Where did you find out about the Spyder?

[Desert Spyder]

I don't think I've seen this thread yet but I have seen posts that skirt around it.

Where or how did you first find out about the Spyder and how long was the incubation period before you ordered/purchased the vehicle?

For me I heard about the Spyder in a newspaper article locally about a man who had a medical condition that forced him to forfeit his beloved motorcycle riding.

Then he found out about the Spyder on the net and his doctor gave him thumbs up to that activity. I'm sure there are several similar stories in this group.

As a former search and rescue volunteer in the Mojave Desert and a former EMT with the local ambulance, I know about motorcycle idiots and horrors and I didn't want to be that statistic. But the Spyder peaked my interest and I did a Google on the Spyder which at the time wasn't easy. I finally found the BRP website and it was love at first byte.

A friend was in town with a rented Spyder and I tried it out. Though it was a manual shift and I stalled out about 3-4 (OK 6, happy?) times and I found something that was almost better than sex.

About a year after I heard about the Spyder I ordered one and four months later it arrived...almost.

I had ordered a yellow SE5 (no more stalling in intersections for me) and I knew the delivery date was near so I called my dealer to see if they can get a VIN number to arrange insurance. They found out that a delivery from Canada was expected that following Thursday and they were anticipating only one thing: my bike. They neither confirm nor deny what was coming however.

Thursday came and my salesman tore open the crate to discover a red Spyder. Huh?

Turns out the bike was shipped as a dealer demo which they weren't expecting (or so they say).

I said I like red,can we switch bikes?

BRP gave their blessing on the idea and the dealer inherited a yellow demo instead.

Me? I'm with my other girl (the bike) riding like a bird on asphalt and loving it. Sometimes my first girl (the wife) comes with me.

Aww middle-age...how sweet it is!

(Sorry about the length of this post)

 

[DynamoBT]

Someone on BeginnerBikers.org put a picture of the Spyder in one thread or another. My interest was piqued immediately. I did a search. Found the BRP website. Found this site. Lurked here for a few months while I worked on brining up the possibility of the Spyder as a reality to my H. Did a Demo Ride. Went to a Banner Signing. I'd say about 4 months to purchase from the time I got really interested and found these websites. Probably knew about the Spyder for 6 months prior to that.

I wouldn't be riding were it not for the Spyder. Unlike some, I find the Nanny reasuring. I like all these safety features. Looked into a sidecar rig and didn't like how easy it is to flip one. That pretty much left a traditional trike or the Spyder as choices. IMHO the Spyder wins that contest hands down!!!

 

[Don in E Texas]

...twas an email from my brother -- he had just seen one on the hiway in Houston. I checked it out - found a dealer -- took a test ride -- purchased my '08 Red SE5... I had never seen one nor had heard of one before. In fact up to today I have not seen any other Spyders on the road until the Houston-area "Ride for Kids" event.

don

 

[FANG]

Was at my dealer looking to purchase a 2 wheeler - saleman showed the :f_spider: to my wife - the rest is history. Saw the spyder 1 year ago and purchased in June 08.

 

[irish2themax]

My brother saw one at a dealer in PA and called me immediately. I had been looking at Harley-Lehman trikes but was having some sticker shock. Saw the Spyder in Berkeley Springs WV and took it for a ryde. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

[DannyS]

I have been riding for 41 Years, with a 27" inseam Harleys were always a good choice because they are low and lean, can't hit the ground from a Goldwing or BMW. I moved back to Kansas three years ago and two years ago I got an Electro glide Classic the new Harleys are wider and taller than their ancestors. Was debating getting a trike as my legs are not getting any longer or younger. Went to the local ford shop to pick up a car for work (I am the vehicle manager for the Wichita VA medical center and regional office.) Walked in and saw the Spider, heard the price and liked the price and technology. Put the H-D up for sale the next day and started finding everything I could about it. Discovered SpyderLovers.com and saw an ad for a 2008 well equipped SM5 in Texas. Only 1700 miles his wife did not like the Spider. A few days later I saw a revised message he would take a touring bike in trade. Sent photos of my bike and we wound up meeting half way in OK to do the trade. I love trades everyone is happy but the Dealer. I love the bike I have tried to make it up to the dealer since they did let me test drive one, but every time I go in they don't have anything I want in stock. Only problem is since I got the Spider 8 days ago IT HAS RAINED AND STORMED EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!:cus:

 

[Zerocool]

December 2006, at a Christmas party...

My friend's son showed me a web site advertizing the :spyder: and listing the details on how to get one of the first 2500 made.

I put my $1000 down, sight unseen, in Feb/Mar 2007. Took delivery in March 2008.

 

[teacherbob]

I heard about the spyder frm one f my Canadian customers. Did some research and waited for a local dealer to come online with Can-AM. I ordered my Spyder sight unseen Jan .08. Waited 5 months for it to come in. Got it last June and have ridden almost everyday since. The more you ridem the more you likem. :2thumbs:

Bob
PowerSports4Less

 

[quackerz]

I believe it was late 2006 and we saw an ad at Berts Mega Mall for this new three wheeled motorcycle demo event. They told us how to register on BRP's website, we did, we rode, and the rest is history. Something about once bitten:spyder:.

quackerz

 

[Dudley]

Like so many riders, after over 40 years on 2 wheelers, 5'8", 140, I was getting tired of handling heavy machines. My legs, though not dangerlously weak, were not wanting to hold up a combined weight of 1000 pounds everytime we stopped, turned, or backed up. PLUS, after moving to CA in January of last year, the horrendous winds had already pushed us to the left most part of the left lane on I-8 twice...and I mean on that little extra patch of blacktop, we were about 3 inches from hitting the dirt at 65 MPH. I was considering selling out altogether, because I didn't want a trike...single front wheel. Then one day an ad appears on the internet. I looked at the ad picture and let it go. A few days later it appeared again. This time I clicked on it and started reading, found a dealer in San Diego, took a couple of rides (totally freaky for both of us...that thing didn't lean in turns, yet leaned in whatever direction the pavement did, so each time the road had a dip, the Spyder dipped, we dipped...get the picture). At first, it was "No way". Then it was "Maybe if we could take one out by ourselves, ride it at our speed, etc." OK, so we found a dealer that told us to take one out, keep it all day, go where ever we wanted to (now that's a dealer!). Came back from that ride, ordered an SE5, got it in a couple of weeks (11-18-2008) and 8400 miles later, the more we ride, the more we like it. Now the winds are just a nuisance.

 

[NancysToy]

The Spyder is my wife's first road bike. Before that all she rode successfully was a Honda Trail 90....slowly. For a year or two she had had looked at some small road bikes, some scooters, a Piaggio MP3 3-wheeled scooter, and even motorcycles with sidecars, but was never convinced that any were for her. In February 2008 I was reading an Internet article on three wheelers like the Morgan and Isetta (not really three for you nitpickers). They showed a Spyder on page 8, and the price seemed reasonable. I went upstairs and showed it to her on her laptop. Her first words were, "I want to see one...right now!" Next thing I knew we were on a road trip to Detroit to several dealers. She was disappointed at first, but then found a dealer that let her sit on one a while and talked to her about it instead talking to me. Despite the long wait time to order a Premier Edition Spyder, she kept talking about it, having me research it on the Internet, and saying she wanted to see a yellow one since all she had seen was silver. The next Saturday (March) I found a dealer closer to us that had a yellow one. Her remark, "I want to see it...right now!" Another road trip ensued. She sat on that Spyder in the showroom so long and talked to the salesman so much that I figured I was going to miss lunch. Next thing I heard her say was "Who do I write the check to?" She was so serious about it that she got in on a cancelled deposit, and had her Spyder by the end of March instead of July. MSF course in April, and she has never looked back. This was meant to be!
-Scotty

 

[BajaRon]

Dateline - July 7, 2007

This buddy of mine calls me and says "Get over here, you got to see this!".

I said, right now? I've seen your coons and your M109R already!

"No", he said..."It's not coons and it's not a motorcycle, it's something else."

I get there and he's got this picture up on his computer monitor of a 3 wheeled Can-Am Spyder. Never seen anything like it before.

He says; "Didn't you own a Can-Am once?"

I said, yeah, a 76 MX-250 dirt bike. It didn't look anything like what he had on his screen though.

After he gets through telling me all about the Spyder I ask if he is going to get one.

He says; "Already did!". I say, ok, so where is it. He says; "Won't show up until maybe the end of the year. Why don't you get one too?"

It took me 2 days to send my Grand in and another 7 months before I rode it home.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! hyea:

 

[retread]

Read a short article in Cycle World, got curious, June of 07 went to Legends Motorsports near Kalamazoo and rode one. Ordered from Motor City Powersports in September, picked it up in April, 08.

john

 

[Roaddog2]

Had a prototype pass me on the Kangamangass pass in NH during Laconia
what was that. Within 2 weeks after that had a deposit on a P edition :spyder:
bye the way I was doing about 70 on a 40mph curve when I got bit and passed :ani29:

 

[SPYDERGUY1]

it all started with an ad in the local newspaper. sign up for a spyder demo ryde. was working the day of the demo, so had to take an extended lunch. the supposed to be 10 minute demo ride turned into 45 minutes and an even longer lunch, then like you say the rest was history. WE LOVE OUR SPYDERS.....hyea:

 

[jrbloise]

Last time a rode a bike was over 30 years ago. Had 5 or 6 with the BSA 650 being the biggest. I'm now 63 years old and just retired and wanted my life long dream which was a Harley. So I bought one on Feb 25th, 2009 - a Harley Heritage Softail Classic. The first day out, it dumped me! Just looked at it in the garage for about a week. Then decided to "get on the horse again". Walked it down my drive way turned left onto the road but didn't give enough gas and let the clutch out too quick. I made a u-turn into my own yard and dropped it. After this, I said "this is an omen"! I found out from my Brother about the Spyder and checked it out online, found a dealer in my town who happened to have a red SE5 in stock. I traded the Harley on the spot. Now I don't have to worry about my "old bones" trying to pick up 786 lbs. I love the Spyder and ride just about everyday, and I feel much safer with it.

John hyea:

 

[tatt2r]

maxum magazine over 3 years ago ordered it sight un-seen go pm 2166

 

[Big Arm]

The wife and I saw it on the "Today" show May of '07. We looked at each other and something clicked. Started checking the web site, and seen that in June it would be making the rounds of the dealers in Minn. Our closest dealer was Al's Marine in Rochchester, MN , about a four hr. drive.
My son lives close, so had him demo it, and he said we better get up there, that it was definitly worth the trip. We were there two days later. Took it for a ride in the rain. Got back to the dealership, put my $1000 down, and was told they probably wouldn't be released from the factory till Oct or Nov. and we shouldn't expect it till Feb of '08. Ordered the silver SM-5, with the back rest. Later found out from BRP, that our's was one of eight premier editions, sold to an owner in the State of Iowa.

Well, we got it in April of '08 and .... L O V E IT ..... :2thumbs:
BEST PURCHASE WE EVER MADE !!!

 

[redspyderlady]

Saw Lamontster riding through town on his. First one I had ever seen or heard of.

 

[2spyders]

Hubby brought one out to the house on a test drive and said "you've got to ride this thing", so I did.

A week or so later he bought it, brought it home, and we rode it 2-up to a couple of Fourth of July parties. I said "you know, it would make more sense if I rode this by myself." So we went back to the dealership the next day and had them change the paperwork to my name. I think I've let him ride it once or twice since.
hyea: