I really, really enjoy riding my Spyder RT. But I must admit that deep down I know it is not a "real" motorcycle. And in some ways that is a very good thing. The stability and comfort of my Spyder far exceeds what I used to feel on the biggest and best motorcycle that I had ever owned, a Honda Goldwing. The lack of anxiety that my wife feels when a passenger on the Spyder is alone enough to make me glad that I went from the Goldwing to the CanAm Spyder RT. But a part of me felt that I needed to still have a two wheeler, i.e., a "real" motorcycle that requires me to lean through curves, and know how to use both hands and both feet simultaneously to pull the clutch in, downshift the gear, and apply both rear and then front brake to come to a safe and rapid stop.
So two years into my Spyder ownership I added a Royal Enfield Hunter 350 to my garage. This little single cylinder traditional motorcycle is a hoot to ride, and at only 400 pounds is not too much for my almost 81 year old body to handle. I've only had this bike a short time, and yesterday I had the chance to take a somewhat "longish" ride, i.e., about 100 miles on one of my favorite routes. I had a good ride, and did get a kick out of only using about one and a quarter gallons of fuel for the entire ride. But at the end of the ride I had to say to myself that the enjoyment level of taking that exact ride on my Spyder was far higher. And I had been far less tired when the ride was over when riding the Spyder.
So while I don't plan on getting rid of this new Royal Enfield anytime soon, I feel that maybe it is time for me to admit to myself that I just like the Spyder so much better than I do a regular two wheel motorcycle. So maybe that means that I need to turn in my "motorcyclist" card and just be happy on 3 wheels.
