When and where was the first time you rode a Can-Am tryke ??

[JohnRuckus]

Can-am 3 Wheel Class in 2020. Gwen came home to me a few months later

[JohnRuckus]

Great post @PeaceKeeper6.
Thanks

[Quickdraw]

I was looking at Harley trikes but didn't want to spend $35K. While looking at videos on youtube, I saw one for the 2020 spyder rt. I got to looking at them on the brp site. So, I showed the wife, and she was like, that's nice. In looking at the site some more, I found the Ryker, which I found out was automatic. So, I showed the wife that one and told her it's an automatic. THAT got her attention. She wanted to go to the dealer the next day (a Saturday). So, we go there, and they have a Ryker on display. She sits on it and loves it. We get home and we're in the pool, and she's got that look on her face. She says, "you know, I've been going over the numbers...". The next day we buy both the RT and the Ryker Rally. Bought both in August of '20 but mine is a '21.

[BlueStar2Mom]

I rode my first Spyder about 6 weeks ago - are you ready for this? At our local Harley dealership! Husband and I went there as I wanted to check out trikes (have been having a real confidence issue with 2-wheeled bikes). I'd already been through the MSF course, and have my endorsement. Short-fingered hands, a few hand surgeries, and a very weak left collarbone, tried more than one "regular bike" even with adjustable levers, and just couldn't get comfortable about keeping the weight upright. Long story short, an absolutely WONDERFUL very young salesman (him 21, me 66) asked if I'd been on a Spyder. He told me I REALLY needed to try it. They had an RT there they'd gotten on trade, and he told me with my shoulder problems I was still going to have issues turning a regular trike in slow speed scenarios. So, I tried it, and I suspected before I got on it that my self-confidence issue was going to be GONE! Kiddo was right! I loved it, and I could finally ride with my husband without the back of his helmet being my only view! That particular bike wasn't what I finally settled on - I liked the ride position of the F3 better, I discovered. Found mine just outside Oklahoma City, wasn't quite up to dealing with interstate traffic at that point, so my husband rode it the 290 miles home while I followed in the car, with the two fur babies who went on the car trip with us. Poor guy - it was 106 degrees the day we got there to pick it up, and was forecast for the same the next day. We left EARLY and he still had a hot ride home! (Yup, he loves me!) We've been out for a number of morning rides since it came home. My closest school for a 3-wheel course is not currently doing classes, unfortunately. Taking my time, we have lots of rides we can do without a whole lot of traffic, and I'm having a blast!

[bikerdawg]

My first Spyder ride will be this weekend. My dealer called and my 2022 RTL is finally ready to pick up. Very excited!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

In 2013 I was planning on converting my Goldwing to a trike by buying a wrecked trike and taking the conversion off of it. I estimated it would cost me around $24,000 total including the market value of my 'Wing. I decided I would be better off to buy a Spyder which was designed from the ground up to be 3 wheels and thousands of dollars cheaper. My nephew had bought one of the first Spyders in Idaho, a 2008 GS so I was passingly familiar with the Spyder. In 2013 he bought a 2010 RT but still had the GS. I asked to take a ride on his 2010 so we went for about a 20 mile ride, he on the GS and me on the RT. I knew right then the RT was the right trike for me so I started scouring Craigslist. I bought a 2013 RT from a Cadillac salesman in Fond du Lac, WI in November, 2013. Took my first real ride on it about March 2014.

[Partzman23]

My first ryde on a Can Am Spyder was when I test rode mine at a dealership in Illinois. That was in July 2020. I had went there to purchase a motorcycle but seen the Spyders and ask the sales man about them . He told me he had a one owner 17 RTL in the warehouse he could get me on for the same money I was going to spend on the motorcycle.
The wife and I took it for a test ride and I was hooked. Rode it home that evening, 2hr ryde home on backroads and interstate for my first experience on a Spyder.
The rest is history. The wife and I both love it and don't regret the decision at all. I am sure there will be a new Spyder in my future if I ever get tired of this one.

[AtomicEd]

First ride was after flying 1500 miles to pick my newly purchased used RT from an individual. After the first day on the road back home, I called the SO and told her " I'm selling this damn thing as soon as I get home, If I get home."

50+ years of two wheeled riding and several decades of Goldwings left me with muscle memory that was downright dangerous on the trip back. I had no real understanding of how to ride a Spyder starting out on the long drive back.

But after several more days on the road I learned to manage the machine and got it (and me) home safely. Now I'm enjoying it and it's a keeper....but don't do what I did.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

50+ years of two wheeled riding and several decades of Goldwings left me with muscle memory that was downright dangerous on the trip back. I had no real understanding of how to ride a Spyder starting out on the long drive back.

Spyders aren't the only trike that takes getting used to. The director of our local GWRRA chapter, which now is no more, told of a couple of guys who bought 'wing trikes. The dealer urged them to spend time in the parking lot to get the hang of them. They bragged about how experienced and good riders they were and didn't any stinkin' parking lot training! One of them promptly missed a bridge over a canal and put the trike into the canal, and the other ran into the side of a building.

[RideOn]

After a high side totalled my trusty RoadKing in 2017, I spent about a year recovering and trying to overcome the loss of equilibrium that resulted from the accident. It was apparent that a three-wheeler was a better choice for me, but I wasn't sure what to try; I only knew I wanted to get back in the wind.

In May 2019, I happened to see a classified ad in the local paper for a 2014 Spyder ST, so I made arrangements with the owner and went to check it out. My first ride was only a few miles down-and-back from the owner's home on a two-lane road with a high crown. The ST seemed to handle a little squirrely, but I figured a lot of that was the road surface, not the ST. I liked it enough to buy it. It had only 2000 miles and the price was right.

I rode the ST for about a year. There are some things I still like better about it, particularly the 998 engine being so lively and ready to rev. But ultimately it seemed to lack comfort, storage and the capacity to ride for a longer distance, so I traded it in 2020 for a new 2019 RT Limited from iMotorsports. That's still mine and I expect to keep it a long time. I personally prefer the 2019 to the 2022 RT, which I rode on a demo earlier this year.

I do sometimes miss the Harleys that I rode for more than 30 years, but HD trikes just aren't my cuppa tea. The Spyder is a better trike in just about every way, so I've made peace with the switch.

Bob

[AtomicEd]

The natural urge to counter-steer nearly put me in the ditch or in front of an on-coming car many, many times before I got home. Un-learning is difficult to do at my age.

[Motorcycledave]

Did you keep the VMax ????

[PistonBlown]

Ten years ago after I bought an RS. This photo was taken about two hours later after a ride to the ferry to take us back to the south island.
774981_10151363990302480_1586510769_o.jpg
Had it nine years and it was still going strong:
DSC00506.jpg
Ended it trading it when I got a F3L but kind of wish I'd kept it, and bought the F3L as well of course:-)

[Yabbadabbadoo]

I ordered my 2020 F3S SS without ever having tried one. I'm a snowmobile guy so I just knew I would enjoy it. The 3 wheel class was originally scheduled for the month before delivery. But that was March of 2020 - right when everything was shut down because of Covid. The class got delayed a couple of months. So the bike came in toward the end of April and there was no way I was going to wait for the class. First ryde was when I took delivery of it at my dealer. Drove it in circles in their parking lot to get used to the brake function and then drove it home - but I only live two miles away from the dealer. I loved it immediately. Drove it unlicensed for a couple of months until I could take the class and get legal.

[Lew L]

Did you keep the VMax ????

Well Dave I'll assume ( I hate to do that) you're talking about my poor, old, slow 98 V-Max. YES, I kept the Max, modded it some and still love the kick it gives when the V-Boost opens in the lower 3 gears. Best be pointed exactly where you want to go though.

Lew L

[pegasus1300]

Lew a friend of mine loaned me his VMax. I had been riding Ventures for years and thought I knew what the V4 could do. Wrong. I was very glad for that step in the seat when I hit the VBoost in 3rd gear or I would have been on the ground watching it careen off by itself down the road. Very sudden introduction into g forces.

[pegasus1300]

In 2011 my wife and I had serious accident, my 2nd in 9 weeks. Something had to change, so I ended up buying a 1984 Mustang GT convertible and a Friend who was retiring from riding's 1990 Goldwing trike. In looking for a trike forum I found Triketalk.com and this place in 2012. I began to read about Spyders and it really piqued my interest so I went up to Provo and the longtime Skidoo dealer there who had just taken on the Spyder line and I talked him into a test ride, he didn't have an RT but lent me an ST. I had ridden up on my Goldwing Trike so he knew that I knew at least a little about trikes. I took it up on the freeway and ran it up to freeway speed (80) then took the cutoff for Spanish Fork Canyon and rode up it quite aways. It was fast, I liked that; It handled better than the Goldwing, but the Goldwing was more comfortable and didn't twitch. I didn't pull the trigger that day, but came back a year later and rode an RT. Much better ride, but still twitchy and a lot of money. Still didn't buy. Rode a friends 2010 standard shift, it was ok but I liked the semi auto. By this time I had 40,000 miles on the Goldwing and had determined I was done with it. I sold it and the Mustang (which my wife never liked) and was looking on the internet for Spyders. I found my 2012 RTL and the rest is history.

[canamjhb]

My first ride on a Spyder was an experience from hell! I bought my 2014 RTL with matching RT622 trailer in 2016 sight unseen from a dealer in Tulsa, OK. Flew from Arizona and took delivery. The seller was a non-BRP dealer but I felt OK because the bike was still under warranty. It was windy on the way home. Tornado activity in Oklahoma. Winds at 60-70+ MPH all across OK and the Texas panhandle. Then both front shock seals blew on the aftermarket Elka shocks. By the time I got to New Mexico, the rear tire was bald. Had the tire replaced in Alburquerque, NM. Managed to limp the rest of the way home with the front end bouncing like a rubber ball. Fortunately the dealer stepped in and reimbursed me for the tire+installation. And they purchased and sent me a new set of front shocks (OEM). I had the Elkas rebuilt and reinstalled them with no further issues. But for many months I was chasing poor riding characteristics. The bike was unridable and scary dangerous above 65 MPH. With help and advice from this forum, I replaced all the tires, getting rid of the Kendas. Problem solved..... Jim

[LongIsland]

This is a great question! My answer will be long winded as it took me 60 years to buy a motorcycle!
I was fortunate in being able to retire at 57 yrs. old. In 2010 at 58 yrs.old I wanted to do something new. I decided to follow my best friend and get my motorcycle license, he had his for more than 40 years. I successfully completed the MSF course and got my class M. I rented a Honda Intrepid (I think it was) for 3 days. I dropped it once each day and after the 3rd drop decided 2 wheels was not for me. I started to look at trikes. At the same time, between 2010 and 2012, my best friend was considering moving to 3 wheels.
Searching online, I found the BRP web site and the 2010 Spyder RT. I loved the look and started to research it. My pal, also liked the look and he and I test rode Spyders at Artic Adventures and at Americade in 2011. So my first time on a Spyder was at Artic Adventures where the owner took us for a long test ride through upstate NY. We were caught in the web!
However, it wasn't quite the time to buy since I was retired and was loathe to spend almost 30K of our retirement money on a toy. I got a job with NJ DMV at the end of June 2012 and purchased my 1st RTL and 622 trailer immediately. My pal and I took possession of our new rides on July 3, 2012. I upgraded to the 2014 RTL SE6 on March 17, 2015 (hence I call her Irish) and with a total of more than 75K Spyder miles am happily riding as often as I can. I paid 26,500 for the 2012 Spyder, 3,500 for the 622 trailer and then 25,900 for the left over 2014 RTL. So today a RTL is listed on the BRP site for 27,499, not much difference in the prices I've paid.

[007james]

I was still cautiously riding my 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic that I had bought new in California. I had moved to Virginia Jan. 2011, and had discovered the Blue Ridge Parkway, a Biker’s dream! But at age 70, the 2 wheeler was getting hard on my knees, so I was considering a Trike. I test rode a converted Suzuki Trike, with one wheel up front and 2 in the rear, and hated it. Then I saw the BRP Ads showing Spyders, and searched out the closest Dealer selling Spyders, and did a walk in , Jan. 2012. They had an RTL Demonstrator in the Show Room, which I was offered a test ride after mentioning I was looking to trade in my 2002 Vulcan Classic. After showing me how to ride it, I followed some one through the back roads for about a 5 mile test drive, and was immediately hooked. I returned and signed the Contract to purchase a brand new RTL on the way in shipping, and agreed on the trade in price for my Kawi Vulcan. I took delivery of the 2012 in March 2012, and rode it for 5 years, logging 55,300 miles on it. In April 2017, I upgraded to a left over 2016 RTL. and rode it a other 5 years, logging 63,000 miles on it, before upgrading to a 2021 RTL Demo. with only 163 miles on it, this past April 2022. I have enjoyed all of my 3 RTLs, but this 2021 is by far the best handing one I have had. It has an OEM Belt Tensioner installed in the right location, and unlike my 2012 and 2016, there is absolutely no belt chatter at any speeds at all. Also, the shocks seem to be better, as the ride is also smoother. I now have 3600 miles on my 2021 RTL. Oh ya, at age 76, I added a 2009 Harley Heritage Classic to my Toys, and have also logged 20,000 miles on it along with my Spyders. I am now age 80, and still riding both the Harley and the Spyder. Of course, at age 80, I still have pains in my knees, hips, back, but I still have not replaced any natural body parts, and after the first couple of miles in the wind, most of my pains disappear like farts in the wind.

[vito1943]

Back in 2016 I was ready to trade in my Triumph Thunderbird for a Goldwing, but my wife asked me to at least take a demo ride on a Spyder. So I agreed to do so, and hated every second of it. I think I was totally predisposed to hate it, not wanting anything to get in the way of a new Goldwing (I also tried a Harley Ultra, a BMW K1600 and a Victory Cross Country Tour). Jump forward 5 years to the summer of 2021. A tipover in my garage convinced me that at 78 the 920 pound Goldwing was too much to handle and it was time for a change. I took a demo ride on a new RT, but this time with an open mind, and loved it from the first. I negotiated and bought one that very day. A year later I am still totally glad that I went this route.

[ollicat]

What a great topic!

I had seen Spyders on the road and thought they looked cool as the other side of the pillow. I had been riding a 2010 Kawasaki Vulcan for a few years (a heavy bike) and was drawn to the fact that I didn't need to balance a Spyder. I had an upcoming trip to San Diego in which I had two days to kill. So i looked up Spyder rentals and found this exact Spyder. A base F3.

https://www.cyclevisionsrental.com/can-am-rentals/

So I get to Cyclevision and the guy shows me all the controls and how to operate everything. I had a 400 mile adventure all planned out, mountains, deserts, seashore. So cold turkey, off I go. WOWSER!!! I was not prepared for any of it. After only two blocks, my GPS took me onto a crowded California highway - HOLY TERROR! I was scared to death and HATED everything about it. All I could think was, how can I return and change to a motorcycle. But a combination of pride and not even knowing how to get back kept me from that. Luckily, I didn't kill myself during that first hour. I stopped to get gas about 1.5 hours into the trip and gathered my thoughts. Do i turn back or grit it out. I chose to grit it out. Then something magical happened: I stopped fighting the Spyder and RODE it. The next 60 minutes things progressively changed. My confidence started growing. I started understanding the machine and that I had to operate the way it operated rather than the other way around. We became friends. By the next day, we became more than friends. Can a man fall in love with a machine? I am not sure about that but it was awfully close. By the time I returned the Spyder on day 2, I knew I was hopelessly hooked and wanted one for my own.

[Haze]

Bought a 2013 Spyder ST-S in Raleigh, NC. Nov 14, 2015 Did a fly and ryde back to Pittsburgh, PA. 512 miles total in 1 ½ days. Not a long ryde but enough for starters. Note, I had never been on a Spyder or any sort of trike before so this was a true adventure. Picked her up on Saturday at noon. Had a half hour of instruction from the PO and off I went – Shaky and Scared almost to death. The ride was very physical requiring a lot of body English. Not at all like my previous motos. I rode secondary highways. Spent Saturday night in Fredericksburg. 7 AM Sunday, 27 degrees, and dark I was in the parking lot of the motel installing makeshift wiring for my heated jacket and glove controller. Adjusted the tire pressure and feeling warm and a little more stable and a bit more confident I stated out for the final leg home on the super slab. Arrived home Sunday afternoon without issues except the dire need to start making changes to suit my goal of touring and camping. Never did get my GPS hooked up. Just used the cell phone map for directions.

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

The first year Can-Am had them at the International Motorcycle Show in South SF. I'd just had knee surgery and wasn't going to test ride anything, but just had to try out the Spyder. The sportbike seating position and abrupt corrections from the "Nanny" left me less than satisfied. Luckily, things Spyder have changed!

[bikerdawg]

My first Spyder ride will be this weekend. My dealer called and my 2022 RTL is finally ready to pick up. Very excited!

Now I have my first ride in. I have ridden quads a long time so it actually felt pretty natural. In the hour ride home on the highway from the dealer I had several miles of very heavy rain (so heavy many cars were slowing down) and the Spyder handled it like a champ. Never would have attempted it on two wheels. People must have thought I was crazy passing them at 55 in that rain.