Adventure Model & AWD/3WD

[BonesDT]

So I'm loving my new Spyder!

It's actually much better in turns than I expected. Definitely an exciting ryde and haven't pushed the nanny limits yet.

Spyders get a bad rep, especially from the 2-wheel crowd. I have some thoughts for BRP to help gain some street cred & exploit the benefits of the Spyder. What I think people don't understand is that you can't think of the Spyder as a 2-wheeler with training wheels, it's really a quad/ATV made street legal by removing a wheel so it's not a Car under DOT's definition.

Although it's got quad DNA and looks like a snow mobile, it seems this thing is horrible in snow, rain and gravel. I think they should focus on making an "Adventure" model with knobbier all terrain tires and maybe even AWD. With this kind of setup, it would kill any Adventure/Dirt 2-wheeler. It would also be a fun "rally car". For some reason, when I throw a leg over the Spyder, I get this feeling of power sliding through a dirt turn - unfortunately, that probably wouldn't work too well in realty.

What do you guys think?

 

[Bob Denman]

I believe that this one was bult in Austria...:thumbup:

 

[Dan_Ashley]

Chineese...

 

[sddinnh]

Interesting (both of them). I wonder how well that first one steers on those skinny front tires? Is it turn and ray: ? And how do you disable the nanny. I watched a guy try to run one of these in the snow and it was a disaster

 

[daveinva]

It's been discussed in these parts before, but there are many serious practical challenges that likely preclude ever seeing a dually/off-road Spyder:

1. The Nanny is needed for stability. Any modification/dialing back of the Nanny for alternative surfaces could open up BRP to liability concerns.

Not saying that it *couldn't* be done, but testing would have to be significant (read: costly investment), and the performance differences needed for the dirt versus the street would have to be rider-selectable, again opening up BRP to potential liability headaches the first time some rider tries to run on the street with the Nanny switched to a hypothetical "off road" setting.

2. The Spyder is really big for trail use. Wider than any bike. Not as wide as most quads, of course, but it also lacks the two powered wheels of a quad-- all the weight of a quad with half the motive power.

3. What if you flip a Spyder on a trail? Bikes land on their sides; quads can flip over completely but they're designed to do so. I think of my RS flipping on it's side and pretty much cracking into a thousand pieces. You'd need to ruggedize an "off road" Spyder in a way that will add even more weight and other potential compromises ('tis bad enough shedding heat now with the flimsy tupperware on the Spyder, hate to imagine how they'd adjust for something that can stand up to trail abuse).

But even then, it might not be possible; take a look at your front suspension and try to think of a way to engineer a suspension that can withstand the *entire weight* of the Spyder using your front wheel as a pivot in a flip without bending/snapping the wheel off.

4. No ground clearance in the stock design. Jack up the Spyder to get the clearance, and you have to again adjust the Nanny to compensate, and it might not be possible to any longer make the Spyder street "safe".

5. Belt drive doesn't play well with dirt, rocks and debris.

6. Finally, three wheels = you're guaranteed to hit every bump on the trail. Some people were okay with old three-wheel ATVs, but that was a common complaint from others. Personally, I find the Spyder pretty rough running over *potholes*; I can't imagine three-tracking it over ruts and roots for hours on end.

THAT ALL SAID, I *would* love it if there were ways to at least improve the off-road performance of the Spyder for when you need it. I've ridden more than once on gravel roads, muddy roads, and grass fields, and you basically have to baby the Spyder through those situations. Would be nice if BRP made the Spyder a little friendlier for the not-too-infrequent situations where you have to ride it, if only briefly, past the pavement.

 

[PrairieSpyder]

I've brought this up before. I understand all the reasons it's not likely to happen, but I would love to have an adventure version available. I'm no good on 2 wheels, and I read about and see vids about 2-wheel adventure travel in some cool places. I want to go, but can't ride those kind of bikes (usually an adventure version of a BMW).

Oh well, maybe in my next life I'll get to do that.

 

[sddinnh]

I've brought this up before. I understand all the reasons it's not likely to happen, but I would love to have an adventure version available. I'm no good on 2 wheels, and I read about and see vids about 2-wheel adventure travel in some cool places. I want to go, but can't ride those kind of bikes (usually an adventure version of a BMW).

Oh well, maybe in my next life I'll get to do that.

Other than the fact that most places won't let you drive them on the street, why not just use a quad for off road driving?