Help

[uneasyrider]

Morning all, I am new to spyders and am a passenger on top of that, I am very use to riding two up on two wheels, but this one stumps me. Anyone have any tips? I don't want to cause trouble with control because I am not doing something right, I've watched the little cd thing, I know about leaning into the turns, it's the leaning that gets me, that thing wants to sling you the other way.

I've figured out that going into a right curve, pushing down with the left leg and pulling down with the right arm helps me to lean that way. I know I won't ride without a back rest, I feel like I am going to be thrown off the bike at take off, don't know if that is me, the bike or the driver..

Anyone have tips?

just call me

uneasy

[frank3]

There are LOTS of posts about the learning curve when going from 2 wheels to the Spyder. Key tips are to relax, lighten your grip on the bars. The Spyder is very much like a 4 wheeler. Think of it as a finely tuned sports car. Experience will provide you with the confidence needed to enjoy and not fight the handeling. After you have some miles under your belt, you'll find yourself easily able to keep up with most of the 2 wheelers. The Spyder has soooo many advoidance controls, it'll keep you from making too many serious mistakes. Get on a parking lot, alone, and try some really agressive turns. Experience, Experience

[fleegeds]

& .

I only drive but my room mate has ridden and has these observations (my wife has not riden yet, she is pregnant). 1st it does not mater what he does the Spyder drives just fine whether he leans or not so I suggest not worrying about changing the driving dynamics. 2nd he said the same about take off's and stopping. I tried to make it easier for him to ride but no mater how slowly I started out he had a hard time hanging on. They make foot rest extensions http://store.spyder.brp.com/product/...peg_Extensions I beleive this will make it easier to hold on with your legs and the back rest will make take-off's better. I hope this helps some. Good luck.

[dltang]

I don't normally have a passenger and have only been a passenger a handful of times on the Spyder but it has also been without a backrest. Here are my observations. If your driver leans, try to lean with the driver, you have it right by holding the handrail and pressing on the footpeg at the same time for stability. For takeoffs, I always lean real far forward first, knowing there could be a little throwback. I hope all this helps and of course the not so practical, yet obvious answer to your dilemma is this: Get your own Spyder and be the driver...

[Bob Denman]

First of all; it's GREAT that you asked!
The advice given: relax, lean to the inside of the turn, lean with the opeator... are all good and I'm sure that in no time you'll be "finding your space"!

[bruiser]

However, the RTS has a backrest , my wife loves it. I know, that's cold.

[MouthPiece]

However, the RTS has a backrest , my wife loves it. I know, that's cold.

That was a question I was gonna ask. Are you riding on an RS or an RT? The RT is the "touring bike" for spyders. It has a backrest.
I have an RT.

I personally think that riding as a passenger on a spyder requires more participation than a two wheeler. I say that because the person operating the spyder may make a sudden turn, albiet a jerk or something similar. If you as the passenger aren't paying attention to what is going on, I personally think you're in deep do do.

I'll make a caveat to what I just said. If you are holding onto the handle grips at all times (firmly), then you can avoid a "possible" catastrophy, but who wants to hold onto those grips firmly all the time?

Consequently, I had armrests installed. Those armrests will prevent the passenger from being "slung" off the seat. This installation has lent to a much more enjoyable ride by my wife.

Hope this helps.

Chris PE# 0004

[bullant12]

&

If you can handle 2 wheels, this is a breeze!! Like user Frank mentioned, take it to a parking lot and practice. Then get on the road and feel the moves.

[SpyderDuck]

All I do is lean my body enough to fight centrifugal force and keep my butt on the bike

[AntelopeSpyder]

Before we purchased our Spyder we test drove a (stock) RS. My wide didn't like it at all! The aggressive posture of leaning forward did not work for us. We found someone that had a Corbin seat and bags and tried it out. The posture was more upright and this worked very well. So after we bought our RS my wife didn’t ride it until I changed the seat. There are lot of options for seats out there and some are sponsors of this web site. In my opinion the stock seat dose not lend itself to a comfortable ride for the passenger.

We went on a 650 mile ride this last weekend and were very comfortable.

[JJW SpyderRider]

I told my wife to look over my shoulder when I turn. Left shoulder on left turns, etc. This way I control how far she needs to lean. If I feel the turn is sharp I lean a little extra and so does she. This is her first time on any M/C and she follows these rules, with the required backrest IMO, and feels very comfortable. I've offered to get the arm rests but she did not think she needed them. So lean like you are doing but let the driver help dictate how much.

You may also need some of that saddle cream to help keep your butt in place.

[ARtraveler]

In my opinion, both Bob Denman and SpyderDuck have answered your question. For me, leaning is not necessary, but I do lean into the turn just to work with the G forces. Light control on the handlebars makes the more responsive to you and it does not seem like you are fighting the bike. My learning curve was about 500 miles since I had driven two wheelers for over 40 years. My spouse--(new to riding) only took about 250 miles--since there was nothing to unlearn. Keep at it and practice on some quiet or slow roads to build up confidence.

[FANG]

[QUOTE=JJW SpyderRider;303748]I told my wife to look over my shoulder when I turn. Left shoulder on left turns, etc. This way I control how far she needs to lean. If I feel the turn is sharp I lean a little extra and so does she.

[SpyderWolf]

Where are you located in SC? Perhaps we could get together and you could check out some of the mods my wife and I have done to our Spyders. You can also see if you are going to like the BRP back rest before you decide to buy one, or go with another option like the Corbin seats.

[fispyder]

I live in upstate SC The people that have ridden with me I tell them to lean the same way I do when I do. I have a RT so the passager on it has a back rest also alot of the time they don't hold the hand grips. One of the mods I'm planning on doing is arm rest. I would think that a RS it would be harder on the passager

[Oldmanzues]

I told my wife to look over my shoulder when I turn. Left shoulder on left turns, etc. This way I control how far she needs to lean. If I feel the turn is sharp I lean a little extra and so does she. This is her first time on any M/C and she follows these rules, with the required backrest IMO, and feels very comfortable. I've offered to get the arm rests but she did not think she needed them. So lean like you are doing but let the driver help dictate how much.

You may also need some of that saddle cream to help keep your butt in place.

I have not ridden much with a passenger in the last several years. I do remember telling passengers to pretend you like the rider and look over his shoulder in the turns.
Oldmanzues

[uneasyrider]

All for your help, I do appreciate it, maybe the arm rests are the way to go, not sure if ours is a RS or RT, hubby said something about it being a roadster. It has Corbin goodies, top box/back rest, saddlebags, etc.

I'll keep trying to be a good passenger..lol.., but I know when the arm goes numb from the fingers to the shoulder, something isn't right.

Some one suggested getting my own, have thought about that, hubby keeps trying to talk me into my own.

I do truly appreciate all of your suggestions, I knew this would be the place to turn for help.

[SpyderWolf]

All for your help, I do appreciate it, maybe the arm rests are the way to go, not sure if ours is a RS or RT, hubby said something about it being a roadster. It has Corbin goodies, top box/back rest, saddlebags, etc.

I'll keep trying to be a good passenger..lol.., but I know when the arm goes numb from the fingers to the shoulder, something isn't right.

Some one suggested getting my own, have thought about that, hubby keeps trying to talk me into my own.

I do truly appreciate all of your suggestions, I knew this would be the place to turn for help.

If you have luggage compartments on the sides and in the back, then it is an RT model. If not then it is the sport edition, which is called the RS. If you look at the pictures in my signature block, those are both RS models.

I only had mine for 1 month before we ended up buying my wife her own. We have had some great times so far, and are looking forward to many more. Heading to Spyderfest in a few weeks to join everyone else in the big celebration.

[Spyder Cat]

I only had mine for 1 month before we ended up buying my wife her own.

Same thing happened to us one year ago. A month after we bought the RT, that little red RS followed us home. Two of the best decisions we ever made. the next best decisions were to upgrade to Corbin seats on both.

We just put Corbin arm rests on the RT and really love them.
I'm the passenger on the few occasions when we've ridden 2 up on the RS, and I always use the backrest..... just makes me feel more secure . . .

Hope you find a comfortable solution that works for you Uneasy.

[sabunim5]

I find the passenger ride on the spyder to be a more active ride compared to a two wheel m/c, but that makes it more fun for me. It takes some getting used to and it does feel like the bike is trying to throw you off, and paying attention is more important as a quick move when you are unaware can really throw you out of the stirrups. I think your instincts are right, turning in a right curve lean into the turn and push against the opposite foot. In addition, I would recommend that you shift your hips to the left, actually move over a little on the seat, and lean right and forward. I do grab a good deal on the hand holds, and at the end of a days ride I can feel my forearms. I have foot peg extensions and am on the tall side, and I consider a backrest essential for safety and comfort. Hope this helps a bit, but as others mentioned, it gets easier with practice.