Yep - took one for a test ride too. And I decided that its not for me. While they're comfortable and have reasonable power I found that road surface irregularities keep you constantly busy with steering adjustments. A two wheeled bike is much better in similiar circumstances. And try as I might for the half hour test ride, I just could not come to grips with the sensations the bike gives you when cornering. The bike needs to go one way but your body wants to continue down the direction you were travelling before the corner. But because your sitting on top and the Spyder obviously doesn't lean into a corner like a normal bike, you find yourself working much harder to get both you and Spyder around the corner. This is not to say the Spyder is crap - its just very, very different. Riders with a bike and sidecar would be much more comfortable on a Spyder I reckon. I'm sticking to two wheels. Cheers,
When I was a teenager, I rode a friends 3 wheel atv on a street. I had only ridden 2 wheelers and was used to leaning. On the three wheeler, I couldn't lean and therefore couldn't turn (psychologically), so as the atv started to drift into parked cars on the side of the road, I couldn't get myself to turn the bars and ended up hitting a parked car. Stupid and embarrasing, but I haven't ridden anything with more than 2 wheels (except a car) since.
Ive seen a few but I havent been interested in trying it out. I have read that if you are in a "city" situation, they are horrible to try and make a U-Turn. I would love to have my girl on one of those 3 wheel scooters. The name escapes me now but the front two wheels are close together and when you come to a stop the machine locks in an upright position. I would get this because my girl cant walk and chew gum at the same time. I would not trust her on the back of my ride. If you dont beleive me... ask her. She doesnt trust herself for a two up.
Bombardier's pumping out a bunch of them up here - apparently very appealing to the winter sledding crowd. Hmmmm, I'd love to see someone do a super stoppie on one.
They had a display at Mid-Ohio last year and you could take a closed-course (slow speed) test ride. Look like they're well made, but they don't handle anything near like a motorcycle. I saw about a half-dozen of them on the 14-day 5,009 mile ride I just returned from, but that was over nine states and across Ontario, so I wouldn't say they are prevalent. I looked at one while in Rapid City, SD at Rice Honda/Suzuki. There are quite a few purpose-made accessories available for them already. Not for me, though. It's not a motorcycle.
My friends and i ran a cross a guy on one yesterday on sc28 above Wallhala. We asked a lot of questions about it. The guy riding it was obviously an older, out of shape individual and admididly doesn't push it thru the corners. The thing is slick looking and for those of you that have ever ridden a snowmobile they handle quite similarly. Under hard cornering it will lift the inside front wheel and the ABS and Stability controls work together to keep the rear end in line. He had a pipe on his and said he's had it up to 100mph. It makes a little over 100bhp. To do any fast cornering on it you have got to hang way off to the inside of the rig. It would be something to consider instead of a trike for sure.
yeah...there are a few out here in Santa barbara.....theuy are ok.....but Cebu said..............can't split lanes with them...LOL
