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uncomfortable in corners
Hey to all. Dont quite understand the spyder in turns. I am very new to riding. It would seem to me that if you turn left the spyder would lean to the right and the left wheel would have tendency to rise up. But everything I read it is the opposite. Turn left too fast and sharp the right wheel can rise up. I am confused. Like I said I am a new rider and just getting my feet wet.Thanks
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In a curve, press your inside knee against the seat/tank and firmly plant your outside foot on the floorboard/peg. Lean into the curve and roll on the throttle. If you're coming from a 2 wheeler, give it about 1000 miles to get the hang of it and feel comfortable. That's about what it took me. Now, I dig as deep into the curves as I possibly can. You literally can't low side. The nanny will generally keep you from high siding. (Obviously, physics always wins. If you take a 30 mph curve at 90, expect bad things to happen. However, taking a curve 10-20 mph faster than you nomally would isn't unheard of and really gets the adrenaline flowing...in a good way.)
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What MONK said. Plus, I would add 3 things. Look as far as you can through and beyond the curve. Do most of the steering by PULLING on your inside handlebar. And keep a relaxed grip on the handlebars. As said above, go slow and practice. Your technique will develop with a few miles and some practice. The Spyder is a very stable platform. Don't worry about wheels coming off the ground. Something that worked for me was to "lead with my nose". That is, point my nose through corners. Enjoy..... Jim
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ever ride a 4 wheeler??? similar in style, throws your body in opposite direction. you'll get used to it
2015 Spyder RT Ltd- bUrp - only add the "U", 2010 Honda NT700V-red,2010 Honda NT700V-silver retired @201,111 miles, 1997 Honda PC800, 1996 Honda PC800, Honda CT500, Honda Shadow 500, 1978 Suzuki GS550, 1973 Suzuki TC125, other assorted smaller bikes, Suzuki TM400
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by sandyhdds
Hey to all. Dont quite understand the spyder in turns. I am very new to riding. It would seem to me that if you turn left the spyder would lean to the right and the left wheel would have tendency to rise up. (You are exactly right on both counts) But everything I read it is the opposite. (I do not know where you are reading this, but this is absolutely wrong) Turn left too fast and sharp the right wheel can rise up. I am confused. (I would simply forget you saw this information and go with your first understanding) Like I said I am a new rider and just getting my feet wet.Thanks
Very strange! I personally have never seen the information you are referencing. I must have missed it.
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Thanks for your advice. My original thinking WAS correct. Must have misunderstood what I was reading. I also read about you sway bar and I think it would be good to install
Thanks again
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I did with your help thanks
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by sandyhdds
But everything I read it is the opposite. Turn left too fast and sharp the right wheel can rise up.
It's all in prespective. As you suspect, turn left, you get leaned to the right. Just like your car. However, if you mount a camera to the frame of the Spyder, in that same left turn, you would see an apparent rise of the right wheel as the suspension compresses. Trust me, that right-side wheel is getting planted MUCH more firmly into the pavement, it is NOT going to come off the ground.
If ANY wheel is going to come off the ground, it would be the left-front,
and I don't think Nanny would allow that. ![Lecturef Smilie](images/smilies/lecturef_smilie.gif)
.
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by Steve W.
It's all in prespective. As you suspect, turn left, you get leaned to the right. Just like your car. However, if you mount a camera to the frame of the Spyder, in that same left turn, you would see an apparent rise of the right wheel as the suspension compresses. Trust me, that right-side wheel is getting planted MUCH more firmly into the pavement, it is NOT going to come off the ground.
If ANY wheel is going to come off the ground, it would be the left-front,
and I don't think Nanny would allow that.
.
The Nanny doesn't like it. But the left wheel (in this scenario) can come off the ground. Done right, you can get a front wheel off the ground fairly easily. Though the Spyder will remain quite stable, even with 1 wheel lifted. It won't stay up long.
You can also flip a Spyder without too much difficulty. Run at a fairly good speed in reverse and turn quickly. You will be able to flip your Spyder every time. Assuming that is your goal. The ones I've seen do it were very surprised...They expected the same stability in reverse that they had going forward.
The Spyder is not dangerous going in reverse. You have to be pretty foolish to have a problem. Still, not a bad idea to keep this in mind.
When backing a Spyder, you are actually converting it to a conventional trike, which is not nearly as stable as the Reverse Trike configuration of the Spyder.
Last edited by BajaRon; 09-18-2020 at 06:15 PM.
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If you want feel more comfortable and confident on the Spyder I highly recommend you take the Spyder/Ryker Riding course. I think they still offer that for $99. It is a two-day course and I think you can learn quite a few tricks and tips there. My wife took the course in July and she feels more confident riding our Spyder RTL, she's been riding a 200cc scooter for years. I've been riding motorcycles for almost five decades and seriously it took about 500 miles before I feel confident on the Spyder. It took her just two days for that.
Cheers.
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Sandy, I feel your pain about left curves. That was the hardest and longest thing for me to overcome.
Here's a funny story on me about that. My test ride was my first time on a Spyder after 68 years of riding 2 wheelers my body and brain were programed for what a motorcycle does. I went to ride the 3 blocks to an empty parking lot to get the feel for it. On the route there was an off camber left curve. As I entered it, doing no more than maybe 15 mph, the bike leaned to the right. Right then, my bain said WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!! I hit the brake and stopped, then just tip-toed around it. In the parking lot, I practiced a lot of left and right turns on the flat pavement and figured I can do this and bought it. A friend told me it will take 1,000 miles to get comfortable and another 1,000 before I would feel in control. He was right. Today, I'm a banshee in the curves. You'll get there, be patient.
I will end with a riding tip - just one. When in a curve, PUSH HARD with your outside foot, like you are trying to pry you cheek off the saddle. It helps.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by sandyhdds
Hey to all. Dont quite understand the spyder in turns. I am very new to riding. It would seem to me that if you turn left the spyder would lean to the right and the left wheel would have tendency to rise up. But everything I read it is the opposite. Turn left too fast and sharp the right wheel can rise up. I am confused. Like I said I am a new rider and just getting my feet wet.Thanks
I'm a little late to the show, but your assertions as to which wheel lifts up in the direction of the turn is correct.
Don't ask me how I know this.........................
As to the techniques, I'm sure others have given you tips on how to turn smoothly.
When turning left, lean a little to the left, push down on your right leg to counter the g force.
When turning right, do just the opposite.
Turn the handle bars similar to spinning bicycle pedals.
Turning left, pull the left bar in while simultaneously pushing the right bar out.
Turning right, it's again the opposite.
Coming from two wheels, the hardest part for me was staying in the center of the lane. On a two wheel bike, you normally run in the left tire track.
When you do that on a Spyder, your left tire is in the other lane.
Again, your description of the physics is dead on.
If it ain't broke, don't break it.
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2020 RT Limited Asphalt Grey
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by ThreeWheels
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Coming from two wheels, the hardest part for me was staying in the center of the lane. On a two wheel bike, you normally run in the left tire track.
When you do that on a Spyder, your left tire is in the other lane.
...
I'm into mine just about 1000 miles, after 57 years of 2 wheels. Mitigating the two wheel experience is time spent on my ATV and almost a decade of riding recumbent trikes (same configuration as the Spyder, which recumbent riders call 'tadpole' trike). So, I was pretty much ready for the steering differences and the dynamic issues. But, lane position remains as a problem. I'm on top of it mostly, but catch myself occasionally. The other issue is the rapidity of the turn in on corners -- It seems to turn abruptly.....and then back off a little. It may be a tire issue.
2020 RT , Lamonster extender Petrol
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CopperSpyder, Thanks for helping me out. Dont know how to reply to individual posts . What is quick reply vs replyThanks
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Loose grip, eyes up and always looking as far down the road as possible. Always look at where you want to go, NOT where you are. Push and pull equally on the bars, as you feel your body weight shift, put downward support on the foot that's on the outside of the corner. Lean into the corner a bit as well. Steady on the throttle, don't ride the brake, smooth motion, brake BEFORE the corner, NOT during/in the corner.
2021 RT Limited
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by sandyhdds
CopperSpyder, Thanks for helping me out. Dont know how to reply to individual posts . What is quick reply vs replyThanks
I'll have to assume( I hate doing that) you mean the reply buttons at the bottom right of each "box"? "reply" just opens a new box to reply in. " Reply with quote" is more specific and shows the quote your replying to. Like this one.
Lew L
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Hey, you stole my post (when I was in my first weeks of ownership a few months ago). I asked the same question after I thought I was heading for the right guardrail in a 45-mph left curve. I liked Monk's answer above. The sensation dissipated (not 100% yet) after the first 1000 miles. It was that Disney ride sensation in my gut when I thought I was drifting out of the lane. I considered the sway bar but held off. The best advice I received from the nice people in this forum, and will now pass along was to go back to my 2-wheel school training and the part of the course on entering corners. I've posted the diagram below. Executing the curve this way, plus keeping my eyes up and through the turn, plus the other advice above on knees etc. really helped. Like I said, I'm not 100% there yet. Once in a while I get that Disney ride sensation, but it's much improved with time, miles, and practicing those corners. I realized that I had got lazy about cornering on 2 wheels.
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Hey Monk, talk about getting the adrenaline flowing???? we just returned from Lamonsters Spyders in the Ozarks and logged many hundreds of miles in groups.. I don't believe there is a straight stretch of road longer than 100 yards anywhere in the Ozarks - just continuous turns left and right. the lead Spyder in our group was a seasoned rider from KC and he loved to get on the throttle!! He would enter most all curves that were marked 35 MPH at 50 plus????? My back saddle mate was petrified most of the time and we did lag behind some of the time because it is quite different on the curves with 2 adults aboard versus one...
Had a great time though...
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![Quote](images/misc/quote_icon.png) Originally Posted by ButterSmooth
I'm into mine just about 1000 miles, after 57 years of 2 wheels. Mitigating the two wheel experience is time spent on my ATV and almost a decade of riding recumbent trikes (same configuration as the Spyder, which recumbent riders call 'tadpole' trike). So, I was pretty much ready for the steering differences and the dynamic issues. But, lane position remains as a problem. I'm on top of it mostly, but catch myself occasionally. The other issue is the rapidity of the turn in on corners -- It seems to turn abruptly.....and then back off a little. It may be a tire issue.
Actually, I do not think it is a tire issue. Instead, I believe what you are experiencing is the following.
Simply put, the stock Spyder leans too much. The way the steering (tracking) geometry is designed, lean creates an over-steer condition. This is why you get a 2 stage reaction in a lane change or anytime you are turning. You start the turn with a level Spyder and neutral tracking. The lane change introduces lean which puts you into an over-steer condition. This is the abruptness you feel. The progression to over-steer is logarithmic, not linear. In other words, the amount of over-steer gets worse at an ever increasing rate as more lean is introduced. A little lean gives you almost no over-steer. But as more lean is added. Over-steer gets much worse in a hurry.
In a long sweeping turn or curve, you get this same over-steer condition. You must then correct for the over-steer to stay in your lane. This unloads the suspension some, reducing lean and creating under-steer. You then correct for this and the cycle repeats. Each cycle is less severe and if the curve is long enough, you will eventually settle in and need no more correction. On a windy road, this multiple correction exercise for each turn can fatigue you. Many don't notice that they are having to do this multiple correction scenario. And they are surprised at how tiring riding the Spyder on back roads can be.
This oscillating scenario is exaggerated if you are riding 2-up because of the added inertia created by the 2nd rider.
Controlling excessive lean is the key. It will improve handling and stability while reducing steering effort and fatigue by virtually eliminating the over-steer, under-steer problem.
Last edited by BajaRon; 09-23-2020 at 12:40 PM.
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Totally agree with this instruction, it worked for me as a rider for 6 months
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