"Nice Snowmobile buddy"!

[Mr. Duece]

So yesterday after work I go out for a short local ride. While waiting at a stoplight a guy on a Harley rides up next to me and says "NICE SNOWMOBILE BUDDY". I didn't know whether it was an insult or a compliment. The light turned green I said "Thank You" and rode off. Anyone else ever get interesting comments like that? Just curious.

[zrc]

The raw number of good and bad and confusing comments you get when you drive a spyder is just hard to quantify.

[Bob Denman]

Since it's made by the same folks who make Ski Doo snowmobiles; I'd call it an honest attempt at a compliment.

Since I always rode Polaris, the locals around here have had a ball pointing out to me tht they never thought that they'd see me riding a Ski Doo!
I fooled them though... Started with Ski Doo back in 1967

[effgjamis]

I have had the harley experience as well. However,

I told him it was a Harley and the Mfg production line made a mistake and put the training wheels on the front.

[Bob Denman]

Would that be typical of Harley's quality control?

[Tierhog]

I get the training wheel comment all the time... I follow up with, "You ride?". Then I get the "Uhhhhh no. So I respond with what's up, spouse won't let u? Hasn't failed yet
If Harley guy said that, I'd ask him what size motor is in that thing, followed by... Is it fast? Most HD are slow

[murphybrown]

Yes just last night. I rode Ms Spyder to my granddaughters championship softball game (by the way they won), fellow comes up says that thing looks like a snowmobile with wheels. My answer absolutely. Shared that the first time I sat on Ms Spyder I thought to myself and then said out loud oh my gosh this is like the SkiDoo we had back in the late 60s. It is what it is cause I think it's great... Love our SkiDoos and really love Ms Spyder.
Yesterday was a great day of riding got in about 300 miles then a championship ball game thunder lightning ...got rain gear on ..finished game..rode home in the rain..ahhh life is grand!!

[Huntindawg1962]

Ya, get the "snowmobile with wheels, snowmobile with training wheels, drive it backwards so it looks like a normal trike" comments all the time. Find it is just people's ways of using wit to try to strike up conversation. Also find if I agree with them and move the conversation along you usually find that they think it is "neat" and are not trying to be insulting. Think it is the inherent negative nature in people as a way to start a conversation. Kind of like "if you don't know what someone is saying, be contrary so that you sound informed" - kind of approach.

[Tru-Blue]

Yes Murphybrown I was in that same rain yesterday. Great day of riding for sure! I too get the snowmobile comparison and as the person and I are visiting they always say that the looks cool. A year later it is still strange to have other vehicles speed up next to me on the road/hwy just to take a pic or video.

[Bob Denman]

Once in a while, i'll get the, "What kind of Trike is that?" question.
I sometimes reply with, "Well after the office party was over; the worker came back a bit on the tipsy side, sat down on the bike backwards and just mounted the bars in the wrong place..."

[Huntindawg1962]

Precious moments on the spyder along the same lines as the snowmobile comments -

The other night the wife and I were out riding our two spyders together - we were in a lengthy line at a stationary stop. When we both went through the stop (separately but right after each other) we went past a pickup truck going in the other direction that was also in line at the stop sign - with three younger guys in it (all were about 18-20 years old) - as we went by, all three were in a deep stare at the spyders and two of them literally had their jaws dropped wide open. I mean - all the way open in awe apparently. It is that vision that is burned in ours minds. Both my wife and I saw it and were giggling on the intercoms about it. Apparently the boys had not yet seen a spyder much less two of them riding together out in that part of the country.

[Kratos]

Ya, get the "snowmobile with wheels, snowmobile with training wheels, drive it backwards so it looks like a normal trike" comments all the time. Find it is just people's ways of using wit to try to strike up conversation. Also find if I agree with them and move the conversation along you usually find that they think it is "neat" and are not trying to be insulting. Think it is the inherent negative nature in people as a way to start a conversation. Kind of like "if you don't know what someone is saying, be contrary so that you sound informed" - kind of approach.

Very well put post. Good insight. I find the same thing as well. They start off sounding negative with the snowmobile and training wheel comments, but if you just let the conversation continue, they are highly impressed and you can see it in their eyes. They just don't know how to tell you, because it's hard for them to get away from "tradition" of what's cool.

[ARCTIC]

There actually is a kit that converts a snowmobile to a street legal trike (similar looking to a can-am). http://reversetrike.com/sls.html
The kit costs $6,600 I can't imagine what a Arctic Cat 1100 turbo would be like on wheels without the nanny Throw a simple hijacker box on it and you'd have 225 hp on pump gas and weighing 590 lbs

[Bob Denman]

Are those the ones from up in New England? (I forget exactly where... )

[Germainiac64]

I have had a bunch of 2 wheel riders make the comment about my 3 wheel snowmobile to which I say "Thanks You". Insult or not, I consider it envy on their part.

I am waiting to see some innovative mechanic or engineer come up with a design to add skis to the front wheels and a drive belt for the rear so it can convert to a snowmobile.

[ARCTIC]

I have had a bunch of 2 wheel riders make the comment about my 3 wheel snowmobile to which I say "Thanks You". Insult or not, I consider it envy on their part.

I am waiting to see some innovative mechanic or engineer come up with a design to add skis to the front wheels and a drive belt for the rear so it can convert to a snowmobile.

You mean like this: www.timbersled.com
A spyder on snow would be slow and heavy compared to what I ride in the winter. It would definately be a on-trail only machine and I'm not sure how well the belt driven rear would like snow & ice. You'd be better off buying a 5 year old sled. It'd cost less than a conversion kit and the performance would be superior.

[boborgera]

I got the nice snowmobile a lot, If you take it as an insult, In you mind it will become an insult.
Some People say a lot of things just to start a conversation , Not to insult.
Boy i wish i could take back some of the things iv'e said over the years.
''I do'', Is one that comes to mind.

[harrypottar]

Be really cool to have a seadoo kit

Just like those British amphibious cars in the sixties, always wanted one of those

Harry

[Smokinspyder]

I get a lot of people who dig the spyder and LOVE IT, but then you get the weekend warriors who have no idea about what being a biker is about . Usually I say something in a polite tone that is worded much nicer than saying you people are idiots , just worry about riding we are all on the same field of battle LOL . WHOA that reverse trike kit may be the inspiration for the spyder , if it came out before the spyder did .

[Bob Denman]

Be really cool to have a seadoo kit

Just like those British amphibious cars in the sixties, always wanted one of those

Harry

Be careful; One of those Amphicars sold a couple of years ago at a Barrett-Jackson for well over $100,000!

[Daisyjoe]

The admirers down south can't make the snow mobile comparison so they just say "that is an awesome machine. How fast does it run?" Also hear the phrase "I want to get one of those".

[ARtraveler]

I had the snowmobile comment once from a surly biker type guy. I let it go by saying yes it does look like that, and its made by the people who make SkiDoo. All other comments have been positive.

Negative comments come from negative people--I guess I will let that continue to be their problem.

[mxz600]

Shared that the first time I sat on Ms Spyder I thought to myself and then said out loud oh my gosh this is like the SkiDoo we had back in the late 60s.

Not quite like your old ski-doo. The Spyder rides a lot better and doesn't throw gas in your lap like those machines from the 60's did.

[vtspyder]

I would have asked him "where is your sidecar to hold all the parts that fall off that rattle trap you're riding"?

[boborgera]

Be really cool to have a seadoo kit

Just like those British amphibious cars in the sixties, always wanted one of those

Harry

Made in Germany.