Got this from a friend of mine and thought it was a interesting read. :doorag:
Thought you might find the email below interesting. It was just sent out to all 50 Districts and 600-plus Chapters of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, officially endorsing the Can-Am Spyders as qualified for safety training and certification within the GWRRA.
This is a large step toward accepting the Spyders and their owners as full members of the largest single-marque motorcycling organization in the world, but I find it particularly interesting that the International Directors of Rider Education gave as their reasoning for investigating the Spyders that...
...many of our members have purchased the Can Am Spyder ...
You might also note that Voyagers, Insta-Trike and Tow-Pac conversions have been specifically excluded from participating.
This is a notable step forward for the Spyder in acceptance by the touring community.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
( Please distribute to all District/Chapters)
Greetings and Happy Holidays,
During the past 7 months, I have been inundated with questions about permitting Can Am Spyders into our GWRRA Trike Courses. Initially, we knew very little about the Can Am Spyder, but in an attempt to serve the members, we began our quest for knowledge of it's stability and operation.
The initial contact we had with the manufacturer, Bombardier Recreational Products of Canada produced very little cooperation in obtaining information of their product. We continued to seek information, going to multiple dealers who Welcomed the inquiries and readily offered us a Spyder to test ride.
During the S.M.S.A. ( State Motorcycle Safety Administrators) conference in Columbus, Ohio, we were able to discuss the Spyder at great length with Cundiff Simmons of the Virginia Rider Education Program. Cundiff is a leader in the Motorcycle Instruction field and highly respected among his peers.
He had brought several of the Spyders with him and conducted demonstrations as to what the machine could do safely, and it's limitations.
At this point we had learned that the Spyder isn't a trike in the "traditional " sense of the word, as it sports two front wheels and a single rear wheel. It does not LEAN!
It has dual (A) arms complimenting a single rear shock. The frame is a "Y" shaped cradle surrounding the 990cc V-twin engine, which is liquid cooled.
Additionally, the computer does compensate when it senses a loss of traction by the Spyder, which lends to increased control.
The "Triangle of Stability" does not appear to be different that a conventional trike. While from initial observation it may appear to be off center, it does not physically move as long as the rider/co-rider maintain a centralized seating position as called for in the TRC course material.
During an Instructors course in Huntsville, Alabama, (2) Can Am Spyders participated in the Trike Class under close supervision of several Master Instructors and a Master Instructor Trainer. Everyone commented as to it's ability to not only complete the Trike Course, but to excel at it.
It should be noted that this testing on the TRC was done under less than favorable weather conditions as it was raining at times very heavily.
The only exercise the Spyder could not complete, is the OPTIONAL exercise, #11 which is the voluntary wheel lift. The computer on the Spyder simply would not allow for the lifting of the wheels.
My interest having been peaked, the next opportunity was to actually test ride a Spyder in St. Petersburg, Florida. The manager of the dealership offered to let me ride one to test, but I don't think he was ready for me to test it so vigorously. With full protective gear, I put the Spyder through tight corners, swerving/evasive maneuvers, emergency braking, and basically tried to "defeat" it's reputation as being stable.
However, my finding was that it is a stable motorcycle having withstood everything I threw at it.
As all of you are aware, we do not take lightly the responsibility of making certain that our Riding Courses are designed with the intent of Rider Safety to the max. Our members look to us with trust, that when GWRRA provides a riding course, it is done with the knowledge that all of the exercises are designed to be very safe.
Our Instructors are trained to provide the ultimate Rider Instruction, with the maximum effort placed on providing a safe educational experience.
With all of this being said, after the testing, gathering of information and consultation with our Instructors, and the Director of GWRRA, I have made a decision as it pertains to admitting Can Am Spyders into the GWRRA Trike Courses.
While many of our members have purchased the Can Am Spyder, it was our responsibility to them, to make certain that any courses provided would be safe and enjoyable. In our associations philosophy of always trying to work for and with the members, I have decided to permit the Can Am Spyder to participate in GWRRA Trike Courses effective January 01, 2011.
Riders and Co-Riders of Can Am Spyders will be subject to the same requirements of all participants of GWRRA Riding Courses. Wearing of Proper Riding Gear at all times will be required.
We are pleased to be able to meet the needs of the members by providing opportunities for safe riding education. The admission of the Can Am Spyder was not made hastily, but only in the sense that we want our members to be as safe as possible on our ranges.
There will be some who now ask about the admission of 4 wheel vehicles such as Voyager Kits, Insta-trikes, and Tow Paks into our courses. These vehicles are unsafe in my opinion, and not able to participate in GWRRA riding courses. Having observed and ridden some of these in testing, I found that by having a moving central drive wheel, with two stagnant outer wheels, the stability of the bike becomes questionable.
They are however, Welcome to take part in Parking Lot Practices to keep their riding skills sharp.
I wish to thank all of our Instructors who have tirelessly worked to provide the information needed to make this decision. Rest assured that all of our members are central to every issue as it relates to Rider Education. A very special Thank You goes to Mike Stiger, Director of GWRRA for his commitment to this issue, and support of the Rider Education Program.
