Quote Originally Posted by FalconAF View Post
Many of the things you seem to want to disconnect are safety features designed into the Spyder. Whether you like them or not, if they are issues for you, it seems to me you should be looking for something else. Why on Earth would you want to spend $XX,XXX for a "bike" then start disconnecting half of the safety features on it so you could "do donuts and lift the wheels off the ground in a parking lot"?

If your father really has 50+ years of riding experience, ask him what he recommends. If you "...want to ride more like him...", what does he say you should buy/do?

Just my thoughts.

You may call them safety features, but I call them annoyances. There are several threads on here alone about the rear tire randomly locking up in a corner, sending people off the road and into oncoming traffic. Sure, it may happen to one machine out of a thousand...but it wouldn't be a concern at all if the feature wasn't there in the first place. Safety features are just limitations. They are there for one purpose only...to make the bike rideable (safe) for the person with the lowest IQ that can hold a MC license.
I don't want to spend "$XX,XXX" for a "bike" just to hate it in 6-months when I can't ride it how I want once I get used to it. At the same time, I'm not spending $XX,XXX for safety features. If I wanted to be safe, I'd drop the 'M' endorsement on my license and just drive cars.
I've somehow managed to ride motorcycles for 15 years without even having ABS (or traction control)...and in those 15 years, I've never even come close to laying one down (knock on wood!)

I realize that the age group of these forums (and Spyder riders in general) are nearly double my age. Just like my father, many in the older generations can't understand why something would ever need to be modified. My dad thinks all products come from the factory 100% perfect. I've read A LOT about the hate of the nanny features on this site, so I know I am not alone. Speaking of my dad, I don't want to "ride more like him", I want to ride more "with" him. If I asked him what to buy, he'd tell me to get a Tenere, Explorer, GS, or some other flavor of adventure bike (as that's what he rides and loves). They aren't my cup of tea...

So now that this thread has derailed and will turn into love vs. hate of nanny features thread...maybe I'll just keep reading more and talking less. Thank you to anyone and everyone willing to answer my questions!