Handbrake and other features
My ankle is fixed at a 90°angle. The spyder is very accommodating for handicapped people with the exception of the handbrake. Why not accept that role in the marketplace and put a handbrake on it?
Just read this thread, a year or more on, don't know if this thread should remain active. Should be useful for consumers to realize what "hardened" biker or trikers perspective might be.
I'll go for the handbrake as important to a large part of the Spyder demographic.
As a two wheel bike owner, handlebars always mean there is a hand lever brake. Many have been utterly conditioned to it being there and arguably brake response time is shortened (quicker to move two fingers than a heavier whole lower leg and foot).
There are other aspects that no one has mentioned.
1. when hard braking one resorts to the primitive instinct, our hands respond quicker and with greater motor skill or controllable reflex (the hands are also closer to the brain or spinal cord).
2. a motorcyclist uses the hand brake to a greater degree than the foot. The primary response is go for the hand lever then the foot brake. So there needs to be a reversal of this sequence reflex, and
3. a motorcyclist has learned to wrestle with handlebars, hands on the brake under heavy braking. There is a disconnect if one cannot control the "machine" via the handlebars, when these learned subconscious instincts kick in in an emergency.
Yes this often means a lot of unlearning, it is not as simple for some to just use the footbrake even though they have years and megamiles doing so in a car or truck. I suggest it is that we have a handlebar in front of us that confuses our motorcycle brain, and perhaps we would respond differently if the Spyder came with a steering wheel (god forbid!).
I also forgot to mention two other things:
1. Can Am markets this to a large demographic where a car licence is all that is required, and
2. A handbrake is very useful when stationary, mounting or dismounting. One can get to the bars from either side or even from the front. Get to the foot pedal when your Spyder begins to roll is a feat in gymnastics! There will be an awkward moment when dismounting necessitating release of the foot when the parkbrake has not been engaged properly (or indeed disengaged again inadvertently - ref GS/RS)!