Is a Spyder a motorcycle, trike or something else?

[exbrc1]

I use the term reverse trike.

[Calimusjohn]

Not to be picky, BUT . . . Harley-Davidson produced a trike from 1932 to 1973 known as a Servi-car. Many police departments used them for traffic control and meter-maids. In the 30s and 40s, car dealerships would hook a Servi-car to a clip-on bumper hitch and pick-up at, or deliver a serviced automobile to your home. The trike took the dealer employee back to the shop.
A bike with a sidecar has three wheels and no one doubts it is a motorcycle. Whether the third wheel is in front, the side, or on the rear, they are all motorcycles.
I had my first motorcycle ride while lying in a cardboard box in my dad's 1937 Harley-Davidson's sidecar. I've been riding the 84 intervening years on a variety of machines with all of the wheel combinations listed.
Long live motorcycles!

P.S. I was two weeks old on my first ride!
Motorcycle riding is never boring.

[Motorcycledave]

Legal definitions aside, does the community here generally consider themselves a member of the motorcycle community, the Harley/Goldwing trike community or our own Can-Am community?

I'm just curious, no right or wrong answers.

In California.... the CanAm Spyders All Models, A motorcycle with a SideCar, and a standard Trike type unit are considered to be
an ( AUTO CYCLE ) none of them require a motorcycle license your standard car driving Lic. is all you need.
I Do not agree with that law but it is what it is...

[2dogs]

When asked, I tell people I ride a 3wheeled motorcycle called a spyder. "What's that they ask?" It's a trike. More to the point, it's a reverse trike. Two wheels in the front and one in the back. "Ok."

[Peteoz]

When asked, I tell people I ride a 3wheeled motorcycle called a spyder. "What's that they ask?" It's a trike. More to the point, it's a reverse trike. Two wheels in the front and one in the back. "Ok."

Yes, I can’t be bothered with the pettiness of the “is it a motorcycle”, debate, 2dogs. Life’s too short I just tell people I ride a trike. If they show further interest, I mention reverse trike.

Pete

[NorwegianRT]

If people ask what I ride, I say it is a CanAm Spyder.
That usually triggers more questions about the brand and what kind of engine or is it good to ride?
I answer the best I can and people are usually very nice and curious about it. When I mention that i use my car license only to operate it they seem to get more interested and the usual reply is "hey, my wife/girlfriend could ride one of these instead of hanging on my back "!
And my registration papers says it is a "motorcycle with 3 wheels"
As a good friend of mine said once:"The best motorcycle is the one you have right now!" It took a while before I understood the deeper meaning of what he said. (some like this and some like that)

Stay safe all

[LimaNiner]

I go with the designation in practically all jurisdictions in North America, that being it is a motorcycle. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but motorcycle works for me, though if others refer to is as a trike, reverse trike, three-wheeled vehicle etc., makes no difference to me. When people ask if I'm still a biker after trading 2 wheels for 3, I tell them hell ya! However, being called a motor cyclist works too. As a blanket statement for me, it doesn't really matter, so long as I can still ride.

[sledge]

As a child, some of us from the old days rode a Trike ... 2 rear wheels, 1 front wheel ... sooooo, after that, Goldwings & Harleys are Trikes... Can-Am Spyders are NOT a Trike ... I guess they are...... .... .... A SPYDER! LOL

[DrillSgtDon]

I'm a US Disabled Veteran with an Indiana Hoosier Disabled Veterans motorcycle license plate on my Spyder. I guess to me, they're all just different kinds of motorcycles, right handle only different; but we all generally seem to think it belongs to the same piece of wind therapy.

[ARtraveler]

I'm a US Disabled Veteran with an Indiana Hoosier Disabled Veterans motorcycle license plate on my Spyder. I guess to me, they're all just different kinds of motorcycles, right handle only different; but we all generally seem to think it belongs to the same piece of wind therapy.

Your post is right on.