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Spyder is REALLY different - tried test ride, barely made it out of the dealer's lot
- Thread starter rodentrancher
- Start date
cheska
New member
I was selling my sidecar unit (a few years ago) A older BMW cyclist who wanted to try out a 3 wheeler, It was a nightmare. He could not keep the unit on the road. From one ditch to the other side into a ditch. He just couldn't relax and drive the unit in a
straight line. Scared the crap out of me. He decided a small sports car was more in his future. Try again but do a short ride in
a parking lot to get used to all the functions.
I think if you would take sometime on one you would find you would like it. I am like you I have been riding motorcycles since 1955 63 years. I have rode several 100,000 miles.
Here was my first experience.
I purchased a 2015 RT that had 10,200 miles on it. This was the first used motorcycle I have ever purchased. The reason I did not purchase a new one I was not sure I would like a Spyder. I have rode motorcycles long enough that no one has to tell me how to lean what foot to push and all the other twist you have to do to make a turn. Where I purchased it was over 80 miles from my home. I had never test rode one or even set on one until I purchased it. I traded a 2015 Gold Wing F6B for it. I made the deal for it and the Honda dealer started it up for me. He said he did not know anything about Spyders. I left his shop and about three blocks down the street I stop at a red light and just fooling around with it I shut the motor off. Light changed it would not start it was dead. I had traffic backed up. I call the dealer on my cell phone and by the time he got on the phone which was a while. I had shut the switch off. He told me you have to turn the switch on and wait for a little while then push mod button then hold the brake to start it. That was my first experience. It was a windy day and going home it was all over the road and no body showed me how to use the speed control so I rode all way home without the speed control. I knew as many Spyder’s there were on the road and the amount of people purchasing them that it was not right. I read the manual and the first thing I learned how the speed control worked. I started checking tire pressure. One front tire had 8 pounds and the other had 12 pounds and the rear had 18 pounds and not much tread. I aired the tires correctly and put air in the air bag under the seat. I took it for a ride the next day and it sure rode different but I knew they rode better than it did or people would not be buying them. I really enjoy riding now I would not want to go back to two wheels. It is just learning how.
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Highwayman2013
New member
Took me a few hundred miles, now I ride both.
ThreeWheels
Active member
This won't help you, but it adds another view to the mix.
I found the ride on the Spyder to be profoundly different from a two wheel vehicle.
So much different, in fact, that I didn't bring any of those two wheel habits over to the Spyder.
I never tried to counter steer, or lean into the curve.
Well......let me clarify, there were two things I needed to get used to.
The first is the lack of the front brake lever. I would reach for the non-existent lever when trying to stop. It took several hours of saddle time to unlearn that habit.
The second was more difficult to unlearn, and more important.
On two wheels, you generally ride in the left tire track.
If you do that on a Spyder, the left wheel is over the yellow line and in the opposite traffic lane.
The Spyder needs to ride in the middle of the lane. This took me a few weeks before riding in the center of the lane seemed natural.
So, see if you can get access to a Spyder for a few hours. Rent one if you can. Drive around the parking lot until you feel comfortable.
Once you feel completely comfortable with the Spyder...drive it around the parking lot for ANOTHER 30 minutes.
Then, and only then should you take it out on some local back roads with little or no traffic.
As always, my free advice comes with a double your money back guarantee.
I found the ride on the Spyder to be profoundly different from a two wheel vehicle.
So much different, in fact, that I didn't bring any of those two wheel habits over to the Spyder.
I never tried to counter steer, or lean into the curve.
Well......let me clarify, there were two things I needed to get used to.
The first is the lack of the front brake lever. I would reach for the non-existent lever when trying to stop. It took several hours of saddle time to unlearn that habit.
The second was more difficult to unlearn, and more important.
On two wheels, you generally ride in the left tire track.
If you do that on a Spyder, the left wheel is over the yellow line and in the opposite traffic lane.
The Spyder needs to ride in the middle of the lane. This took me a few weeks before riding in the center of the lane seemed natural.
So, see if you can get access to a Spyder for a few hours. Rent one if you can. Drive around the parking lot until you feel comfortable.
Once you feel completely comfortable with the Spyder...drive it around the parking lot for ANOTHER 30 minutes.
Then, and only then should you take it out on some local back roads with little or no traffic.
As always, my free advice comes with a double your money back guarantee.
3 wheeler
Member
Boy are you missing out!
griffontamer
New member
If you think of it as riding a quad or a jetski, all those issues go away! 
BajaRon
Well-known member
Yes, it takes a bit of effort. About 600 miles for me before I really felt like hammering my Spyder. It was a gradual thing. I wasn't a basket case for 600 miles. But I did start out that way.
Some give up too soon and really miss out. I was VERY close to being one of those. If Lamont hadn't shamed me into it, I'd have given up. I am sure glad I did not. It was well worth it.
You have to consciously and constantly think about everything. Just like you did when you first learned to ride 2 wheels. You probably only persevered then because you saw other people making it look so easy and you figured if they could do it, then you could too. (Though I'll bet you had a few doubts as you picked yourself up off the ground a few times on your 1st bicycle).
Think of the handlebars as a steering wheel on a car. Don't try to slip into a groove early on as you'll revert to your 2 wheel muscle memory. Which you've already discovered isn't going to work well.
Once you get the hang of it you'll be flying and smiling and wondering what the big deal was. And you can then easily go from 2 to 3 wheels with no problem.
Good Luck!
Some give up too soon and really miss out. I was VERY close to being one of those. If Lamont hadn't shamed me into it, I'd have given up. I am sure glad I did not. It was well worth it.
You have to consciously and constantly think about everything. Just like you did when you first learned to ride 2 wheels. You probably only persevered then because you saw other people making it look so easy and you figured if they could do it, then you could too. (Though I'll bet you had a few doubts as you picked yourself up off the ground a few times on your 1st bicycle).
Think of the handlebars as a steering wheel on a car. Don't try to slip into a groove early on as you'll revert to your 2 wheel muscle memory. Which you've already discovered isn't going to work well.
Once you get the hang of it you'll be flying and smiling and wondering what the big deal was. And you can then easily go from 2 to 3 wheels with no problem.
Good Luck!
DGoebel
Well-known member
Rodentrancher, You hail from Denver and have never had a chance to drive a sled up there in the mile high back country. Put that on your bucket list too. Riding a spyder is a lot like riding a sled, as others above have said, drive it like a sled. Most of them that I've ridden had no front brake 
, matter of fact, no brake but lettin off the gas! You don't counter steer (and you use lots of body english) to whip it through the twisties. Matter of fact I think I use less body english more steering on the Spyder, and the hooking the inside knee, pushing on the outside peg/floorboard.
I do gotta say getting used to one brake pedal was my longest Spyder transition (that and setting the parking brake when shutting down
pps.
I'm only 60 and only rode cycles since I was 11 or so, mx first, street, crotch rockets, cruisers, even maxi scooters, but the Spyder has been OUTSTANDING since I got one. Sit on it and think snowmobile or go cart with handle bars and you'll get "tuned in" in no time.
The Spyder 3 Wheel class will help your confidence as others have already stated.
, matter of fact, no brake but lettin off the gas! You don't counter steer (and you use lots of body english) to whip it through the twisties. Matter of fact I think I use less body english more steering on the Spyder, and the hooking the inside knee, pushing on the outside peg/floorboard. I do gotta say getting used to one brake pedal was my longest Spyder transition (that and setting the parking brake when shutting down
pps.I'm only 60 and only rode cycles since I was 11 or so, mx first, street, crotch rockets, cruisers, even maxi scooters, but the Spyder has been OUTSTANDING since I got one. Sit on it and think snowmobile or go cart with handle bars and you'll get "tuned in" in no time.
The Spyder 3 Wheel class will help your confidence as others have already stated.
I would say I have ridden two wheels about 100k kilometres, about 62,000 miles. I had been watching the Spyder’s ever since they came out. I went to my first test rides with two tips: drive it like a car and easy on the handlebars. It took me literally just a few minutes to be comfortable, basically as soon as I rode out of the parking lot. It’s all in your mind. Focus and be aware100%.
PaladinLV
New member
After 50 years on two wheels, got a Spyder.
Took all of @ 15 minutes before felt comfortable.
Different strokes for different folks.
AJ
Took all of @ 15 minutes before felt comfortable.
Different strokes for different folks.
AJ
Gator37
New member
I had right at 60 years on two wheels and at first the Spyder seemed foreign to me too, but after sticking with it for a little while i wouldn't go back. It was a matter of I love the wind in the face and all what goes with cycling and the Harley and Goldwing were just getting too heavy to be comfortable with. It's all a state of mind and after a couple of hundred miles I think you will find a Spyder very comfortable.
PrairieSpyder
New member
I've not done the "learn to ride" class so I don't know how much that will help if you can't get comfortable on the Spyder while you're there. So before you do the class, I'd recommend going back to the dealer and test ryde it in their parking lot at slower speeds. Practice right-angle turns, u-turns, weaves, sudden stops, etc. That should help you get ready for the class and for eventual Spyder ownership.
Good luck and :welcome:
Easy Rider
New member
It has been discussed on here extensively......and repeatedly.
Please do some searching for those previous discussions.
I've been on 2 wheels for about 50 years.
It took me 3 test rides to convince myself that I could make the transition.
It has taken me about 7 months and 3000 miles to really say that I am now somewhat comfortable.
It varies by individual....a LOT apparently.
Do some more test rides.
Kiry
New member
The learn to ride class does basics, I do mean very basics from starting up the engine, stopping, reversing, all the way up to doing those roundabout curves in 2nd gear (generally by end of day 1). The idea is to get the driver comfortable hitting the road (or at least kind of comfortable), and hopefully endorsed. At least, that's what they did in WA, the end of the day 2 was the endorsement test. (ps; most found it really easy on a Can-am)
very good point regarding the position of the spyder compared to two wheels. Since we have an F3 with a short windshield it helps as that is my reference point while riding. As I am looking forward and down the road, I keep the top of the windscreen centered in the lane, and it keeps the fronts positioned where they should be. I would say that has been the thing I have to concentrate most on. The actual riding mechanics came pretty easy in my case.
It does take a mental reset and re-learning to ride a Spyder. First time I rode one after 10yrs on two wheelers, I tried to countersteer and almost took out a parked car! Same with grabbing the invisible brake lever. Some folks take to it quickly, others take a bit more time to adapt. Even now, when I've been on two wheels for an extended period I have to take a few miles to reacquaint myself with three wheels. Go slow, take a deep breath and consciously talk yourself through steering that Spyder instead of leaning.
stevencovert
Member
Me too..
I was terrified for 100 miles or so until I relaxed my grip and rested my hands on the handlebars. The white knuckle grip makes the handlebars oscillate on every little bump!! Just relax your palms on the grips and the Spyder knows what to do. As far as total nuubs to the Spyder - my wife has never driven a motorcycle (can barely handle a bicycle:roflblack, she was tooling around 45-50mph in about an hour, no problems whatsoever. There is unlearning to do
Steve
I was terrified for 100 miles or so until I relaxed my grip and rested my hands on the handlebars. The white knuckle grip makes the handlebars oscillate on every little bump!! Just relax your palms on the grips and the Spyder knows what to do. As far as total nuubs to the Spyder - my wife has never driven a motorcycle (can barely handle a bicycle:roflblack
, she was tooling around 45-50mph in about an hour, no problems whatsoever. There is unlearning to do Steve
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