No disagreement on the expense perspective (it is a lot of money if you're uncertain about the overall experience), but I think the Spyder presents a different opportunity for the novice rider. Riding any two wheel bike is going to be harder to learn for a new rider than riding a Spyder, particularly a Spyder with the semi automatic transmission. My wife and I are new to this, and would never have even considered a two wheeler. Aside from the safety aspect, for a newbie there are a lot of variables to juggle with a two wheeler (gas, clutch handle, gear shift, hand brake, foot brake, balance, countersteer, lean), all of which you have to do properly just to stop and go. With the SE Spyder you remove five of those variables right off the top. We were able to pretty much just jump on the bike and go, allowing us to concentrate on being safe riders (watching out for road hazards and cars) without being too distracted with how to operate the bike. I think this is one of the big reasons the Spyder has such appeal to those new to cycling.
:agree:
That's why I was comfortable spending $15K+ on my Spyder even as a near-complete novice. I know that if I had bought a motorcycle, I would NOT have spent as much money on my first (as an adult) bike.
Money aside, of course, the real determinant for me WAS, in fact, safety. Living in a built-up urban area with pothole-filled roads, bad weather and lousy drivers made me very reluctant to pull the trigger on a two-wheeler. I'd certainly never have even considered 990cc on two wheels as my first ride of the modern age, not even close.
Like you said, the Spyder immediately takes multiple variables right off the top, things you have to worry about with two wheels but don't with the Spyder.
That really appealed to me. Not because I'm afraid of motorcycles (as some of the hazing of Spyder critics like to make it :sour
, but because I'd rather not have to worry about all the concerns that come with riding two wheels in a major metropolitan area.
Not having to worry nearly as much, or at all, about potholes, gravel, sand, grooved asphalt, road snakes, metal plates, feet down at stops, slow-speed maneuvers, rear-braking lockups, front-braking spills, emergency braking in straight lines or in curves, and loss of traction in general means I can spend vastly more of my limited attention span on traffic threats around me instead of on the condition of the road in front of me or how my wheels will react underneath me.
Less stress = more fun :doorag:
hyea: :yes:
