test ride the Can-Am Spyder

[NeonspeedRT]

Originally Posted by nhgunnut

We kept trying to put our foot down at the lights and lean into the corers. The lack of a front brake (it is a linked system that activates off of the foot pedal (traditional rear break location)

The steering (and it is steered not ridden) was difficult for us to get used to. The machine goes very easily where you tell it to but is VERY responsive to the point of being twitchy. It corners fast and flat, it sticks to the road well enough that the joke at the dealership was they are going to have to make a velcro seat so you don't fall off

Your review is spot on. One thing I will say. If anyone does a demo ride. Once you are done, ride it again. Everyone, including the dealers, say it's so wierd for a normal motorcyclist to get used to, it takes two or more rides to get familliar with how it handles and turns.

One of our local Can Am dealerships did a demo day several months back. I got to go for a 45 minute ride on one. Honestly I wasn't impressed with it at all. It turns and rides more like a 4 wheeler then a motorcycle. You actually turn the handlebars to turn instead of leaning. That will freak you out the first time you go into a corner. Espically if there is oncoming traffic.

Wind protection is almost non existant. Allthough i've heard Can Am will have a touring windscreen. My right foot was baking with heat from the exhaust. They were also supposed to be doing something to fix that as well for the production models.

It is definatly very twitchy when it comes to steering. It has power assisted steering, so thats one of the reasons why. The engineers at the event said they were planning on change something with the steering so it wasn't as twitchy before the production run.

Otherwise it was allright. I wouldn't own one for the money though. Maybe if it was $7000 and got great gas mileage. Then i'd think about it. Otherwise i'll pass.