Finally got a 2017 F3-T over the weekend. It was a dealer demo with 230 miles on it. They couldn’t sell it until it had 501. So it had to put in some demo time with the owner on Friday. It had also been sitting in a warehouse over the winter, so they changed the oil/filter, put in a new battery, and checked things over.I had been thinking I wanted a Can-Am Spyder for several years. I knew the time was coming when I would need to revert back to my early childhood, before I got my first 2 wheel motorcycle@7yo and my first bicycle@4yo. Yes, all the way back to that first tricycle@about 1.5yo – still in diapers.
Injuring my knees during a close encounter with some stairs last year made it even clearer that I was never going to be flying on the 2 wheeled wings of gold again. I also decided that I didn’t want to do a conversion. So my journey in search of a Spyder began.
I started lurking on the forums, checking out the BRP web site, watching all the YouTube videos. Then 1 day last February I was thinking that I hadn’t even sat on one of these. How do I know if I will like it? So I went to my local dealer with snow still on the ground, and sat on a RT-LTD & a F3-LTD. It didn’t take me 10min to realize that I could never be comfortable on the RT. Knees were aching, and legs just too scrunched. I am about 6’2” with a 35” inseam. I sat on the F3 for 30 minutes and it was as comfortable as can be. So that experience narrowed my search.
In March I discovered a Can-Am sponsored riding school was taking place mid-April in Richland, WA. Two days and $75.00 and they were supplying 2018 Spyders. And if you successfully pass, you get your WA. State 3 wheel endorsement. I signed right up. Then my daughter brought home the flue for spring break and decided to share the love. I decided not to share the love with those in Richland and had to cancel. Dusty, the owner of the motorcycle driving school calls me back a couple of weeks later, they had a cancellation and he invites me to take the mid-May session!!!
The driving school was great. Emergency stops, weaving cones, emergency avoidance swerving, drifting the corners, all sorts of technique that you could never get away with on a demo ride. I road an F3 the whole time. I did get on an RT the second day, but it was so uncomfortable for me, I didn’t even ride it. I passed both the driving and written test so I got the endorsement.
So I knew I wanted a 2017 F3-T. No LTD, as I didn’t want the top case, hate the wheel style, and planned to add aftermarket “Ultimate F3 Floorboards.” I also wanted Satin Black. I contacted all 5 dealers in the PNW that had what I wanted. I ended up buying this demo because of the great deal, and it left me with an extra $2k to spend on accessories that will be delivered shortly. I flew down to Portland on Saturday morning and drove it home.
That’s my story and I am sticking to it. Now the new adventure in fun has begun!
Regards,
Don
BTW: Looking for that one special "SpyderBabe" to ride or drive along
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