test ride the Can-Am Spyder

[itgirl]

here's the dates for demo rides of the Can-Am Spyder in PA and other areas (you gotta enter your zip code). there's quite a few dealerships listed. i'm gonna sign up. i'm interested in seeing how these things handle.

Can-Am Spyder demos (http://spyderryder.brp.com/spyder-community/en-US/Take.The.Tour/Index.html#mapActivated)

[Dnyce]

sweet-im gonna get in on the fun

[rider76]

Thanks for the info, I saw one of these at a dealership about a month ago..... those things make a B King sexy......

[jalaan1]

wouldn't mind demoing one.
thanks.

[Gas Man]

I think it would amusing to test ride these homo things!

[nhgunnut]

Rode one at a local dealer before heading up to Laconia. First they are very quick off of the line. The engine and the gearbox are sweet. My wife and Myself (and most bikers according to the factory rep) found them very counter intuitive. We kept trying to put our foot down at the lights and lean into the corers. The lack of a front brake (it is a linked system that activates off of the foot pedal (traditional rear break location) Also for you folks thinking about stunting it think again. All three wheels have sensors that allow only minimal speed differences between the wheels, so there is no snapping dough nuts no J-Burns (it will let you spin the rear tire in a strait line) The steering (and it is steered not ridden) was difficult for us to get used to. The machine goes very easily where you tell it to but is VERY responsive to the point of being twitchy. It corners fast and flat, it sticks to the road well enough that the joke at the dealership was they are going to have to make a velcro seat so you don't fall off
In some way it reminding me of driving a old Lotus 7. I have to confess not enough though. Not quite a bike not quite a sports car. Fun but for us not $16000 worth of fun. I am sure that it will find a market with folks who like ridding out in the open but are tentative about 2 wheels.

[NeonspeedRT]

We kept trying to put our foot down at the lights and lean into the corers. The lack of a front brake (it is a linked system that activates off of the foot pedal (traditional rear break location)

The steering (and it is steered not ridden) was difficult for us to get used to. The machine goes very easily where you tell it to but is VERY responsive to the point of being twitchy. It corners fast and flat, it sticks to the road well enough that the joke at the dealership was they are going to have to make a velcro seat so you don't fall off



Your review is spot on. One thing I will say. If anyone does a demo ride. Once you are done, ride it again. Everyone, including the dealers, say it's so wierd for a normal motorcyclist to get used to, it takes two or more rides to get familliar with how it handles and turns.

One of our local Can Am dealerships did a demo day several months back. I got to go for a 45 minute ride on one. Honestly I wasn't impressed with it at all. It turns and rides more like a 4 wheeler then a motorcycle. You actually turn the handlebars to turn instead of leaning. That will freak you out the first time you go into a corner. Espically if there is oncoming traffic.

Wind protection is almost non existant. Allthough i've heard Can Am will have a touring windscreen. My right foot was baking with heat from the exhaust. They were also supposed to be doing something to fix that as well for the production models.

It is definatly very twitchy when it comes to steering. It has power assisted steering, so thats one of the reasons why. The engineers at the event said they were planning on change something with the steering so it wasn't as twitchy before the production run.

Otherwise it was allright. I wouldn't own one for the money though. Maybe if it was $7000 and got great gas mileage. Then i'd think about it. Otherwise i'll pass.

[neebelung]

I hated the damned thing. :panic: I wouldn't ride one if it was given to me for free.

[itgirl]

i'm all signed up for wed. the 25th! can't wait. should be an experience.

[nhgunnut]

i'm all signed up for wed. the 25th! can't wait. should be an experience.
I can't wait to see your review Itgirl. I will sign up for a test ride on most anything. (how do oyu know if you like it if you have ridden it?)

[neebelung]

I will sign up for a test ride on most anything. (how do oyu know if you like it if you have ridden it?)

:werd: Best thing about Bike Week and Biketoberfest is DEMO RIDES!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[fnfalman]

I rode the Spyder three times and it hadn't gotten better. I really don't get the point for motorcyclists to have this thing. I can see why non-motorcyclists want to ride one, but not for the bikers who are already used to the sharp handling and small sizes of a typical motorcycle.

[itgirl]

well, i'm willing to throw a leg over anything once. ;)

[neebelung]

well, i'm willing to throw a leg over anything once. ;)

:diitb:

[Rider]

well, i'm willing to throw a leg over anyone once. ;)

Nice... :rockout:

[Cutty72]

well, i'm willing to throw a leg over anything once. ;)

oh really... :lol:

[Dave]

well, i'm willing to throw a leg over anything once. ;)

my house is in the member map :dthumb:

[Phenix_Rider]

Anyone know where the line ends? :lol: 'Cause I can see it forming at Itgirl's door.

[rider76]

Damn it I always end up at the end of the line :willy:

[itgirl]

take a number, fellas...

:lol:

[Dave]

http://www.allendesigners.com/images/catalog/TAKE-A-NUMBER-LG.jpg

[Dnyce]

I rode the Spyder three times and it hadn't gotten better. I really don't get the point for motorcyclists to have this thing. I can see why non-motorcyclists want to ride one, but not for the bikers who are already used to the sharp handling and small sizes of a typical motorcycle.

good point, but id look at it as another toy, not a motorcycle replacement

well, i'm willing to throw a leg over anything once. ;)

id tell u 2 save your energy and just bend over :dthumb:
:lol:

[itgirl]

http://www.allendesigners.com/images/catalog/TAKE-A-NUMBER-LG.jpg

LOL!

good point, but id look at it as another toy, not a motorcycle replacement



id tell u 2 save your energy and just bend over :dthumb:
:lol:

i don't care how bad the ride is, i just wanna be able to say i did it. ;)

[Cutty72]

i don't care how bad the ride is, i just wanna be able to say i did it. ;)

Quoted!!

[WARputer]

I saw a bunch of them up at the Laconia rally ......ugly lookin' suckers !

[itgirl]

I saw a bunch of them up at the Laconia rally ......ugly lookin' suckers !

looks aren't everything. :lol:

i am so excited!! i go tomorrow at 4pm.

[WARputer]

looks aren't everything. :lol:



Yup .....my Busa is ugly as Hell but damn it'll haul ass ! Lookin' forward to your review young lady !

[z06boy]

:werd: Best thing about Bike Week and Biketoberfest is DEMO RIDES!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

That is a good thing. At Laconia the wife and I wanted to try out some cruisers...no not to replace the sportbikes but to add to the stable.:lol:

I rode a Victory Vegas Jackpot and a Star (Yamaha) Raider...and liked both. She also rode a Raider but in the Victory line she liked the Kingpin 8- Ball.

It was kinda neat because the surrounding area had some decent curves and the guys in charge liked to open them up to give you a fairly decent feel for the bikes...gotta love it. :rockout:

I actually liked both bikes...now if we could only find that money tree we thought we planted. :whistle:

[WARputer]

I actually liked both bikes...now if we could only find that money tree we thought we planted. :whistle:

You live on Lake Norman .....you ARE loaded ! :eatatthey:

[z06boy]

You live on Lake Norman .....you ARE loaded ! :eatatthey:

I used to for several years but now only live NEAR the actual lake but still in the Lake Norman community and dry store the boat on the lake at a marina. :idk: :cry: :lol:

[WARputer]

I used to for several years but now only live NEAR the actual lake but still in the Lake Norman community and dry store the boat on the lake at a marina. :idk: :cry: :lol:

Me too ....near Lake Murray, not on it. You guys enjoy Laconia ?

[nhgunnut]

That is a good thing. At Laconia the wife and I wanted to try out some cruisers...no not to replace the sportbikes but to add to the stable.:lol:

I rode a Victory Vegas Jackpot and a Star (Yamaha) Raider...and liked both. She also rode a Raider but in the Victory line she liked the Kingpin 8- Ball.

It was kinda neat because the surrounding area had some decent curves and the guys in charge liked to open them up to give you a fairly decent feel for the bikes...gotta love it. :rockout:

I actually liked both bikes...now if we could only find that money tree we thought we planted. :whistle:
Yeah and she also rode the hell out of a ducati 999 and some fellow with her was seen buring up a few local roads on a turbo busa

[WARputer]

Yeah and she also rode the hell out of a ducati 999 and some fellow with her was seen buring up a few local roads on a turbo busa


I saw a 999 parked at Weirs Beach during the rally .....I think it was on a Thursday evening....yours ? :idk:

[nhgunnut]

I saw a 999 parked at Weirs Beach during the rally .....I think it was on a Thursday evening....yours ? :idk:

Nope we were there tues wed

[z06boy]

Me too ....near Lake Murray, not on it. You guys enjoy Laconia ?

I hear ya man...we went for the bigger house "near" the lake. :cheers:

Yes we did enjoy Laconia. Partially for the event...but the fact that I had never been there...it's nice to see different parts of the country. It's also nice to hang out with good friends that we now have in NH.

I'd never been to NH until a year ago last May and now have been twice...very nice...well at least when it's not dead winter and they keep getting dumped on my snow...over and over....I'll take the south please. :lol:

Yeah and she also rode the hell out of a ducati 999 and some fellow with her was seen buring up a few local roads on a turbo busa

In my best Sgt. Schultz voice "I know nothing!! " :scared:

Aahhh....getting ready to launch...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8d801b3127ccec43c249ae4e300000020O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D480/ry%3D320/

[itgirl]

okay, so i took the ride yesterday. i must say the spyder is, to date, the strangest contraption i have ever had between my legs! it has the nose of a 4 wheeler and the ass of a snowmobile. the wheels up front are very wide, so much that i had to be conscious of the yellow line during the entire demo ride. it handled like a 4 wheeler. the front wheels caught every ripple in the road and made for an unstable feeling ride. i felt like it had a mind of it's own and i was just hanging on for dear life. the front end was just all over the place. it was quite an upper body workout, i would imagine you could be sore after a day of riding that thing. it had power steering, but i felt as though i was trying to fight it to keep it under control.

having no front brake took getting used to as well. it is all in the right rear pedal, and it is ABS. stopping power was rather good though. i thought it had decent bite. i had to remind myself there was no need to lean through corners, even though i am sure i did anyways. and i kept having the urge to want to whip the tail around in the bends. i didn't think having 2 wheels up front would cause such a difference in handling, but it really does. i also got this very uncomfortable side to side rocking in corners. felt like the bike was trying to toss me off the side of it. like i was riding a bull that didn't want to be ridden.

clutch pull was incredibly easy. so much so that i kept over-revving the engine trying to ease it out. i am actually coming to prefer the heavy, quick biting clutch of my harley. on my bike, it launches if i just think about letting it out!

oh yeah, and the thing has reverse. but i didn't get to use that feature.

all in all, the spyder was by far the most unstable feeling machine i have ever been on. will i ever own one...no. but i am glad to have had the experience and will probably go do it again when they introduce the semi-automatic transmission this july. what can i say...i just love playing with other people's toys.

[z06boy]

okay, so i took the ride yesterday. i must say the spyder is, to date, the strangest contraption i have ever had between my legs!

You have such a way with words !! :rofl::rofl: No this isn't all I got from your post but I just couldn't help quoting this part.

[itgirl]

You have such a way with words !! :rofl::rofl: No this isn't all I got from your post but I just couldn't help quoting this part.

:lol: thanks! just trying to keep people interested...

[Cutty72]

no seperate brakes?? so much for the wicked burnouts.

:leaving:

[jalaan1]

:lol: thanks! just trying to keep people interested...

def. got me interested.:whistle:


thanks for the review.

[nhgunnut]

okay, so i took the ride yesterday. i must say the spyder is, to date, the strangest contraption i have ever had between my legs!
Clearly you have never dated any of my trailer dwelling relatives

[Phenix_Rider]

what can i say...i just love playing with other people's toys.


Thought it was quotable- so i did! :nana2:


I don't know whether to :drool: or :screwy:

[Gas Man]

Good review Itgirl... I will ride one soon

[Phenix_Rider]

Good review Itgirl... I will ride one soon

Wonder if they'll have one at Thunder in the Valley? They look kinda cool to me, but seems like it should have a seat belt!

Hey Itgirl, Marko- you going? I'll be there early Saturday for test rides. :rockout: If nothing else, I've heard they'll have FZzies.

[itgirl]

Wonder if they'll have one at Thunder in the Valley? They look kinda cool to me, but seems like it should have a seat belt!

Hey Itgirl, Marko- you going? I'll be there early Saturday for test rides. :rockout: If nothing else, I've heard they'll have FZzies.

where's that taking place at? need more details...

we've got gettysburg bike week starting july 10th. that oughta light up the 'letters to the editor' section of my paper. nothing but loud pipes as far as the eye can see.

[Phenix_Rider]

where's that taking place at? need more details...

we've got gettysburg bike week starting july 10th. that oughta light up the 'letters to the editor' section of my paper. nothing but loud pipes as far as the eye can see.

Jonstown, PA. All week and weekend. I just got back from test riding everything I could. Shitloads of loud pipes and rev limiters. Very few skilled riders. See my blog.