Wfozx14 -- he really hasn't had any issues but he keeps up on the tsb's.

As mentioned there is a lot of nanny assists on this thing. To me, it would be much more fun without them... But I can understand some of what they do. A lot of people who buy the spyder get out of a cage and right a spyder... Never being on a bike. And again even tho its not a sport bike it's still a high performance vehicle.

Cagers look at spyders and think because it looks like cow in the face that it won't go or corner. When my buddy takes his to get it serviced I go just so I can listen to all the people talk to him about it. Most of them crack me up.

If something happened where I couldn't ride a bike I would opt for one of these over a regular trike. My buddy has both types, I even rode his touring bike with a sidecar that he used to have... he has CP, so can't ride 2 wheels. The spyder to me is much more fun and safe.

Again keep us in the loop man. :-)

I actually like the canam, but I am looking at the touring version. This would be in addition to the bike. It would give me and the wife something to ride together since she will not ride the bike, and we are now empty nesters and can get out with just the 2 of us. I test rode the touring version with the semi auto trans. It did feel a little twitchy, but I think I could get used to it. I suggest that you join a website like spyderlovers.com, and get to know a little about the vehicle and see what others think of it. You will always have those that think it is the best thing in the world, but you will also get some honest feedback if you can pick through the hype. Good luck with your choice.

But there is something to be said for the feel of the V4 motor.

998cc V-twin.
Probably like 100hp

Oh yeah! Called it.
So that's less tha HALF the power.

No thank you.

It is Kaka, but for a wife and first timers with no confidence. It could be brisk!

Well my wife and I test rode the sport touring model, it's not a zx14 that's for sure. But for my wife its as close to perfect as we can get. She felt very confident on it.I had fun on it, only put on maybe 10 miles, but I think it's a decent made machine. Just have to decide if we get it this year or wait until spring. Here in upstate NY the comfortable riding weather will soon be gone. So trying to look at this from a common sense point of view, maybe score a better deal on a left over in the spring. But like they say "there's nothing common about sense" so who knows. Thanks for you input.

* Last updated by: wfozx14 on 9/8/2013 @ 8:24 PM *

I tried to get a ZX10R for my ex-wife at one point but the prick would not take her as a trade. LMFAO

Look out wolf 101 post since Dec.2012...I'm coming for you brother.

I tried to get a ZX10R for my ex-wife at one point but the prick would not take her as a trade. LMFAO

Now that's funny I don't care who you are.

IF... If you are mechanically inclined, talked to a guy with one of these, in fact, this weekend. Told me 5 grand is the kit? It may vary who's you buy if more than one maker? Didn't catch the brand, but a H-D dealer might know who has the best of the best?

So the other 30K option is find a used twinkie [dual cam engine] for say 10 or less? 5 for the rear wheel setup... Say we say this. How many dealers you going to find you go touring as opposed to a h-d dealer down every block?

* Last updated by: Hub on 9/8/2013 @ 10:23 PM *

Say the old lady becomes confident about riding. Say you install the one wheel on the back again, she rides a harley like just about everyone sporting a gash if not balls. She could paint it her way. Chrome it up. Hotrod the ECU. Cow coming with that whack rotax exhaust. Instead... She's be coming around the mountain when she comes, she'll be drifting around the mountain when she comes, she'll be smoking the front wheel, she'll be lighting up the back wheel, she'll be a hooligan soon when she comes.

You called it a fing 'Twinkie'! Why haven't I heard that before!!! I'm dyin laughing!!!! :))) I'm gonna stomp the cream out of the next one! :)))

Ahhh, but what I meant to say was, 'them three wheeled things are neato!' There was a Harley one I saw that leaned a little and stuff, he was even towing a little trailer.

Ur woman looks comfortable on that Can-am. Comfort will be key. That's the same base Rotax powerplant that's been used in a few things. Seems to be a decent engine. Never grabbed WOT on one though! :))

* Last updated by: Cblast on 9/9/2013 @ 2:25 AM *

Yeah, so the guy who had the kit bike, I asked him if he knew about how many twinkies I've seen splattered on the swap meet floor? Meaning, the dual cam setup had a slipper problem from first twinkie up to 2007. The deal is @ 30K, the slippers would be chewed out, metal would rub there. The chain would whip and eat the cam cover due to it being loose and could grow out like a loose chain, grind away at the cover internally.

They came out with a screaming eagle redo. So first thing is either scream at it, or the aftermarket makes gears to mesh upon, eliminating the chain and slippers. Way more quiet too. I hear one with the gear kit. Just a heads up you find a use twinkie and go that route.

Yeah Hub we kicked around the idea of a trike. She liked them because the riders view is so much better, when your on it it feels like your riding a normal motorcycle vs. the atv/ snowmobile feel of the spyder. The view is about the only thing that's better. The spyder is far superior to a trike as far as safety goes, which is my biggest concern while shopping for a ride for my wife.

Seems that H-D-3 is new for 2014? My perspective mind you. She becomes confident about riding. She now wants to try 2-wheels. A rear wheel off ebay, they never messed with the rear frame, meaning, took one off the assembly line and retro'd off the swing arm and rear frame. However, if this is a special 3-wheel frame, oh well? Trade-in, loose your shirt time.

One more perspective. When I teach a new rider, I sit on the back. I said to her, I'm going to kick your hands off the bars, I have no time to tap you on the back and say let me take over. Sure enough, a car turns left in front of us. I swoop under her arms, grab the front brake, clutch, the whole nine yards. We missed that idiot.

So say my guess is you let her ride alone and she could not balance the start up and stop, ha-ha was it? Where if you were on the back, countersteered the body english, you let the clutch out and let her practice steering first. I forgo the clutch to throttle. I more let her lift and cruise so she gets used to the power delivery. Might be the wrong way to start out, but I see a lot of input to ride a bike. I mean, once you figure it all out. The 6 or so hand/foot/brain inputs is it?

The gradual would be?

1. The ride - No shifting needed. No brake work. This is on the road, no traffic, just ride and keep an eye way up ahead for lefty/driveway pull out/holes or debris coming = 'The Brain' trust. Trust your instincts.

2-3. Braking - That means both at the same time. You can get conditioned to keep using one brake. So the discipline is to use both with the emphasis on the front having more stopping power.

4. Steering - Without thinking, the bike is going to steer you push/pull to find out.

5. Clutch - Once the others above feel comfortable, time to practice from a dead stop.

6. Throttle - The timing of both to feed one another. The feed is this side of linear. In other words, you feed enough [clutch] so as not to stall the engine, but to [throttle] up the engine as you feed at a slow rising rate.

If she wants to take another crack at it with your input on the back, she might take the 14 out and you're stick with the ??? you bought.

The only mythic creature that can out smart a wolf is a fox! My goal was 4000 by August, now it's 8000 by xmas!
W

Haha Wolf...go get em. You better ask for a new computer for Christmas...sounds like your going to wear out the one you have.

Xmas?? really, it's Christ's birthday and you replace his name with the letter "X" come on man. lol

You're right Fox! Happy Birthday Jesus, and Christmas it is!
I go through about one comp per two years with my small business and day job!
Mad love!
W