Can a Spyder replace a motorcycle?

[arachnomania]

The Spyder did replace one of my bikes and the other one is for sale. It replaced an 1800 Goldwing. Living in Oklahoma crosswinds are common, and after a no fun ride with 30 mile per hour wind, plus gusts, I bought the Spyder. The Goldwing was actually dangerous when passing a truck in high winds, too much surface area I suppose. The Spyder is so low and sooo much more stable I only feel the wind blowing my body and not the Spyder. Besides the wind factor the Spyder is way faster through the turns, easier to ride on ultra slow speed stuff and just plain more fun to ride. The wing had actually become boring at times. The only ride as much fun is my big bore 4 wheeler, which is similiar to riding a Spyder. My wife now wants one so she can get off the back of my rides and her 250 scooter. ( she already does great on mine ).:clap:

 

[Motza]

I love my Spyder, but if your inclined to go roughing it, check this out. http://www.Brudelitech.com
"The Leanster" Watch the Gravel and Snow video, no disrespect to use Spyder owners, just something alittle more off road.

 

[Spyderwoman3]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I feel for you. Had a similar experience when I hit gravel with my 2 wheeler. I was laid up for a while. Then my kids gave me a hard time about getting back on a motorcycle so I gave up the street bike and switched to dirt bikes/ATV's for a few years... until the Spyder. Now I only have the spyder and absolutely love it! My kids quite hassling me about riding and now everyone is happy. Spyderwoman3

 

[arachnomania]

Hey Motza, yea that is a very interesting ride, I like the way it leans, but not sure how it would be on true off road riding, singletracks and quad doubletracks. Saw it when visiting the websites on reverse trikes. Quite a variety of styles and manufacturers, but the Spyder is the only one in "mass" production by a major manufacturer.

 

[Super-G]

Hi all:

I just crashed my motorcycle. 5 broken ribs and a broken collarbone. I should be OK in 5-6 weeks as it's been 3-4 already. I'm thinking of giving up riding for family reasons. Then I heard about the spyder. I have a few questions:

Is a spyder safer than a motorcycle? Is there any known single vehicule accidents, crashes or deaths?

Is it as fun as riding a motorcycle? Does it give you the same satisfaction and feeling of freedom?


Can you use it on gravel roads. Could one use it to go to Alaska and Yukon? Could you go up the Dempster with it?

Thanks for sharing your experience with me.

Hey JB,
Hope you heal well and soon, ribs and collborbone suck. just remember "it only hurts when you laugh" (or cough)
Here is my take on your questions.

Is a spyder safer than a motorcycle? I would say yes. It is larger and more visible to other drivers. I is very stable and super comfortable to ride, single or two up. I think there is a tad less urge to push the limit on one then on a hi CC 2 wheeler.

Is it as fun as riding a motorcycle? Does it give you the same satisfaction and feeling of freedom? Yes definitely still get the sense of freedom and fun? I think I still miss the leaning g-force and super acceleration of my 1400 CC Concourse. Maybe a slightly more sedate version of fun, but fun nometheless.

Can you use it on gravel roads. Could one use it to go to Alaska and Yukon? Could you go up the Dempster with it? Uh. hell yes!! Just got back from a three week adventure from Cali to the Arctic Ocean via the Yukon and the Dempster. My 2025 RT S2S made it with flying colors. If ever there was a test for your question it is the Dempster. Yikes. Would recommend some mods, or takeing the Canyon model instead but, yes, Spidey an do it.

 

[Redbeard]

Hey

@Super-G

Take a peak at the date of the thread you are responding to.

 

[mecsw500]

My Spyders replaced my big touring bikes.

I enjoy it just as much.

I recommend the BRP training course. It helps with getting used to them.

I suspect the accident rate is lower for Spyders, but all the defensive riding you employ with motorcycles, I'd do the same with a Spyder.

One of our posters just lost his Uncle to a crash, so go steady out there as they are all out there to kill you.

 

[rjinaz86323]

Just keep in mind that on gravel roads, there is a danger of the gravel getting stuck on the drive belt and causing damage. There have been reports of this happening.

no different than a Harley. As far as this being an old thread it is still all relevant information.

 

[baxter]

The touring models like the RTL and F3L do not have much clearance to take on the frost heaves and road construction that you will run into going to Alaska, as they do road work in the summer months and the loose gravel can get pretty deep (I made two trips to Alaska on Harleys, so I know). BRP does make a model for off roading that would fit the bill. I just came back from riding to the Northwest Angle of Minnesota, which consists of riding on about 68 miles of loose dusty road. I was on my 2024 F3L Limited. No problem that a 20 minute carwash in Warroad, MN couldn’t fix.

 

[Super-G]

Hey

@Super-G

Take a peak at the date of the thread you are responding to.

Oops missed that, thanks for the heads up

 

[Danvirsse]

If you are in a State that offers a Three-wheel Safety Course, take it. Our State offers it for free and provides a Ryker to take it on. I already had my motorcycle endorsement, but took the class after giving up 2 wheels for health/safety reasons. That class allowed me to experience 3 wheels and decide it was a something I could still do. A week after the class I owned a Ryker, as they can be had used for not that much money. Rode it for 28,000 miles and then moved up to a 2017 F3-T over the winter. Yes, you'll still experience the "freedom" factor.

 

[Bartender]

I, too replaced my Kawasaki Concours with a Spyder RTL and also not because I didn't like or enjoy the Kawasaki, I loved that bike, the last of about 20 motorcycles I have owned and ridden. I sold it not for any reason other than I had been sick with Covid and lacked the leg strength to hold up the Kawasaki. I bought a 2019 RTL and then traded for a 2022 RTL. I enjoy the Can Am and it has replaced the Kawasaki. Is it as much fun as the motorcycle, no but it is safer and gets me out in the wind. The Spyder is a great ride and safer than the two wheeled bikes so I highly recommend it.

 

[Albec]

I, too replaced my Kawasaki Concours with a Spyder RTL and also not because I didn't like or enjoy the Kawasaki, I loved that bike, the last of about 20 motorcycles I have owned and ridden. I sold it not for any reason other than I had been sick with Covid and lacked the leg strength to hold up the Kawasaki. I bought a 2019 RTL and then traded for a 2022 RTL. I enjoy the Can Am and it has replaced the Kawasaki. Is it as much fun as the motorcycle, no but it is safer and gets me out in the wind. The Spyder is a great ride and safer than the two wheeled bikes so I highly recommend it.

A fellow Connie owner! Or a former fellow owner anyways. I still have mine, 2008 ZG1400A. Love that bike!


Can a Spyder replace a motorcycle? That depends. If you're a fiend for the lean (as I am), then no, there's no substitute and no replacing that, that's why I still have my Connie. If you can do without the lean, then maybe.

The two can coexist and you can have both. My wife won't ride with me on the Connie, but she will on the Spyder. She hates it when I lean in corners and the Spyder doesn't lean, so there you go.

 

[pegasus1300]

We have all been bitten by this before, but notice the thread start date is 2008. Also, he stuck around until Oct 2025. Don't know why he left, but I am sure he got a lot of good information over the years and probably gave out a lot too.

 

[vito1943]

At 78 and after two tipovers of my 900 pound plus Honda Goldwing, I traded in the Wing for a new RT. Five years later, I have never regretted the decision for even a moment. At first I thought I would really miss the leaning, so I bought a little Royal Enfield 350 just to stay in the two wheel hobby, but after about a year I sold the Royal Enfield because it was virtually never being ridden. Whenever the weather was right for a ride, I went to the Spyder because I enjoy riding it so much.

I am a former MSF Instructor and in my opinion the Spyder is enormously safer than a two wheeler. Not only because of the inherent stability of three wheels, and especially the "reverse trike" arrangement of the wheels, but for the much larger frontal profile. The single biggest reason for car-motorcycle accidents is when a car/truck turns left in front of the motorcycle, with the driver invariably claiming to not have seen the motorcycle. The Spyder is much, much more visible to oncoming vehicles. In the five years that I have been riding my Spyder, I have not had a single incident of a vehicle turning left dangerously in front of me on the Spyder.

As to riding on gravel, I have had to do so on many occasions. I slow down and have avoided any major issues, although I did get a small piece of gravel embedded in the belt and had to replace the belt a month later. But the ride on gravel was stable and easy, unlike the "holy sh^^" feeling when I was on the Goldwing and the asphalt suddenly turned to gravel.

FWIW, my wife, who has been my passenger for most of the 60 years that we have been married, previously said that the Gold Wing was the most comfortable passenger ride she had ever had. But after being on my Spyder, she said that the Spyder was even better. And in my opinion, the windscreen on the Spyder outperforms ANY windscreen on any bike that I have ever owned.

 

[Columbia]

Can an apple replace a banana?

 

[racoon]

Can an apple replace a banana?

Depends.

Are you wanting to make an Apple pie, or will Banana pudding suffice?