Can-Am Spyder Test Ride

Hello everyone!.



I just got back from an extended Memorial Day weekend. I hope everyone had a safe and eventful holiday. If you well in the Midwest that meant rain, rain, and more rain. With all the flooding, I would probably serve you better writing about jet ski’s instead of motorcycles.

As you noticed from the title, I was able to test ride a Can-Am Spyder between the few brief lapses in the rain. Which I feel seems appropriate because I kind of looks like a jet ski. Anyway, keep reading to see what I thought.




All of the Spyder lineup models are based on the same engine and platform. This includes the Rotax 998cc v-twin engine, 5 speed transmission, and belt drive. Models differ with additions of windshield type, saddle bags, and other luxury items. The base model ranges from $16,699 to the ultra fancy Spyder RT Limited $28,899

For those of you would've never ridden a trike it can take some getting used to. The Can-Am Spyder is no exception. The first thing to get used to is not having to put your feet down at a stoplight or stop sign . No matter how many times I tried to remind myself it never failed that one or both feet would touch the ground the moment the trike stopped. The next thing specific to the Spyder is the lack of a front brake lever. Can-Am has removed the front right lever which would typically be your front brake. Braking for all three wheels is controlled by using the right foot lever. This feature works fairly well, although again I found myself continually reaching for the front brake lever when slowing. Braking was nice, controlled and you can stop rather abruptly in emergency situations. The last unique item is the addition of a reverse gear which is a necessity because the Can-Am is wide and heavy with a dry weight of 700lbs. Reverse gear is simply engaged by pushing a lever on the bars and shifting down, then accelerate away as you normally would.



The core to any motorcycle is the engine. The Rotax 998cc found in the Spyder does not disappoint. Rated around 100 bhp and 80 ft Lbs of torque the Cam-Am is quick by the seat of the pants test. Be generous with the throttle and you can easily spin the large rear tire (225 / 50 R15) through the first three gears. The engine is smooth but a small amount of vibration can be felt, giving it some character. Torque is also found in aplenty as you can drop down as low as 35 mph in fifth gear without lugging the engine.

With all this power on tap it is easy to imagine drifting through corners and spinning donuts for hours. Unfortunately, for the more rambuncshus, the Can-Am has fitted the Spyder with a 'vehicle stability system.' This feature continuously monitors the vehicle and adjusts engine and braking accordingly to prevent the trike from sliding or the wheels lifting. For example, when turning quickly the lateral forces on the bike build, if the forces become to great the inside front wheel may lift and/or bike may spin out of control. The 'vehicle stability system' would theoretically stop this from happening by slowing the bike down without any input from you. How does it work? As I stated before, keep the bike pointed forward and you can freely smoke the back tire. However, soon as that wheel spinning combines with a lateral force, as in my attempt at spinning 180 degrees, the rear tire slows and stops the slide.



So how does it feel drive? Very much like an ATV. Having three wheels you sit on the trike with no need to balance. Since you can not lean into corners as you would on a two wheeled machine, taking corners on the Spyder becomes a practice of shifting your weight from one side of the seat to the other. The suspension is soft but responsive and  make this a very capable touring machine. This is good because with three wheels dodging a pothole is not an option. One additional item that I noticed is that the wheels follow the depressions of the road creating a shifting feeling as the trike travels down the road, similar to a two wheeled bike on a grooved highway.



Overall, I came away relatively impressed. At first, I thought aesthetically the Spyder was pretty ugly, but I have to say the style is starting to grow on me.  It could be that 11.6 gallons of storage up-front on all models goes along way in convincing me of very usable function over form.  So if you are a new rider, the veteran looking for a change, or a substitute for your car to allow you to ride all year round in and all kinds of different weather conditions, then the Can-Am Spyder may be right for you.

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments and I'll try to address them as best I can.