DGoebel
Well-known member
And he's already bought a Spyder and likes it, check his June 22 thread
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?113827-New-Owner
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?113827-New-Owner
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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
Spyder Insyder
New member
Spyder is Really Different
Yes it is different, but not that hard to get used to. I think it is important to mentally prepare yourself before ryding any three wheeled vehicle. I have over 50 years of motorcycle riding, consisting of probably half a million miles plus on everything from a Honda S-90 to Harley Road Kings to Several Goldwings. Last year I bought a Ural sidecar outfit, and before riding it, I asked a lot of questions of the previous owner. He warned me about STEERING and not leaning or counter steering. He also warned me about the "pendulum" effect associated with sidecars. Accelerating causes it to veer right, and decelerating causes it to veer left. After about an hour of talking to him I got on and rode home without incident because I was mentally prepared when I did experience these issues. When I got the Spyder, it was a piece of cake. although it does require direct steering like the Ural, it handles much better.
Although I still own and ride 4 motorcycles, I have been exploring the world of three wheeled vehicles because I no longer feel confident on a 800 plus pound 2 wheeler with the wife and luggage at slow speeds in heavy traffic.
My advice would be to give it a chance. Take a Spyder riding course, and practice in an open safe environment.
Best of luck and enjoy.
Yes it is different, but not that hard to get used to. I think it is important to mentally prepare yourself before ryding any three wheeled vehicle. I have over 50 years of motorcycle riding, consisting of probably half a million miles plus on everything from a Honda S-90 to Harley Road Kings to Several Goldwings. Last year I bought a Ural sidecar outfit, and before riding it, I asked a lot of questions of the previous owner. He warned me about STEERING and not leaning or counter steering. He also warned me about the "pendulum" effect associated with sidecars. Accelerating causes it to veer right, and decelerating causes it to veer left. After about an hour of talking to him I got on and rode home without incident because I was mentally prepared when I did experience these issues. When I got the Spyder, it was a piece of cake. although it does require direct steering like the Ural, it handles much better.
Although I still own and ride 4 motorcycles, I have been exploring the world of three wheeled vehicles because I no longer feel confident on a 800 plus pound 2 wheeler with the wife and luggage at slow speeds in heavy traffic.
My advice would be to give it a chance. Take a Spyder riding course, and practice in an open safe environment.
Best of luck and enjoy.
Big F
New member
LOL
I've got a 4-wheeler with hand brakes I ride at my lake home and always catch myself grabbing for the same when I'm on my Spyder???? and just the opposite looking for a foot brake on the 4-wheeler???
BIG F
Docster
New member
Many of us have had years on 2 wheels. With the right mindset it can be done. Couple hundred miles for everything but concentrate on the basics mentioned to get started
Tanshanomi
New member
We all hear this a lot from motorcyclists. Try replying by asking, "So, tell me—how well could you control a two-wheeler after your first ride across a parking lot or one block down the street?"
It's curious how often the "two-wheels-good" people malign the Spyder for being "training wheels" and requiring no skill to ride — but then get disgusted when they discover that it does actually have a learning curve and does take a certain set of skills to ride.
It's curious how often the "two-wheels-good" people malign the Spyder for being "training wheels" and requiring no skill to ride — but then get disgusted when they discover that it does actually have a learning curve and does take a certain set of skills to ride.
Bob Denman
New member
If he did get a Spyder: good on him! :clap::thumbup:
But I suppose we'd all like to hear how's he's adapting to it...
But I suppose we'd all like to hear how's he's adapting to it...
rodentrancher
New member
Yep, sorry, started new thread to talk about that and neglected to post again in this one.
Went to one of those BRP-sponsored "Learn to Ride a Spyder" classes and spent some hours on a training range where I didn't have to worry about being crushed by traffic. Made all the difference.
Bought the same 2017 RT that almost got the best of me during the demo test ride (the dealer got a 2018 in for a new demo, gave me a good deal on the "old" one). Have put about 2500 miles on it so far, like it quite a bit. Have found the various usual quirks and minor hassles most people note, and getting them sorted out, but overall quite happy on three wheels.
Airborne Engineer
New member
New ryder here too
Trust me, you will learn. I have had my 2017 RT-S for less then a week. I too was constantly grabbing for clutch and break. I have almost 200 miles on it now and am MUCH more comfortable on it. It's the turns that I am still getting used to. 90 degrees aren't bad, highway long slow turns aren't bad, it's the ones in between that are killing me. I am still struggling with the "relax and ryde" portion, but I'm getting there. Still have to learn you need to lightly slam the side storage doors, twice I have had the orange warning on my dash come on telling me "Hey idiot, your door is open". :roflblack: But I'm getting there. Don't let it beat you. Once you get it, it's a very cool ryde. The other oddity is actually feeling the road. A smooth road is a dream, a patchwork road sucks, you feel the bike moving on every part of it. Not like it's out of control, more like a low sports car feels every patch of asphalt and every dip in the road.
Trust me, you will learn. I have had my 2017 RT-S for less then a week. I too was constantly grabbing for clutch and break. I have almost 200 miles on it now and am MUCH more comfortable on it. It's the turns that I am still getting used to. 90 degrees aren't bad, highway long slow turns aren't bad, it's the ones in between that are killing me. I am still struggling with the "relax and ryde" portion, but I'm getting there. Still have to learn you need to lightly slam the side storage doors, twice I have had the orange warning on my dash come on telling me "Hey idiot, your door is open". :roflblack: But I'm getting there. Don't let it beat you. Once you get it, it's a very cool ryde. The other oddity is actually feeling the road. A smooth road is a dream, a patchwork road sucks, you feel the bike moving on every part of it. Not like it's out of control, more like a low sports car feels every patch of asphalt and every dip in the road.
Bob Denman
New member
Glad to hear that you're both well on the way!! :congrats: :clap: :2thumbs:
vondalyn
New member
me too
It also took me about 1000 miles to "learn". I was having a bit of buyers remorse immediately after getting my RT but my husband kept telling me to just take it out every day and keep trying different roads that I was used to from 2 wheels so that I'd experience the "new" in different situations. I kept at it each day and got through the first 1000 miles in a couple of weeks and after that I was in love and I will never go back to 2 wheels.
It also took me about 1000 miles to "learn". I was having a bit of buyers remorse immediately after getting my RT but my husband kept telling me to just take it out every day and keep trying different roads that I was used to from 2 wheels so that I'd experience the "new" in different situations. I kept at it each day and got through the first 1000 miles in a couple of weeks and after that I was in love and I will never go back to 2 wheels.
SPYDERGUY1
New member
YOU CAN DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!, Most fun ya ever had with your clothes on and legal. Keep trying and take baby steps, just lije when you started on 2 wheels.:yes:
Fat Baxter
Member
What many people don't appreciate is that riding a Spyder is not much different than piloting a sidecar rig. You steer with the handlebars, the machine doesn't lean but you have to lean your body (although a bit more on the sidecar side!), etc. Folks have been riding sidecar rigs ever since motorcycle were invented over 100 years ago. So the "steering with the handlebars" experience is not that unique.
The key difference between a Spyder and a sidecar rig is that, in the Spyder, braking and thrust are symmetrical. In a sidecar rig, the sidecar's mass creates some interesting inertia. Pulling away from a stop, it tends to stay at rest, hence the rig pulls slightly to the right. When braking, the sidecar wants to stay in motion, hence the rig pulls to the left. A seasoned sidecar pilot learns how to accommodate these eccentricities.
Bottom line: Spyder riders are not alone.
The key difference between a Spyder and a sidecar rig is that, in the Spyder, braking and thrust are symmetrical. In a sidecar rig, the sidecar's mass creates some interesting inertia. Pulling away from a stop, it tends to stay at rest, hence the rig pulls slightly to the right. When braking, the sidecar wants to stay in motion, hence the rig pulls to the left. A seasoned sidecar pilot learns how to accommodate these eccentricities.
Bottom line: Spyder riders are not alone.
cruisinTX
Member
I had my first Spyder ride in a parking lot at a lake back in 2015. A friend of mine who once rode Goldwings had switched to the Spyder about three years prior and agreed to let me test ride his as we were looking get one for my wife. She is one of those folks who would probably never be safe on two wheels. She tried to learn to ride bikes but just didn't seem to have the mental attitude to do it properly. We started looking at Spyders about a year after I gave myself my first sport bike for my 60th birthday and she said the next purchase would be her getting a Spyder. Well, my friend brought his Spyder over with his wife on the back and Deb and I followed them over to a big boat parking lost near the local lake where he allowed us to both drive it around that parking lot for about 10 minutes each. I wasn't terribly impressed but she liked it a lot. We then sort of put it on the back burner for a couple of years as I was in the process of getting things in order for retirement. Then in the fall of '17 we took a serious look at them again. I had a deal in the works for a 2014 RT Limited and in the mean time went to a dealer for a test ride. That was on one of the 998s with no aftermarket stabilization. I still was not impressed but we agreed a Spyder would be the best option for her so finished the deal on the 2014 from the individual. The PO brought that machine to my sis-in-law's house in Denton so I would not have to deal with Dallas traffic where he lived. My first truly long ride on a Spyder was 420 miles to get home. I too, found myself wanting to put my feet down and kept grabbing for the front brake that wasn't there. Other than that, no problems except getting used to the response to road variations from having three wheels instead of two. This was all after I had over 430K miles on bikes since 1968. I'm sure you can adapt; it will just take a bit of determination and being fully aware of the differences all the time until the new way of controlling it becomes second nature. I now have ridden the Spyder about 6000 miles and it's no problem at all.
do you lean on 4 wheelers? Do you lean on ski doos? I think you set up false expectations and thought you were riding a motorcycle. If you are of adult age, set up the right expectations and everything else will follow in a week or so.
rodentrancher
New member
The zombie thread that won't go away. I've inadvertently created a monster. Before anyone else tries to bring this back from the dead:
- my questions were politely answered by some of the more helpful board members, back in May
- I am really good at ignoring the less helpful folks, so you might as well spare your keyboard the wear and tear
- taking the Can-Am "Learn to ride a Spyder course" helped immensely
- I have a 2017 RT now and am quite happy with it
Please let this poor abused thread die a humane death now...
- my questions were politely answered by some of the more helpful board members, back in May
- I am really good at ignoring the less helpful folks, so you might as well spare your keyboard the wear and tear
- taking the Can-Am "Learn to ride a Spyder course" helped immensely
- I have a 2017 RT now and am quite happy with it
Please let this poor abused thread die a humane death now...
Jarred
New member
Take 3W course
It it took me about 500 miles to “get it” on the Spyder. I recommend you take a local 3W course, they teach you on a Spyder, how to handle the Spyder...and you save money on insurance (if u haven’t already taken the class for motorcycles). When I took the class there were 4 people who already had a Class M License, they were considering switching to the Spyder. All 4 of them said they were glad they took the course. BRP is subsidizing this class so it will only cost you $125, and I’ve heard some dealers actually refund your $125 fee.
Maybe the Spyder isn’t right for you, but I think taking the class may be your best option.
It it took me about 500 miles to “get it” on the Spyder. I recommend you take a local 3W course, they teach you on a Spyder, how to handle the Spyder...and you save money on insurance (if u haven’t already taken the class for motorcycles). When I took the class there were 4 people who already had a Class M License, they were considering switching to the Spyder. All 4 of them said they were glad they took the course. BRP is subsidizing this class so it will only cost you $125, and I’ve heard some dealers actually refund your $125 fee.
Maybe the Spyder isn’t right for you, but I think taking the class may be your best option.
Shadowkast
New member
Look at the date of the first post, then skip all 4 pages and read the post above you
All will be good. Took me about 50 to 75 miles to figure out how this bike works. The hardest thing I finally go use to was not trying to put my feet down every time I stopped and not reaching for that front brake lever that's not there. But all is good now. Time in the saddle will help a lot Good Luck and Happy Trails:riding:
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