Just rode my new 2022 RT home - got a lot to learn!

[Old Willie]

Greeting,
I posted earlier a question about how reliable Spyder's are. My wife and I have had Gold Wings for over 20 years. I got too old to hold them up and we bought a Gold Wing trike. We decided to move to Arizona, and I thought my riding days were over, so we sold everything. So here we are a year later, and we got the urge to ride again.

Yesterday we concluded the deal on a 2022 Spyder RT. I rode it home from the dealer, so it only has 32 miles on it and unfortunately the weather is not very good for a while here.
Now we need to get cup holders and passenger arm rests. I also have to figure out how to get the Cardo headsets working.

It felt strange riding it home and I reached for the brake lever on the handlebars several times. I have a lot to learn.

Willie

[rjinaz86323]

Coming from Harleys the brake lever was the biggest learn for me too. But know after almost 2 years I can't imagine going back, even if I was able.

[Partzman23]

Old Willie, congratulations on the new Spyder.
We like pictures, please post up a picture when you can.
The important thing to remember is a lose grip on the handle bars.
Let the Spyder do its thing and only correct to keep it in your lane.
Drive it like you would a car. You will love the Ryde once you get use to
how it responds to your movements. Keep your shoulders relaxed and lose grip
on the bars.
Ryde safe and enjoy the Ryde.
Artie

[MonPaul]

Yes, there definitely is a learning curve but keep a loose grip and take your time and soon you will be wondering what the problem was

[Peteoz]

We all went through it Willie. I got off my 2 wheeler for a Spyder test drive, and counter steered at my first turn, so I started to head toward oncoming traffic. The next turn was fine. Congratulations…..here’s hoping you love it…..the first 500 miles are the strangest

Pere

[SLICE]

my wife thought i was drunk riding my spYder home from the dealer. took me a good 500-600 miles to get the hang of it.

[Little Blue]

....Welcome to the Spyder Forum and Let the Smile Miles roll.
There are several things to learn about on your Spyder. Take some time and get yourself oriented to the Spyder. A few hours of large parking lot ryding is definitely a huge plus.

Your Spyder should have came with the Owner's Manual. Read the manual carefully cover to cover.
Lots of valuable information on the pages. Also it has tips on parking lot training skills. Learn in a safe environment and get experience.
Then you can move to the highway.


Good Luck on Your Mission and always be Safe.

Stay Healthy. ....

[Saluda]

Congrats and enjoy.

[RayBJ]

You're in good company Old Willie! Just remember to forget everything you know about riding a 2-wheeler and you will discover the Spyder handles quite well. Be sure to have the alignment checked since that's a big issue if not correct. Since the ride doesn't lean, you will need to on aggressive cornering.

[Jesster72]

Congrats! Almost 40 years on 2 wheels for me (I started REALLY young )

Good advice above, what helped me was loose grip and looking through the corners - I was good at that on 2, but it seems more critical to my style of riding on the Spyder. Make sure the tire pressures are set too.

Most of all, have FUN! these are fun machines.

[BajaRon]

Congratulations on your New Ride! It does take a bit to get used to. Hang in there. It will end up being the best ride you've ever had!

I've got a front brake on my Spyder. Love it! Use it all the time. I wish the bike came with one. It wouldn't cost much to add at the factory. And for those who don't want to use it. Not a problem.

"You don't need a front brake Ron", you're saying. You don't need floorboards, cup holders or bigger horns either. I've found a front brake comes in very handy at times.

[ARtraveler]

on the new Spyder. It will take at least a couple hundred miles...but you will like it a lot once the "two wheel" syndrome goes away from your learned moves.

[Peteoz]

I've got a front brake on my Spyder. Love it! Use it all the time. I wish the bike came with one. It wouldn't cost much to add at the factory. And for those who don't want to use it. Not a problem.

"You don't need a front brake Ron", you're saying. You don't need floorboards, cup holders or bigger horns either. I've found a front brake comes in very handy at times.

……..and without trying to hijack Willie’s thread too much……….another plus of the hand operated brake is for long legged riders, Ron. The foot brake positioning on the RT (both pre and post ‘19) is very awkward and slow to reach for those who have their boots well forward, requiring mods. The F3, even in position 5 was similar. The hand brake eliminates all that. In hindsight, I should have simply said “hang the expense” and installed one at the start. It would have saved a significant amount of cost, trial, failure and error on a component of any bike that I hate to mess with.

Pete

[Cirhere]

Took me about 3000 miles and the help of Baja Ron advice and now I love my 2020 rtl

[Pooch]

Really do enjoy my 2021 RTL.

I DID change the handlebars out to a set of the extremely customizable Heli-Bars to get rid of the between-the-shoulders pain I experienced with the factory bars.

Also added a Utopia driver's backrest - something I have had on quite a few previous bikes and a Gold Wing trike.

As to the handling:
I found that 17-18 psi on the front allows for a really stable, smooth ride (manual calls for 20 psi on front) - stops all that "darty" handling all over the lane. Have kept the rear at 28 usually - as prescribed by the manual - but have found it down 1 or 2 psi over time, however the ride was just as good as it is at 28, for me ... no, I don't check the rear tire pressure EVERY ride.

One thing I have learned about very curvy rides is to look ahead - not so much right in front of you. I find if I watch just ahead of the rider in front of me, or as far as I can see into the curve, my Spyder just naturally follows around - no fighting as to if I am turning into the curve too early or too late.

Just takes a few miles and you'll have it down pat. Congratulations, relax and enjoy!

[JohnRuckus]

Congrats on the ryde. Welcome to the Spyderverse. There are lots to learn/unlearn. Along with the suggestions and comments made here, you can also take a Can-Am 3 wheel riding class. They usually cost about $100. It won't make you an expert, but you can learn a lot of things at slow speeds on a closed course.

[FrogmanDave]

I consider myself different to other riders here. I never suffered from the 'try to grab the clutch or brake levers' or 'countersteer through a corner' or any of that. After my initial test ride I just got on the thing and rode it. It felt more or less natural to me. I highly recommend looking into a Baja Ron sway bar. It becomes a whole different/better handling bike at that point.

[missouriboy]

...One thing I have learned about very curvy rides is to look ahead - not so much right in front of you. I find if I watch just ahead of the rider in front of me, or as far as I can see into the curve, my Spyder just naturally follows around - no fighting as to if I am turning into the curve too early or too late.

That's the way to drive any/every vehicle. It makes you execute the curve right in the center of the lane every time. My dad taught me that when I was just learning, at 15. He said he learned it from his older brother, who drove trucks.

[vito1943]

I found that I was relatively comfortable on my RT, after years on a Goldwing, within just a few minutes. It took a bit of time to stop reaching for the clutch lever and the front brake lever and to get used to the feeling of steering around curves rather than leaning and countersteering. But for me, what took the longest to adjust to was in lane position. For most of my 40 years on 2 wheels my normal riding position was in the left third of the lane. I found that I was still doing that on the Spyder and having my left front wheel on or over the center line. A few hundred miles and a few weeks of riding solved that problem and now a year later, riding the Spyder seems totally natural. FWIW, my wife has been my passenger since I started riding, and she prefers the Spyder even over the Goldwing that I rode for the 5 years prior to accepting that my age forced me to go to three wheels.

[GS1]

Congrats on your and enjoy the ride

[pegasus1300]

and on the new Spyder. Post early and post often with pictures. Like you I come to the Spyder after 4 years on a Goldwing trike and 50 years on 2 wheels the last 25 on Yamaha Ventures. You will find that you have probably already conquered many of the 2 to 3 wheel transition problems. You already know it doesn't lean, you have to steer it thru corners, using body english helps counter act centrifugal force, don't put your foot down at stops. stay in the centerish of your lane. You will have to use a lighter grip on the bars with a Spyder, relax your arms and shoulders, and you only need your foot to brake, just like your car. The suggestion of reading the new Owners manual is a good one, and especially the part about setting up a practice course. That helped me a whole lot in learning the Spyder. If you are physically able and a little mechanical learn to change your own oil and a few other maintenance items as this will help you to know your machine better. If possible put on some of your own farkles. You may be able to pay the dealer to do these and that's great but knowing how whether you do it or not is always a good thing. Happy trails, you are in the heart of your riding season in AZ so get out and enjoy Go to the Dwarf Car Museum, hear the massive Wurlitzer Organ, ride US 191,go up to Oatman, ride a bit of US66. Lots of good riding in your area.

[Peteoz]

I never suffered from the 'try to grab the clutch or brake levers' or 'countersteer through a corner' or any of that. After my initial test ride I just got on the thing and rode it.

Dave, unless someone else mentioned “countersteering”, I would just like to clarify something about my comment, for others.
The one and only time countersteering came in to it was after hopping off my Victory, straight onto the F3, with zero briefing on its quirks, and after 30 feet of riding. It was never an issue after 50 feet of riding.

Pete

[Motorcycledave]

PM Sent

[PJveetwin]

I personally read all I could before my first purchase, Owners manual is available on line. Also the do's and don'ts on riding a Spyder sticky on the site, so I had a good idea what to expect. A lot of good advice on this site, along with the Spyderlovers Face Book page if you do that. Curves are generally the big issue, and the best advice I found is to push down with your foot on the floorboard on the opposite side of the curve you're taking. So into a right curve, push down with your left foot. Made a huge difference for me!

[FrogmanDave]

I personally read all I could before my first purchase, Owners manual is available on line. Also the do's and don'ts on riding a Spyder sticky on the site, so I had a good idea what to expect. A lot of good advice on this site, along with the Spyderlovers Face Book page if you do that. Curves are generally the big issue, and the best advice I found is to push down with your foot on the floorboard on the opposite side of the curve you're taking. So into a right curve, push down with your left foot. Made a huge difference for me!

Everything PJveetwin says was exactly the same for me. One thing I may add is that when you push down with the opposing leg it helps to move your feet to the front, outside of the floorboards. It sort of creates a more tripod affect and your body is much more stable through the turn. I only do this through pretty fast corners. It doesn't seem to be needed for regular speed turns. Of course I am basing my information on having a Baja Ron sway bar installed.