Can-Am Spyder?

Has anyone got one? Rode one? or know someone that does?

It's a different look, but the wife said she would actually ride on the back of one (safety reasons).
She will NOT even think about getting on the back of my X and has just recently stopped calling 911 when I head down the driveway on it (ok that's a slight exaduration).

Growing up in Minnesota I spent a little time on snowmobiles.
The thing really looks like a sled with wheels.

Performance wise, it looks to satisfy my need for power
I'd have to get used to not leaning, but the tests say it will corner at speed.
I like the idea of good amount of cargo space
I can dream that the wife may someday actually drive it!
It wouldn't replace the X, just another option.

They aren't cheap! (something like $15K)
I'm not sure if it would be comfortable for a longer distance.
Yes, the look is radical....but I'm fine with being different.

Thoughts?

 

Just posting a link of a bloke that rode one here [oz].I put my name down to test ride one myself but have not received a reply yet.
Hope this is of some help.
http://www.twowheels.com.au/forums2/vie ... 10&t=21460

 

I wheelied one for a quarter mile once....talk about an upper body workout!








Joking!

 

There's a "Powersports" type dealership in my area that has them on the floor. They're nothing short of awesome; if it weren't for the price tag...

I've seen a few of them on the the road, and they look like they'd be quite comfortable, even for long hauls. Neat idea.

 

A guy I work with has got a serious boner for these. He test rode one a while ago and has been trying to track down halfways decent financing ever since (well, trying during the brief periods that his wife is talked into it for, anyway). So if he ever gets one, within a couple of weeks I'll have a test ride review.

 

My boss bought 2 for him and his wife last summer. He has done alot of work on his but basically left his wife's stock. A couple of weeks back they took a trip to the Carolina's putting roughly 2400 miles on them. Said they were great - less fatigue than his Harley's.

They are an incredibly complex vehicle. For instance on the trip he kept getting a "gear position sensor error" that would disable the power steering on the trike. On another occasion he had a "speed sensor" error that put the trike in "limp mode". His biggest complaint is that when either of the errors pop up the bike will immediately go into the error state - meaning that while riding thru a turn and the gear position sensor errors out he would lose the power steering at speed creating an un-needed safety issue. Same thing happens with the speed sensor.

They are very cool lokking from the side and the rear but in the front they look too much like a snowmobile.

 

My friends mom got one last year and loves it, she never had a bike before and this was the compromise so she could ride with her husband as she was afraid of two wheels but tired of the back seat, Steve rides it every once in a while and says that it wasn't meant for a bigger guy for long rides but steve is only 5'10!!! it didn't seem very comfortable when I sat on it but I don't know what adjustments can be made and I didn't ride it so I can't say for sure, but I know it looks really cool!!
Shaun

 

For the past few summers I have been the Band Director for the band at the New York State American Legion's Boys' State. Each year, there has been on in the parking lot (owned by some lady who works out at the college) so I've seen one close up for a couple summers. Personally, I'm not the least bit interested in going to test ride one and I think they look ridiculous. I guess I probably would take one for a spin if I was thrown the keys as told to try it, but I'm not going out of my way to find one.

Personal taste, that's all.

Dave Fox

 

Now that surprises me Dave....they look like a snowmobile on wheels to me and I know your love of the winter-bikes.
Maybe it's the fenders over the front wheels that ruins it for you??

Thanks for the info guys and hopefully I can take a ride sometime this summer.

I was doing more research, and I was dissapointed that they are getting between 32-40 mpg.
I would expected much better from a modern EFI engine but I guess they aren't terribly aerodynamic.

I would absolutely miss the effortless lean and roll through a 20mph curve but then again, I'd rather have the wind in my face than sit in a cage given the opportunity.

I'm also not too keen on all the complex control systems. THAT is why I love the 1985 X ... It's just such a simple machine I can actually work on it.
I'd need a computer and a week of training on that thing to change the spark plug!

 

I've heard that they have A LOT of issues with them tho.

 

The speedo goes up to 200mph. Is that real? I saw one today and did a double take..

 

Doubtful...I'd estimate 140 is about it for the thing. The speedo on my TL goes up to 240mph, but if it's ever reading that I'll surely be going back in time.

From what I understand they have only a small amount of suspension travel, and that seems like a problem for a tripod. Seems like the chassis could get unsettled at highway speed pretty easy. Just my 2 cents.

 

They run the 990 Rotax twin in them right? 32-40mpg is much better than I get with a 996cc twin and 1 less wheel and 400 less pounds. I'll bet if they put an economy tuned 4cylinder motorcycle motor in it, like the ones in FJR1300's, or Honda ST1300's it would yield in the 40's-50mpg and would probably have better power delivery and better slow speed manners.