If James Bond doesn't ride one of these in his next movie, take the Bond franchise away from the current producer.
This is an INCREDIBLE machine. It has two wheels in front and one in back. Traction control and ABS ensure it won't tip over, or wipe out on gravel, or wet stuff, yet its open riding far more exciting and pleasurable than a sports car. It has a big V-twin for excellent pick-up, yet it is speed limited to 110mph to discourage the crazies. It is the machine I hoped for so many years ago. They did it and it vindicates my dream.
Once in a decade a car or recreational vehicle company gets it right the first time; this is that time and Bombardier is the company.
Once in two or three decades a vehicle company comes out with something that LEAPS outside the box. The Spyder races outside of it.
I just saw and sat on my first Can-Am Spyder today, even though its been out in certain states since mid 2007. A neighbor bought one up in Portland and rode it to Bandon. There are now five in Coos Bay and Bandon.
It's freaking cool, okay. And a dream come true for me. Back during the mid 90s, when I wrote for motorcycle mags and rode religiously, I argued for a three wheeler based on an ATV platform. Most of the motojournalists said, "Not gonna happen." It took a decade, but it happened.
Bombardier, the inventor of snow mobiles and maker of ATVs, and motorcycle engines for dirt bikes and for Aprilia's big sport bikes, has made it happen and set the bar waaaaaay high. Bombardier has kicked some serious three wheeling ass here. It is hot. It is beautiful. It is practical. It is safe.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=4456
Pt. 2
The only draw back is it is a little too expensive at $15 to $17k and it is not yet geared to high mileage (it gets only 37 mpg), but its mileage could be spiked to 40-45 in the blink of an eye with a smaller engine and higher mileage tires and an egg-fairing. And if Bombardier were to domesticate one of the lightweight, small displacement, diesels fast gaining popularity in workhorse ATV's--the ones used on farms and in factories, well, then, 50 to 60 mpg would be effortlessly feasible in a snap, too.
All break through machines have antecedants. The Can-Am Spyder's immediate legacy genes surfaced 20 or so years back in Canada in something called a TriHawk; that vehicle combined car like front end with a motorcycle like rear end. Another Canadian youngster experimented in the 90s with simply cutting the forks off a big Kawasaki and joining a two-wheeled front suspension and cockpit cage onto it in the 1990s; that is actually the closest vehicle to the Can-Am Spyder, but it never got past kit car status.
Of course, both these late 20th Century attempts were preceded by the Morgan Autocar, and several others like it, made from the 1920s to the 1950s. But these Morgans and their bretheren were decidely three wheeled cars, where as today's Can-Am Spyder is essentially part ATV and part motorcycle. It has an ATV front end joined to a motorcycle's twin aluminum spar frame (packing a big V-twin motorcycle engine) that has an extra long rear swing motorcycle arm and belt drive. Oh, and it makes kick ass use of contemporary electronics for traction control, breaking, engine management and transmission (yep, you can option an electronic, paddle shifting five-speed trannie), as so many vehicles try to do these days.
Yeeeee hawwwww!
Wheeled travel is not moribund yet!
And did I mention that it looks pretty right for a first try at a new vehicle? Yes, its form language is a derivative combo of contempo ATV and sport bike, but that's not all bad. ATV and sport bike designs are at least contemporary efforts at looking purposeful. The Spyder is clearly designed to look like it sits low on its haunches and hugs the ground, even though it rides almost as high as an ATV. But that look is not entirely a pose, because this machine CAN corner like a mother.
James, M and Q have your next ride ready. If you want, they can TIG weld on some rocket launchers and pass the tab to her majesty. Someone in the commonwealth came up with the bloody thing.
I dont get it myself seems to...
I dont get it myself seems to have all the drawbacks of a motorbike mainly no saftey structure or weather protection but with a number of the positives removed, lightweight, compactness, agility
Personally I'd feel happier on four wheels but if it had to be three I'd go for a Grinall Scorpion, seatbelts, roll over protection , lower centre of gravity plus you can bring a friend along for the ride! 🙂
http://www.grinnallcars.com/
For me
as long as the roads are still choked with monster SUVs and the nudnicks that drive them while yapping on the phone running red lights, all of these vehicles can be summed up in two words.... SUICIDE MISSION!
A few years back in LA, guy on a motorcycle with his girlfriend, both had helmets on, 17 year old girl talking on the phone behind the wheel of daddy's Excursion runs a red light. Emergency responders would not have been over equipped showing up at the scene with a floor mop and pail. 2 slept in the morgue that night, one slept in her childhood bedroom.
Life is too precious to have it cut short by someone else's inattention.
other people.
that's by far the number one reason i don't ride one of these bad boys anymore. if you get tangled up with anything but a kid on a bicycle, you usually lose.
on the flip side, the spyder sounds like a sweet machine, and one that is very likely much more stable and safer than a bike. but it will probably be a while before one shows up on the streets of sturgis.
Check this out
Check out this three-wheeler.
Waaaay cheaper and finally available in The States:
http://www.piaggiousa.com/pScooters/MP3.cfm
Olive...
I just saw another Can-Am Spyder today and I stopped to talk to the owner. When the helmet came off, it was a 62 year old grand mother. She said she was sick of riding on the back of her husband's BMW and, yet, did not trust herself to pilot her own two-wheeler--too tall--and she didn't like the shorter bikes she tried. Now, she says her husband is about to sell his BMW and buy a Spyder, too.
Women!
They always entice us into eating the apple. 🙂
Pete1979...
I like the Grinall a lot, but it has the problem of not being available in the states. Heck, I tried the link and the website is not working. Why do I have a feeling the Grinall might also have reliability issues and limited service outlets? 🙂
Having ridden Bombardier snow mobiles and jet skis they build I can vouch for Bombardier being able to build reliable machines and to have one heck of a lot of dealer outlets already in place.
Its best to be the firstest with the mostest, or the lastest with the bestest and mostest. Grinall just can't get many in their rigs unless Bombardier's move with the Spyder triggers some big to buy out Grinall.
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