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Posted: 4/18/2016 1:09:52 PM EDT
Long time mc rider (40+ years), mostly HD's, touring mainly last 25 years. Legs and balance not getting any better LOL. Wife and I still like the open road. Looking at HD trike, but cant help but be intrigued by the Spyder RT. LOTS less money. Interesting design. How do you steer around corners with that thing since the wheels dont "tilt"? How do you quickly dodge a hazard, like a deer or dog, etc? Any feedback greatly appreciated.
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It sounds like OP might be elderly. They're the ones that can am trikes are for. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Gay. Class dismissed. ![]() It sounds like OP might be elderly. They're the ones that can am trikes are for. fuggin elderly haha yep i guess so 59 y.o. |
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I don't know much about the can-am, but you can get a harley trike conversion that leans.
http://www.tiltingmotorworks.com/faq/ |
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I'd say go for it OP. If you and your wife like it, who really cares if a bunch dudes on the internet think it's gay. You're 59 and still have a wife, a lot of them can't even hold onto their women, probably because they are more worried about people thinking they look gay rather than making their women happy.
Me and me wife have been eyeballing the Polaris Slingshot. |
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It's a love or hate thing. I worked for a ski doo dealer years ago when the spyders first came out. I was able to demo one. I loved it . I also love snowmobiling. And the Spyder is just that , a snowmobile for the road. Back when they were first introduced the were a 900 cc Aprillia twin and were kinda lame in the acceleration dept. The have plenty of torque and snap but they are bound by traction control and anti-roll control. If you are having a hard time with lower muscle issues the Spyder is your answer to keep riding. The Spyder is hugely popular with women who are intimidated by the fear of holding up 2 wheels. I have not driven one since they first were introduced so I'm out of the specs loop I'm sure they have better power now. I was very impressed at how crisp and flat the Spyder cornered at higher speeds.
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Ignore the gay stuff from the snot-nosers. I'm in the same boat w/you. I've looked at the HD, the Spyder, and the Slingshot. I dont know yet which way I will go, but the Slingshot was hard for me to contort down into and has zero storage space except small area behind the seats. The HD felt unstable to me. The Spyder feels odd, but I may be leaning that way.
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Honest question, why not just buy a nice roadster? I mean you're giving up a lot with a trike just to stay on the road with something that kinda resembles a motorcycle.
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I was skeptical of the Spyder at first (and I work in the motorcycle industry) but they turned out to be a huge seller. I see them all over the place.
They're very popular as touring bikes. I even saw one of the sport versions being ridden by a three-piece patch one-percenter. And now we're making products for them, too, which we wouldn't do if the numbers weren't there. And, no, they don't handle like motorcycles. Nor do they handle like sidecars, or even the traditional three wheelers. The closest comparison I can make is a sit-down version of a big jet-ski. You don't lean into a turn, or else your jet-ski goes nose first into the water. You just sit upright and steer. |
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Honest question, why not just buy a nice roadster? I mean you're giving up a lot with a trike just to stay on the road with something that kinda resembles a motorcycle. View Quote This was my thought; My thought on the Can AM was always, "All the risk of a motorcycle, none of the fun." |
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Ignore the gay stuff from the snot-nosers. I'm in the same boat w/you. I've looked at the HD, the Spyder, and the Slingshot. I dont know yet which way I will go, but the Slingshot was hard for me to contort down into and has zero storage space except small area behind the seats. The HD felt unstable to me. The Spyder feels odd, but I may be leaning that way. View Quote The H-D trike IS unstable. It's the rear suspension on that thing that freaks people out. With stiff sport shocks, it would handle better but not be nearly as comfortable. I rode a rigid-framed H-D three wheeler for three years when I was in high school. No problems with handling (for a three-wheeler) and I was a young kid with a bony ass, so the rigid frame didn't bother me. Go with the Spyder. |
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Any riding experience on a quad(Banshee, 4-Track)? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Yeah, mostly deer hunting type stuff offroad on trails. Steers similar, huh? Quoted:
Honest question, why not just buy a nice roadster? I mean you're giving up a lot with a trike just to stay on the road with something that kinda resembles a motorcycle. Good point, but we sorta like the biking lifestyle and hope to keep it going as long as possible. |
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Saw this on the news last week. https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlp1/v/t1.0-9/12963894_1684425215151470_4252323795177909756_n.jpg?oh=01e9b0a21f76a83eced69fbbf3b8a5f9&oe=57B10D4F https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/12998519_1684425148484810_7862297762303494262_n.jpg?oh=231d74dbd718605d0670458dae8a651b&oe=577E3026 View Quote Mobility scooter for obese cops? |
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Don't have to put your feet down at a red light. There's that....
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Owned one, did not like. Had to ride like a sled to work the corners. Quick passes sucked as you had to bull the steering out and back. Saw a review that said it was the worst part of a car and the worst part of a motorcycle combined. People won't leave you alone at the gas station. Only positive was it was good for sightseeing. You could run over about anything or off the edge of the road and it would just keep going.
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I get behind them every so often. On occasion I'll get behind one that wants to be an ass and not let me pass but I know I just have to wait for a curve, they completely lose their shit in the turns, never fails.
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Quoted: Long time mc rider (40+ years), mostly HD's, touring mainly last 25 years. Legs and balance not getting any better LOL. Wife and I still like the open road. Looking at HD trike, but cant help but be intrigued by the Spyder RT. LOTS less money. Interesting design. How do you steer around corners with that thing since the wheels dont "tilt"? How do you quickly dodge a hazard, like a deer or dog, etc? Any feedback greatly appreciated. View Quote They are both very stable on rough, broken or wet pavement, and very quick handling. They have power steering. They have really good brakes. They will accelerate VERY well. Standing water will get the rear wheel to hydroplane. I have many hours following a SPYDER at close range, one characteristic is they do throw a HUGE roostertail in wet conditions. You should arrange a test ride. |
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I have a Polaris Slingshot. It is cheaper than a Spyder. A lot of Harley guys are interested in the slingshot when I show up. The Slingshot corners like it is on rails. I get about 35 mph on it. The wife loves it. She really had no interested in riding behind me. Looking at a couple of Spyers in a parking lot on Saturday. she said she did not like the Spyder either. The slingshot has a 4 cly gm Ecotech motor with a 5 speed manual tranny. We like ours and get it out just about every good weather day we have.
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I have never ridden one but the folks I have talked to that have usually are switching from a bike.
The biggest thing I have heard is that handling takes the biggest adjustment, they don't lean like a bike. Not that I have talked to a lot of can-am riders but the ones I have all said that they thought it would be easier to adjust to if they had never ridden a bike before. Of course conventional trikes are completely different anyway so you going to have to adjust no matter what you chose. I say go for what you want, whatever you chose you are going to run into someone who doesn't agree, its just how big of an ass they want to be that shows their character!! Having ridden Kawasaki's since the 70's and still ride a 1980 750 that I bought brand new I have put up with plenty of D-bags over the years.... LOL That being said, once I give up the bike I will probably be looking at some type of small convertible. Good Luck!! |
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I have a Polaris Slingshot. It is cheaper than a Spyder. A lot of Harley guys are interested in the slingshot when I show up. The Slingshot corners like it is on rails. I get about 35 mph on it. That's not very fast dude. For 49cc it might be. Not sure on the engine size of the slingshot, though. |
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A couple of friends of mine have or have had Spyders, and I know one guy with a Slingshot.
If you're accustomed to motorcycle touring, the Spyder is probably for you. Reasonable quick, good cargo capacity, familiar environment. You'll have to get used to steering it like a Quad, which, honestly, seems to be a hard transition for about 50% of the Spyder buyer demographic. Everybody gets it eventually, but it takes a long time for many folks. The Slingshot is like a really bad Scarlett Johansson movie: very pretty to look at, but wrong in almost every other way. It combines the worst aspects of a motorcycle (limited storage, exposed to the elements, kind of steep insurance) with the worst aspects of a car (need a car parking space, tires are expensive, you have to climb out of it). I followed a Slingshot on a funeral ride over the weekend, and got pelted by every stone, twig, and chunk of tar the guy drove over. That rear tire should have a fender on it. I'd rather have a 5-year-old Miata. It's a genuine sports car, parts are cheap and plentiful, two people can tour for an indefinite period of time, cheap on gas, cheap on insurance, fun to drive. |
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For 49cc it might be. Not sure on the engine size of the slingshot, though. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I have a Polaris Slingshot. It is cheaper than a Spyder. A lot of Harley guys are interested in the slingshot when I show up. The Slingshot corners like it is on rails. I get about 35 mph on it. That's not very fast dude. For 49cc it might be. Not sure on the engine size of the slingshot, though. 2.4L |
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For 49cc it might be. Not sure on the engine size of the slingshot, though. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I have a Polaris Slingshot. It is cheaper than a Spyder. A lot of Harley guys are interested in the slingshot when I show up. The Slingshot corners like it is on rails. I get about 35 mph on it. That's not very fast dude. For 49cc it might be. Not sure on the engine size of the slingshot, though. Add 100mph - he meant mpg. 2.3l with 175hp |
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The SPYDER WILL damn sure dodge potholes, dogs, and other road hazard. They are both very stable on rough, broken or wet pavement, and very quick handling. They have power steering. They have really good brakes. They will accelerate VERY well. Standing water will get the rear wheel to hydroplane. I have many hours following a SPYDER at close range, one characteristic is they do throw a HUGE roostertail in wet conditions. You should arrange a test ride. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Long time mc rider (40+ years), mostly HD's, touring mainly last 25 years. Legs and balance not getting any better LOL. Wife and I still like the open road. Looking at HD trike, but cant help but be intrigued by the Spyder RT. LOTS less money. Interesting design. How do you steer around corners with that thing since the wheels dont "tilt"? How do you quickly dodge a hazard, like a deer or dog, etc? Any feedback greatly appreciated. They have power steering. They have really good brakes. They will accelerate VERY well. Standing water will get the rear wheel to hydroplane. I have many hours following a SPYDER at close range, one characteristic is they do throw a HUGE roostertail in wet conditions. You should arrange a test ride. All of this. My wife and I each have a Spyder RT Limited. We both really like them and have gone on a couple of short trips (overnight). Can Am also has a trailer for them. And you can get a driver back rest that makes riding even more comfortable. We also have bluetooth headsets so we can stay in touch when riding together. |
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I have demoed them a few times, they are very nice. They have sophisticated traction control that takes a bit of getting used to. If you fight the handling it will bobble back and forth, you just have to relax your grip. The major difference is that there is no counter steering. Its like riding a tricycle when we were little. You lean off on the inside a bit on a corner. They are very popular with folks who would like to ride a motorcycle but are concerned about tipping over and of course people who are getting older and may have balance or strength issues.
Your local dealer should have a demo program, mine does, go ride one. |
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I rented one for a weekend and put 1000 miles on it. IIRC it was a sport model.
It felt like riding an ATV and was not overly comfortable. The touring model might be better though. On a manual trans it had decent acceleration but I couldn't get over the steering. It seemed very jammed up when having to make sharp turns. It wasn't for me. |
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Take everything that is fun about motorcycling and remove it.
Take everything practical about a car and remove it. Mix together what remains and you just made a Spyder. Miata - I don't even like them that much but seriously, just get a Miata. |
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