What in the world is this thing?

[callmegandhi]

I was on a charity ride this weekend and was behind a Can AM Spyder for about 40 miles, and got to thinking, what is it?

 

[jerdman89]

I'm gonna go with either snowmobile or best bike a handicap person could buy.

 

[Motogiro]

That's a Spyder/Bombardier Motors (SP?) Prolly has the Rotax engine that's built in Ausria.

 

[Jblk9695]

I voted for Rascal scooter cause that's what I'm going to get when the old balance goes south:BLAA:

Jerry

 

[Motogiro]

I voted for Rascal scooter cause that's what I'm going to get when the old balance goes south:BLAA:

Jerry

That's a way down the road buddy and even then we'll mod that Rascal Scooter to a two wheeler.....:BLAA:

 

[CoolATIGuy]

I will say looks fun, expensive, cool, and posh...

Not a motorcycle replacement, but could be fun sometimes...

I do look down a little on machines that don't have pedal shifters like bikes...clutchless, press-button shifting sounds a little tame and geriatric to me.

 

[DownrangeFuture]

I do look down a little on machines that don't have pedal shifters like bikes...clutchless, press-button shifting sounds a little tame and geriatric to me.

I don't know man, all the old people I've talked to riding them seem to think they're awesome. Oh, and that one guy with back problems that needed a special back support to sit down.

When I hit that point, many years down the road, I'm getting one of these. The luggauge should be big enough for my walker even.

 

[Botch]

"Snowmobile"??

 

[Jb40k]

I will say looks fun, expensive, cool, and posh... clutchless, press-button shifting sounds a little tame and geriatric to me.

A duffer at my local bike meet showed up on one of these things once... By the time he'd faffed about finding a space to reverse park it, it was time to go home again!

 

[04fizzer]

I think they have their place. I'm just not to the point of wanting/needing one.

 

[ChevyFazer]

Personally I dont like them but for someone who is handicaped and loved to ride it could be a godsend

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[Grainbelt]

A far better design than the usual HD/Goldwing trike conversions.

The most interesting thing I heard after a test ride was that you feel EVERY bump in the road, since you have a wheel in all parts of the lane. Can't really dodge potholes.

 

[greg]

it's more of an expensive trike (requiring a car licence in the uk)

i've seen them at the motorshows, supposed to be fun, but they're huge. also you can't filter through traffic with one...

 

[FZ6_Dude]

My father-in-law owns the RT model and it is pretty cool... he had a touring harley electro-glide before this and kept having problems dropping it at low speeds or in parking lots when it was fully loaded at almost a 1000lbs with two passengers... so he got this... and with the air ride suspension its pretty neat... the rotax motor puts out a ton of power... this thing is quicker than my fz for sure... its got a lot of useful storage... and they got the towable trailer to go with it... these things are set up for the ultimate touring bike for those that dont want a two wheel bike... and you don't have to have a motorcycle endorsement to drive one...

However there have been many problems reported with the wiring and transmissions having issues... My in-laws went on a trip and made it to Texas from Tennessee and the wiring system took a dump and reverse went out as well they ended up having to rent a uhaul and trailer it back... so these things seem to be having one recall after another atm...

 

[rsw81]

As others have said, this is a great alternative for those who used to ride and have some reason they no longer can. I have a couple of patients who were injured on a motorcycle and couldn't ride anymore, but found this and was able to modify it to suit their disability and keep riding. I'm not saying I'd want one, but can see it being useful for a certain population.:thumbup:

 

[pulverizer]

Heard its a bit of a transition when riding one of those if you are used to a motorcycle. Here is an entertaining snapshot review of one:
Capsule Review: Can-Am Spyder | The Truth About Cars

 

[ChevyFazer]

A friend of mine rode one similar to the t-rex not sure what brand it was I just saw the aftermath and herd the story but basicly he was drinking and asked his friend if he could take it for a spin so he and someone else hoped on with no helmet and took off went around a turn and threw the passanger off and while the passenger was trying to cling on to him he ended up flooring it and drove it through a chain link fence, when he hit the fence the throttle was still stuck wide open and the fence knocked him halfway off the trike but his foot got hung up on something and it continued to go wide open for about a half a mile through a field dragging him face down across the dirt until his foot came free right before it flipped. I saw pictures of the fence, and the trike and dont know how he survived. They also showed me pictures of his face and it was like something from a horror movie. I wont get into details but just imagine getting just your face drug across a field at 50mph backwards

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[Se7enLC]

I say it's a perfect option for somebody that doesn't have the strength or balance to hold a bike up at low speeds or when stopped anymore. WAY cooler than the typical trike (and way safer, too). They are expensive, though, so I hope I'm rich when I'm too old to ride a normal bike!

Also see the Piaggio MP3 (Piaggio MP3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). If the CanAm is a motorcycle for people that need/want 3 wheels, I guess the Piaggio is a scooter for those same people. What's neat is that the wheels on the Piaggio articulate so you can still lean into curves.

Top Gear did an episode on the Carver-1 - another version of the articulating trike, but with the 2 wheels in the back and a fully-enclosed ****pit.

 

[greg]

from the link above i discovered the scorpion p6, now that looks like an awesome trike

Scorpion Motorsports | Three Wheel Motorcycle | 3 Wheeler | Miami, FL | Faster than Campagna T-Rex | Faster than Ariel Atom

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YvYPa_s1Y4]scorpion motorsports p6 video - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Motogiro]

My father-in-law owns the RT model and it is pretty cool... he had a touring harley electro-glide before this and kept having problems dropping it at low speeds or in parking lots when it was fully loaded at almost a 1000lbs with two passengers... so he got this... and with the air ride suspension its pretty neat... the rotax motor puts out a ton of power... this thing is quicker than my fz for sure... its got a lot of useful storage... and they got the towable trailer to go with it... these things are set up for the ultimate touring bike for those that dont want a two wheel bike... and you don't have to have a motorcycle endorsement to drive one...

However there have been many problems reported with the wiring and transmissions having issues... My in-laws went on a trip and made it to Texas from Tennessee and the wiring system took a dump and reverse went out as well they ended up having to rent a uhaul and trailer it back... so these things seem to be having one recall after another atm...

I was at a MC dealer service dept. one day and a guy from Colorado was here in San Diego getting his oil changed on his Spyder. The service writer came out and tells the guy, we were changing your oil and there was a service bulletin for a flash update to the steering computer. They have a steering computer. "Your steering computer locked up and we can't get it to respond" "We're trying to locate a new one for you sir"....
I could tell you stories about this dealer that would make you think maybe they built it on a sacred Indian burial ground. The Spyder has a steering ECU and I would imagine a servo system for steering. If I get to this point in riding where I need that wide open feeling with the wind blowing through my ....wait a minute...I'm bald now...well I'll go the Spyder one better with an extra wheel and a rag top.

Truthfully, If it makes someone's like fuller and happier, I'm all for it! :thumbup: