Anyone going back and forth from their Spyder to a motorcycle?

[Blueslover1]

I'm 73 and about to purchase my first Spyder so I can safely and confidently keep riding with my wife. However, I don't want to stop riding a motorcycle solo quite yet. I understand that there is a certain learning curve to transition to a Spyder, but I'm concerned about getting back on my motorcycle and my brain/body being confused. Anyone have any experience with this scenario?

 

[mecsw500]

Yes, the are unique. One steers by counter steering, the other like a regular vehicle but with handlebars instead of a steering wheel.

The Spyder is very different and takes a fair while to get used to unless you are used to old snowmobiles or sitting inline OHVs.

I've ridden both. You don't unlearn a motorcycle like you don't unlearn a motorcycle by driving a car.

I recommend taking the BRP 3 wheel training course, usually discounted to $99 if you buy a Spyder. You can also take it in advance as they will lend a Spyder or Ryker to you for the two day course. I cannot recommend the course highly enough and it will probably give you a 3 wheel license if you need it in your state. You are never too old to learn, or even relearn, old tricks.

I've given up two wheels now, but hopping backwards and forwards between the two even after the winter layover was never a problem. The only issue I can see is that the Spyder on performs like a quick car. Depending upon which motorcycle you have twisting the grip might make things happen rather more quickly.

Five minutes on the Spyder reminds you everything works off a brake pedal and there's no front brake lever on a Spyder but that was never a problem after I learned it wasn't there on the Spyder.

I thought I'd keep riding my motorcycle forever. After a while, the Spyder was enough fun and the motorcycles sat gathering dust, so I sold them.

 

[dpetrick]

I ride both a Spyder and two wheel motorcycles. Have no issues going back and forth between them. I went to a smaller bike, Royal Enfield Scram 411 and a Honda XR150L. I sometimes ride all of them in a day. I am 76.

 

[Bfromla]

Both & more if I have the space in the stable (garage). Additionally, the MPG might mess with you. Double check the gauge & trip meters accordingly. Have done & heard more comments bout trying to grab the clutch (or front brake) that ain’t there & having a moment of sorts. Don’t necessarily have to have additional rain gear - just don’t forget it on the one you're not riding. Conveniently for me, both bikes use the same oil. I use a helmet mounted headset for music & comms. The GPS is easier on the Spyder, altho thankfully not a requirement for most outings. I do find it fun to revisit locations on both.

 

[Donbmw]

I go between my wife's Spyder to two wheels and a sidecar rig.

 

[Dakotaz]

Ride both. VTX 1800 and Spyder RTL. I do catch myself trying to shift gears like one bike when I am actually on the other. It all comes back rather quickly.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Like others have said, it's not really an 'unlearn/relearn' thing, it's more of a 'learn another way to have fun/enjoy the ride' thing.

I swap the number of wheels I'm piloting frequently, not even restricting myself to just 2 or 3 wheels, I regularly run 6, 8,10, 18, or more wheels, even occasionally up to as many as 66 or so, +8 spares (altho I must admit, my road train driving days are mainly historical now, and tend to be more 'hysterical' than anything else these days; and I'm not all that keen on riding on just ONE wheel, altho the Grandkids think it's great fun to watch me make a fool of myself that way; and right at this moment, with my right foot in a splint since yesterday, but not due to any one-wheel riding, I'm on stoppage of them all for at least a week or two! )

I'd say that riding a Spyder is more like riding a snow-mobile or a jet-ski than riding a motorbike, but again, as others have said, once you come to grips with it and start really enjoying the ride, there's no more to swapping from your Spyder to a 2-wheeler than there is between swapping from your car to your bike, trike, jet-ski, or snow-mobile! The hum an brain is a wonderful thing, and even when it's been blasted into submission more'n once, if you work at it hard enough, there's a good chance the in-built neuro-plasticity will kick in to let you do a whole lotta things the medical world deemed impossible until it was done!! And just between you'n me, swapping between a Spyder and a 2-wheeler isn't anywhere near as hard as learning to walk again!

Mind you, in a 4 or more wheeler, I still occasionally find myself reaching for another gear or double de-clutching when I don't have one &/or need to; but funnily enough, after the first few weeks of Spyder riding, I haven't reached for the front brake or the clutch on one since, and I've never forgotten to use them on a 2-wheeler either... Go figure?!

 

[Bangorbob]

Yes, I go between my spyder and Harley. Only ride Harley maybe once a month. It takes the itch away.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

Yes, I have a F3 Limited and my slow Triumph Rocket GT. I mostly ride the Rocket now since I got her and the F3 is collecting dust in the garage.

 

[Albec]

I'm also on two and three wheels.

As others have said, you don't unlearn your two wheeled riding skills just because you're riding/driving something else.

On two wheels, muscle memory takes over for me. I bought my Spyder in 2024 and I still find myself reaching for the clutch lever.

Here's my two wheeled beauty.

2008 Kawasaki ZG1400A

 

[troop]

I ride both. The Spyder is my tourer/cooler weather machine and my Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen is my local blast around/hot weather machine. No issues confusing the controls. It was an occasional issue between my past F3S and H-D bagger though.

 

[blacklightning]

I go from a BMW K1600B to F3L to a RTL. I find it more difficult to go from the F3 to the RT because the buttons are similar on the left side, but do different things. I get the parking brake and the volume mixed up between the 2.

 

[BajaRon]

Easily done. Your muscle memory kicks in and I don't know that it is a problem for anyone.

 

[RayBJ]

I ride both depending on weather or distance. I have no problems jumping from one to other. It's automatic.
I do find me occasionally reaching for handlebar levers on the Spyder though.

 

[BajaRon]

I ride both depending on weather or distance. I have no problems jumping from one to other. It's automatic.
I do find me occasionally reaching for handlebar levers on the Spyder though.

One reason I put a hand brake on my Spyder, so I didn't lose the hand brake reflex when riding 2 wheels. Comes in very handy on the Spyder.

 

[RogerC60]

I just turned 70, and I ride both 2 and 3 wheels on a fairly regular basis. I bought the Spyder a couple of years ago when a spine problem made it impossible to ride my R1150RT any more. Now that the spine problem is fixed I am back on the Beemer. My wife won't ride on the Beemer with me, but she will ride on the Spyder.

Like others have said, I had a learning curve on the Spyder (mostly reaching for the non-existent front brake lever and holding the grips too tightly). Now that I am comfortable on the Spyder, I found that I have not lost any of the muscle memory for riding the Beemer. I just need to take a few seconds at the beginning of each ride to mentally shift gears, so to speak, to calibrate myself to whatever steed I happen to be riding.