Spyder as well as Bandit

First topic message reminder :

Does anyone know anyone who has owned one of these?  Wifey and I are thinking of two-up touring, sort-of bike style.

Jimcoleman wrote:...So good onya dave if it means spending more time with your lovely wife in an environment that she is comfortable then good on ya ...

+1

I think a lot of three wheelers are purchased with the pillion in mind.  

And don't think its easier riding them, centrifical force is a real bitch when its trying to through you out of a corner, or coming in too hot and no matter what you do to the steering you keep going straight - hitting brakes and throttle at the same time takes a bit of fine tuning.

That could be my wife's riding style (or is that driving style?).

barry_mcki wrote:

Jimcoleman wrote:...So good onya dave if it means spending more time with your lovely wife in an environment that she is comfortable then good on ya ...

+1  

I think a lot of three wheelers are purchased with the pillion in mind.  

And don't think its easier riding them, centrifical force is a real bitch when its trying to through you out of a corner, or coming in too hot and no matter what you do to the steering you keep going straight - hitting brakes and throttle at the same time takes a bit of fine tuning.

Never Seen Dave cook a corner yet, he's the master of smooth and tyre wear

Jimcoleman wrote:If my wife said " i would prefer a spyder over your GSX"  and it meant that she would come riding more with me

That would be enough for me to stay with the GSX

Each to their own of course..........

So here's another question: What gear would you ride in on a Spyder (assuming you're not pushing it hard like the pic above)?  
- leathers?
- textile jacket and pants?
- Draggin jeans and either leather or textile jacket?
- just normal clothes that you'd drive to the shopping centre in?
- thongs and a t-shirt, no gloves (jeez, isn't a helmet enough)?

This is very confusing! 

I stay with what you got.

Ewok1958 wrote:So here's another question: What gear would you ride in on a Spyder (assuming you're not pushing it hard like the pic above)?  
- leathers?
- textile jacket and pants?
- Draggin jeans and either leather or textile jacket?
- just normal clothes that you'd drive to the shopping centre in?
- thongs and a t-shirt, no gloves (jeez, isn't a helmet enough)?

This is very confusing! 

You could always try this .................



But I would stick to what you would wear on a bike 

Ewok1958 wrote:So here's another question: What gear would you ride in on a Spyder (assuming you're not pushing it hard like the pic above)?  
- leathers?
- textile jacket and pants?
- Draggin jeans and either leather or textile jacket?
- just normal clothes that you'd drive to the shopping centre in?
- thongs and a t-shirt, no gloves (jeez, isn't a helmet enough)?

This is very confusing! 

I'd stick with what you always wear, looking at your list got me thinking....

- leathers?     - I  have always been going to get a set but (or my Mrs) always seem to have higher priorities for my $$$$
- textile jacket and pants? - That's what Ive worn since my mid 20's
- Draggin jeans and either leather or textile jacket? - I added the kevlar lined pants about 5 or 6 years ago
- just normal clothes that you'd drive to the shopping centre in? - Late teens to early 20's
- thongs and a t-shirt, no gloves (jeez, isn't a helmet enough)? - up to about when I was 15 or 16 until I saw someone go arse up on rough bitumen pulling a mono dressed like that

We went for a group outing the other day. An arvo ride and then dinner at the pub with a bunch of riding friends. 
Chris didn't feel like riding, so came on the back of the Bandit. We have intercom to chat as we ride.
Our friend, Pat, came on her Spyder. Pat is a 65 yo spring chicken and has had her Spyder for nearly 12 months. She has become quite accustomed to the Spyder ryding style. 
Chris asked if she could be a pillion with Pat for a while, when we met at our muster point. 
Pat was delighted to oblige. 
Well. My ears copped a bashing as Chris experienced her first Spyder ryde as a pillion. Pat didn't hold back on the bends. 
"I keep punching her in the back trying to make her slow down! She keeps going faster!!! " Chris was screaming in my ears. 
Her screams turned to whimpers as Chris realised that Pat wasn't going to slow and that surviving the ride meant becoming proactive and leaning in Spyder style. 
I gained a pillion at the mid ride stop. 
Pat loves her ryde. She has ryden from Newcastle to Tassie, did a lap and back home. That was just to break it in. She still has her 200,000+km Triumph in the shed but prefers the byke with reverse now.

Dress for the slide mate. 
You have the gear so may as well use it.

Ewok1958 wrote:So here's another question: What gear would you ride in on a Spyder (assuming you're not pushing it hard like the pic above)?  
- leathers?
- textile jacket and pants?
- Draggin jeans and either leather or textile jacket?
- just normal clothes that you'd drive to the shopping centre in?
- thongs and a t-shirt, no gloves (jeez, isn't a helmet enough)?

This is very confusing! 

There are a couple of local guys, in their late 50's/mid 60's, who each bought a spyder, of different models ( the Italian bought a red one of course) and they are also two wheeler riders. They wear all the gear all the time, as I believe you should, as ive seen a younger guy in his late 30's, dinking his young boy around on his red sports model, with very little clothing on at all, just helmets. Totally irresponsible, in my opinion.
If you end up with one, hope she enjoys it!

Congratulations Dave.

hope it doesn't bite like the spiders I have around here.

The deed is done! Glad to be home safely and, I hope, without speed camera trouble!





My initial first impressions:
- if you've ridden a quad bike, you'll better understand what to expect (I can understand bike riders who get on one of these having only driven cars and ridden bikes, and then return it to the dealer after the test ride, never to be seen on one of these again).
- the steering is very direct and feels like it jiggles about under bumps (like a quad bike) - more practice will be required to build cornering confidence
- I thought that adding a case of beer to the front luggage compartment would help load up the steering!
- running in a new engine is a pain in the butt (I'd just forgotten how much I hate it)
- there is a fair bit of body roll on these RT models that contributes to understeer in the corners - if you want to be sporty, best to look at either the ST or the RS model ranges (the seat on the RT model does restrict your movement)
- the electrically adjustable screen probably doesn't cater for 188cm riders - but I liked it lowered a bit so I was looking over the top of it, not through it - that felt more bike-like and less car-like
- it will be a great 2-up wind-in-the-face experience that the both of us can enjoy together
- it is not a replacement for a bike - unless you are the stage where you no longer can, or want to, ride a bike

Other things:
- the dealer didn't do what I would call pre-delivery setup, eg (a) the temperature readout was still in Fahrenheit, and (b) the radio region was still set for Canada/North America - this meant the radio wouldn't tune into Oz radio channels.  That's pretty neglectful IMHO when you're paying nearly $29k (with 12 months rego and CTP).
- radio tuning (after I got the region set correctly) was a bit painful and I wouldn't have managed it without reading the owner's manual.
- Bev found passenger visibility was better than on the Bandit by a considerable margin

Ewok1958 wrote:
- I thought that adding a case of beer to the front luggage compartment would help load up the steering!

A case of beer will help with anything

Glad to hear your happy with it Dave.

Not my cup of tea...................Yet

Here's independent evidence to prove he hasn't set this up like the fake moon landing:

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That's the HMAS Muthaship, under the command of Rear Admirer Ewok, steaming back into The Valley with the destroyer escort HMAS Blowfly.

I followed that humungous arse for some time and Dave's impressions looked pretty accurate from back there.

It's huge, more like a car than a bike   




Anyway congrat's & i hope you have many happy drives / rides 

Nice Dave. 
There's a lot of black to keep clean.

2wheelsagain wrote:Nice Dave. 
There's a lot of black to keep clean.

Congratulations, and great to see Bev in a post.
Maybe she will be a regular from now on.

I agree the closest thing to a Spyder is a quad, not for me but I understand the reasoning.

I wish you both many happy and safe adventures together.

It looks the part Ewok ,I look forward to your report after you have had it for a while & settle into it 

That's a nice, um, err, .... Trike !  It must be a trike cause it's got three wheels.  Don't matter that two are at the front. It's still a trike.

Question #1.  Is it registered as a motorcycle or a car ?

Question #2.  What is this "running in " thing that you speak of ?

Question #3.  Will it get on with a Blackbird when it visits ?

Onya Dave. I can see you with a bale of hay on the back out feeding the alpacas. 

Well the rego and insurance people think it's a bike - but it really is so much different to a bike in its personality that it deserves a new category.

"Running in" is what you do when you've discovered you've forgotten to hit the electrically activated parking brake (which I've managed to do at least twice today  ) and have to chase it!

The Blackbird is safe - it's not a 'busa.

Yep, I did take Bev for a short spin in the paddock - but without the bale of hay!

-

How about some bling Dave?
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