My first drive of a Spyder

[chillirider]

This morning I went and picked up a 08 Spyder RM5 that I purchased. It was about a 50 mile drive home. I am a motorcycle rider so my problem was the first 10 miles I tried to ride it like a motorcycle. I was all over the road because on a 2 wheel you lean to correct your position so I was over compensating with the handlebars. I found out after about 10 miles that that doesn't work. While I was stopped at a traffic light I told myself that so many people enjoy riding these things that I need a new approach. So I took a deep breath and started over. I relaxed, loosened up my grip on the handle bars and what do you know it worked. My advice to any motorcycle riders that want to try out a spyder. All your motorcycle handling technics just throw out the window and start out fresh. You may think I'm crazy but to me it handles like a snow mobile. I guess I can see why because it's basiclly a snowmobile on wheels.

 

[aka1004]

welcomewelcomewelcomewelcome
yes it is different but most pleasurable :thumbup:.

 

[fastfraser]

welcome Yep steers just like a snowmobile or an ATV less the handbrake.

 

[boborgera]

pps:

This morning I went and picked up a 08 Spyder RM5 that I purchased. It was about a 50 mile drive home. I am a motorcycle rider so my problem was the first 10 miles I tried to ride it like a motorcycle. I was all over the road because on a 2 wheel you lean to correct your position so I was over compensating with the handlebars. I found out after about 10 miles that that doesn't work. While I was stopped at a traffic light I told myself that so many people enjoy riding these things that I need a new approach. So I took a deep breath and started over. I relaxed, loosened up my grip on the handle bars and what do you know it worked. My advice to any motorcycle riders that want to try out a spyder. All your motorcycle handling technics just throw out the window and start out fresh. You may think I'm crazy but to me it handles like a snow mobile. I guess I can see why because it's basiclly a snowmobile on wheels.

:congrats:welcomeDid you put your feet down the first time you stopped? After 40 years on 2 wheels that's what i did! pps:
My Son who was following me got a good laugh out of that :roflblack:

 

[Questions]

After 6 weeks of ownership I'm still fighting the urge to put my feet down when stopped. I feel like I'm forgetting to do something.

 

[MarkZ28]

Took me about 10 miles to even get halfway comfortable on it. You have to drive it reverse of a 2 wheeler in the corners, you steer the way you want to go instead of countersteering. I have gone for the front brake lever a few times to but havent put my feet down. Im waiitng for the first time I dont put my feet down on my 09 Busa now, lol.

 

[Smylinacha]

welcome

 

[8LEGS]

welcome

 

[Tom in NM]

and something else you will notice . . . . . .

. . . . though, it has taken me a year to figure it out.

Most motorcycle riders and even a few new riders have a problem getting on and off my Spyder ( I almost always offer them a chance to sit on it ).

Almost without fail, they will keep their foot on the ground and try and swing their other leg over the seat. Usually, when mounting with their foot on the ground, the other will hit the passenger handholds - both getting on and off.

It has always puzzled me, as I point out the foot peg and tell them to put their foot there and then mount. Finally today I realized that you would never mount a motorcycle that way - it could fall over since it only has two wheels and whenever a bike is standing still - you always keep at least one foot on the ground. Even after seeing the three wheels and commenting on how stable it must be, all that experience still over-rides the logic of the situation.

welcome
Enjoy your new Spyder, you have some great fun ahead of you.

Tom

 

[pastorchuck]

:congrats:welcome

 

[you24824]

welcome:congrats:

 

[superfly3]

welcome

 

[Firefly]

This morning I went and picked up a 08 Spyder RM5 that I purchased. It was about a 50 mile drive home. I am a motorcycle rider so my problem was the first 10 miles I tried to ride it like a motorcycle. I was all over the road because on a 2 wheel you lean to correct your position so I was over compensating with the handlebars. I found out after about 10 miles that that doesn't work. While I was stopped at a traffic light I told myself that so many people enjoy riding these things that I need a new approach. So I took a deep breath and started over. I relaxed, loosened up my grip on the handle bars and what do you know it worked. My advice to any motorcycle riders that want to try out a spyder. All your motorcycle handling technics just throw out the window and start out fresh. You may think I'm crazy but to me it handles like a snow mobile. I guess I can see why because it's basiclly a snowmobile on wheels.

welcome

Yup--- you figured out what many took many miles to figure out. Loosen that grip! Any air you catch will move your upper body and transfer to the bars and move you around.

No counter steering either. You find that as you learn to take curves faster.. you'll need to lean in and hang off the inside a bit....

You'll get it!

:congrats:

 

[Mo Lee]

pps:

:congrats:welcomeDid you put your feet down the first time you stopped? After 40 years on 2 wheels that's what i did! pps:
My Son who was following me got a good laugh out of that :roflblack:

The first time I rode mine home I put a foot down everytime I stopped. I try to alternate between 2 and 3 wheels so I stay accustomed to the whole foot thing and have been doing well. However yesterday I rode the Valkyrie to Spyder Fest following Xpeschon on his Spyder and I guess because when we stopped and I was looking at a Spyder in front of me I almost forgot to put my foot down.

 

[groundeffect]

welcome

 

[NancysToy]

. . . . though, it has taken me a year to figure it out.

Most motorcycle riders and even a few new riders have a problem getting on and off my Spyder ( I almost always offer them a chance to sit on it ).

Almost without fail, they will keep their foot on the ground and try and swing their other leg over the seat. Usually, when mounting with their foot on the ground, the other will hit the passenger handholds - both getting on and off.

It has always puzzled me, as I point out the foot peg and tell them to put their foot there and then mount. Finally today I realized that you would never mount a motorcycle that way - it could fall over since it only has two wheels and whenever a bike is standing still - you always keep at least one foot on the ground. Even after seeing the three wheels and commenting on how stable it must be, all that experience still over-rides the logic of the situation.

welcome
Enjoy your new Spyder, you have some great fun ahead of you.

Tom

You are right, Tom. Most people do this, out of habit. I find the practice more prevalent among cruiser riders, who are use to sidestands instead of centerstands. They normally have no other choice. BMW riders, however, seem to be quite used to stepping on a peg first. A BMW on a centerstand is tall enough that it is quite difficult to mount without "putting a foot in the stirrup", so they are used to the the footpeg method. Good observation.

 

[DynamoBT]

:congrats: and welcome

 

[D&J's#2]

chillirider

welcome:2thumbs:

 

[PCBeachBum]

welcome I was with my friend Sam who has an 11 year old chopper and we stopped to get something to eat and a place where a lot of bikers hangout. I was parked on a slight upgrade, so put the parking brake on. One of the HD riders asked what that was? I told him it was the kickstand.

He got down looking under the Spyder while his friends were laughing and finally told him, trikes don't need kickstands Dummy!:roflblack:

 

[SpyderWolf]

welcome Glad to hear you are a quick learner and figured out it was different fairly quickly. :thumbup: