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Spyder vs other trikes
- Thread starter txhood
- Start date
Bob Denman
New member
nojoke It wasn't your bike...
Ride your own ride, and get used to what you've got: you'll be waiting for them in no time! :thumbup:
Ride your own ride, and get used to what you've got: you'll be waiting for them in no time! :thumbup:
LoveMyRyde
New member
I also agree with the "ride your own ride" folks. I have only had my Spyder for 3 months and I'm having a blast learning to ride it. Something that helped me a great deal (I read it here at Spyderlovers :thumbup
is to try planting your outside foot on the peg/footboard as you take a turn. It helps to transfer your weight to the inside. This tip made me a lot more confident taking a curve. I hope it helps you too. Have fun and don't try anything just because others are.
is to try planting your outside foot on the peg/footboard as you take a turn. It helps to transfer your weight to the inside. This tip made me a lot more confident taking a curve. I hope it helps you too. Have fun and don't try anything just because others are.
Lew L
Well-known member
Outside foot!!!!
+1
I can't emphasize this enough. The harder you turn, the harder you push down with the o/s foot. (like a snow plow turn in sking). I also bend my inside elbow a bit to help lean in. Much faster with some practice.
Kaos
I also agree with the "ride your own ride" folks. I have only had my Spyder for 3 months and I'm having a blast learning to ride it. Something that helped me a great deal (I read it here at Spyderlovers :thumbup
+1
I can't emphasize this enough. The harder you turn, the harder you push down with the o/s foot. (like a snow plow turn in sking). I also bend my inside elbow a bit to help lean in. Much faster with some practice.
Kaos
ARtraveler
R.I.P. Dwayne
All above advice good.
Ride your own ride is most important. Riding above your comfort zone can lead to danger quickly.
With the two wheels in front and the electronic stability controls, the :spyder2: should out perform conventional trikes. They want to roll if they get put into corners to quickly.
My suggestions on turns. Enter the turn from the inside and track to the outside--like a race car driver. Enter at a speed where you can accelerate a bit during the turn. Plant the outside foot and lean into the curve a bit. Light push/pull on the handlebars in the direction of the turn. Look at the end of the curve--not two feet in front of the front of the :ani29:. Light control on the handlebars. Don't break the invisible eggs between your palms and the handgrips.
I can take most curves 20 mph+ posted--if I want to. I never go over the center line or near the ditch.
The process takes practice to build confidence. In no time you will be riding with or better than those who are currently ahead of your ability.
Ride your own ride is most important. Riding above your comfort zone can lead to danger quickly.
With the two wheels in front and the electronic stability controls, the :spyder2: should out perform conventional trikes. They want to roll if they get put into corners to quickly.
My suggestions on turns. Enter the turn from the inside and track to the outside--like a race car driver. Enter at a speed where you can accelerate a bit during the turn. Plant the outside foot and lean into the curve a bit. Light push/pull on the handlebars in the direction of the turn. Look at the end of the curve--not two feet in front of the front of the :ani29:. Light control on the handlebars. Don't break the invisible eggs between your palms and the handgrips.
I can take most curves 20 mph+ posted--if I want to. I never go over the center line or near the ditch.
The process takes practice to build confidence. In no time you will be riding with or better than those who are currently ahead of your ability.
JCWeatherman
Member
Experience Wins the Day!
I could not agree more! After one or two thousand miles, you will be right there with the rest of the pack.
I think that one of the keys is control over the throttle. You are pushing (left turn) and pulling (right turn) with your right hand harder than you would on a two-wheeler, and when you do, you must also learn to control the throttle at the same time. Good control of the throttle in a turn comes with experience and some muscle-tone that comes with frequent riding.
BTW, I also have a 2013 ST-L. Great machine and lots of fun.
I could not agree more! After one or two thousand miles, you will be right there with the rest of the pack.
I think that one of the keys is control over the throttle. You are pushing (left turn) and pulling (right turn) with your right hand harder than you would on a two-wheeler, and when you do, you must also learn to control the throttle at the same time. Good control of the throttle in a turn comes with experience and some muscle-tone that comes with frequent riding.
BTW, I also have a 2013 ST-L. Great machine and lots of fun.
flaggerphil
New member
Experience will make things easier. I can ride rings around most any other trike out there...and often do. The Spyder is FAR more stable than any other "regular" trike.
Experience, experience, experience.
Experience, experience, experience.
As I have adjustable shocks on my Gold Wing (Motor Trike has an optional air compressor) so I stiffen them if in the twisties and it handles very well. Mr. Cognac does as well as my Motor Trike. I adjust my entry into curves a little differently depending on the scoot I am on.....air pressure is important. I run 25 front and 30 rear in Mr. Cognac and 41 front and 24 rear in Punkin'. I keep up easily with both scoots with my group, The Hill Country Road Riders. Not so well when I have ridden with (followed) some of the San Antonio Sport Bike club members....ha ha I did not follow them very long.
:spyder2:
:spyder2:
A Spyder (or any trike with the paired wheels up front) ridden by someone who's reasonably skilled & comfortable with the handling characteristics should be able to corner a lot faster & safer than any rear wheeled trike & even many 2 wheeled motorcycles!! nojoke
As others have said, use your outside foot to push your weight over to the inside of the bike, pull on the inside bar to aid that transfer of weight & lightly balance the pull with a push from your outside hand & don't strangle the handlebars or drag them aggressively, & then smoothly guide the Spyder around as you power thru the corner.
Many people fall into the 'trap' of trying to copy what they think is the faster 'racing line' by braking hard, cutting in too soon, & then not being able to see around the corner or accelerate out of the corner as early as they should if they'd just hold out wide on the corner entry a little longer..... On a Spyder, if you do that misguided 'racing line' thing too aggressively or too fast the Nanny will sap power & maybe even add some braking to keep things under control; often leaving you with a repeated bump-lurch feel as you make a heap of little bites then straighten then bite then straighten again on your way around the bend!! You should try to practice what's often called 'Late Apex Cornering' instead.
Briefly, 'Late Apex Cornering' means you go wide early, get all your braking over while you are out there, then instead of aiming for the apex of the corner & trying to ride thru in as straight a line as you can, aim for an apex that's a bike length or 2 later so you can see further around the corner earlier & get on the gas earlier too as you smoothly let the bike ease out of the curve, effectively just 'clipping' the verge or centre line on the outside exit of the curve where the road begins to straighten out again & making a long gentle curve of it all instead of a 'straight line' with some fairly tight corners on each end. Doing this properly lessens the tightness of the whole curve so you don't hafta slow as much in the first place, let's you carry a higher speed thru the less tight curve at the same time as reducing the tightness of the turn-in/out or any part of the curve so that the nanny is less likely to interfere; and lets you get on the gas earlier so you can exit the curve & hit the straight travelling even faster than the sure-footed steering of a reverse trike will let you if you just wander thru the corner or bump/lurch your way around in a series of little but too hard bites at it while the nanny brakes & releases repeatedly!!
But don't rely on just my poor explanation of all that, type 'late apex cornering' into google, then check out the pics & have a read - the site www.turnfast.com has a good explanation, lotsa pics, & even some vids & graphics in their /tech_driving/driving_cornering section, well worth checking it out!! And this is NOT JUST for those people who want to drive fast or even race (altho it can help them too) it will lessen the cornering forces on EVERY corner you use it on, improve your tire life by making it easier on them, & could probably improve your fuel economy too - but most people end up using any savings there by riding a tad faster anyway!! Many of those record seeking long distance economy riders & drivers practice this style of cornering & reap the benefits in fuel economy improvements; while most of the faster race drivers & riders out there learn & use exactly the same technique to gain seconds in lap time as well by increasing their corner exit speeds - which means higher overall speeds down the straights!!
Everyone can benefit from 'late apexing'..... if they bother to try, but our Spyders & their greater inherent stability & cornering ability can make for some blindingly fast cornering; getting it down pat & making your cornering that much more relaxed & smooth just adds to the enjoyment, the safety factor, & lessens 'interference' from the Nanny!!
As others have said, use your outside foot to push your weight over to the inside of the bike, pull on the inside bar to aid that transfer of weight & lightly balance the pull with a push from your outside hand & don't strangle the handlebars or drag them aggressively, & then smoothly guide the Spyder around as you power thru the corner.
Many people fall into the 'trap' of trying to copy what they think is the faster 'racing line' by braking hard, cutting in too soon, & then not being able to see around the corner or accelerate out of the corner as early as they should if they'd just hold out wide on the corner entry a little longer..... On a Spyder, if you do that misguided 'racing line' thing too aggressively or too fast the Nanny will sap power & maybe even add some braking to keep things under control; often leaving you with a repeated bump-lurch feel as you make a heap of little bites then straighten then bite then straighten again on your way around the bend!! You should try to practice what's often called 'Late Apex Cornering' instead.
Briefly, 'Late Apex Cornering' means you go wide early, get all your braking over while you are out there, then instead of aiming for the apex of the corner & trying to ride thru in as straight a line as you can, aim for an apex that's a bike length or 2 later so you can see further around the corner earlier & get on the gas earlier too as you smoothly let the bike ease out of the curve, effectively just 'clipping' the verge or centre line on the outside exit of the curve where the road begins to straighten out again & making a long gentle curve of it all instead of a 'straight line' with some fairly tight corners on each end. Doing this properly lessens the tightness of the whole curve so you don't hafta slow as much in the first place, let's you carry a higher speed thru the less tight curve at the same time as reducing the tightness of the turn-in/out or any part of the curve so that the nanny is less likely to interfere; and lets you get on the gas earlier so you can exit the curve & hit the straight travelling even faster than the sure-footed steering of a reverse trike will let you if you just wander thru the corner or bump/lurch your way around in a series of little but too hard bites at it while the nanny brakes & releases repeatedly!!
But don't rely on just my poor explanation of all that, type 'late apex cornering' into google, then check out the pics & have a read - the site www.turnfast.com has a good explanation, lotsa pics, & even some vids & graphics in their /tech_driving/driving_cornering section, well worth checking it out!! And this is NOT JUST for those people who want to drive fast or even race (altho it can help them too) it will lessen the cornering forces on EVERY corner you use it on, improve your tire life by making it easier on them, & could probably improve your fuel economy too - but most people end up using any savings there by riding a tad faster anyway!! Many of those record seeking long distance economy riders & drivers practice this style of cornering & reap the benefits in fuel economy improvements; while most of the faster race drivers & riders out there learn & use exactly the same technique to gain seconds in lap time as well by increasing their corner exit speeds - which means higher overall speeds down the straights!!
Everyone can benefit from 'late apexing'..... if they bother to try, but our Spyders & their greater inherent stability & cornering ability can make for some blindingly fast cornering; getting it down pat & making your cornering that much more relaxed & smooth just adds to the enjoyment, the safety factor, & lessens 'interference' from the Nanny!!
Last edited:
Andy Cserny
New member
faster cornering
There is a definite learning curve to the Spyder when coming from two wheels. I now have 17,000 miles on my 2014 RT and think I have gotten used to it somewhat, although lots of twisties riding would help hone my skills. Coming from an 1800 Gold Wing I think I was a good bit faster in the twisties than I am on the Spyder. Recently I did a four day trip of twisties around Montrose in the Co Rockies riding with a friend on his 1800 with whom I had ridden in the same area while I was on the 1800 and just managed to keep up with him following his lines, hanging off and often dragging the inside peg. This time, with Bajaron swaybars and Elka shocks, hanging off as much as is possible, going through the gears and never dropping below 4000 rpm on the 1330 Spyder he left me at will and by a large margin. Maybe I'm just getting older and lot more cautious.
Andy
There is a definite learning curve to the Spyder when coming from two wheels. I now have 17,000 miles on my 2014 RT and think I have gotten used to it somewhat, although lots of twisties riding would help hone my skills. Coming from an 1800 Gold Wing I think I was a good bit faster in the twisties than I am on the Spyder. Recently I did a four day trip of twisties around Montrose in the Co Rockies riding with a friend on his 1800 with whom I had ridden in the same area while I was on the 1800 and just managed to keep up with him following his lines, hanging off and often dragging the inside peg. This time, with Bajaron swaybars and Elka shocks, hanging off as much as is possible, going through the gears and never dropping below 4000 rpm on the 1330 Spyder he left me at will and by a large margin. Maybe I'm just getting older and lot more cautious.
Andy
PaladinLV
New member
After a bit of learning and the BajaRon Sway Bar and Aluminum links (and of course a laser alignment) my spyder outperforms many of my HOG friends in twisties by 5-10mph depending in the tightness.
I'd like to see a Harley Trike take a city turn at 30 MPH and stay in their lane. But those that can ask them how there arms feel after about 1/2 a dozen! :roflblack:
AJ
I'd like to see a Harley Trike take a city turn at 30 MPH and stay in their lane. But those that can ask them how there arms feel after about 1/2 a dozen! :roflblack:
AJ
trikermutha
New member
:agree:..I use to own a TRIGLIDE..:shocked:
The Can Am will never keep up with sport bikes in twisties, it's too big and heavy. Trust me, I ride both kinds. We're talking well into ticket earning velocity here. Well ridden BMWs, Goldwings, are more appropriate company for fast Spyders. It will however be faster than most cruisers and conventional trikes.
The secret is that Spyders like a little acceleration through the corner. Can Am did their homework, and if you get your braking done before turn-in, you can apply smooth throttle and rocket out of corners faster than you think you can. At speed, some leaning off and pressing the outside peg will stabilize your body; so will squeezing your knee against the "tank". Otherwise you end up fighting the bike and hanging on using the handlebars. Hang on with your legs, steer with the bars.
The secret is that Spyders like a little acceleration through the corner. Can Am did their homework, and if you get your braking done before turn-in, you can apply smooth throttle and rocket out of corners faster than you think you can. At speed, some leaning off and pressing the outside peg will stabilize your body; so will squeezing your knee against the "tank". Otherwise you end up fighting the bike and hanging on using the handlebars. Hang on with your legs, steer with the bars.
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