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FRED RAU SPYDER CONTRADICTION?

understand perfectly what you are trying to say, other than the part about fred contradicting the spyder is in my mind and my words. you see, why this affected me so much is because when i sold my ultra classic and started shopping for a new bike i watched EVERY SINGLE you tube video fred rau did on the spyder. over and over actually. i wish i knew how people include the link because i would attach it here. on the fred rau spyder rt webcast part 1 he , in his own words not mine, clearly states "the spyder rt is the PERFECT TOURING MACHINE". just seems to me that if you write a book and call it THE MOTORCYCLE TOURING BIBLE" you would include the " PERFECT TOURING MACHINE" as a choice among the others. to counter the folks that are going to say the spyder isnt a motorcycle fred also clearly calls it a motorcycle several times in the same broadcast. again, not a huge deal i had just put so much merritt into what he taught me about the spyder by his webcasts i couldn't believe it was never mentioned in his book. didn't think that was fair to the folks like me that he convinced to buy it to begin with. i still like fred, and the book is a good one, but still dissapointed. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv9vCrLenj4[/ame]
 
fordguyupnorth said:
i think using the " the spyder isn't a motorcycle" line is a cop out though. who is going to use the spyder? motorcyclists! what will they do with it? the same thing they did when they had other brands of motorcycles!
Click to expand...

I made that comment tongue in cheek, but I have to disagree about who is going to use the Spyder. I never bought a motorcycle before. Never had an interest in a motorcycle. Still don't. Well, maybe a little, but not much.
The Spyder to me is kind of like Apples' Macintosh in the '80'S.
The line on their ads was "A computer for the rest of us". Basically a computer for people that didn't want to learn how to run Basic, or windows OS, but wanted something that was intuitive and helped them do their job.
The Spyder opens the door to many people (like me) that don't want to necessarily deal with ryding a two wheel motorcycle and contend w/ rain, gravel, laying down a bike, and other issues but get the rush of ryding in the open air and feeling much safer than they would otherwise.
With the Spyder, BRP has opened the doors to a whole new spectrum of people that have never ridden and to those who used to ride but don't feel safe about it anymore.


......Over 17k miles now on my Spyder and lovin'lt!


arntufun said:
The only book I ever read is my wifes bank book !!! :roflblack::2thumbs::roflblack:
Click to expand...
That has GOT to be depressing.:joke:
 
and wouldn't it be nice if someone wrote a book about motorcycle touring with a spyder! think of all it would do for the folks like you that never thought they could ride.:yes:
 
Thank you for the update on the book. I ordered a copy after hearing about it last week. I am going to read carefully to see what vibes I get about Spyders. I wont get into the bike, motorcycle, trike stuff. I call mine all of these depending on the mood of the moment. Semantics really don't matter though--it is what it is, and I like it anyway.
I am a subscriber of MCN and enjoy all the articles and reviews. They tell it like it is--because they are not beholden to any sponsers.
Everyone knows you take a chance when buying the "newest" of anything. Sometimes it works out good, sometimes not. I'm happy with the three Spyders (2008, 2009, 2010) I have owned, have no buyers remorse, and have not had any major glitches or complaints with any of them. (I also have 50,000 plus--but combined miles on Spyders).
Someone should write a book on touring with the Spyder------hmmmmmmmmmmmm! Thanks for spilling the beans on my idea. Always a day late and a $ short. Was going to send Rider magazine a pictorial and article on our trip to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and Skagway, Alaska last August. Guess what, I didn't--but a couple issues later they had an article about the same trip done by someone else.
:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:
 
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fordguyupnorth said:
understand perfectly what you are trying to say, other than the part about fred contradicting the spyder is in my mind and my words. you see, why this affected me so much is because when i sold my ultra classic and started shopping for a new bike i watched EVERY SINGLE you tube video fred rau did on the spyder. over and over actually. i wish i knew how people include the link because i would attach it here. on the fred rau spyder rt webcast part 1 he , in his own words not mine, clearly states "the spyder rt is the PERFECT TOURING MACHINE". just seems to me that if you write a book and call it THE MOTORCYCLE TOURING BIBLE" you would include the " PERFECT TOURING MACHINE" as a choice among the others. to counter the folks that are going to say the spyder isnt a motorcycle fred also clearly calls it a motorcycle several times in the same broadcast. again, not a huge deal i had just put so much merritt into what he taught me about the spyder by his webcasts i couldn't believe it was never mentioned in his book. didn't think that was fair to the folks like me that he convinced to buy it to begin with. i still like fred, and the book is a good one, but still dissapointed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv9vCrLenj4
Click to expand...

I guess I don't see why you're putting so much weight in what someone else (no matter how well respected in the industry) says or does?

Obviously the 'perfect' touring 'machine' or 'motorcycle' is going to vary greatly from one person to another. I've watched many of the 'Fred' videos and blogs and agree with most of his opinions on the Spyder --- but not all of them.

Take it for what it is -- his OPINION.... which we are all subject to change from time to time..... and I'll bet his has changed greatly since spending the last year or more on a Spyder--- most likely AFTER he wrote the book.
 
fordguyupnorth said:
and wouldn't it be nice if someone wrote a book about motorcycle touring with a spyder! think of all it would do for the folks like you that never thought they could ride.:yes:
Click to expand...
My good friend Dudley and his wife Jennifer made a 13,000 loop of the US back in 08 or 09 and printed many pictures and stories here and Bob "Recluze" Naquin did the same back in 08 prior to owners rally in Hollywierd. They can be found on the BRP website and I believe some of his pictures are on SL. I found his stories and pictures very insightful IMHO.
 
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Fred Rau is an author, among other things. He makes part of his living by selling the things he writes, including his book. Like any book, it has a target audience...which is conventional motorcyclist, in this case. I am quite sure that category does not include us. :D The omission of the Spyder is not likely a condemnation...or a contradiction. It is done to cut to the chase to reach his target audience. I love hotrods and dragsters. If I were writing a book about Spyders, I certaqinly would not include hotrods or dragsters. It could confuse the Spyder owners. :D

You cannot read a book for what is not there, but rather for what information it contains, that applies to you. We all know that touring range is a shortcoming for touring on a Spyder. The book reinforces that knowledge. We also know that its comfort and storage capacity are big advantages when touring. The book confirms that thought, too. All these things apply equally to conventional motorcycles and Spyders. Some rides shine more in one area, and other machines in different ones. I doubt the BMW riders were disappointed because the Goldwing was used as a point of reference sometimes. They know how to compare the stated features for themselves. Think of Fred's comments as a yardstick, by which we measure our chosen rides. More importantly, think of the books content as "food for thought", not "marching orders".
 
nancy's toy i think your confused. i agree, the bmw owners weren't disappointed with much of what fred wrote about the goldwings because HE WROTE ABOUT THEM BOTH! fred never mentions a spyder at all. zero. the book does NOT confirm that the spyder has comfort and storage capacity because its NOT in there. everyone keeps using this excuse that a spyder is not a motorcycle so a book about motorcycle touring shouldn't include anything about a spyder. let me ask you this......if a spyder is not a motorcycle......and not intended for a motorcycle audience.....then why the heck get a world renowned MOTORCYCLE EXPERT....to drive one around for 50,000 miles??? and show it off???? why not get a zoo keeper,,,,or a nascar driver......come on. spyder's opened up the segment for many who could not normally enjoy a motorcycle.. but they are a motorcycle!!:gaah:
 
fordguyupnorth said:
nancy's toy i think your confused. i agree, the bmw owners weren't disappointed with much of what fred wrote about the goldwings because HE WROTE ABOUT THEM BOTH! fred never mentions a spyder at all. zero. the book does NOT confirm that the spyder has comfort and storage capacity because its NOT in there. everyone keeps using this excuse that a spyder is not a motorcycle so a book about motorcycle touring shouldn't include anything about a spyder. let me ask you this......if a spyder is not a motorcycle......and not intended for a motorcycle audience.....then why the heck get a world renowned MOTORCYCLE EXPERT....to drive one around for 50,000 miles??? and show it off???? why not get a zoo keeper,,,,or a nascar driver......come on. spyder's opened up the segment for many who could not normally enjoy a motorcycle.. but they are a motorcycle!!:gaah:
Click to expand...

If the book was published in 2010, it had been in the works for quite some time before that-- at LEAST a year---- and we know Fred has been on the RT 5 group for the past year or so.

The timeline says it all --- the RT most likely wasn't even available when the book was written.

One could easily make the argument he didn't include solar powered spaceships in his book of touring machines too.... :roflblack:!
:bdh:
 
fordguyupnorth said:
nancy's toy i think your confused. i agree, the bmw owners weren't disappointed with much of what fred wrote about the goldwings because HE WROTE ABOUT THEM BOTH! fred never mentions a spyder at all. zero. the book does NOT confirm that the spyder has comfort and storage capacity because its NOT in there. everyone keeps using this excuse that a spyder is not a motorcycle so a book about motorcycle touring shouldn't include anything about a spyder. let me ask you this......if a spyder is not a motorcycle......and not intended for a motorcycle audience.....then why the heck get a world renowned MOTORCYCLE EXPERT....to drive one around for 50,000 miles??? and show it off???? why not get a zoo keeper,,,,or a nascar driver......come on. spyder's opened up the segment for many who could not normally enjoy a motorcycle.. but they are a motorcycle!!:gaah:
Click to expand...

Not everyone is using my first comment about it not being a motorcycle-
I made it cuz I always wanted to use that flogged horse !
:bdh::bdh::bdh: :roflblack:
I think Scotty's take on the issue was the best.

But I do want to congratulate you- Fred is probably getting a chuckle on this thread and knows what extra chapter is going into his second edtion!nojoke
 
yeah no kidding, at least i did something positive huh! actually this became more than i intended. :opps: i just thought it was strange that the spyder wasn't in the book. guess when you get bit by the "spyder bug" you take everything personal huh! at least we are passionate!
 
:roflblack:
Firefly said:
If the book was published in 2010, it had been in the works for quite some time before that-- at LEAST a year---- and we know Fred has been on the RT 5 group for the past year or so.

The timeline says it all --- the RT most likely wasn't even available when the book was written.

One could easily make the argument he didn't include solar powered spaceships in his book of touring machines too.... :roflblack:!
:bdh:
Click to expand...

Bowie as Ziggy in the 70s was a touring machine...I don't think he smoked crack at least not the kind referenced here, but he did arrive in a spaceship with some spyders from mars. This I believe was made mention of in chapter 9 - Strange Trip.
 
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