adapting to the Spyder and initial setup

[desertryder]

I just bought a new 2012 RT-S, without riding it first as it had not been PDI'd yet and there was snow on the ground. My only previous experience on a Spyder was brief, a quick ride demo ride when they first came out. That initial ride was unpleasant and at the time I thought I would never get on one again. I have been a bike rider for 50 years, from dirt bikes, to crotch rockets, to adventure bikes, to sport tourers. My wife also rides, though with far less experience. The Can Am is replacing a Burgman Scooter and a Victory motorcycle, the theory being that we can both ride the Spyder, alone or together. The occasional long trip is a goal as well. So....the question part. I have heard it takes a while to adapt to the Spyder when coming from a 2 wheeler, should I try to build up the learning miles a little bit at a time, or all at once? Any thoughts on which might be more effective? It is winter here so a long ride is probably not an option at this time, but it will be this spring when the snow is gone. I might be able to get some short rides in during the winter, but will probably spend more time getting the salt off afterwards than the ride itself. Question 2 is this, I have read a lot of posts on the site on likes, dislikes, problems, etc and based upon all that I am thinking I put some miles on the rig before I make any changes, however, I will put the front tire pressures at the top of the range, and push up the preload on the front shocks but are there any other things I should do upfront to make the transition a little easier? Thanks for any suggestions.

[4 MARIE]

Welcome to the Spyder group. I also switched from 2 wheels, long experience. I bought my RT without a test ride..ever. The first 100 miles were a bit "odd" to say the least. The Spyder is responsive to ALL control input, but once you adapt to a just a simple weight shift to the inside in corners to counteract the centrifugal force trying to throw you off, it becomes simple and second nature. Personally I just do a head and shoulders kind of shift. But I have heard of people doing the Freddy Spencer hang off. I am not that aggressive. I put 10k on my Spyder this year. My 1st 10k. The more you go the easier it gets. You can rack up miles on the "slab", but you will have a lot more fun and learn more about your ryde on a 2-lane. Stay safe, start gently and build up. You're gonna' love it. Ron

[C3517C]

One thing that is the same as a regular bike is this, experience is everything. I recommend logging as much time as you can when you start. It is important to remember that most riders are uncomfortable with the Spyder at first. Its ok, its part of the process. I can honestly say I didn't enjoy my first 1000 miles or so. I was uncomfortable and sometimes downright scared. That was 2008. I'm still here and on my second Spyder. They are second nature now, but give it time. You'll be a pro in no time.

[Chupaca]

to the spyder world and this site. Rule of thumb is 300/500 miles to get comfortable. Took me till the end of the driveway and have never looked back. You will love it more with every ryde. Congrats your choice is perfect... enjoy and be safe..spring will be here soon enough..!!

[SubDriver]

I think i was one of the lucky ones. I had never ridden a motorcycle before and when I got my RT and looking at the manual and the DVD, to me it was based on someone just going from 2 wheels to 3. Being originaly from KY I am kinda slow so no learning curve for me.... made it easy.

[Bam Bam and Pebbles]

Congrats on the purchase. I just bought a 2012 RT SM5 a month ago. I had a 125 mile trip home from the dealership and was comfortable after the first 50. Just take it for a ride everyday and you will be more comfortable each time out. Visit Spyderlovers everyday too. Great bunch of people and if you have a problem, more than likely, someone else has too and they will give you all kinds of help.

Also, you might as well hear it from me, but how about a picture!!

[MarkLawson]

The main difference between 2-wheelers and the Spyder is the in steering input. Your 50 years of experience will both help and hurt you at first. You've developed a significant amount of steering memory in those arms. The brain says "turn right" & it happens. The arms already know what to do without having to think about every little act to get it done.

2-wheelers require a technique known as counter-steering, which involve inputs into the steering opposite the desired direction. You push forward on the right handlebar (in effect, turning the handlebars left) to initiate a right hand lean & entering into a right hand turn. Whether you've realized it or not, you've been using counter-steering for 50 years. Your arms know how to do it without you having to consciously think about how to do it.

The Spyder requires a direct steering input method: Steer right to turn right. I found I had to consciously think about how to make the turn on the Spyder because of all my years on the Goldwing. This is the case also while steering straight. You are constantly making small steering changes to stay in the center of the lane (BRP's recommended lane position, by the way). You might find this difficult at first because those arms are constantly wanting to steer you in the opposite direct you want to go. You'll have to reteach them new techniques to overcome so many years of muscle memory.

One more thing...

Timing on when to enter the turns is different than on 2-wheelers. The counter-steering technique requires you to begin the turn steering inputs before you actually want to start the turn. You steer left, which initiates a right hand lean and then a right hand turn. There's a slight delay between the the time of the initial steering input and before the turn actually start. Again, this is something you likely haven't thought about for years, but it happens. It's something your arms already know. If you use the same timing on the Spyder, you'll find you are entering the turn a little too soon and will have to make a course correction to make the corner correctly. Just be aware that when you enter steering inputs that is when the Spyder begins the steering change. You may have to consciously think about when to turn.

I hope this is helpful. When I realized why I was having difficulties, correcting it was much easier & riding more enjoyable. I still have the Goldwing and I have found that switching between the two is easy.

[JayBros]

I cameto Spyderdom after a long break from powered two wheelers. I second watching the videos and the approximate number of miles it takes to get accustomed to the piloting routine--YMMV. One of the biggest points IMO is to relax your grip on the bars, a tip offered by OP to new ryders who remark about twitchiness of the roadster. FWIW, when riding in the NC mountains with my son who sometimes does the teenager with hair on fire routine and he complains about keeping up I just tell him I'm always going to ride my own ride. Have fun, be safe!

[Bam Bam and Pebbles]

Here is the best help I can give you. On this site they call it the Key Walk. If the Spyder gives you an orange screen, or forces you into Limp Mode, pull over, turn it off and take a 5 minute walk. Start it back up and you should be good to go. I had this happen to me once. Limped it back home and took my truck to work. Check on Spyderlovers for help and was introduced to the Key Walk. Check out the do's and do nots thread. And read the manual. Check this site everyday. Tons of stuff to learn here.

[Bob Denman]

Just take your time, and enjoy the riding...
If you try and rush the process; it'll start feeling like a chore.
As your comfort level grows; just stretch things out a little bit more.

[PrairieSpyder]

and with all the advice so far. I'd also vote for riding as much as you can. AND ENJOY IT!!

[blacklightning]

to the spyder world and this site. Rule of thumb is 300/500 miles to get comfortable. Took me till the end of the driveway and have never looked back. You will love it more with every ryde. Congrats your choice is perfect... enjoy and be safe..spring will be here soon enough..!!

My experience was similar. I took a 5 mile test ride about a year ago. Then 6 months ago a friend bought a 2014 RT. On one of our trips, he let me drive his for about 30 miles. At the end, I was hooked. I purchased my spyder Sept. 26. After it was unloaded off the truck, I went on a 50 mile trip right away. The first 10 was strange, but after that, I have enjoyed it more each day.

[Pennyrick]

The main difference between 2-wheelers and the Spyder is the in steering input. Your 50 years of experience will both help and hurt you at first. You've developed a significant amount of steering memory in those arms. The brain says "turn right" & it happens. The arms already know what to do without having to think about every little act to get it done.

2-wheelers require a technique known as counter-steering, which involve inputs into the steering opposite the desired direction. You push forward on the right handlebar (in effect, turning the handlebars left) to initiate a right hand lean & entering into a right hand turn. Whether you've realized it or not, you've been using counter-steering for 50 years. Your arms know how to do it with you having to consciously think about how to do it.

The Spyder requires a direct steering input method: Steer right to turn right. I found I had to consciously think about how to make the turn on the Spyder because of all my years on the Goldwing. This is the case also while steering straight. You are constantly making small steering changes to stay in the center of the lane (BRP's recommended lane position, by the way). You might find this difficult at first because those arms are constantly wanting to steer you in the opposite direct you want to go. You'll have to reteach them new techniques to overcome so many years of muscle memory.

One more thing...

Timing on when to enter the turns is different than on 2-wheelers. The counter-steering technique requires you to begin the turn steering inputs before you actually want to start the turn. You steer left, which initiates a right hand lean and then a right hand turn. There's a slight delay between the the time of the initial steering input and before the turn actually start. Again, this is something you likely haven't thought about for years, but it happens. It's something your arms already know. If you use the same timing on the Spyder, you'll find you are entering the turn a little too soon and will have to make a course correction to make the corner correctly. Just be aware that when you enter steering inputs that is when the Spyder begins the steering change. You may have to consciously think about when to turn.

I hope this is helpful. When I realized why I was having difficulties, correcting it was much easier & riding more enjoyable. I still have the Goldwing and I have found that switching between the two is easy.

Mark

That's the best explanation of the difference between two and three that I've ever seen on here.

Well done.

[murphybrown]

I just bought a new 2012 RT-S, without riding it first as it had not been PDI'd yet and there was snow on the ground. My only previous experience on a Spyder was brief, a quick ride demo ride when they first came out. That initial ride was unpleasant and at the time I thought I would never get on one again. I have been a bike rider for 50 years, from dirt bikes, to crotch rockets, to adventure bikes, to sport tourers. My wife also rides, though with far less experience. The Can Am is replacing a Burgman Scooter and a Victory motorcycle, the theory being that we can both ride the Spyder, alone or together. The occasional long trip is a goal as well. So....the question part. I have heard it takes a while to adapt to the Spyder when coming from a 2 wheeler, should I try to build up the learning miles a little bit at a time, or all at once? Any thoughts on which might be more effective? It is winter here so a long ride is probably not an option at this time, but it will be this spring when the snow is gone. I might be able to get some short rides in during the winter, but will probably spend more time getting the salt off afterwards than the ride itself. Question 2 is this, I have read a lot of posts on the site on likes, dislikes, problems, etc and based upon all that I am thinking I put some miles on the rig before I make any changes, however, I will put the front tire pressures at the top of the range, and push up the preload on the front shocks but are there any other things I should do upfront to make the transition a little easier? Thanks for any suggestions.

Where are you located? I am in Chelan..and yep winter may make it...so my ryding now is anything I can get back home if 'old man winter arrives. The 12 is a great machine. Any help I can be please PM me...mechanical stuff, not so much, but I do ryde a lot and maybe able to assist you and your wife in that area. Are you planning on going to Spyderfest 2015 (Springfield MO)? Also I am organizing a ryde North to Alaska (July 2015)..
I had never ridden a motorcycle so it was all learning for me. But others that have spent many miles on 2 wheels talk about the curve being a couple thousand miles...The club I ride with has 4 Spyders now and 1 Harley trike...everyone else is 2 wheels...
Again Welcome. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Looking forward to hearing from you and meeting you Spyder to Spyder

[searsboy]

desertryder, I bought my STL a couple weeks ago and have put about 400 on her. Like you, I have many years of riding two wheels and this beast is strange...but getting better and better with each ride. I can say that I already love this machine and am on the verge of becoming very comfortable riding it.

All of the advice above sounds good to me. It's a shame that winter is upon us and limits riding time, but hang in there mate!!!

[desertryder]

Thanks for all the ideas and comments....and the moral support. I am sure it will help in the transition. A few years ago when tearing down a downhill run on a mountain bike I was having a hard time keeping up with my son (who I taught to ride mountain bikes and dirtbikes). Every time he stopped to wait for me he would take off as soon as he saw approaching in the distance.. I could never catch up to him. When I finally met up with him at the bottom of the hill his comment was, "Dad, remember you told me a long time ago not to overthink it, just trust the bike". I think I will need to apply the same philosophy to the Sypder! Thanks again.

[missouriboy]

Here is the best help I can give you. On this site they call it the Key Walk. If the Spyder gives you an orange screen, or forces you into Limp Mode, pull over, turn it off and take a 5 minute walk. Start it back up and you should be good to go. I had this happen to me once. Limped it back home and took my truck to work. Check on Spyderlovers for help and was introduced to the Key Walk. Check out the do's and do nots thread. And read the manual. Check this site everyday. Tons of stuff to learn here.

Don't forget the part about taking the key with you... hence the name KEY walk. It has to do with breaking the electronic nexus with the key's diode, to force the computer back to square one.

Right?

[ARtraveler]

and on your ride.

The advice posted is spot on. I did not test drive any of my 's prior to purchase.

The very first one had me wondering if I had made a mistake.

It took me almost 1500 miles before I was comfortable. I have driven two wheels for over forty years. Input is very important, and will make the feel like it has a mind of its own. The 2014 RT is the most sensitive so far. Most coming from two wheels get it in the 250 to 500 mile range.

My ex spouse, got it figured out in about 100 miles. New to the sport and never on two wheels.

If possible, I recommend doing about a half hour to an hour of parking lot exercises. First gear to second gear operation. Quick stops, tight turns, etc. Then, roll out and do some sub 50 mph riding to practice turning and shifting. Fifty miles or so. Then, try the highway at 55 and plus. If you hit curves, remember to enter at a safe speed. You should be able to accelerate a bit into the curve. If you have to brake for the curve, your going to fast.

A couple hundred miles total, and you should be feeling pretty good about your purchase.

[BajaRon]

on you new adventure into SpyderLand!

The Spyder is a surprisingly difficult transition for some coming off of a long history of 2 wheels. I was more than surprised. I was shocked. I got mine in January of 08 and there wasn't much in the way of 'How-Toos' yet.

In hind sight it could have been much easier and a shorter transition. It took me about 400 miles before I started to see the light and 600 miles before I changed my mind about the Spyder. At first I thought it was the dumbest purchase I'd ever made. I'd have traded it off for just about anything those first few days. But it was 100% me.

I think longer rides in the saddle will get you more than several short rides. Short rides just frustrate with no reward and not much progress. Longer rides give you the opportunity to get past the frustration into the realm of re-educating yourself. You'll usually see noticeable progress after a long ride. At least this is the way it worked best for me and some others that I know.

You have to RELAX, RELAX, RELAX! Go at your own speed and try to enjoy the ride. As your enjoyment increases, your grip and stiff arming decreases and it turns into a positive, vicious cycle.

The other side of the coin is. If you grip harder and stiffen your arms more in an attempt to 'Control' our Spyder, you'll enjoy the ride less which will turn into a negative vicious cycle.

Simply knowing that it can be done. And that it has been done by old, young, experienced and inexperienced alike can be a great incentive to hang in there. Once you realize that your Spyder is your friend, then you can stop fighting and you'll get along famously!

Then you'll wonder why you had so much trouble in the beginning.

[desertryder]

I got a lot of good suggestion and appreciate all of them. The positive and supportive comments that everyone provided certainly makes it clear that the Spyder folks are a great group!

[pitzerwm]

Where in Eastern WA? I'm in the TriCities. I was lucky, my 2 wheeler experience was a LONG time ago. I haven't had the opportunity to ride here much either, but I am getting use to how it handles. I trust you know that in WA you need a 3 wheel endorsement, which is a written test and a driving test, both are now given by private parties. Cost for those $75 plus $35 to the state.

Have fun, I plan to.

[daveinva]

As one of the few weirdos here who went from a Spyder's three-wheels to a motorcycle's two, I feel especially qualified to confirm that counter-steering is indeed VERY real, and I have no idea how ANY motorcycle rider in history could have ever failed to notice they were counter-steering instead of direct-steering the bike.

In contrast to the longtime two-wheelers coming to the Spyder, my Spyder experience made my first days on two wheels feel unnatural and weird for demanding that I COUNTER-steer, heh. But once I got used to the bike, I've found my Spyder experience makes me a better two-wheel rider in the sense that instead of just "thinking about turning and I magically turn," I always consciously and deliberately *know* that I'm counter-steering on the bike, and thus make turn transitions quite well.

For if I ever tried direct-steering a bike like the Spyder, I'd end up in a ditch, and we can't possibly have that.

[robmorg]

You have received some very good advice so far - all of it useful. One person mentioned the "Do's and Do Not's" thread early in the discussion here, and that bears repeating. Here's a link to it. TONS of helpful information there to shorten your learning curve and help you feel more comfortable sooner.

Enjoy you Spyder. If you're anything like most of us - myself included - you'll absolutely love it after a few hundred hundred miles.

[robmorg]

As one of the few weirdos here who went from a Spyder's three-wheels to a motorcycle's two, I feel especially qualified to confirm that counter-steering is indeed VERY real, and I have no idea how ANY motorcycle rider in history could have ever failed to notice they were counter-steering instead of direct-steering the bike.

Dave,

You were "forced" to learn how to counter-steer quickly. But I can tell you that, as baffling as it seems, there are literally hundreds of motorcyclists out there who have no idea what counter-steering is. I've met a lot of them over the years. These are folks who have never taken an MSF course, of course. Yes, they are doing it, but they have no idea that they are doing it. Somehow, they just "learned to ride" and mostly they make the bike go where they want it to.

[lwrydr]

Congrats on becoming a spyder owner. It took me a few miles to get use to the . I still have a Harley which I ride once in a while (when I need a 2 wheel fix). The bigest problem I have it remembering the turn signals are on both ends of the bars not just on the left......and there is a front brake lever...