Biker looking to 'defect' to Spyder - advice please?

[Questions]

I am looking for advice from current RS Spyder owners..

I am a 50 + biker, currently have a Buell Lightning and a Honda VTR 1000 V Twin sport bike. Looking at a 2008 Spyder RS...but I have read on other threads about dubious handling and this makes me apprehensive regarding a Spyder.

Can current owners please give me feedback? I know the riding dynamics are not like a bike (no counter steering etc) but owners, rather than magazine tester opinions, would be welcomed.

Thanks....

 

[Desert Spyder]

How badly do you like to have fun? This is it!

 

[docdoru]

welcome
It takes 2-400 miles to get use with the Spyder. I have almost 2 years on my RS and 82K miles.

 

[Ghost_Ryder]

I'll be turning 55 this year and I've had my 2009 :spyder2: for over a year. I've been on short trips and a 2800 mile trip with no problems. I've had no steering problems or any other problems that have plagued other :spyder2: owners. Maybe I'm just lucky. I've ridden two-wheeled motorcycles for over a decade and this bike is the most fun I've ever had. It take some getting used to but once you retrain your brain it gives you a lot more confidence in less than ideal riding conditions.

I recommend the :spyder2: completely.

 

[jedd]

welcome Like riding a Ski-Doo in the warm on the smoothest of groomed trails. You Canadians do still call snowmobiling Ski-Dooing Eh?:roflblack:welcome
Jim:thumbup:

 

[YPILOT]

The Spyder handles totally different than a motorcycle. Some bike riders like it, some don't. The Spyder handles more like a four wheeler, the difference being your traveling faster on asphalt instead of dirt. It doesn't lean like a bike so you have to steer it in the direction you want to go. It does have power steering and when on the road your not really cranking the handlebars to get it to turn. If you take to twisty mountain roads you will have to work a little more and that's part of the fun factor. There is a learning curve to get comfortable riding this type of machine. I suggest you test ride one a few times as each time you ride it gets easier. Remember to keep your feet on the pegs as you don't have a hand brake. Shifting your body weight in the corners will help avoid the feeling of being tossed off at higher speeds. Try not to grip the handlebars too tight, just hold on loosely & keep an open mind. Above all else have fun.:doorag:

 

[WackyDan]

I have an 08. First two weeks felt like I was driving a Mazda Miata from it's roof, and after that I settled right in and was riding as fast and taking turns much like any other ride I had.

It is different, but in an equally satisfying way when compared to two wheelers. For touring, you can not find a bike that can hold as much, and handle so good in difficult weather.

As for any complaints you find... Those are in the minority. Vehicles have their quirks. It is fair to say that we probably have seen, and documented every common fix for the Spyder on this forum and others.

 

[aka1004]

i used to be on cbr 600 but spyder is so much more fun at 43 years old.
yes i do miss spliting lanes and excitement of carving the curves but i traded them in for stability and safety but i can honestly say i have more fun on spyder. i am looking to get aftermarket shocks but with just the anti sway bar, it helps a lot. stock spyder suspension is pretty bad for FUN riding but you can not have everything you want on them and still priced reasonable. i do think spyder is very reasonably priced.

i think upgraded suspension is a must if you like to ryde it like a crotch rocket and also more power does not mean much without better suspension. i have traction problem as is.

 

[BajaRon]

What exactly does 'Dubious Handling' mean? The Spyder is one of the best handling vehicles I've ever owned.

However, there was a learning curve for me.

Being a long time 2 wheel rider I hated the Spyder at first. Not everyone with long 2 wheel experience gets this effect but a fair number do.

I had to ride mine for about 50 miles before I felt good about going over 50mph. I don't consider myself a fearful rider but I just couldn't get the hang of this machine. Another few hundred miles and I was FLYING! AWESOME!

The problem was that my body was telling me it was a motorcycle (which it definitlly is not).

A motorcycle requires continuous, small, unconsious adjustments. You don't notice your'e even doing it UNTIL you ride the Spyder.

The Spyder takes every input and gives you instant results. On a motorcycle there is a delay between input and response. Naturally you develop skills that allow you to make an adjustment that takes this time delay into account on 2 wheels.

This definitely DOES NOT WORK on the Spyder.

Once I began to relax and let the Spyder just run I started to have much better results. I only moved the steering when I wanted to actually change direction. Seems stupid to say that as it is a "DUH" moment. But coming off 2 wheels I just had to adapt myself to this new 3 wheeled platform.

I make it sound worse than it actually was. I had always been able to jump on any motorcycle and ride it well before and the fact that I didn't seem to be able to do this with the Spyder frustrated me a bit.

Now I can swap back and forth between my Spyder and my M109R with no problems. They both seem natural to me now.

Bottom line, relax and don't over drive the Spyder. Give it a chance to teach you if you have the same problem I did and you will be a happy camper!

 

[mguin]

I turned 55 in March. My best friend has been riding motorcycles for years. I couldn't get comfortable/confident on 2 wheels. Recently, I can across a great deal on a slightly used '09 SE5. I've put 700+ miles on it in 5+ weeks & my job has kept me away 2 weeks plus one of the weekends. I enjoy it more every time I ride. This Spyder will be with me for a long time.

'09 SE5... Trunk liner, tank bag, fog lights, Can Am custom seat, Yoshimura exhaust, Cal-Sci windshield, Can Am upgrade grips w/ billet handlebar inserts.

More upgrades planned.

GO FOR IT!!!

Bluezr0k'r
Chandler, AZ :doorag:

 

[sandrunr1]

They tell me to get a m/c license so I can ride 2 wheelers with no problem. In Nevada at this time no m/c license required. 15 years ago my wife fell on a Harley. Never got back on. 20 years ago I fell on a Honda. Never got back on. We went to look, and look only at the :spyder2:. When her hand touched the throttle, it got stuck. I couldn't get her to let go till the sold sign was on it. I will never ride a 2 wheeler again. Not because Im afraid but because the :spyder2:is so much more fun. Stable to. Over 1000 miles and not a problem. Love it more every day. :thumbup:

 

[Jester]

Ron,
I knew I was going to like the Spyder but I also had a learning curve and found your remarks are on the money:2thumbs:.

What exactly does 'Dubious Handling' mean? The Spyder is one of the best handling vehicles I've ever owned.

However, there was a learning curve for me.

Being a long time 2 wheel rider I hated the Spyder at first. Not everyone with long 2 wheel experience gets this effect but a fair number do.

I had to ride mine for about 50 miles before I felt good about going over 50mph. I don't consider myself a fearful rider but I just couldn't get the hang of this machine. Another few hundred miles and I was FLYING! AWESOME!

The problem was that my body was telling me it was a motorcycle (which it definitlly is not).

A motorcycle requires continuous, small, unconsious adjustments. You don't notice your'e even doing it UNTIL you ride the Spyder.

The Spyder takes every input and gives you instant results. On a motorcycle there is a delay between input and response. Naturally you develop skills that allow you to make an adjustment that takes this time delay into account on 2 wheels.

This definitely DOES NOT WORK on the Spyder.

Once I began to relax and let the Spyder just run I started to have much better results. I only moved the steering when I wanted to actually change direction. Seems stupid to say that as it is a "DUH" moment. But coming off 2 wheels I just had to adapt myself to this new 3 wheeled platform.

I make it sound worse than it actually was. I had always been able to jump on any motorcycle and ride it well before and the fact that I didn't seem to be able to do this with the Spyder frustrated me a bit.

Now I can swap back and forth between my Spyder and my M109R with no problems. They both seem natural to me now.

Bottom line, relax and don't over drive the Spyder. Give it a chance to teach you if you have the same problem I did and you will be a happy camper!

 

[Jeaux]

I'm coming up fast on being 63.......Had my '08 RS for nearly 2 years, and I love this machine !!
Rode 2-wheelers for many years, and had a bit of an adjustment getting comfortable with the Spyder.......Once that adjustment is made, it's the most stable, safest, and most enjoyable ride you can make !!
The primary adjustment for me was getting comfortable with the way the Spyder corners........."riding on the roof of a Miata" hits it pretty close !!!

You'll love it !!!

 

[boborgera]

:2thumbs:
The handling is sort of like the tail wagging the dog feeling, After a few hundred miles and a lose grip on the bars you wont notice it any more.
I've been riding bikes for 40 years I love the Spyder. But after 2 years /12 thousand miles i still miss the hand brake.
P/S= if you can Handel a Lighting and a VTR the Spyders child's play.:thumbup:

 

[mdminc]

Dive in the water is fine!

 

[Magnum Force]

After reading everyones comments, I guess I mostly agree with YPilots. I would have worded things just about the same. I mostly ride sport touring motorcycles after outgrowing or just getting too old for sport bikes. The 09 SE5 is in the garage mostly for my wife. We travel every year on ATV trips and ride them 60-100 miles a day quite often. My wife and her girlfriend both became very interested in the spyders after many miles piloting their ATV's (can-ams also). I was all for it if for no other reason other than to be able to ride my bike one-up again. They each have 09 SE5's now for about a month and a half and about 1200 miles each. I have logged quite a few miles on my wifes myself and with her as a passenger. I will have to say that they are a blast to ride. If you like ATV'ing, you most certainly will like the Spyder. I do believe though that if you have many miles and yrs on a motorcycle and still can physically handle one, you may still want to stay with 2 wheels. I know, I will get blasted for that one, but as most agree, the spyder is not a motorcycle and does not act like one. About the only thing they have in common is the open air ride. Controls are different, ride is most definitely different. I am not saying a person can not enjoy both as I do, but they are mutually exclusive and comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges. Just like my wife has no interest in ever driving two wheels, converting from a motorcycle to a spyder may not be your cup of tea either.

 

[chillirider]

I own both a Honda Shadow and a 08 GS Spyder. My f:2thumbs:irst time on the Spyder it took me about 30 minutes to get adjusted. Now I switch from my Shadow to the Spyder without any issues. They are both very different animals but I have no problem switching from one to the other. Both are a lot of fun. I got the Spyder so my wife can enjoy what I enjoy so much. I am pretty sure we will be a 2 Spyder and a motorcycle family next year.

 

[murphybrown]

To all you youngsters out there in Spyder land...

70 is just a few moons away and I have always wanted to own a motorcycle. Had ridden many miles as a passenger and loved every minute of it..even the rainstorms with no raingear. Then as a single woman I felt brave enough to buy a Zuma scooter...loved scooting around on that...BUT not enough speed to feel even remotely safe on the highway. Then last year lost confidence in my ability to balance and lift a tipped scooter. And along came the Spyder that needed a ryder and like they say..the rest is history...wonderful, safe and giving many more years to have the wind in my face and the next hill just waiting for me to find out what is on the other side. :2thumbs:

 

[mxz600]

Like riding a Ski-Doo in the warm on the smoothest of groomed trails.

:agree:

I know you must have experience riding a snowmobile. Don't look at it like riding a motorcycle. Look at it like carving up the trails on 600 or larger sled. You have never had this much fun on asphalt. Just doo it, you will not have any regrets. :2thumbs:

 

[Tom in NM]

good advice . . . . .

I am looking for advice from current RS Spyder owners..

I am a 50 + biker, currently have a Buell Lightning and a Honda VTR 1000 V Twin sport bike. Looking at a 2008 Spyder RS...but I have read on other threads about dubious handling and this makes me apprehensive regarding a Spyder.

. . . . given so far. I can only add that if you like "sport" bikes, you may fall deeply in love with the Spyder. You will like the power and the ride. To me, it feels like I am strapped on the hood of a MG-B and if that sounds good to you, you will be hooked.

For me, the handling is just fine, but I do miss the the narrow wheel base of a two wheeler from time to time - remember, the Spyder is about as wide as a Smart Car or a Mini. I have yet to miss the kickstand. I cannot reenforce the advice to take as many test rides as you can if you are unsure. And, don't discount the idea of a SE5 over a SM5 because you are used to a hand-clutch/foot shifting and want something similar to what you are currently riding - the assisted shifting is a pure joy. Test them both.

I hardly ever ride my BMW650 anymore - or drive my Jeep either. I'm 60+ :yikes:, but getting younger by the moment.

Tom