rack up some miles :)

They sell very well. The main thing with the spyders (not the Ryker) is the fact that they have a DPS (Dynamic power steering). This is a electric steering assist system and it tends to work against the converted two wheel ryder who depends on leaning as the better part of ryding. It can be very sensetive to the white knuckle grip of a new ryder making it a bit scary as it corrects jerky unsure movement. Once you gain confidence that the spyder has the ability to track well and you relax that grip you will find a great ryde. This process will vary with each ryder. Some may take longer than others with a rule of thumb of 300 to 500 miles. I got on it with no test ryde and rode it like I had owned it all my life. There are many adjustments that can be done but really recommend that after you get comfortable with it. :thumbup:

Glad to see the "learning curve" is working. Hang in there.

Heck we just bought a 19' RTL last Saturday, still waiting for delivery.......Never even rode it!
But, not coming from a true motorcycle back ground I hope it'll be easy to get used to.....not worried.

P.W.

I rode two different spyder demos prior to making a purchase. One was squirrely as all get out and the other one took to a straight line like it was made for it. Both were RTs. Looking back, the squirrley one must have been way out of alignment. I noticed that the squirrely one sat in the dealer parking lot for a long time after I purchased mine. I just wonder now many potential spyder buyers rode that spooky spyder and were deterred from ever owning a spyder. Mine was a little squirrely until I had it "Squared Away" properly. Both sides were out of alignment and just enough that each complemented the other and it was fairly stable. 2 1/2 inches on one side and 2 on the other. The only obvious problem I had with mine was severe cupping. The dealer's service manager had told me that was normal, "they all did that."

I'm having it laser aliened by the dealer before I take possession to make sure all is good.

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Originally Posted by Spyder Insyder

As I mentioned in a previous post, the dynamics on three wheels are totally different from two wheels. I think the fact that I owned a Ural sidecar outfit before buying a Spyder was a factor in my case. If you think a Spyder handles differently, try a sidecar. On a sidecar left turns are different than right turns. If you take a right turn too fast it will lift the car. When you accelerate, it wants to veer right. When you decelerate it wants to veer left. Even with all those idiosyncrasies, it was a hoot to ride. But my point is, by comparison, the Spyder felt very tame.

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A friend of mine has a Suzuki Bandit with sidecar attached and he's told me of the characteristics of the handling so i had an ides, mind you he carries a great dane in the side car to balance things up, gotta say though it's quite sight to see this Dane coming down the road with helmet, goggles and scarf flying in the wind.

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Originally Posted by Chupaca

They sell very well. The main thing with the spyders (not the Ryker) is the fact that they have a DPS (Dynamic power steering). This is a electric steering assist system and it tends to work against the converted two wheel ryder who depends on leaning as the better part of ryding. It can be very sensetive to the white knuckle grip of a new ryder making it a bit scary as it corrects jerky unsure movement. Once you gain confidence that the spyder has the ability to track well and you relax that grip you will find a great ryde. This process will vary with each ryder. Some may take longer than others with a rule of thumb of 300 to 500 miles. I got on it with no test ryde and rode it like I had owned it all my life. There are many adjustments that can be done but really recommend that after you get comfortable with it. :thumbup:

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Now i've been on her for a while makes perfect sense, however my point was for and about the people who say yes, this looks great and ride a demo, a first time ride on one. It can feel daunting, i understand they sell well but how many walk away i wonder.

Thanks for the welcome!

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Originally Posted by P.W.

Heck we just bought a 19' RTL last Saturday, still waiting for delivery.......Never even rode it!
But, not coming from a true motorcycle back ground I hope it'll be easy to get used to.....not worried.

P.W.

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Hey PW, CONGRATULATIONS!!! don't worry, as mentioned i am now getting very comfortable with about 1400 km on it, just follow the posts and advice from these good folks on this site. Have fun

I rented one for a day before I purchased mine. 50 miles in I thought I was nuts, but a couple of hundred miles later I was completely sold.