No Competition for Can Am

[LALoner]

Perhaps I am looking at this from the "old man" perspective, BUT I think the adrenaline junkies are a breed unto themselves. If you want to increase power and travel at 100+ mph, go for it. I personally think that is an unnecessary risk, not only to yourself, but to other people on the road. One example would be to note the number of wrecks on the T O t D or to go anywhere near one of the many "Bike Weeks" and watch the traffic on the roads. You will see constant lane shifts, wheelies at 60+ mph and a not insignificant number of road rash cases.
But, if that is your thing, go for it. I will keep to my speed limit + 10 and remain happy to be able to still ride.

[ollicat]

Boils down to one thing. Reverse trikes aren't a profitable segment of the market and companies are in business to make a profit. If you build it they will come is not a business strategy. Regardless of what some think the GW is not the money maker for Honda. They pulled production out of Ohio because GW sales were shrinking and that factory was better served for other profitable business. They need to get younger riders onboard if they are to survive. My son is a good example. He makes good money and rides a 750 because with mortgage, family, and other obligations a $30,000 Wing or Spyder is NOT an option. Fortunately he has found an affordable 750 that rides, handles, and is comfy for two up touring. This is now the market. Spyders, Wings, and $40K HD's are becoming the exception and smaller more affordable machines are the future. Even the hot market for the big adventure bikes is starting to cool as people are buying the smaller alternatives. Cubic inches no longer sells cars and it isn't going to sell bikes much longer either.

But I wonder if when he turns 50 or 60, he will want a $30K Goldwing. Isn't that the natural progression? Smaller, economical bikes for younger folks and then they move up to larger, most costly and more comfortable bikes as they grow older.

[Navydad]

But I wonder if when he turns 50 or 60, he will want a $30K Goldwing. Isn't that the natural progression? Smaller, economical bikes for younger folks and then they move up to larger, most costly and more comfortable bikes as they grow older.

That was the natural progression when I started but I think that is changing. Today's middleweight or what I consider middleweight bikes are amazingly capable machines. Power, suspension, comfort, and the ability to carry two folks with all their gear at a much less expensive price. Bigger is better is no longer relevant.

[Cobwebs]

Going 111mph I was at 8200 RPM. It had nothing left after that.

the company is https://www.adhocperformance.ca/

He doesn't have anything for sale offically yet. But I work with BLRtuning and I know they have been talking back and forth about some future performance kits. I believe he's changed out the actual rear diff gear and something with the whole CVT unit as well. Have to wait and see how his testing goes.

But between Dave and ADhoc and Bill at BLRtuning and Treal performance, they have the fastest Rykers out there right now. So it is possible to get more fun out of these machines.

That swaybar looks interesting https://www.adhocperformance.ca/prod...=false&q=false Not going to get one of those on any factory machine. What are you running?

[vito1943]

A year or two before I decided that 3 wheels might be what I needed and that the Goldwing was feeling heavier and heavier each riding season, I was hoping for the Neowing to be a reality. I did consider the Niken from Yamaha, until that is I actually sat on one. It was BIG, and HEAVY, and not really more stable or easy to balance at a stop than a big two wheeler. Two years ago I got tired of waiting and bought a new RT and have not looked back. I would like to see some competition to CanAm, if nothing else than to keep some pressure on the price increases. I saw a new Sea to Sky priced at over $34,000 out the door so I am hoping that one of the Japanese firms can get into this market and be ready for when I decide to trade in the RT.

[blackphoenix38]

That swaybar looks interesting https://www.adhocperformance.ca/prod...=false&q=false Not going to get one of those on any factory machine. What are you running?

I have the Ryker mods end bar links. Huge night and day different with just the links. Not sure if I'm going to swap the whole bar or not.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

But...the GW seems to be destined to oblivion.

As is every vehicle. When's the last time you ever saw a Stutz Bearcat!

They pulled production out of Ohio because GW sales were shrinking and that factory was better served for other profitable business.

That was part of it, but I think a bigger reason was Honda built a versatile power sports factory in Japan that can produce, I believe, every motorcycle on one assembly line. The Ohio Goldwing factory was adjacent to the car factory and they needed more car manufacturing space.

[SXSMachine]

Is there any definition of what is actually competition for the Spyder? Everyone seems to want something different to me.

Do people want a tilting Nabla trike (Neowing) or a planar/non-tilting Nabla trike (Aftermarket BMW conversion GG Taurus trike)??

I don't agree with the idea that big bikes are on the way out, just that design is not meeting the market. If design was meeting the market the Spyder would never have been born and a success.

[GDoc]

I was talking about this with a couple friends. What brought it up was that there were zero changes to the Ryker for 2024.

If Can Am had any sort of competition in the reverse trike market, I don't think they'd be making the choices they are now. It just feels comfortable, safe choices because they know there is no where else to go for this product.

If Harley came out with one, you know those die hard Harley guys would go right back to them. If another company made a more performance based model, they would lose what younger/spirted demo they do have.

Just saying, I could be completely wrong. But it's been brought a few times to me by different people, so there might be something to it.

I hear what you're saying and agree too. But there's always a but! Several months ago, in 2023, or maybe it was 2022 & over a year ago, there was a company manufacturing a reverse Trike but powered by an electric motor. Not quite the same as the Can-Am Spyder and Ryker; I don't think it will hit the market like Can-Am. Me, I would never trade my 2016 Can-Am Spyder RTS SE6 for some electric Trike. Ride safe, wear your gear, but most of all, enjoy the ride. GDoc

[FrogmanDave]

Or you could just do this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL5JRsNM4SQ&t=5s Fast forward to around 27:00 for the results.

[Poppie65]

Or you could just do this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL5JRsNM4SQ&t=5s Fast forward to around 27:00 for the results.

Good LORD

[slhanks004]

This is typical in the industry. I've owned Suzuki, Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson motorcycles over the last 20 years. Models typically go years without being updated. Kawasaki is still selling cruisers that came out in 2009. The only thing that changes is typically paint color. I think Suzuki's C50T hasn't changed since 2005. There's a lot more competition in the two-wheeled world and probably even less innovation on some models.

[mecsw500]

Looking at the Honda Goldwing, and even the reverse trike models based on it from third parties, I then compare them to Can Am Rykers and Spyders. There is a big difference in configuration.

The problems I see for the Goldwing is its rather long engine and transmission unit, being that it's a large inline flat 6 configuration.

The Can Am models are quite a bit more compact with the rider being a little further forward, due to its use of a transverse engine configuration. I would suspect any other manufacturer creating a reverse trike would probably use a transverse engine layout too. All the auto-car type reverse trikes seem to use transverse four-cylinder engines, except for some based on the old BMW "brick" fours, but they are placed behind the riders.

As for the suggestion of a reverse trike based upon the Kawasaki H2 unit, I'm sure the performance would vastly overwhelm anything that was not a side by side auto-cycle configuration. Putting that motor in a Can Am type inline seating style trike would scare the living daylights out of me. It would have to be seriously detuned for my tastes. Very wild though for those so inclined.

With the Ryker and Spyder's inline seating arrangement and transverse engine, and its current performance envelope, there doesn't seem to be another manufacturer willing to jump into the fray. It might well be likely that developing vehicle stability systems for such vehicles is an expensive undertaking and based upon the Can Am sales numbers, not worth it to the competition.

Perhaps other manufacturers are waiting for the mass adoption of EV vehicles to jump in, who knows. You could probably get a lot of batteries in a Spyder with the electric motor housed in the rear wheel, but I'm not sure if that would be for me.

Interesting times for sure.