Did it at last - brought home my next Last Bike!

[old Timer]

Speaking of last.....or next last...............Look at what I brought home yesterday afternoon.

A '20 Can Am Spyder F3-L. Found it thru a friend up in Ruidoso, 50 miles up the mountain, 20,000 miles, mint condition. His wife has developed a form of Alzheimer and he does not want to be gone from His Home for more than a few hours. She was his steady riding companion. Headed on up to Ruidoso yesterday at noon on the bike to take a look..........

Road it around up there....Liked it......Called Mz Pam and She said if you can get it for no more than a certain amount, offered $2K less than He was asking. Told him that I would ride my Bike Home, pick up the cash and Mz Pam AKA SWMBO and I would be back in 2 1/2 hours.. Made it back with the Green and Viola my next Last Bike.

Had a great ride to Home, road great, even at 8,000 ft elevation ran like a fine watch cruised at between 60 and 80 on the Hiway, smooth as glass. Comfortable riding it as if been riding a Spyder for years.

Tucked snugly in the shop along with 3 Motorcycles and a Polaris Ranger, amazingly everything fit.....

Truth be known, I have been fascinated with those Can Am's for years. Pam and I did a test ride on one in 2010 as seen in in this pic.

Here is the clincher, when I was around 10 years old in about 1950, I somehow (my parents) bought a used beat up Cushman Truckster from the Cushman Dealer in Downtown Houston. Unbelievable as it sounds in this day and age as we lived way out west of Houston in Spring Branch, an unincorporated section of the greater Houston area. For those that know Houston, Hwy 90 was a 2 lane narrow country road heading West, now it is I 10. I road that thing all over the place out there, would go miles from Home. Don't remember telling Mom where I was going other than "Going to Bobbys" (Best friend to this day) House, almost 2 miles away. I actually wore out two motors in that thing. Top speed of 30 or so.

Picture of one, mine never looked that good as I painted it with a big paint brush. Here is an internet pic of one all painted up. Mine didn't have a lid on the Box or head lights. People would ride in the front Box. I'm thinking that is why I have some sort of comfortable feeling towards the Spyder. When I first road it home down the mountain on the 4 Lane Hiway it was as if I had been riding one forever. Actually, come to think about it, I started riding gas powered motorized motorized reversed trikes (two wheels in front, one in the back) before or at least at about the same time as Gas powered two wheelers. This has never occurred to me until now as when reading Spyderlovers.com, newbys seem to have a hard time but quickly become fully comfortable after several hundred miles.

Amazing as to how different raising Kids today is so different. I seem to remember in looking back that we the polar opposite of the modern Helicopter parent, after school, always only restriction was to be home by dark. Totally unheard of today. We never got in trouble as we seemed to grow up with a strong natural sense of right and wrong.

 

[old Timer]

Check out this Pic, the stock Kenda front tires have just over 20,000 miles (original fronts), ride smooth as glass, up to 85MPH, kind of blows me away. Must be really aligned just right and well balanced.

Here is the rear, 2nd rear. The PO used the Spyder to do touring 90% of the time.

Went thru two lite drizzles on the way down the Mountain, Spyder is Spick and Span now..............

 

[larryd]

speaking of last.....or next last...............look at what i brought home yesterday afternoon.

a '20 can am spyder f3-l. Found it thru a friend up in ruidoso, 50 miles up the mountain, 20,000 miles, mint condition. His wife has developed a form of alzheimer and he does not want to be gone from his home for more than a few hours. She was his steady riding companion. Headed on up to ruidoso yesterday at noon on the bike to take a look..........

Road it around up there....liked it......called mz pam and she said if you can get it for no more than a certain amount, offered $2k less than he was asking. Told him that i would ride my bike home, pick up the cash and mz pam aka swmbo and i would be back in 2 1/2 hours.. Made it back with the green and viola my next last bike.

Had a great ride to home, road great, even at 8,000 ft elevation ran like a fine watch cruised at between 60 and 80 on the hiway, smooth as glass. Comfortable riding it as if been riding a spyder for years.

Tucked snugly in the shop along with 3 motorcycles and a polaris ranger, amazingly everything fit.....

truth be known, i have been fascinated with those can am's for years. Pam and i did a test ride on one in 2010 as seen in in this pic.

here is the clincher, when i was around 10 years old in about 1950, i somehow (my parents) bought a used beat up cushman truckster from the cushman dealer in downtown houston. Unbelievable as it sounds in this day and age as we lived way out west of houston in spring branch, an unincorporated section of the greater houston area. For those that know houston, hwy 90 was a 2 lane narrow country road heading west, now it is i 10. I road that thing all over the place out there, would go miles from home. Don't remember telling mom where i was going other than "going to bobbys" (best friend to this day) house, almost 2 miles away. I actually wore out two motors in that thing. Top speed of 30 or so.

Picture of one, mine never looked that good as i painted it with a big paint brush. Here is an internet pic of one all painted up. Mine didn't have a lid on the box or head lights. People would ride in the front box. I'm thinking that is why i have some sort of comfortable feeling towards the spyder. When i first road it home down the mountain on the 4 lane hiway it was as if i had been riding one forever. Actually, come to think about it, i started riding gas powered motorized motorized reversed trikes (two wheels in front, one in the back) before or at least at about the same time as gas powered two wheelers. This has never occurred to me until now as when reading spyderlovers.com, newbys seem to have a hard time but quickly become fully comfortable after several hundred miles.

Amazing as to how different raising kids today is so different. I seem to remember in looking back that we the polar opposite of the modern helicopter parent, after school, always only restriction was to be home by dark. Totally unheard of today. We never got in trouble as we seemed to grow up with a strong natural sense of right and wrong.

he who dies with the most toys wins...you look to be a finalist

 

[old Timer]

Thanks......But it is a sickness :dontknow:

Just received my full coverage w/comp and collision $500.00 deductible, thru progressive. $307.00 per year. Not as bad as I thought it would be.

The Spyder is a F3 L, still trying to learn how to figure out the controls like the Radio, which I'll never use and all the indicators on the Dash Board??????????

 

[McRuss]

And I made room in MY garage for another scooter (Piaggio BV400) to keep my Vespa company. Ride well Dean, you got a good one!

 

[ARtraveler]

:congrats:

 

[old Timer]

And I made room in MY garage for another scooter (Piaggio BV400) to keep my Vespa company. Ride well Dean, you got a good one!

Thanks Russ, you know ....of course.........I just had to ride up to give your License Plate back. :thumbup: Had a great ride home. Road thru the Mescalaro-Apache Indian reservation over to Cloudcroft and then the 19 miles down to Home. A few pics......The problem with pics is one has to stop to take the pic. Much easier on the Spyder BTW. Elevation at this stop, just under 9,000 ft.
Several observations, a lot more fun than I imagined, much more relaxed when coming to a stop, especially in town, good weather protection, a subtle enhanced feeling of security, smooth, quiet and great performance. Very happy with the Can Am Spyder F3-L.

Thanks Russ for such a great well taken care Spyder.

 

[old Timer]

Here is Russ's 300 Vespa parked next to my shiney new to me Great Can Am Spyder next to the Billy the Kid Museum Earlier today.

 

[Woodaddict]

pics of the spyder OUT IN the WILD are spectacular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! spyder color and scenery great together

 

[Valkrocket]

She's a beauty. :2thumbs:

 

[BamaJohn]

Nice....real Nice!

 

[Pooch]

Old Timer... thanks so much for posting the pics.. CONGRATULATIONS on your new ride!
Used to live in Midland, TX and travelled to Ruidoso area a LOT over the years of 1977-2019... mostly on 2 wheels.
Your pics bring back some good memories.. thanks again..

 

[old Timer]

Thanks Pooch, absolutely love the Texas Hill country, spent every summer of my life 1 mile west of Hunt from birth to College on the south fork of the Guadalupe at the place my Grand Parents built in 1923.

 

[chemist]

old Timer, you're making me tear up with that first picture! I grew up in Alamogordo on Sunrise Ave...I can tell you're in the vicinity. That's a a beautiful new ride--congrats!

 

[old Timer]

Yes chemist, our Home is about a Block west of Scenic Dr in the Granada Hills neighborhood. Cloudcroft is 19 miles from our place.

 

[Isopedella]

Outstanding!

Love that colour and what a find. Immaculate and low miles.

 

[old Timer]

Just returned from a quick ride to pick up his cover for it. Great ride, beautiful day. About 90 here with 10% humidity and a few clouds. 120 round trip.

 

[DarkHelmet]

Said the same thing when i just bought my 2020 Streetglide. Then my wife just bought a 2022 F3-S in Manta Green. I took it for a few spins. I sold one of my Harleys and bought a 2023 F3-S a week ago. think that may be my last bike. Now we're riding them together.

 

[Little Blue]

Nice Spyder Story

....A Wonderful Story about a beautiful Spyder. Enjoy your new to You F3 and many 'Smile Miles'. ....:thumbup:

 

[old Timer]

Hope this is allowed here.

A little riding around on the beauty in the foot hills here.

Taken at about 7,000 ft elevation looking down onto White Sands at about 4,000 ft elevation, our House is at a 4,600 ft elevation. You can barely see White Sands about 50 miles away. It's that white band that is hard to see just below the dim view of the far Mountain Range some 70-80 miles in the distance. BTW, in front of the Spyder, is a Cattle Guard with weeds growing up thru.

Here is a close up of a White Sand Dune with my wife on top. What is gypsum sand made of?
Gypsum - White Sands National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Gypsum is a hydrous, soft sulfate mineral, specifically a calcium sulfate dihydrate, which means it has two molecules of water in its chemical composition. This is seen in its chemical formula is CaSO42H20. It's very lite.