"Nice Snowmobile buddy"!

[JJW SpyderRider]

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.

I get the stares but no real bad comments or hand gestures for some time now.

I rode to South Barrington last night for dinner with 6 other Spyderlovers. On the way home a car load of 18-21 year olds had their jaws dropped open and were hooting and a hollering about my GS. It seemed they liked it.

[Bob Denman]

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.

You speak "Tillotsen"??

[chisel_maker]

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.

I had the snowmobile comment once, I told him it's set up for the road right now and I like the ski package for snow but the best is the pontoons for water. It left him speechless.

[mastertek2000]

that happened to me i stated back to him snowmobiles don't have tires LOL

[SteveMac]

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.

I have gotten a few of those comments and I agree with you. It all depends on how you handle that "initial moment" on how the rest of the conversation goes. If you get insulted and defensive, it all goes south. However, since we all love our rides, and don't give a rats behind if anyone else does or not,,, I have found that a confident smile and a joke back goes a LONG way to making sure you have a good remainder of the meeting. And it is easy to do, because I do love my Spyder and if they don't, then their loss!!

[Huntindawg1962]

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.

Envy for sure. Hey, I remember when being seen on a HD was not the vogue thing it is today and has been for the last 15 or so years. There was a reputation before Willie G got back in for the bikes to be notoriously unreliable, assembled with hammers (admitted to by a guy working on the line) and needed regular service whether ridden or not. Even more when ridden. The "old reliable" carb models were sometimes anything but!

Here we all are on the bleeding edge of technology asking about things that HD has not even yet considered. Think of how much more is in the spyder than any offered HD.

[steve635]

Down here if you said it was like a snowmobile a likely response would be "What's a snowmobile?" (Snow is the white stuff on the Christmas cards right?). Hard to compare it with my winter ride when it is my winter ride!

[coz]

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.

that was not a compliment. next time, just blow them away. it's easily done. the adrenaiine rush is fun too.

[spydaman60]

you're right, there aren't too many hd's that can do 0 to 60 in under four seconds. at the next stop light, when they finally catch up, you through out the line "what took you so long?"

[Luckyme]

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.

Based on the wording, I believe it was an insult.
However, your reply was perfect. He probably was looking for a smart a** reply. A polite Thank you was in order.
ive not had any of those comments yet. But only been riding a few weeks. Just been nice compliments. Except the one guy in Illinois who commented at the light " I've never seen one of those BMW's with 3 wheels."
duh?

[boborgera]

Except the one guy in Illinois who commented at the light " I've never seen one of those BMW's with 3 wheels."
duh?

BRP BMW, Close enough for the great unwashed to mix them up, Besides BRP Oops BMW has one with 4 wheels running around Europe.

[spyder3]

I had a couple of teeny boppers drive up next to me in a rattling tin can acting like a car....They asked whats that? and laughed.. I said a spyder....then I looked over their "wheels" and said whats that, and i laughed... all in good fun..for me anyway..

[daveinva]

The funny part is that I'd say 95% of the comments I get all start the same way: "How does that thing ride?", to which I nearly always reply, "Like a street-legal snowmobile."

So how can it be an insult if it's true?

[Bob Denman]

If you give them your biggest,goofiest grin with a real hearty, "Thanks!", what can go wrong?

[Slybird]

At last month's Rose City Motorcycle Club's monthly breakfast, I was coming out to get something out of the frunk when a bystander asked if "That was my "tripod thingie"?" Couldn't answer him 'cause I was laughing too hard!

[SteveMac]

If you give them your biggest,goofiest grin with a real hearty, "Thanks!", what can go wrong?

!!!

[Mr. Duece]

Wow I feel much better now everyone. At first I was gonna yell discrimination but figured what good would that do? All kidding aside, I'm pretty easy going and don't get offended easily. I do agree though most comments good or bad are used as an ice breaker to strike up a conversation. Having way too much fun.

[smurfette]

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

Wow, this is up! I knew I had seen a guy at a Lowell, MA Bike Night 2 years ago that was able to change between track and wheels, had no idea about this place!!!

[Bob Denman]

I'd like to see a review of just how a converted snowmobile functions as a streetbike...

[Bob Denman]

Here's at lest a picture of one of the converted sleds...

[boborgera]

Gotta shorten the life of the track and sliders, They need snow for lubrication.
I remember one year in the early 70's no snow but plenty cold, We would run them on our lake, with no snow on top we had to replace the sliders almost every two weeks.

[Bob Denman]

How about a big, fat, chain-driven tire out back?

[Bob Denman]

A bit more about the rear drive...

[GypsyBill]

I have ridden with the same MC off and on since 1989... first on HD's, now on my Spyder... we are a "non-specific-motorcycle-brand" MC so I used to get (friendly) grief from the metric riders in my HD days, but I have yet to get any based on the Spyder (won't get into other grief I get ). I get a lot of questions (all of which have been stated here) ranging from genuine interest to genuinely stupid.. I just answer all with my enthusiasm showing... funny thing is the most veiled grief I get is from "conventional trike" riders in the MC (or otherwise).. not sure why..

Being deep in South Central TX, the snowmobile question/comparison rarely comes up...

[SteveMac]

A bit more about the rear drive...

And the NANNY???