Only to someone looking for an argument.
I ride a 2012 RTSE5. Skid plate. And I'll be adding the handle bar riser and running boards soon. Those are the only functional mods to my trike. The riser is being added in part to make it easier for me to stay light on the controls. I'm tall. All other customization of my Spyder is cosmetic. I even removed 2 after-market cup holders when I bought it and I run factory spec tires. I don't "recommend" ANY performance modifications as some sort of base line that assumes the trikes are deficient from the factory. Mods are customizations, not improvements. In other words, a specific mod may be an improvement for YOU, but undesirable to the next rider.
I do not disagree that a laser alignment, upgraded sway bar, or different tires/tire pressure won't make incremental changes to the handling of the trike. That would be a ridiculous assertion. Whether or not these changes are desirable to a given rider is subjective. But they are equally ridiculous recommendations to a newbie who just rode one home from the dealership. In my world, you make activity modifications first. If that doesn't get you where you want to be, then you might need to make equipment modifications. Further, I am well aware...as almost all of us are...that the "lighten up on the handlebars and push with the outside foot" thing is counter-intuitive to people who have ridden bicycles and motorcycles a lot and almost always yields significant positive results. For many people, this change in technique results in confident control of the Spyder and they can forego sway bar and tire upgrades. This truth doesn't sell gear, which means less ad revenue and fewer "festivals." Doesn't mean it isn't TRUE. Just means it isn't POPULAR.
In my opinion, 9 in 10 people prefer to spend $$$ to swap gear ad nauseum instead of admitting that they may be doing something the wrong way and retrain themselves. I see it all the time in every sport I've ever coached: shooting, hunting, fishing, martial arts, running, paddle sports, sailing, tennis, golf...same-same.
No matter how expensive your mouth guard is, it is still going to hurt when you get punched in the mouth...especially if you keep your mouth open, lead with your jaw, or tilt your head back reflexively as the blow lands. So I don't keep selling people progressively more expensive mouth guards or head gear. Instead, I teach them to close their mouth and breathe through their nose, tuck the chin, and side-slip the attack aimed at their noggin. I teach them to avoid getting socked in the mouth. I don't encourage beginners to wear heavy duty head gear when sparring, because it makes one lazy about protecting one's head and doesn't allow you to use your vision and hearing fully in close combat.
I teach people to cast a $100 fly rod well before I ever suggest they might get a BIT better performance from a $500 fly rod. Why? Simple: if you don't get the bio-mechanics right, it won't matter how much you spend on gear. This is true with EVERY physical skill known to mankind. A more accurate rifle and better optics won't make you shoot better unless you are already an excellent marksman. And I am keenly aware that 9 of 10 people disagree with me on this.
If Holly doesn't get it under control after a few weeks and decides to spend some money on mods, I'm all for it. I hope she buys from site sponsors and pays to have the work done at an authorized dealership. But I've gotten quite a few PMs and had a number of in person conversations where a new Spyder owner thanked me (even bought me an adult beverage once) for explaining to them that the Spyder has to be ridden like an ATV (4 wheeler) or Snowmobile, not like a motorcycle. 100% of my customizations have been purchased from site sponsors.
