New Can-Am Spyder is NOT a motorcycle
 

The new Can-Am Spyder is NOT a motorcycle.

I can't believe the marketing attached to this vehicle!
Sure, there is a market for it, but the ads make it out to be just as much a motorcycle as any other, and one that has a place in the motorcycle cultural lifestyle.
The TV ads (clearly an expensive campaign coming out of the white towers on Madison Avenue) with pretty "biker" models (not real bikers) and ZZ Top background music is so over the top slickness; will it really get the market excited over this "Granny" trike?

What do you think?

Not a motorcycle but I think it belongs among the motorcycle culture for sure. No seatbelt, rider exposed to the weather, handlebars. I consider them welcome to the scene.

To the "granny" bike idea, yeah, I get that but it's a good vehicle that wants to ride a moto but can't for whatever reason. I'll take these over an 8000lb SUV anyday. FWIW, the only guy I know that owns one is a hardcore snowmobiler who's ~30.

It's not something I would choose to own, but that does not mean it is not allied power sport vehicle. It is as much a motorcycle as a Harley or Goldwing trike conversion.
Different strokes...

so were the people who bought the old school willys jeeps, no seat belts, no doors, no roof.

theyre not bikes. theyre like a crossover of some kind like those mini suv things are. i rode one, they handle like crap they get thrown around by the wind, i wouldnt choose to own one. the two we took out werent that comfortable and the seat got real hot real fast

The commercial I saw for them said that you can now take the motorcycle rider's test with them!?!? That just seems like a loop-hole that is going to get more rider's out there who are not very skilled.

yeah thats bullshit. because theres no lane blocking in that thing which is a large portion of the test. gotta be able to compitently block the lane youre in, and you can run the middle lane in those things

A BIG +1!!! That is stated on the TV commercials here in California as well.

It just seems wrong that you can get a motorcycle endorsement on the Can Am Spyder. What happens when that person then gets on a real motorcycle (2 wheels) with absolutely no knowledge of countersteering. Answer = in the ditch.

It's a snowmobile with wheels. One of my friends was a rep. for them for a while. I took it out, it wants to fling you off the side when cornering... it wasn't my thing. I know another guy that I ride with that loves his, but not my cup of tea.



There's alot of riders out there who aren't very skilled already... I teach and the sad thing is, I only remember the names of the ones who scared the crap out of me...

[QUOTE=matt365;298555]It's a snowmobile with wheels.



+1!!!!!

IMHO it is not a motorcycle. Typically three wheeled vehicles have been referred to as cars. I think the word motorcycle comes from motor bicycle or motorbike as the Brits tend to say. And Bi-cycle means 2 wheels.
The motorcycle test thing is complete BS.

I don't particularly care for them at this time, but If I became disabled where I couldn't ride two wheels anymore, this would be a great option. That said, the biggest beef I have with these is there will be a percentage of buyers throwing a leg over a Spyder that CAN NOT ride motorcycles. If you can't manage a motorcycle without training wheels because you lack coordination and balance, then you don't need to be on any light weight, high powered machines, period.

Which culture might that be... Harley riders...Stunters...Canyon carvers...Black urban bikers...retro Cafe Racers?

I'm sensing some of you feel threatened by a new market segment.

I like the different look of them, but I also like the look of some Harley's. But I would never really buy either one...

Seen a couple around Vegas lately. My 2 cents: To each his/her own, but it's kinda hard not to look like a complete TOOL sitting on one. Saw a guy in a parking lot struggling to turn it at low speed. My thought was this: if you want one cause it's kinda like a motorcycle but you lack the skills for 2 wheels: GET A MIATA. BTW, the ZZ Top playing in the commercial does nothing to make it seem cool in my eyes.

Saw a few of these last season up in the mountains. I don't think I'd own one as they don't lean, but to each their own. The folks that were driving them looked like they were having plenty of fun. My Dad has already said he doesn't have the coordination for 2 wheels, but looked a bit interested in one of these. I'd ride with him if he got one, just wouldn't own one myself!

It doesnt lean over in a corner, so its not a motorcycle

The first time I saw one I thought, kinda cool, right after that I thought, kinda goofy. Have not been on one, but I would think they would be scary to ride in anything but a straight line.
As far as training goes, there is, IMO, 15-20% (very conservative) of the drivers on the road that should never be allowed to be behind the steering wheel of a automobile period. The rest of us should have to take a comprehensive driving course before venturing out on to the roadways.
I met someone recently that has ridden MCs for over 40 years, and has been struck with Parkinson's disease. He no longer rides a two wheeled motorcycle. With medication and a CanAm he's able to ride again. Weather this is a good idea or not, for the rest of the traffic on the road or him self personally, I'll leave that for you to decide. If I was disabled to the point of physically not being able to handle a two wheeled vehicle, but still had mental capacity, I would consider this option.

Ideas that didn't make it
 

Here are some of the ideas that didn't make it before they came up with the Can-AM Spyder...

#1: It was just too girly.

#2: Wait, we already have training wheels up front.

#3: Let's just let the rider wear it as a back-pack.

In the UK they are a mad price, £10,800 for a 2008 one! also people here who cannot ride a bike any more go for quads. Really cant see them catching on, Piaggio make a scooter like this, I don't recall seeing more than three or four in the last five years and at least they lean!

They are allowed in the HOV lanes here, which is a little annoying.

Where I work we have motorcycle-only parking areas, and motorcycles are NOT allowed to park in any car spots (which I'm trying to change since they don't have enough motorcycle spots for everyone during the summer). So where would a Can-Am Spyder park? They would take up two motorcycle spots.

In California, are they allowed to lane-split?

Not a motorcycle in my opinion, but I think they are considered one legally.

Good point about the parking. If a couple of guys do get them they could probably get permission to share a car spot.

One more point in favor for the old/unskilled population- the 2 front wheel configuration does away with one of the most common crash modes, the dreaded locked front wheel low-side. Even if you do lock them up (there has to be 5x the contact patch up there), you can't fall down. Should make for much better/faster panic stops too.

Like a lot of guys, these aren't for me but I'd rather see more of these than 8,000lb SUV's with people sleeping at the wheel in them, or any car for that matter.

Driving a wide vehicle didn't stop Jeff Spicoli from lane splitting in a Camaro.

Being in central NC near many mil bases, I see several GI's who did ride before they were deployed but lost a limb in combat. I think it is great that these are around and they are able get a sense of the riding freedom they had before. So in this case, they are bikers doing the best they can.

personally I think it is a reverse trike.

But think of it this way, is a jet ski a boat? Some same it is but to others, it's just a pleasurecraft.

Uhmmm... not the same thing at all.

A jet ski is a boat.
Merriam-Webster definition - boat:
"a small vessel for travel on water"

Spyder is NOT a motorcycle.
Merriam-Webster definition - motorcycle:
"an automotive vehicle with two in-line wheels"

Bumped into an owner riding on the PA Turnpike yesterday at a rest stop. He definitely believes he is riding a motorcycle. Considers it no diferent from a trike or a motorcycle with a sidecar. It did have a PA motorcycle plate, so legally at least the Commonwealth of PA considers it such. Nevertheless, I voted it is not.

Merriam-Webster carries no legal weight. It's what the town/village/city/district/state/etc. determines it is.

Anyway, WHOGAS ? Can't we all just get along?

I don't think it's any different than a trike or sidecar bike either. If those are motorcycles, then a Can Am Spyder is also.

All of those, though, miss out on the one thing that I think makes motorcycles unique: the ability (and necessity) to lean into a turn.

These are a "kind" of motorcycle yes but if you take your licence on them you should definitely not be allowed to ride a regular bike. They should have two classes of motorcycle licences one for the two wheeled and one for three or more as the handling is significantly different between the two.