So why wouldn’t I necessarily recommend it for a non-rider? The advanced stability and traction control systems work unobtrusively to keep all three wheels on the ground and keep you from getting in over your head, at least as far as controlling the machine is concerned. If you want to ride it hard, you’re going to get a workout.Īnd yet it still feels remarkably well-behaved, coaxing you to push it harder and inspiring confidence with every corner you carve.
You have to push the handlebars a lot harder to initiate a turn, and for sharp curves it handles best if you lean your body inside otherwise, it wants to toss you right off the other side of the trike. It’s very predictable, going exactly where you point it, and stops easily when and where you want it to.Īt, shall we say, brisker speeds, the Spyder provides an exhilarating experience that demands you hang on tight and actually ride the thing, much as you would a performance ATV. (Your mom will probably want to call it a day after the parking lot.)Īt cruising speed under a smooth throttle, the Spyder is well-behaved and offers an instantly fun experience that feels almost like driving a really powerful go-kart. If you’re late with a downshift, the onboard computer takes care of it for you, so you never find yourself wanting for power.Īfter a few laps around the empty parking lot, you’ll have the hang of starting, shifting, turning and stopping, and you’ll feel like taking on real streets. All you have to worry about are the upshifts. If you can drive any of those things, after a few minutes of orientation to the Spyder’s controls you (or your mom) will be ready for your first lap around an empty parking lot - especially if you spring for the optional semi-automatic transmission ($1,500), which removes the complication of a hand clutch and foot shifter in favor of a marvelous, near-idiot-proof electronic paddle shifter. The Spyder is a high-performance sport “something-else” vehicle, neither car nor bike nor ATV. But adding two wheels and a racecar style suspension up front doesn’t make the backward trike ride or handle like a motorcycle - at all. Sure, it has handle-bar steering, motorcycle-like controls, a single rear wheel and a V-twin engine that’s a close sibling to one used in race bikes. The first thing you have to understand about BRP’s Can-Am Spyder is that it isn’t a motorcycle with three wheels.
#CANAM SPYDER LICENSE#
It’s not like getting a motorcycle license automatically makes you a safe rider, any more than getting a driver’s license on your 16th birthday makes you a safe driver. The physical skills and balance required to earn a motorcycle certification are almost meaningless on the Spyder, so why require a rider to prove basic operational competence on two wheels before climbing aboard this three-wheeler? Long answer: Despite my reluctance to climb aboard the Spyder with a newbie, I actually think California and Delaware are on the right side of logic by not mandating a motorcycle license to operate one on public roads.
And I sure wouldn’t bet my life on it by riding as a passenger with someone who wasn’t already an accomplished biker. Short answer: Sure, a new rider could handle the Can-Am Spyder, but I wouldn’t recommend it to just anyone. Could a person with no prior motorcycle experience safely ride the Spyder? As an experienced rider, what were your impressions? KickingTires: The Can-Am Spyder requires a motorcycle license for operation in most states. Motorcycle experience: 20+ years, 50,000+ miles.We wanted to know if the three-wheeler vehicle would impress them and how it compares with riding a traditional bike. We asked two riders - one with a considerable amount of experience and one who’s just starting out - to test the new Can-Am Spyder model. While reviews lots of, well, cars, we also have a few experts of the two-wheeled variety.
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