Did You or Didn't You?

[SteveMac]

My RT wasn't my first Motorcycle but it was my first Roadster!

When I was a kid, my dad farmed. He wasn't much of one to go hunting or fishing, but I did turn a wrench or two on the farm and work in the fields. So, I grew up with go-karts, mini bikes and motorcycles. My first real motorcycle was a burnt orange Honda XL-100. I was always a big kid and out-grew it fast. Moved up to a 1974 Honda XL-350 single cyl THUMPER. Now that bike would run and was almost bullet proof until I crashed it doing about 70mph (last time I looked) and about ripped my right leg off. I was young and dumb and thought I was also bullet proof. I found out different.

After about a year of recovery, (my bike was long gone by then) I hopped on an old Yamaha 250 Enduro just to make sure I could still ride. Proved that to myself and didn't ride again for about five years. Test rode a Honda street bike back in the mid 80s. I can't remember for sure now, but I am thinking it was a CB750 with some funky fairing on it. I rode it around a bit and decided against it. Got into 4x4s (the jacked up monster types) and ran some very low budget drag cars and helped some of my buddies who liked the roundy-rounds (I personally never got into stock car racing).

Fast forward about 25 years and my son was off to college. I had seen an RS in 2009 and knew that I would have a Spyder one day. I was holding off because I was also considering a Gold Wing. My wife wasn't comfortable being on two wheels, and honestly I would have been ok solo, but I was hesitant two-up. Not a good frame of mind there. So when the RT came out it had the best of both worlds for me. Gold Wing comfort for Two-up and something my wife would enjoy with me.

Nothing but miles and smiles since then. Love, love, love my Spyder and this forum!!!!!!

p.s.
Now that I am older and wiser, I did go on a treasure hunt to find one of those old 1974 XL-350s and I did find one down in Mobile AL. I now have it sitting in my shop and will restore it to factory glory, and yes, I will be riding it around some nice country roads. Solo.

[Radthorne]

2011 RT is my first motorcycle/tricycle/non-car thingy. Was seduced by the ZZ Top ads and thought it might be fun to tour with my wife. Went to a dealer and we each rode around on the back of one. Went and got our three wheeler permits and came back and rode it ourselves. Sold.

[guinness]

Ridden and owned several other cycles and still enjoy all types of bikes, trikes and sidecars.

[Campverdefela]

A first for me, I was a sports car kinda guy. Now my 3 brothers were all bikers.

[kman]

When I was 12 years old I had a 26" Schwinn that I put a 20" tire on the front.On the way to the local pool going down a steep hill the front wheel started to wobble and I was thrown off the front.When I was 16 driving our family to the beach on my learners permit I watched a guy on motorcycle in front of me do the same thing,so I decided then that I would never get a motorcycle.

Then in October 2008 stopped in Hanover Motosports to get a roller for my boat trailer and saw the Spyder for the first time.Wow,three wheels "I can ride that!"Went back home and told my wife I was going to buy one and needless to say that went over well (not).I went back the next week and bought the demo RS manual they had and it has been ever since.My only regret is that they didn't have these 35 years ago!I would also like to thank all of you for the support and information on this website 'cause it truly adds to the Spyder experience.

Thank you Lamonster!

[rcdurango]

I used to race bikes back when I was younger. But when I started rising a family it wasn't something that seemed important or needed.
Besides my wife lost a brother n law on a two wheeler which made owning a two wheeler one even harder.
It wasn't until we did a trip out west that a bike was even talked about for touring vacations. Came home and started looking for trikes and Spyder was the safest bike on the market. The rest is History.

[Bob Denman]

As long as I've got some handlebars in front of me, and an engine attached to the frame somewhere, I'm as happy as a clam in wet sand.! Too many street bikes, dirt bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles, cars, trucks, and Jeeps than I could ever hope to recall...
And I STILL have no mechanical apptitude whatsoever!

[michigal]

Had my first motorcycle in high school -- a 90 cc. Didn't ride again until two years ago (35 years out of high school), when I was looking at retirement and the bug to ride bite me again. So, I bought my husband a slightly used Honda VTX 1300R. Riding on the back didn't satisfy my bug. So, I bought myself a used Honda Shadow 750 -- but couldn't hold it up (I am slightly vertically-challenged). So, traded the Shadow in on a used Spyder and have been happier than a pig in poop ever since. I love, love, love my Spyder.

[chuck58]

Had some Yamaha Enduros when I was in high school, long ago, when I had to walk 5 miles to school, up hill in the snow, both ways.

[flamingobabe]

I clicked yes...I did have a 750 Honda Classic and put about 200 miles on it back in 2001....hated every minute I was on it.....bought my Spyder May 2010 on a Monday and on Thursday that same week I drove the Spyder 500 miles on my way to Tucumcari...I love every minute on the Spyder

[rhansen309]

Never owned any kind of motorcycle. 1st for us. My wife said it was my mid-life crisis!!!

[napper39]

51 motorcycles befor the spyder,not happy with the spyder i have my knees kill me after 20 min.so looking at the rts my right leg needs to strech out a lot moore than my blue bird.i rode a rt and like it a lot,so on the spyder i can only ride 20 min.at a time then take a brake and ride some moore,so i alwas get left behinde on all are rides.

[Bob Denman]

Never owned any kind of motorcycle. 1st for us. My wife said it was my mid-life crisis!!!

In spite of the farkling potential it's still cheaper than getting a girlfriend!

[SXSMachine]

All kinds of ag bikes on the farm.

Didn't take up road bikes til I was about 22. rode for 10 years solid. Haven't had a bike since. Waiting on an disbility reg permit before I buy and build up my Spyder.

[BLUE MULE]

My Spyder is not my first, but is my favorite!! Been riding off and on since 1982. My next "bike" will be a Spyder for sure!

[spydermedicrn]

My Spyder is the first bike that I personally owned but definitely not the first bike I rode. I would like to see a poll asking if the Spyder is the first bike that they have ever driven or if they had experience with other bikes

[Raptor]

I rode bikes before the Spyder but the Spyder was the first cycle-type vehicle I have ever actually owned, so I chose yes as well. Now we own 2 Spyders and the Zook 1250FA.

[Motorcycle Mama & Papa]

Never before rode in my life but was in my dreams and was on my bucketlist ~ and WAHLAA ~ I LOVE my Rosie.

Downer: Since moving out of Cali now need to apply for a motorcycle endorsement to ride Rosie. AAAAA!
Upper: I'm confident today and know I can pass the test. MM

[BajaRon]

My Spyder is the first bike that I personally owned but definitely not the first bike I rode. I would like to see a poll asking if the Spyder is the first bike that they have ever driven or if they had experience with other bikes

I think this poll is pretty interesting. I actually thought the ratio of new riders would be higher, but I think 30% is still high. For instance, what do you think the 1st time ratio would be for a Goldwing or HD trike? My guess is much lower that for the Spyder.

The reason I posted this poll with 'Owned' is to weed out those that never committed to a motorcycle to the point of ownership. In other words, many people will test ride or borrow someone elses bike, but it isn't until they buy that there is enough committment to really count.

Some vehicles simply cut the pie into smaller slices (a buyer goes from one motorcycle to another), but a very few vehicles actually bake a brand new pie! The Spyder has brought more people into the motorcycle arena instead of taking riders from other brands more than most new models.

[CyncySpyder]

and we're now on our second with Teds Red Sled I never rode a two-wheeler, cause around Cincinnati in the summer time, you hear about motorcycle accidents almost on a daily basis in the news & so many end in fatalities. Simply put, with the ever present ability to lay one down on your own, not to mention all the crazy cagers out there, I never trusted myself to even give a 2 wheeler a chance
Once I saw the Spyder, with its 3wheeled stance removing the fear of laying it down, I was hooked & have been ever since

[dmdahnert]

Started out riding back in the early 70's when it was still "uncommon" to see a woman with her own bike. Had to start with the lowly Yamaha 200 to get my cycle endorsement but at least it was not restricted to the bigger bikes. From there it was a steadt climb to an 850 before my last pre-spyder bike, a nice 650 V Star Classic. Got concerned with the 2 artificial knees and the bum hip and love the fact that I no longer need to put the foot down! LOL...

Di

[Bob Denman]

Did you get started on one of the RD 200s??
To get started; just slip the clutch and watch the blue smoke fly!

[spyder3]

33% new riders...not a bad market BRP has tapped into.

[BajaRon]

33% new riders...not a bad market BRP has tapped into.

Exactly! Everyone else tries to get Harley riders to switch. BRP just decided to re-invent the wheel and convert Non-Riders! Pretty good market strategy!

[NancysToy]

Although it doesn't indicate the numbers in the poll, the posts here also indicate a large number of people that had not ridden in many years...who started up again because of the Spyder. Those two groups, new riders and ex-riders, were BRP's stated demographic target, as I recall. I'd say they hit the target quite well. I think what surprised them was probably the number of older riders who found this to be far preferable to the heavy machines they rode before, or who never rode but always wanted to. The number of physically challenged riders is quite large, too. The Spyder is a natural for them, but was not aimed at that group, either. The Spyder has certainly filled several niches! It is even a compelling ride for the veteran riders among us.