How fast can Spyder really take a curve? Fess up.

[bone crusher]

That's funny right there! You know I have been looking at that graphic for months now and thought it was a cow with a saddle on it!
About leaning on the , I found that the first time I rode in the mountains in north GA, several months ago, I DIDN't know what I was doing, fighting it in the twisties, trying to sit straight up, etc. After riding it for several months and then going back to the mountains, it was like night and day! I was able to keep up with a couple of "hot rod M109's",and even pick up a front wheel on occasion. I can definately ride it harder through the twisties than I can my M109.

Does look like that...lamonster used it some time ago and it was only recently that I discovered where the heck it was hiding...

[GeminiJane]

0228lisa ---
Glad you are loving the Spyder. Sounds like you're really caught up in the excitement of a fun, new ride....we can all identify with that! I'm not sure there is any real answer to your question about how fast you can take turns. I ride my Spyder over and over on the same twisty roads that I ride my two wheelers - sometimes on the same day back to back. I'm not real big (5'3, 106 lbs) and have found I definitely have to ride a different style. I find on slower, tight curves the descriptions someone gave sometime back works best for me - pull the handle bar toward you and lean down like you're going to kiss the end of it. On the other hand, on faster sweepers and S's I have to literally shift my entire body - consciously moving my rear end to the insider of the seat (in my mind like I'm putting as much weight as possible on that wheel)and also lean into the bar. Having said that, though, I've scared myself on some corners that feel like I can take with my eyes closed on my BMW or Street Triple but due to the radius and camber, the Spyder reacts totallly differently. On a 2 wheeler, if you don't panic, a bit more throttle and a stiffer lean will usually see you through most any corner (assuming the road surface allows you enough tire traction to hold it). I don't find that the same on the Spyder...there have been times I felt like I had turned in as much as I physically could and that due to too much speed, etc. that I had not had much margin for error left - a feeling I don't enjoy!
Bottom line...don't take things too fast. Riding is a forever learning and improving experience - you can't do it all in the first week, month, year, etc. You can always improve - assuming you're still alive and healthy. So enjoy a ride at your own comfort level and feel your own way along - don't let us or anyone you may be riding with 'cause you to make a bad decision.
As you know, riding beyond your comfort level doesn't allow you to enjoy the ride - it just makes you feel stressed.

[pathfinderjoe]

I'm 60 years old and this is my first street machine - bought it 2 months ago. I have had birt bikes and 4 wheelers that I used for camping, hunting, fishing etc. but rode very few miles on pavement. I live in a part of Oregon were the roads are any thing but straight so I've been getting a lot of practice taking curves - wet curves since it is still raining most the time. All of the above advise is good and sound. I would like to add that it helps when leaning into tight turns taken at a good clip to keep your elbows in, squeese the tank (or where a tank is normally) with your legs and relax your grip. If an old guy like me can learn to crank it up through the turns anyone can.

[SpyderRider2492]

I'm 60 years old and this is my first street machine - bought it 2 months ago. I have had birt bikes and 4 wheelers

Not everyone has had a chance to ride a Birt bilke either (LOL, it happens to me all the time).

[chris56]

I think following - if you speak with a newcomer - don`t tell him to lean left or wright ..all this things
after some (long ?) practice he will find out by himselve what to do... beleive me - was also my mistake with some friends testing my spyder
(can you tell a child how to drive a bycicle)
...but then its much faster than you would ever think
the differnt to the bikes is : you can brake/speed up in the middle of the curve - no biker would be able to do that..
so if you go up a pass with different curves - some ideal for the bikes - some for the spyder - nobody (BMWs/KAWAs..)had ever to wait for me
I drive here on the Austrain/Italian pass-streets where 100edts of bikes are on there way (never seen any other spyder in 5500 mls)
..there is a Rotax-Test-Driver who is definitive faster than the bikes ..
this is another sory
chris

[Greg H.]

Oh no...Spyder in shop for a week? I feel for you, my friend...


Hmmmm...why is he getting whacked in the crotch? Argh!

A week! Crazy, I know. For me, that's a first! And, hopefully, the last time..
The shop had to order the exhaust gasket. Turns out, I was the first one from our dealer to have reported a blown exhaust gasket. But, the replacement came in, and my Spyder has been ready since Wednesday. Tomorrow, it comes home.

[docdoru]

IMHO the cornering speed is different for the SM5 versus SE5

[opticat]

GeminiJane, I think you've summed it up perfectly! It's all about the comfort level.

[Greg H.]

GeminiJane, I think you've summed it up perfectly! It's all about the comfort level.

+1 Absolutely! It's way too easy to get in over your head while cornering. That's what about got me killed back in 1978, and ended my riding until I bought the Spyder.

[0228lisa]

Well it has been very interesting reading all the different approaches to this question. I had the bike out last night and had a blast riding it around the beach. I took it to 100 on the open road with no problem. Leaning on a fast curve definitely helps. It's only my third day of ownership and I am finally starting to feel like this machine might be able to perform. My problem is that I am somewhat of a daredevil always wanting to do too much, too fast, too soon so hearing everyone's comfort level on here gave me a level of trust before I even backed her out of the garage. Thanks to all of you who are continuing with me on my Spyder journey ......first on negotiating a price and now learning the in's and out's of it's street performance "cred".

[Roaddog2]

Be carfull but ride it like you stole it

[bone crusher]

Well it has been very interesting reading all the different approaches to this question. I had the bike out last night and had a blast riding it around the beach. I took it to 100 on the open road with no problem. Leaning on a fast curve definitely helps. It's only my third day of ownership and I am finally starting to feel like this machine might be able to perform. My problem is that I am somewhat of a daredevil always wanting to do too much, too fast, too soon so hearing everyone's comfort level on here gave me a level of trust before I even backed her out of the garage. Thanks to all of you who are continuing with me on my Spyder journey ......first on negotiating a price and now learning the in's and out's of it's street performance "cred".

Your street performance is not as important as the performance of the car coming around a turn when you're on the inside...meaning, drive with passion but be extra aware the harder you ride...too many times we get too comfortable with what we're driving but we forget that others can cause us harm...case in point...a friend of a friend was riding with a group and he was the lead bike (very experienced)...he was going around a decent turn on the inside when a car coming around clipped his lane (to the inside) and took him out...almost killed him...needless to say, 2 riders behind dropped their bikes before everyone could properly assess and get out of the way...they had broken bones and were considerably hurt as well...

[trikester]

Because I'm always switching between my Spyder and one of the TWTrikes I built (see profile photo) I probably take the curves slower in the Spyder than I otherwise would. However, I do take them faster in the Spyder than on one of my TWTrikes.

The dual-sport trikes I built are much lighter than the Spyder with a narrower track between the front wheels, they don't have a VSS system, and they raise a front wheel much easier in a turn. Therefore, I can't allow myself to forget which trike I'm riding when on the pavement. Of course if I'm dirt riding then it is automatically the TWTrike, no problem getting them mixed up there.

The beauty of a "front wheel trike" is that you can always bring a wheel down by cutting throttle or braking. Try that on a "rear wheel trike"! Ouch!

[Firefly]

IMHO the cornering speed is different for the SM5 versus SE5

Is that because of the automatic downshifting?

They should have made that so it can be shut off.

While I'm typically too bush watching the road to really look at my speed, I've noticed that most times I can take the curves at twice the posted limit with no problem at all.

[The_Spyderwoman]

0228lisa!! Hope you are having a safe blast riding on the beach!! I have a certain "twistie" on my way to/from work and I am definately taking it 20/30mph faster now than when I first took it. This has been a very interesting post you started!!



sorry I just had to.

[M2Wild]

I have the twisty right by my house. Been taking it at or under the speed limit. Not going to push it until I get real comfortable. Seen waaaaay too many accidents there over the years.

[mike3069]

..there is a Rotax-Test-Driver who is definitive faster than the bikes ..
this is another sory
chris

Hi Chris

That Rotax Test Driver.

Is his last name Zimmerman?

Mike Murphy

[Pete Denzer]

Rider skill and guts are huge factors. But do the math: A heavy cruiser with limited ground clearance and power will not do turns as well as a vehicle which has no ground clearance issues and is lighter and more powerful, giving it better braking going into turns and better acceleration coming out, as well as the traction of larger tires and ability to handle rough and loose surfaces safely.

The Spyder could use better brakes though they are not awful; my wife drove the Spyder to town tonight with me riding pillion and she agrees. A vehicle that runs that fast two-up deserves better stoppers, maybe a thorough bleeding would help, though it's a dealer-only job as BUDDS must be used.

On the other hand, a fully-faired 175 hp 400 lb two-wheeler with race replica tires and brakes on a reasonably smooth road will outrun anything on three wheels and 'most anything on four.

Car & Driver magazine has done comparo tests on racetracks between the hottest sports cars and middlin' hot sport bikes -- the bikes occasionally turn faster lap times, kick ass in the quarter mile and brake tests, and surprisingly are better on the skid pad. Some of the cars get to higher top-end speeds, but they take a longer time to do it. Has to do with hp to drag coefficient ratio, I think.

I'd like to see a similar test pitting a Spyder against a factory big-twin Moto-Trike or Lehman, a Boss Hoss trike with a 400 hp V-8, and a couple of hot two- and four-wheelers thrown into the mix. Now THAT would be a race!

Mainstream press, are you listening?

[chascarpenter1]

Get lots of practice and when trying to hotrod it through the twisties make sure you go with a riding partner who knows the road.