When and where was the first time you rode a Can-Am tryke ??

[pegasus1300]

Lew a friend of mine loaned me his VMax. I had been riding Ventures for years and thought I knew what the V4 could do. Wrong. I was very glad for that step in the seat when I hit the VBoost in 3rd gear or I would have been on the ground watching it careen off by itself down the road. Very sudden introduction into g forces.

 

[pegasus1300]

In 2011 my wife and I had serious accident, my 2nd in 9 weeks. Something had to change, so I ended up buying a 1984 Mustang GT convertible and a Friend who was retiring from riding's 1990 Goldwing trike. In looking for a trike forum I found Triketalk.com and this place in 2012. I began to read about Spyders and it really piqued my interest so I went up to Provo and the longtime Skidoo dealer there who had just taken on the Spyder line and I talked him into a test ride, he didn't have an RT but lent me an ST. I had ridden up on my Goldwing Trike so he knew that I knew at least a little about trikes. I took it up on the freeway and ran it up to freeway speed (80) then took the cutoff for Spanish Fork Canyon and rode up it quite aways. It was fast, I liked that; It handled better than the Goldwing, but the Goldwing was more comfortable and didn't twitch. I didn't pull the trigger that day, but came back a year later and rode an RT. Much better ride, but still twitchy and a lot of money. Still didn't buy. Rode a friends 2010 standard shift, it was ok but I liked the semi auto. By this time I had 40,000 miles on the Goldwing and had determined I was done with it. I sold it and the Mustang (which my wife never liked) and was looking on the internet for Spyders. I found my 2012 RTL and the rest is history.

 

[canamjhb]

My first ride on a Spyder was an experience from hell! I bought my 2014 RTL with matching RT622 trailer in 2016 sight unseen from a dealer in Tulsa, OK. Flew from Arizona and took delivery. The seller was a non-BRP dealer but I felt OK because the bike was still under warranty. It was windy on the way home. Tornado activity in Oklahoma. Winds at 60-70+ MPH all across OK and the Texas panhandle. Then both front shock seals blew on the aftermarket Elka shocks. By the time I got to New Mexico, the rear tire was bald. Had the tire replaced in Alburquerque, NM. Managed to limp the rest of the way home with the front end bouncing like a rubber ball. Fortunately the dealer stepped in and reimbursed me for the tire+installation. And they purchased and sent me a new set of front shocks (OEM). I had the Elkas rebuilt and reinstalled them with no further issues. But for many months I was chasing poor riding characteristics. The bike was unridable and scary dangerous above 65 MPH. With help and advice from this forum, I replaced all the tires, getting rid of the Kendas. Problem solved..... Jim

 

[LongIsland]

This is a great question! My answer will be long winded as it took me 60 years to buy a motorcycle!
I was fortunate in being able to retire at 57 yrs. old. In 2010 at 58 yrs.old I wanted to do something new. I decided to follow my best friend and get my motorcycle license, he had his for more than 40 years. I successfully completed the MSF course and got my class M. I rented a Honda Intrepid (I think it was) for 3 days. I dropped it once each day and after the 3rd drop decided 2 wheels was not for me. I started to look at trikes. At the same time, between 2010 and 2012, my best friend was considering moving to 3 wheels.
Searching online, I found the BRP web site and the 2010 Spyder RT. I loved the look and started to research it. My pal, also liked the look and he and I test rode Spyders at Artic Adventures and at Americade in 2011. So my first time on a Spyder was at Artic Adventures where the owner took us for a long test ride through upstate NY. We were caught in the web!
However, it wasn't quite the time to buy since I was retired and was loathe to spend almost 30K of our retirement money on a toy. I got a job with NJ DMV at the end of June 2012 and purchased my 1st RTL and 622 trailer immediately. My pal and I took possession of our new rides on July 3, 2012. I upgraded to the 2014 RTL SE6 on March 17, 2015 (hence I call her Irish) and with a total of more than 75K Spyder miles am happily riding as often as I can. I paid 26,500 for the 2012 Spyder, 3,500 for the 622 trailer and then 25,900 for the left over 2014 RTL. So today a RTL is listed on the BRP site for 27,499, not much difference in the prices I've paid.

 

[007james]

I am not 80. I am Sweet 16 with 64 years of experience!

I was still cautiously riding my 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic that I had bought new in California. I had moved to Virginia Jan. 2011, and had discovered the Blue Ridge Parkway, a Biker’s dream! But at age 70, the 2 wheeler was getting hard on my knees, so I was considering a Trike. I test rode a converted Suzuki Trike, with one wheel up front and 2 in the rear, and hated it. Then I saw the BRP Ads showing Spyders, and searched out the closest Dealer selling Spyders, and did a walk in , Jan. 2012. They had an RTL Demonstrator in the Show Room, which I was offered a test ride after mentioning I was looking to trade in my 2002 Vulcan Classic. After showing me how to ride it, I followed some one through the back roads for about a 5 mile test drive, and was immediately hooked. I returned and signed the Contract to purchase a brand new RTL on the way in shipping, and agreed on the trade in price for my Kawi Vulcan. I took delivery of the 2012 in March 2012, and rode it for 5 years, logging 55,300 miles on it. In April 2017, I upgraded to a left over 2016 RTL. and rode it a other 5 years, logging 63,000 miles on it, before upgrading to a 2021 RTL Demo. with only 163 miles on it, this past April 2022. I have enjoyed all of my 3 RTLs, but this 2021 is by far the best handing one I have had. It has an OEM Belt Tensioner installed in the right location, and unlike my 2012 and 2016, there is absolutely no belt chatter at any speeds at all. Also, the shocks seem to be better, as the ride is also smoother. I now have 3600 miles on my 2021 RTL. Oh ya, at age 76, I added a 2009 Harley Heritage Classic to my Toys, and have also logged 20,000 miles on it along with my Spyders. I am now age 80, and still riding both the Harley and the Spyder. Of course, at age 80, I still have pains in my knees, hips, back, but I still have not replaced any natural body parts, and after the first couple of miles in the wind, most of my pains disappear like farts in the wind.

 

[vito1943]

Back in 2016 I was ready to trade in my Triumph Thunderbird for a Goldwing, but my wife asked me to at least take a demo ride on a Spyder. So I agreed to do so, and hated every second of it. I think I was totally predisposed to hate it, not wanting anything to get in the way of a new Goldwing (I also tried a Harley Ultra, a BMW K1600 and a Victory Cross Country Tour). Jump forward 5 years to the summer of 2021. A tipover in my garage convinced me that at 78 the 920 pound Goldwing was too much to handle and it was time for a change. I took a demo ride on a new RT, but this time with an open mind, and loved it from the first. I negotiated and bought one that very day. A year later I am still totally glad that I went this route.

 

[ollicat]

What a great topic!

I had seen Spyders on the road and thought they looked cool as the other side of the pillow. I had been riding a 2010 Kawasaki Vulcan for a few years (a heavy bike) and was drawn to the fact that I didn't need to balance a Spyder. I had an upcoming trip to San Diego in which I had two days to kill. So i looked up Spyder rentals and found this exact Spyder. A base F3.

https://www.cyclevisionsrental.com/can-am-rentals/

So I get to Cyclevision and the guy shows me all the controls and how to operate everything. I had a 400 mile adventure all planned out, mountains, deserts, seashore. So cold turkey, off I go. WOWSER!!! I was not prepared for any of it. After only two blocks, my GPS took me onto a crowded California highway - HOLY TERROR! I was scared to death and HATED everything about it. All I could think was, how can I return and change to a motorcycle. But a combination of pride and not even knowing how to get back kept me from that. Luckily, I didn't kill myself during that first hour. I stopped to get gas about 1.5 hours into the trip and gathered my thoughts. Do i turn back or grit it out. I chose to grit it out. Then something magical happened: I stopped fighting the Spyder and RODE it. The next 60 minutes things progressively changed. My confidence started growing. I started understanding the machine and that I had to operate the way it operated rather than the other way around. We became friends. By the next day, we became more than friends. Can a man fall in love with a machine? I am not sure about that but it was awfully close. By the time I returned the Spyder on day 2, I knew I was hopelessly hooked and wanted one for my own.

 

[Haze]

Bought a 2013 Spyder ST-S in Raleigh, NC. Nov 14, 2015 Did a fly and ryde back to Pittsburgh, PA. 512 miles total in 1 ½ days. Not a long ryde but enough for starters. Note, I had never been on a Spyder or any sort of trike before so this was a true adventure. Picked her up on Saturday at noon. Had a half hour of instruction from the PO and off I went – Shaky and Scared almost to death. The ride was very physical requiring a lot of body English. Not at all like my previous motos. I rode secondary highways. Spent Saturday night in Fredericksburg. 7 AM Sunday, 27 degrees, and dark I was in the parking lot of the motel installing makeshift wiring for my heated jacket and glove controller. Adjusted the tire pressure and feeling warm and a little more stable and a bit more confident I stated out for the final leg home on the super slab. Arrived home Sunday afternoon without issues except the dire need to start making changes to suit my goal of touring and camping. Never did get my GPS hooked up. Just used the cell phone map for directions.

 

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

The first year Can-Am had them at the International Motorcycle Show in South SF. I'd just had knee surgery and wasn't going to test ride anything, but just had to try out the Spyder. The sportbike seating position and abrupt corrections from the "Nanny" left me less than satisfied. Luckily, things Spyder have changed!

 

[bikerdawg]

My first Spyder ride will be this weekend. My dealer called and my 2022 RTL is finally ready to pick up. Very excited! :yes:

Now I have my first ride in. I have ridden quads a long time so it actually felt pretty natural. In the hour ride home on the highway from the dealer I had several miles of very heavy rain (so heavy many cars were slowing down) and the Spyder handled it like a champ. Never would have attempted it on two wheels. People must have thought I was crazy passing them at 55 in that rain. :2thumbs:

 

[cruisinTX]

Ours was in the fall of 2017 after I realized my reactions and strength were no longer optimal for riding two-up on a motorcycle (at age 63 and very short-legged). That was the result of a very slow speed tip over in a tight U-turn on one of the bikes on a trip where we had trailered one of the cruisers to Las Vegas, NM with us so we could ride a little while there. Once home from that, I contacted a friend of mine who owns a Spyder and asked about a short test ride. He agreed and we met at my house then continued on over to one of the big parking lots at the lake here where I live. From there, he allowed us to ride around the parking and up to the entrance to that area while he was on the pillion seat giving instructions. That was it; While I was hoping he would allow the wife and I ride several miles on it while he rode the bike we were on with his wife. That didn't happen so we then made an impromptu trip up to Altus OK a couple of weeks later where there was a dealer who happily agreed to allow a short test ride after I visited with them about my total miles on bikes. I signed the liability papers and with instructions from the sales guy on the roads with the least amount of traffic we set out for about a 20-mile ride on a 2012 RT and were convinced we'd made a good decision in telling a private owner we would buy his 2014 RT-L. 12K miles later I'm still luke-warm on satisfaction with the Spyder and still choose one of the bikes most of the time when riding solo, but the Spyder is always the choice for two-up rides.

 

[Northofthesix]

Three years ago, I was riding a 2009 Yamaha Venture which I was finding increasingly difficult to handle at low speed/parking lot maneuvors.... last straw was when I caught my boot on the seat dismounting it and tipped it over.... avoided it landing on me but managed to rip both hands open on the gravel I dove onto. This was on a trip to Newfoundland and it was 2 days and 400km before we found a hospital to have my hands looked at.

I always liked the looks of spyders and had two riding buddies with them (an RTL and an F-3) but had never so much as sat on one. Came across a listing on Kijiji of a dealership 1500km away that had a demo unit with 1000km on it for sale...and since it was already September and the dealership was in Northern ONtario where snow can start falling anytime after Labour Day, it was heavily discounted (under $23,000 Canadian). So I hopped on a plane, had them pick me up at my motel the next morning, paid them and got the mandatory "Here's how you start it, here's how you shift into reverse" 20 minute overview, I hopped on and rode it 1500km home over two days!! First 100 km in pouring rain I thought I had made a HUGE mistake (not to mention it was +2C so FREEZING cold first thing in the morning) but by the time I got home I was hooked!! Now 3 years. thousands in "upgrades" and rides all over North America, I can safely say it is the best thing I have ever owned!! Love my Goblin!!

 

[budvoss]

Back in 2008 i bought a new spyder and i think it was the first or second year they came out.. I had way to much heat coming from it so i sold it after about 6 months Always smelled gas and just in the back of my mind was afraid it was going to catch fire. My little dog loved riding on it.. I sure miss that little guy

 

[RiderDuke]

I've been riding 2 wheeled bikes for about 40yrs... Since 2005 I've been doing touring bikes. I put 150K on my 2004 Yamaha Venture sold it for my Harley Road Glide in 2017.. In 2020 my shoulder surgery failed and I was forced to give up riding. My shoulder can only lift / push 5-10 pounds max. I looked at 3 wheeled options.. Standard trike, I was not able to turn the handle bars at slow speeds. Just too heavy. At the suggestion of my Physical therapist, I took a test ride on a Spyder and found that I could ride it... I found a slightly used 2021 F3T in Cleveland Oh (May 2021)... I flew up and ride it back home to Virginia... I found that the standard bars caused stress on my shoulder so the short reach bars were the ticket. I've ridden my F3 to Daytona Fl, Manchester NH, The Outer-banks NC. to name a few places. This month I'm headed to Asheville NC then over to Columbia SC... It's not 2 wheel fun... It's 3 wheel fun!!!! With the condition of my shoulder It's better then not riding at all.. So Far almost 10K on the odometer and enjoying it.

 

[MONK]

Peru, Indiana about 2013 or 2014. It was a blue RTL and I fell in love. On my test ride, it started to rain. I thought, this sux. Then it started to hail. I thought, I'd better stop so I don't go down (hail = ice). Ended up riding back to the shop with zero issues. Decided right then that I would have one some day.

 

[UtahPete]

Kamas, UT March 2014. Saw my 2014 RTL at the dealer, tried it out and bought it.

 

[Bangorbob]

My first was in Moab Utah. Met our friends in our RV there. He had a motorcycle and thought it would be cool to tour the area. I rented a spyder for a day. Holy moly! Scared the you know what out of me. Going around corners I felt it was going to just go straight. Glad the end of the day came. Of course I said I would never own one. I've owned a 2012 RTS and now a 2016 RTS. I am thinking of selling the 16 and maybe getting a 2020 or newer for my last ride.

 

[cyclekid58]

The first time my wife and I got to ride a spyder, the demo truck came to Spokane WA and set up at the Spokane Raceway park road course that has twisties and a long straightaway on the back side of the track. We got an orientation and a little practice on braking and turning and then got out on the track. The first couple laps we took it easy at 35 to 40 in the twisties and 65 on the straight to get the feel for the bike. Then we opened it up to 90mph on the straightaway and possibly a tiny bit faster in the twisties. We got to ride both solo and 2 up. This was in 2013 and in 2014 when the 1330 came out we bought the first bike and were hooked. I had ridden 2 wheelers for over 40 years and my wife for about 5 years. We were hooked. My wife had an accident on her 2 wheeler being clipped by another bike, and suffered through a dislocated shoulder that required surgery and a broken pelvis in 4 places. In 2017 we replaced her totaled 2 wheeler with a used 2014 RTS that didn't even have breakin miles that belonged to a club member that rarely rode. We have made many trips on these and during good weather are our main transportation. Without spyders we would no longer be riding.

 

[ImaCaMan]

2020 in Salt Lake City after the shipper unloaded it off the truck from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 

[SLICE]

when I took delivery at the dealer