snowmobile???

[steversssss]

OK, I have had nothing but positive comments on my Spyder so far...Even from Harley guys.....But with some of the comments, I have heard to comparisons to snowmobiles...Now I have never been on a snowmobile(and so far all of the commenters have never been on a Spyder, some on neither one). As never having been on a snowmobile, I think it's safe to assume that they really don't handle the same as 2 skis would not take corners the way the Spyder does...But like I said, there have been no negative comments thrown my way. I have a Harley guy I ride with who bashed these machines BEFORE I came home with one. Now he is thinking in two yrs, he will have one.

 

[PMK]

I would not get too upset over any of it. When people ask, I explain, it is not like riding a motorcycle when cornering, it more like a snowmobile or 4 wheeler. Mainly because it does not lean.

Consider too, since it does not lean per say, you roll up to a stop light and set the brake, no worry about tipping. The passenger can be as clumsy as they wish almost when getting on and it won't tip over.

Myself I don't get worked up over it.

PK

 

[Chupaca]

Here's what you do..!!

test ryde one. This is a creature like no other. I equate it the driving a formula one car on horseback. Anything with three wheels will mention it but not match it. All those after it made it's debute has tried to better it with no luck. All those that bad mouth, insult, critisize it have never been on one. My question is always "have you ryden one..??" this pretty much end it...:thumbup:

 

[stewartj239]

I have heard to comparisons to snowmobiles...

When people ask me about the Spyder and how it rides, I tell them that it is NOT a motorcycle and that is pretty much a snowmobile with wheels. This is NOT a knock on it at all. When my wife and I bought our RT-S last year, we were coming off of 2 wheels and I STRUGGLED with learning how to ride it. After 1500 miles, I told myself to stop trying to ride it like a bike and treat it like a snowmobile and that resolved my issues. I have a wealth of snowmobile experience and that is how I now ride the Spyder. It is very similar.

 

[CANUCK SPYDER]

When people ask me about the Spyder and how it rides, I tell them that it is NOT a motorcycle and that is pretty much a snowmobile with wheels. This is NOT a knock on it at all. When my wife and I bought our RT-S last year, we were coming off of 2 wheels and I STRUGGLED with learning how to ride it. After 1500 miles, I told myself to stop trying to ride it like a bike and treat it like a snowmobile and that resolved my issues. I have a wealth of snowmobile experience and that is how I now ride the Spyder. It is very similar.

I agree with the comparing to a Sled, I have little too none on 2 but lots on sleds and yes similar. But Had a Bom DS 650 QUAD few years back and the Spyder reminds me lots of it just alot faster and of course streetlegal. D

 

[Netminder]

I think it has to do with the look and the Y design factor more then anything! After all Joseph-Armand Bombardier was the inventor of the snowmobile and you can see the similarities to a sled.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph-Armand_Bombardier

 

[Rob Rodriguez]

From a person that has a TON of snowmobile riding experience........

I actually liked and bought a Spyder because it does in fact handle like a snowmobile. it's way more fun than a 2 wheel bike for me. There are some differences but the way you ride the two (for me) are very, very similar. My snowmobile has a more "snap" (or feels like it) than my Spyder. You can't jump a Spyder, you can a snowmobile. You'd be surprised how razor sharp a sled handles on hard pack snow. I suppose a handling difference is......its common and typically expected for a sled to lift a ski during hard cornering.....the Spyder doesn't do that.

The very first Spyder prototypes were built from the REV snowmobile chassis. If you've ever ridden a REV chassis sled then you are instantly at home on the Spyder.

It's probably important to note.....the Spyder is like riding a snowmobile if the snowmobile is within 10 yrs old and has a "rider centered" chassis style. The first sled to have this chassis style was the Ski-Doo REV in 2003 (the chassis the prototype Spyders were built on). It completely changed (and I mean COMPLETELY) the world of snowmobiling. So much so every other snowmobile manufacturer has adopted this type of chassis and riding position. So as long as the person has ridden a newer riding position sled the comment "its like riding a snowmobile" is relevant. If they have only ridden a older riding style snowmobile then yes it's still similar but it's not really the same in my mind. The older chassis sleds are more like sitting on a cruiser bike and the newer riding style sleds are more like sitting on a sport bike. The Spyder (at least the RS anyway) is more like sitting on a sport bike.

 

[Bob Denman]

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

i tell people steers similar to a qaud & rides like a dream

 

[JanieDDD]

Steering looks like a snowmobile

We both grew up on snowmobiles and agree that looking at the steering, it looks and feels like a snowmobile.

 

[Bob Denman]

Hi Janie! :welcome:

 

[kenfromhv]

"This is my street legal Snowmobile"

Have had snowmobiles for over a decade, and wanted something to run the ridges without snow. Thought of a motorcycle several times, but way too dangerous. The Spyder came along, and it was perfect.

Since I did not come from motorcycles, I did not have to "unlearn" anything, and the handling was very natural, and performed better than expected. So any references to a snowmobile, in my opinion is a positive.

 

[Bob Denman]

Were you able to ride your sleds in the Allegheny National Forest?
We went ATVing there; back in July, 2005,and had a BLAST!