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If you ride you owe it to yourself to try a Spyder.

I recently was priveledged to test ride both the SE5 and the SM5 models. These are totally different machines. Throw out any preconcieved notion you may have abouty going on a motorcycle ride or a ride on a old style rear drive three wheeler. The similarities stop here. From the time you go throu...gh the single lever - three wheel anti lock brake system, to the to the slightly sporty rider position. You grasp a set of wide handlebars that give you a dominant feel over the control of the machine. Releasing the parking brake with your left heel, you depress the solid feeling brake lever with your right toe. Tap the upshift lever with your left thumb and you feel the bike nudge slightly forward similar to my car when put in gear. Ease off the brake and the Spyder moves slowly foward. The faintest touch to the throttle rewards you with a smooth and easy motion forward. The steering felt a little heavy at low speeds but as soon as I pulled out on the road, it was effortless, in fact I found the bike so resposive that I had to actually quit trying to make minor corrections as the road pitch changed or as you crossed uneven pavement. The Sypder corrected itself. The salesman had told me that the sensation when you first hit the road took a little to get used too. I agree. On a bike it the majority of your momentem is on the straight line in front of you. You sit your bike anticipate the bump, crack to slop of the road and you feel part of the bike. First impression of the Spyder is that you not only get the front and back motion you are familiar with you also have a flat side to side feel that somewhat reminds me of riding in a strong gusty crosswind. A little odd feeling at first, but as you become more familiar with the bike and became relaxed with its motion it feels natural. Shifting the SE5 was a surprise. I eased from the dealership down a half block to a redlight. I pulled out in first, crossed to my lane and tapped the thumbshifter to second. I had eased the throttle back only slightly and I was in second. Extremely smooth. You knew you shifted more by the deeper sound of the exhaust as there was no lurch or jump as I had expected. I sped up a little, dropped into 3, again silky smooth. I pulled up the the light braked and the Spyder downshifted. Downshifting was clunky compared to the upshift. I could easily hear and feel the shifts. The ride through town was a couple miles with intermittent stoplights and a roughly 35mph speed limit. The town course had me on blacktop, badly worn and crowned center blacktop, crossing odd angled railroad tracks and broken concrete. The Spyder behaved well and by the time I finally got to open the SE5 up as I left town my face was already starting to bear a grin. The Spyder is a powerful torquey machine that has bountiful torque at any engine speed and any gear. I then went on a quick 5 mile jaunt across a winding mountain road. The first turn was a little unnerving as the lateral G-force against you feels like a car. Second you have to steer the Spyder through a turn - no leaning the bike here. I tried sitting striaight on the Spyder but found that a slight seat lean into the turn felt better to me. Even on a first ride the Spyder felt stuck to the road as I went around turns. I did notice a vibration in driveline or transmission that came on suddenly as I neared the turn around spot. It felt like a bearing or dry clutch. At the turn around point the dealer and I swapped Spyders and I got on the SM5. I told the dealer about the vibration and he said he would watch for it on the way back. The SM5 shifted like a standard motorcycle. Gearing was well done and gear ratios set to make a smooth seemless transition from first through fifth. The SM5 was set up with custom rims and a aftermarket pipe which gave it a hungry throaty grow, eager to gulp down the pavement. All to soon we were back at the dealership and discussing the ride with group I had come in with. I was the only one who got to testdrive that day having brought both helmet and riding jacket in the trunk of my car. The bottom line. These things are a blast to ride, nothing else compairs. The are having one of their factory events soon and I plan on being there, if all goes well, that little shed out back where my car normally sets may have a new addition. TC

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grow old gracefully on a can-am

68 years with lesser balance skills but the CanAm solved the balance issues and allowed for much more fun. Should have bought earlier. Hard to ride since passersbye want to know what it is. Try it and grow old gracefully with me.

And along came a SPYDER Read Full Review