Another motorcyclist pondering a Spyder

[dctex]

Hi, folks. Nice forum that you have here. I'm pleasantly surprised by the number of Spyder forums that are around, but this one has a LOT of activity.

So as the title says, I'm pondering the switch from a motorcycle to Spyder.

Just some background - I've been riding motorcycles since 2003. Started on a Ninja 250 and have been on sportbikes ever since. I'm currently on a 2006 Speed Triple. I also rode a trackday on my previous bike, an R6, just last year.

I do enjoy riding, but I now have two kids, and nothing makes you think more about your own mortality than having children. Coincidentally, a local sportbike forum had a thread titled "Do you consider a Can-Am Spyder a motorcycle?" which got me thinking about the Spyder as a safer riding alternative. As has been echoed by others, I'll never put my kids on the back of my Triple, but I'd consider doing short rides with them on the back of a Spyder.

I've read the Lamonster's "Motorcycle vs Spyder" thread and Dragonrider's "Would you buy..." thread that were quite helpful in terms of comparing motorcycles and Spyders, but can anyone else chime in a bit more on the sportbike to Spyder switch?

Since I mentioned track days, has anyone taken their Spyder to the track? Actually, can you take it to the track? I presume that I'd have to take it to a car track day (as opposed to a motorcycle track day)?

I also assume that you are limited to Can-Am dealers for servicing/technical issues, as opposed to local bike shops that have no manufacturer affiliations. Or am I wrong about that?

I use the Triple to commute, short backroad jaunts and longer trips into the mountains. I'd use the Spyder the same way. I'm not thrilled with the Spyder's somewhat limited range re: fuel mileage, but my Speed Triple doesn't have great range either so I could live with it, I suppose.

I'd definitely choose the GS/RS manual models. I prefer a sportbike crouch and shifting manually.

I also note that I'd sell the Triple to get a Spyder, so the "best of both worlds" option will NOT be available to me. Sigh...

At any rate, if anyone could provide some feedback, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JimAlpha]

Treat yourself! It is a great ride.:thumbup:

 

[tofriendscreek]

:welcome: My history and situation are very different but I think your logic is sound. Test drive one and enjoy the rydes of your life. hyea:

 

[bullant12]

First of all, :welcome:

To answer your question:

I also assume that you are limited to Can-Am dealers for servicing/technical issues, as opposed to local bike shops that have no manufacturer affiliations. Or am I wrong about that?

I'm sure others will answer better, but from my standpoint, you are limitted to an extent... meaning that if is something like maintenace and modding, you can pretty much do it your self; the more knowledgeable you get the better. Lots of tuppaware to remove, but thanks to forums like these you can find a lot of answers. But any technical issues, you are pretty much stuck to a Can-am dealer since they have techs that were trained for :spyder2:s. The best recommendation I can give you is to look for a dealer in which you feel at ease with and work with them.

Good luck!!

 

[SpyderWolf]

:welcome:

I know some Spyder owners who participate in "Performance Testing" in a straight line, but am not sure if I have heard of any taking them on a track day yet. :dontknow:

Coming off a sport bike the RS model should fit you well. Of course you will need to consciously remember you cannot countersteer a Spyder or lean it into the turns. These are things that come natural to you right now, and you don't think about them, but you can get over them fairly quickly on the Spyder. It is a totally different ryde, so you need to take it for what it is.

Best advice is if you haven't taken one for a test ryde yet, then find a dealer near you and schedule one. That alone will inform you better than we ever could with words. :thumbup:

 

[COOLMACHINE]

A couple answers.

Welcome DCTex,
I will reply on part of your thread. You're most likely not going to fall over riding a spyder and the Anti-lock brakes and stability are dynamite IMO. I miss that. Not as fast as some sportbikes but 0-60 in 4.5 isn't too shabby either. These are a blast to ride.
The spyder is also very interactive when riding.
If you get a chance to test ride one, a very valuable piece of info is to hold onto the handlebars loosely. The Spyder steering is very sensitive and will go quickly where ever you point it. It will track right on down the road nicely with little input from you.
Of course when you are turning left, it wants to throw your body to the right so that is where some of the interactive part comes into play. If your making a left hand turn, you better be hanging off the bike to the left to counter the roll.
This is also a very good forum to learn anything you want to know about Spydering. Best of luck with your decision.
BTW, you will become an instant "Rock Star" if you get one. Better be ready to talk with people becuase they are going to be surrounding you asking you all kinds of questions. nojoke

 

[canam9]

:welcome::ani29:

 

[DynamoBT]

The truth is that not everyone coming from riding two wheels is real happy with the Spyder right off. It's VERY different from riding a motorcycle!!!

That being said, you can see that a whole lot of us really enjoy it in its own right!! Once you get passed the "no leaning" and figure out that YOU have to lean in order to fully appreciate the "ryde", the Spyder has a personality that is very fun on the roads!!!

Most here think it takes a few hundred miles to really get the hang of the Spyder after riding two wheels. People with no motorcycle experience may actually get comfortable more easily as they have nothing to compare the Spyder to. So, do take a test ryde. Absolutely!! But, don't be surprised if the Spyder feels very weird to you. Don't base your decision to get one on just the one ryde. Try and get on one again. Take is slowly. Let the Spyder roll and enjoy it for what it is. The Y configuration is wonderfully stable. It is opening opportunities for people who have difficulties with two wheel riding. I can take my hubby on the back of it which I sure couldn't do on a regular motorcycle!!!!

So, :welcome: Take the time to really get to know the Spyder and I think you may find it just what you are looking for!!!

 

[StriperKing]

First of all you have found the best Spyder forum no questions asked and the best most kloledgable people anywhere.
I came from the exact background you have but just a lot more years. I always had a sport type bike and sport ATV`s. DO NOT get on a spyder and want it to be your sport bike, it is not. It is however very much like a really high end sport ATV made for the street. My best advice is to test drive one with an open mind and know going in it will not feel like anything you have rode before. I personally think the suspensions are to soft but that can be easily fixed with a few upgrades. If you test drive one keep this in mind. I say this because I know exactly where you are coming from on the sport bike side. Mine is much stiffer now and I love it. The truth is I miss my sport bikes but not near as much as I like my Spyder. I know my wife is as safe as she can be and still feel free. No worries about loose gravel in the corners, farmers grain spilling out of their trucks when they harvest (big deal where I am from), no worries about going down if you hit a dog or raccoon, still not fun but you will see your kids that night. Many posts on here about people hitting deer and walking away. Never heard af anyone being killed hitting one. A local couple was killed in my area on their Harley when they hit a large deer just a couple miles from my house. The Spyder is the only bike I will ever have from here on out. Good luck.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

:welcome:

 

[Bob Denman]

Welcome to the party!! :clap: I addressed some of your concerns at another forum, but these guys here also nailed them down! :thumbup:

 

[coz]

hey troublemaker

your flh is the bomb, you should lower the back 1.5"

 

[Marker]

:welcome: You should test drive a :spyder:Rs . I cannot comment about owning a sportbike vs a :spyder:because my:spyder:is my first.

 

[dctex]

Very helpful, folks. Thank you very much for all of the replies.

Just out of curiosity, if I'm looking at 2008-09 RM5's, are there any common mechanical issues that I need to be aware of? I already read about the steering recall. Are there other things that I'd need to be concerned about when checking out a used bike?

Another question--so I've read that tires last anywhere between 7,500 and 14,000 miles. Is there only OEM available for all three, or are there aftermarket options now?

Thanks again. Hope everyone has a great weekend...riding, of course.

 

[COOLMACHINE]

few other things.

Very helpful, folks. Thank you very much for all of the replies.

Just out of curiosity, if I'm looking at 2008-09 RM5's, are there any common mechanical issues that I need to be aware of? I already read about the steering recall. Are there other things that I'd need to be concerned about when checking out a used bike?

Another question--so I've read that tires last anywhere between 7,500 and 14,000 miles. Is there only OEM available for all three, or are there aftermarket options now?

Thanks again. Hope everyone has a great weekend...riding, of course.

Three other things.
You could find out if the Spyder has all the updates by taking it to a dealership or probably by calling a dealership with the VIN number and they will be able to look it up on their computer system.
Buy one with a warranty because repairs can be quite expensive.
As far as tires go, my stock rear tire lasted 13,000 miles. When I replaced the rear tire, the tire itself cost me like $72 dollars delivered to my door.
Front still looked new with 24,000 miles.

 

[SpyderWolf]

Another question--so I've read that tires last anywhere between 7,500 and 14,000 miles. Is there only OEM available for all three, or are there aftermarket options now?

Thanks again. Hope everyone has a great weekend...riding, of course.

You can put car tires on it if you so desire without any real issues. Many are running a Kumho on the rear, while I am running a BF Goodrich gForce Sport on the back of mine. I was going to also go with car tires on the front when I replaced them, but the dealer had the stock ones at a good price so I just went with those again.

 

[dctex]

Again, thanks for the input, folks. I've already been mining the forum for stuff like the "missing belt guard."

So I'd probably be looking at 2008 or 2009 models. Did BRP get things right the first time, or did those years, particularly the very first year (2008), have any nagging issues that eventually got corrected/worked out in later models?

 

[WackyDan]

Again, thanks for the input, folks. I've already been mining the forum for stuff like the "missing belt guard."

So I'd probably be looking at 2008 or 2009 models. Did BRP get things right the first time, or did those years, particularly the very first year (2008), have any nagging issues that eventually got corrected/worked out in later models?

Generally, any 2008 or 2009 that has had dealer service has had all the unique service bulletins and/or recalls performed as part of it's regular maintenance or has already experienced one of several common issues... and by common, I mean "you heard about it on the internet". The vast majority of Spyder's from 2008 and 2009 are solid machines.

 

[kismaokole]

Again, thanks for the input, folks. I've already been mining the forum for stuff like the "missing belt guard."

So I'd probably be looking at 2008 or 2009 models. Did BRP get things right the first time, or did those years, particularly the very first year (2008), have any nagging issues that eventually got corrected/worked out in later models?

M109R and Spyder rider here. Welcome to the Spyder World. You will get hooked and of course you will get teased by some who are not bitten yet. But..the rest is for you to find out. No regrets this side...just lots of fun. Cheers!

 

[SpyderMeLucky]

I think if you're looking for something that you'll feel safer with toting your children, then I'd choose the :spyder2: in a heartbeat! They will LOVE the ryde and you'll have better peace of mind.

However, the feel you personally get with a two-wheeled bike is NOT the same with this kind of machine. They are two different beasts! After the initial learning, or relearning because the spyder ryde IS different, you'll come to appreciate the difference in each of the motorcycle's offerings.

For me, I can't wait to get on my :spyder2:!! I feel safe, I love the freedom I get, I love the handling. It's an AWESOME experience. Plus, it's very addicting because they are just sooooooooooo much fun to ryde.

But with said, with a two-wheeled motorcycle, you have that feeling of being one with the machine--it's you and your bike. Now before I get flamed for saying that, it's true. Taking curves and leaning into them become second nature. On the spyder, you also learn to take the curves and they become second nature, but it is not the same.

As for the question if the :spyder2: is a motorcycle---I say ABSOLUTELY. hyea:

My only concern for you is that you might be disappointed if you think you’re gonna have the same FEEL. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Same category of food, different taste.

The 08-09 RSs are AWESOME sporty bikes and they do have the ATV feel, though I would NEVER dare treat it like it is one. You would definitely like the RS over the RTs. And I wouldn’t say not to purchase the newer RSs. They have some great new colors and in my opinion, they look sportier and meaner. LOVE it.

This forum is the bomb. Lots of great advice, lots of help, everyone’s welcome, plus it’s an active board. I’m glad you found us!! :welcome: