BRP calling Spyders "motorcycles?"

[Bob Denman]

An answer for that:
"As a 'Man of The Cloth'; I'm sure that you realize that we are all finite, and fallible... My God; is a kind and loving God, who forgives my mistakes..."

 

[PatriotRider]

---

to me, it's not a bike (2 wheels), and not a trike (unstable geezer bike). I call mine "my machine".

 

[Deanna777]

Here in Vermont we get a SPECAIL RESTRICTION CARD " Restricted to Riding a Three Wheel motorcycle only" ( Important : must be carried with license/ permit!) with a "M" endorsement on drivers license. Classified as a motorcycle on Registration. Deanna

 

[Bob Denman]

You'll end up with the same "Three wheel only" restriction in New York, if you take your licensing road test on the Trike.

 

[Questions]

Same thing in Illinois

Illinois does has the same. You can get an "M" endorsement for "trikes" only.

John Page.

 

[ARtraveler]

My "motorcycle endorsement" covers the riding of the :spyder2:'s. When I came to Alaska, I was riding big iron.

Akspyderlady took her licensing test on my :ani29:. She ended up with a three wheel motorcycle endorsement.

Alaska calls them "motorcycles." When people ask me "What is that?" I tell them it's a Can Am Spyder. Then I hop on my "bike" and ride off into the sunset.

I think I referred to it as a "Roadster" about two times back in 2008.

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING--YOUR DEFINITIONS MAY VARY :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

 

[Colin]

I have always called mine, my Spyder, and in New Zealand you only need a car licence to ride one and they
are registered as a Car, so annual rego cost is less than 50% of the cost of registering a Motorcycle.
I have car and Motorcycle Licence, but my partner who rides only has a Car Licence, I am wondering if she/we
would be allowed to ride in USA if we ever visited?

 

[Bob Denman]

I'm not 1000% sure about this, since you'd be dealing with riding in another Country... :shocked:
But here in the U.S., we only have to comply with our own State's regulations, and we're good to go across the Country. :thumbup:
It's always suggested to carry a copy of your State's (Or Country's) laws with you... just in case!

 

[Colin]

Thanks Bob

If all the planets align, around about August next year i hope to do an Eagle Riders Tour, from
Seattle up into Canada, then down through to Denver. And keep the Rental Spyder for a few more
days and head to LA via the Grand Canyon.
This was supposed to happen this year, but circumstances didnt allow, but the upside it has given
me more time to save up for it.

 

[Rogue Hawk]

The Spyder has a motor...and it cycles around.

 

[latony007]

i agree is certainly not a "bike" and i as others have said always just call mine the can am or the spyder. Which i noticed has led me to not call my Yamaha a bike either but to just call it the Yamaha

Like new zealand but unlike all 49 other states in California you only need a car license to drive one. i wish that was not the case but our test for M endorsement is not possible on a 3 wheeled machine. They would have to come up with a whole new test and here in CA that would probably mean several million in the toilet and higher than the already ridiculous registration fees we pay.
Side rant: I hate registration fees so much they are such BS. Ok i have no problem giving you $100 for the first time i register a vehicle for the labor to put it in the computer or switch it from the old owner to the new owner. But every year?? All they do is click a box mark paid and it updates, Not to mention we get charges a percent of the value of the vehicle so its just an all around absolute rip off money for nothing government scam. Rant done thanks for letting me vent lol

 

[SL Ken]

i agree is certainly not a "bike" and i as others have said always just call mine the can am or the spyder. Which i noticed has led me to not call my Yamaha a bike either but to just call it the Yamaha

Like new zealand but unlike all 49 other states in California you only need a car license to drive one. i wish that was not the case but our test for M endorsement is not possible on a 3 wheeled machine. They would have to come up with a whole new test and here in CA that would probably mean several million in the toilet and higher than the already ridiculous registration fees we pay.
Side rant: I hate registration fees so much they are such BS. Ok i have no problem giving you $100 for the first time i register a vehicle for the labor to put it in the computer or switch it from the old owner to the new owner. But every year?? All they do is click a box mark paid and it updates, Not to mention we get charges a percent of the value of the vehicle so its just an all around absolute rip off money for nothing government scam. Rant done thanks for letting me vent lol

A slight hijack I guess. Nevada just changed the designation to auto cycle and you just need a car license to ride one. Not a smart idea but?

I also call call mine the Spyder or sometimes bike.

 

[Bob Denman]

If all the planets align, around about August next year i hope to do an Eagle Riders Tour, from
Seattle up into Canada, then down through to Denver. And keep the Rental Spyder for a few more
days and head to LA via the Grand Canyon.
This was supposed to happen this year, but circumstances didnt allow, but the upside it has given
me more time to save up for it.

:congrats: That sounds about like the ride of a lifetime!
(But when you get up into Canada; why not continue all the way to Alaska?
The extra year also gives you some time to research your VERY excellent question! :bowdown:

 

[2RTsGV]

Does that mean .....?

In Washington State we are required to get a 3 wheel endorsement, different then the motorcycle endorsement. but I still call it a motorcycle.

So does this mean that if you have a motorcycle licence (2 wheel) only .. that you cannot ride a spyder?

 

[loisk]

governments confusion

This governmental "confusion" is more than ridiculous, isn't it?

In Australia - Spyder is a "motorcycle" in all states except Victoria where it is registered as a tri-car - but in Vic you must have a m'cycle license and wear m'cycle helmet (even tho it's not officially a motorcycle, go figure)
Toll roads nationwide list the Spyder as a 'motorcycle' (including Victoria), and so do insurers
Licensing - full motorcycle license required except for South Australia which now allows a 'trike only' endorsement to car driving lic. - a great solution.
Learner regulations vary state-to-state eg in Aust Capital Territory (where the politicians hang out) a twin RT is allowable for learning, in all other states except SA you have to get your full 2-wheel lic (which takes three years in Victoria) before you can ride a Spyder.
Registration varies considerably state-to-state, eg Vic is 3 times cost of West Aust.. Our Victorian registration is more like $700 than $100, partly as it includes compulsory accident insurance (covering people, trains etc, not the bike).

HuH ??? So when very keen, potential buyers stop me at the cafe or servo and get all excited, my first answer has to be - which state do you live in? then if it's Victoria and they learn they need to ride 2 wheels for 3 years, dejection follows. A petition has been raised and BRP have been trying (so far unsuccessfully except for South Aust..) to change these rules since 2008...

So threads about whether it should be called a 'motorcycle' or something else only get me even more confused! :duh:

For Australia - what we really need is some STATS to convince our regulators - so we need to prove that countries or states with car lic requirements for the spyder have the same/lower/higher accident ratios than where trike-endorsement or full motorcycle lic rulings apply. BUT the spyder is such a great machine the stats speak for themselves to some extent... Now that Spyders have sold over 100k units, stats will take on some meaning. Anybody any clues on how / where to find these stats??? A question for BRP I believe. :dontknow:

Thanks for reading my rant...

 

[Questions]

Maybe BRP is now calling the Spyder a "motorcycle" to further distinguish it from the Polaris vehicle.. That is definitely NOT a motorcycle. Anything you sit in instead of on is a car, regardless of how may wheels. Same goes for the Morgan 3 wheeler. Cool and all but not a motorcycle.
All that said, I call mine Charlotte.
:spyder2:

 

[Mazo EMS2]

We refer to the Spyder as "the bike"

 

[dlby]

This is kind of funny small talk

Bike
Trike Roadster
Can Am
Motorcycle
My Ride
Wave
Didn't Wave
Iron
American Iron
Rice Burner
On and on-----
Radios & Windshields are for $#% ₩¥ S
Only stupid people ride without them

You didn't wave
I forgot to wave





On and on---

I've had so much fun and met so many great people
Rode off Into the sunrise or Sunset

Fog hat
Skynard
Cash
Zell in

Wind in my face

Wife of 34 years flowing with me

Have Fun!!!!!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

 

[flaggerphil]

In Florida it's considered a three wheeled motorcycle...or trike. You can ride it with a regular motorcycle endorsement (which I do) or you can take a three-wheeled course which includes Spyders, regular trikes and sidecars. With the three wheeled endorsement you can only ride a trike or sidecar rig. That's what my wife has. Personally, I consider it a motorcycle, the same as any other trike on the road.

Between ourselves my wife and I call it "the bike" just because it's easier and that's what we've always called our motorcycles. However, I have people come up to me all the time and say, "Nice bike!"

If I can find some of the ads I've seen where BRP calls it a motorcycle I'll post it.

 

[Bob Denman]

This is kind of funny small talk
Bike
Trike Roadster
Can Am
Motorcycle
My Ride
Wave
Didn't Wave
Iron
American Iron
Rice Burner
On and on-----
Radios & Windshields are for $#% ₩¥ S
Only stupid people ride without them

You didn't wave
I forgot to wave

On and on---

I've had so much fun and met so many great people
Rode off Into the sunrise or Sunset

Fog hat
Skynard
Cash
Zell in

Wind in my face
Wife of 34 years flowing with me
Have Fun!!!!!

:agree: