Spyder is REALLY different - tried test ride, barely made it out of the dealer's lot

[rodentrancher]

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.

Actually, moved to Denver four months ago from Virginia. Spent nearly all my life in places where you got snow maybe twice a year, and 4 inches was a huge, world-ending blizzard. So I've some excuse on the no-snowmobile front. I've less excuse about never having been on an ATV. Just never got to it - when I was in my playing-in-the-dirt phase, I just rode dirt bikes.

But I aim to take your advice about getting up to the back country soon!

 

[asp125]

Actually, moved to Denver four months ago from Virginia. Spent nearly all my life in places where you got snow maybe twice a year, and 4 inches was a huge, world-ending blizzard. So I've some excuse on the no-snowmobile front. I've less excuse about never having been on an ATV. Just never got to it - when I was in my playing-in-the-dirt phase, I just rode dirt bikes. But I aim to take your advice about getting up to the back country soon!

Well you're in for a treat. Here, we ride all year around. Even in the dead of winter we sometimes get warm days where the roads are dry. We just plug our bikes in and take them out on those nice days.

 

[foxtail1]

Can't add too much to what everyone else has said, but I switched last summer, after 50,000 miles on 2 wheels (in 12 years). My learning curve was probably about 600 miles. Now, I'm quite comfortable and very happy I made the switch.

One other suggestion would be to put in for one of the Can Am test ride days when they bring a bunch of Spyders to the dealership. They take you through a short training, including a parking lot course of curves and stops, before a ~20 minute group ride. That's really all the training I had– the rest of my help has come from other members of this group, who encouraged me when I was going through the worst adjustment period (probably the first 200 miles were the worst for me).

 

[Flanker]

Go spend some time riding ATVs and snowmobiles: the best training that you can get!! nojoke :thumbup:

Bob beat me to it!

Spyder's really are nothing more than snowmobiles on wheels. Have you ever ridden or driven a snowmobile? If you have; that is the experience/s you need to let surface and follow. Good luck!

 

[BUZZARD II]

I had 50 years of steady MC riding with around 500,000 two wheel miles. I knew going in of the transition problems. Still I felt retarted trying not to run off the side of road. 400 miles in I started to get the hang of it. At 800 I brought my wife along, more two up practice was needed.

Late last May riding to the Home coming I had 3,000+ miles on it. Exiting the Northway for lunch in Lake George I was cut off by a dope texting while driving. With adrenal glands pumping juice out my ears I avoided being killed. I was actually fairly happy because I finally knew I could ride these things. I felt comfortable before, now I felt confident. There's a big difference.

 

[Motorcycledave]

Welcome to the club

Hi Dave here,
Well a few years ago I think 2011 I was t-boned while riding my Honda ST1100
while sitting at a STOP sign " I had just had my knees replaced 8 weeks earlier"
I am a Charter Life member of AMA past President of AMA Dist. 36 and have riden
motorcycles my whole life I am now 76 years old with 62 riding years behind me.
My wife told me "BUDDY" if you want me to ride with you again you better get
something that don't tip over...I said what does that have to do with being run down by
an uninsured DRUNK with no drivers lic. have to do with it... I was sitting still at a Stop Sign.
She said do it...
We shopped around for what was available, even gave though to having my GoldWing
made into a trike, ended up buying a Spyder in Rancho Cordova, CA about 50 miles north
of where we live in Linden, Julie was following me home, I was ALL OVER THE ROAD
scared hell out of myself trying to ride this damn thing home without being killed.
all the way home I was thinking man I just made a BIG expensive mistake.... about half way
home I pulled into a place for coffee and cool my nerves... my wife said QUOTE you are a danger
to yourself and everyone on the road on that thing, no way I am getting on it until you learn how
to ride it. I too was doing all the things you said, trying to counter steer, grabbing for a brake handle
that was not there and NO damn clutch...this thing is nuts...
Will in an effort to save face and not loose money I rode it all the time on back roads with no traffic
until I got the hang of it, You MUST practice and you will get the hang of it, I now have 30K on that one
and it is my long distance ride when going some place far away, I still have motorcycles I ride but only
local short hops 100 miles or so or less.
Have faith you will get the hang of it and grow to enjoy it...
Ride Safe
Dave

A (very nice and helpful) local dealer let me take a 2017 RT for a test ride today. I barely out of the parking lot before having to call it off. Unfortunately, I found that I'm profoundly unsafe riding a Spyder. (Note that I'm not saying the *Spyder* is unsafe, just that *I* can't seem to operate one correctly.)

Apparently the subconscious reflexes and muscle memory from 40 years and 100,000+ miles on two wheels was something I just couldn't suppress. I kept instinctively leaning, countersteering, reaching for the front brake, trying to put my foot down at stops, and all the other things that you do on bikes that you must *not* do on Spyders. I'd keep turning left when I needed to go right, etc....

A Spyder might not be such a good idea for me, after all. Any older, long-term 2-wheel riders who had this problem and could tell me how long it took you to get past this phase? It looks like I'd have to spend an awful lot of time with a Spyder on a vacant lot somewhere - on a road with traffic, I'd be a menace.

 

[crna59]

Take the class it will be $75 well spent.

As as others have said after a few hundred miles you will be a happy ryder. :clap:

I taught a 3-class this past weekend in the morning. Mostly previous 2-wheel riders.

I guess I'm screwed. I also taught a 2-wheel class in the afternoon. It certainly takes a few laps getting your compass re calibrated jumping from one to another!

Take the class....

 

[bikerbillone]

I ride a 2005 GW with Road Smith conversion. Met a friend up in TN, lent me the F3, I instantly rode it about 75 miles in the twisties, no problem, a joy to ride.

 

[Oldmanzues]

New rider

Most people do take some time to get comfortable with a Spyder. i did not, but I was also a ATV Instructor with a lot of time on them. I got my first one at 72 after many, many many miles on two wheels. I kept my two wheel, ST110 for almost three years, however around a thousand the first year, 500 the second and third 50 miles in July. Never have looked back. Goldwing Road Riders have a very good trike course. I highly recommend that as well. Start out in a parking lot with paper cups filled with water as markers. run over them, no problem. Still riding a lot at 82
Good luck and have fun

 

[Nokesy]

switching over

A (very nice and helpful) local dealer let me take a 2017 RT for a test ride today. I barely out of the parking lot before having to call it off. Unfortunately, I found that I'm profoundly unsafe riding a Spyder. (Note that I'm not saying the *Spyder* is unsafe, just that *I* can't seem to operate one correctly.)

Apparently the subconscious reflexes and muscle memory from 40 years and 100,000+ miles on two wheels was something I just couldn't suppress. I kept instinctively leaning, countersteering, reaching for the front brake, trying to put my foot down at stops, and all the other things that you do on bikes that you must *not* do on Spyders. I'd keep turning left when I needed to go right, etc....

A Spyder might not be such a good idea for me, after all. Any older, long-term 2-wheel riders who had this problem and could tell me how long it took you to get past this phase? It looks like I'd have to spend an awful lot of time with a Spyder on a vacant lot somewhere - on a road with traffic, I'd be a menace.

Yes it is a change, I have over 600,000 klm on two wheels and I bought mine spyder and almost killed myself driving it home. I went to the parking lots and followed the course as laid out in the manual, now I am comfortable on both. It just takes time.

 

[spyder_bitten]

Being that you life in Denver buy a snowmobile and learn from that lol. It will have you riding a spyder in no time

 

[Lurker]

A (very nice and helpful) local dealer let me take a 2017 RT for a test ride today. I barely out of the parking lot before having to call it off. Unfortunately, I found that I'm profoundly unsafe riding a Spyder. (Note that I'm not saying the *Spyder* is unsafe, just that *I* can't seem to operate one correctly.)

Apparently the subconscious reflexes and muscle memory from 40 years and 100,000+ miles on two wheels was something I just couldn't suppress. I kept instinctively leaning, countersteering, reaching for the front brake, trying to put my foot down at stops, and all the other things that you do on bikes that you must *not* do on Spyders. I'd keep turning left when I needed to go right, etc....

A Spyder might not be such a good idea for me, after all. Any older, long-term 2-wheel riders who had this problem and could tell me how long it took you to get past this phase? It looks like I'd have to spend an awful lot of time with a Spyder on a vacant lot somewhere - on a road with traffic, I'd be a menace.

Don't feel bad you are not alone!

OK I am involved with motorcycle owners and trikes and the very first question I ask a new tester is " have you ever ridden an ATV or snowmobile?" In general anyone who has will have little to no problems adjusting to a trike. The life long riders who have never ridden any kind of vehicle of this type experience variable degrees of problems ranging from over leaning over corrections and numb hands. My instruction is always the same. First get your feet on the pegs, it can't possibly tip over so keep your feet on the pegs. Also forget it's a motorcycle pretend you are cutting the lawn and simply steer. Do not lean into the corners just stiffen your outboard arm and push on the outside grip stiff armed. This will brace your upper body and at the same time create a neutral feel. And relax, ride one handed and just let the bike do it's thing. You are hyper sensitive and just need to acclimate to the feel of this new machine.
I have had new riders take off like blazes with almost zero adjustment time required and have had some that found it impossible to turn even at 1mph they just drive straight ahead into the curb. It is 100% mental and even with the worst of the worst in time they do come around.

What is amazing to me is 99.9% of all road vehicles on earth do not lean yet there is this kind of difficulty when trying to ride a non-leaning vehicle.

 

[Big F]

A (very nice and helpful) local dealer let me take a 2017 RT for a test ride today. I barely out of the parking lot before having to call it off. Unfortunately, I found that I'm profoundly unsafe riding a Spyder. (Note that I'm not saying the *Spyder* is unsafe, just that *I* can't seem to operate one correctly.)

Apparently the subconscious reflexes and muscle memory from 40 years and 100,000+ miles on two wheels was something I just couldn't suppress. I kept instinctively leaning, countersteering, reaching for the front brake, trying to put my foot down at stops, and all the other things that you do on bikes that you must *not* do on Spyders. I'd keep turning left when I needed to go right, etc....

A Spyder might not be such a good idea for me, after all. Any older, long-term 2-wheel riders who had this problem and could tell me how long it took you to get past this phase? It looks like I'd have to spend an awful lot of time with a Spyder on a vacant lot somewhere - on a road with traffic, I'd be a menace.

don't be a quitter and give up. I along with probably most of the Spyder owners on this blog had the same issues initially. I was very leery on my first voyage down the street. each time out it became easier and now on my 4th Spyder (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018) and many thousands of miles later and feel like a seasoned pro. AND I'm 77 years young!!!! :yes:
BIG F

 

[Docster]

Didnt read through the entire thread but as a prior Harley ride for years I'd recommend a large empty parking lot and a few hours of patience and riding. It really won't take long when you're focused

 

[Easy Rider]

don't be a quitter and give up.

No two people are exactly alike.
While that might be good advice for some, for others it might be a death sentence.

The wording of your suggestion smacks of bullying and intimidation.
NOT GOOD.

 

[Rick H.]

No two people are exactly alike.
While that might be good advice for some, for others it might be a death sentence.

The wording of your suggestion smacks of bullying and intimidation.
NOT GOOD.

Odd, I saw no bullying or intimidation in his post. In order to intimidate there most usually is a threat of some sort which there was none of. Perhaps the implication was not to give up one something that will most likely be quite enjoyable if he keeps at it. touchy-feely times we live in.

Rick H.

 

[NuttyBuckeye]

Parking lot maneuvers! 1200 miles and still learning. So much fun building new muscle memories. Rode today in a mist of rain. Smiles all the way to work.

 

[WA5VHU]

OK folks, listen up and pay attention!

Stay alert!

Didn't anyone here notice that Rodentrancher, the original poster, first posted on 5/31/18 then posted twice more on that day and has been MIA since then?

Obviously Rodentrancher was killed trying to wrestle his tricycle down the road, or was told by his significant other or his mother that he wasn't allowed to get a tricycle, or was just a troll.

All you folks are just continuing to blindly sing to the choir.

And, of course, now you are starting to argue among yourselves.

 

[NuttyBuckeye]

OK folks, listen up and pay attention!

Stay alert!

Didn't anyone here notice that Rodentrancher, the original poster, first posted on 5/31/18 then posted twice more on that day and has been MIA since then?

Obviously Rodentrancher was killed trying to wrestle his tricycle down the road, or was told by his significant other or his mother that he wasn't allowed to get a tricycle, or was just a troll.

All you folks are just continuing to blindly sing to the choir.

And, of course, now you are starting to argue among yourselves.

buzzkill.

 

[asp125]

Nah.. he's still here lurking while we argue amongst ourselves. His profile shows his last login as Yesterday 07:26 AM