Do People Get Thrown Off of Spyders?

[jarrett]

I know, maybe a dumb question. But as someone coming from two wheels and being used to leaning a bike into a turn, it seems like centrifugal force when cornering could be an issue on a Spyder. As in going around a corner a little faster than expected and being thrown off of the Spyder mid turn.

Is this a thing? Does it happen? With any frequency? Is there any nanny tech built into the bike to prevent this?

 

[CloverHillCrawler]

You still have to "lean" somewhat in order counter the centrifugal forces that is trying to throw you off. Instead of a bike where you lean and counter steer, you just steer and put your weight over the handlebar towards the inside of the turn. As other people have said on this forum you are "trying to kiss your wrist" not only will this counter the forces trying to throw you off but it helps the Spyder take the turn more smoothly at higher speeds.

And yes it is possible to get thrown from one just like any other two wheeler, just remember to let go of the bike when you do and not try to save it like this dumbass who almost lost his family jewels...

 

[NorwegianRT]

Riding a Spyder you lean in by shifting you bodyweight. I also use my thighs to "hold" on to the bike.
There is a nanny onboard my RT 2012 and as I have understood, it cuts ignition if one of the front wheels experience going under a certain ground pressure, so you can't go too fast out of a turn. But you can go too fast into one and no nanny can prevent that.
I have had moments where I have gone a little too fast into a sharp turn and I suspect the tire wall on the outside wheel got compressed and luckily did not come off the rim.
So the best thing is to get to know your Spyder's limits and ride well within those. Rather be an hour late than never there.

 

[Mrmikey]

But for pure luck he'd be singing tenor... ten or 15 octaves higher. This proves that there is a Darwin, but this guy juuust failed to get any award.

 

[JayBros]

As the famous Stirling Moss said, "It's better to go in slow and come out fast than to go in fast and come out dead." In addition to kissing your wrist as Clover said, plant your outside foot hard on the floorboard as you lean into the curve. If you go into a turn too fast you can upset the yaw sensor part of the VSS and it will kill the throttle in the fly by wire system.

 

[Gwolf]

People do get thrown off Spyders. I remember going in a store and when I came out some kid was sitting on my Spyder messing with the switches and twisting the throttle.

 

[crna59]

As a 3-wheel Instructor, there have been 2 deaths during classes on Rykers here in WA State. There have been other fatalities in other states during classes. That's why Insurance Premiums for 3-wheel classes have gone through the roof. The average age of students in our classes are around 62. Most have never been on a "rig". The accidents I have seen involve students losing speed in Rt. hand corners and readjust their grip coming out of the corner. With the adjusted grip, the rig speeds up and it frightens them. Then they have a death grip on the throttle. Using the brake on a Ryker during acceleration is pointless. We spend a lot of time in class going over things like this and gripping the rig really hard with your knees during the Emergency Braking exercises. More than one student has gone through the windshield on a Spyder. They don't realize how much upper body strength it requires to ride these things for an 8hr. class!

 

[Redbeard]

Coach Bob 3 gives some pointers on steering a Spyder. His videos helped me when I started riding 4 years ago. Here is one of his videos on steering:

I had about 5 years on 2 wheels, then 35 years off two wheels before getting on a Spyder. It took me some time to get the good feel of riding a Spyder, but never had the feeling of getting tossed off. Give yourself some time getting used to how a Spyder drives. Now, no one can knock off the grin that stays planted on my face while I drive my Spyder. I like to say (if accustomed to two wheels) instead of counter steering (ex: left turn means pushing away from your body on the Left handlebar) on a Spyder, use counter pushing with your legs. As mentioned above, like taking a left curve, push with the opposite leg: aka the right leg (to keep your body more upright) yet steering similar to a car (no counter steering at all.) You will still do some leaning, but not nearly what you do on two wheels.
Current ryde, a 2023 RT-L in red
Prior ryde, a 2020 F3-L

 

[crna59]

I had about 5 years on 2 wheels, then 35 years off two wheels before getting on a spyder. It took me some time to get the good feel of riding a spyder, but never had the feeling of getting tossed off.

I still ride my 2 wheels. When I get off the bike and hop on the Spyder, it takes a few miles for me to acclimate myself with the differences!

 

[Mrmikey]

When I get off the bike and hop on the Spyder, it takes a few miles for me to acclimate myself with the differences!

I don't know if I could safely do that, shifting from one to the other, back and forth.

 

[Redbeard]

When I get off the bike and hop on the Spyder, it takes a few miles for me to acclimate myself with the differences!

I don't know if I could safely do that, shifting from one to the other, back and forth.

I will often think about getting another two wheeler, but I just have too much fun on the Spyder. For me, it would take me more than just a few miles to acclimate between the two bikes.

 

[Woodaddict]

I know, maybe a dumb question. But as someone coming from two wheels and being used to leaning a bike into a turn, it seems like centrifugal force when cornering could be an issue on a Spyder. As in going around a corner a little faster than expected and being thrown off of the Spyder mid turn.

Is this a thing? Does it happen? With any frequency? Is there any nanny tech built into the bike to prevent this?

You may have been influenced by a stupid online video. There was one where a rider ran in reverse fast and turned the wheels hard, and it did flip onto its side. Stupid, of course you can do that and trigger an uncommon event. But with the "nanny", you have all 3 wheels monitored for speed, and if one lifts, it toggles the throttle off, might even apply 1 or more of the brakes. There is a yaw sensor and a handlebar angle sensor. So if you learn how a Spyder drives and rides slowly in turns/curves, then apply more fun factor later, you'll be a success!! One of the biggest curve manipulations is the use of the handlebars. If your alignment is off (toe in/out), it will give you a constant need to move them. After I had my alignment done properly by the ROLO laser system, the handlebar fighting for control went away.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

I don't know if I could safely do that, shifting from one to the other, back and forth.

I also have 2 motorcycles, one being a Spyder F3 Limited and the other a Triumph Thunderbird, and I don't have any problem switching from one bike to the other. I don't see any problem with doing that.

 

[Br549rick]

As a 3-wheel Instructor, there have been 2 deaths during classes on Rykers here in WA State. There have been other fatalities in other states during classes. That's why Insurance Premiums for 3-wheel classes have gone through the roof. The average age of students in our classes are around 62. Most have never been on a "rig". The accidents I have seen involve students losing speed in Rt. hand corners and readjust their grip coming out of the corner. With the adjusted grip, the rig speeds up and it frightens them. Then they have a death grip on the throttle. Using the brake on a Ryker during acceleration is pointless. We spend a lot of time in class going over things like this and gripping the rig really hard with your knees during the Emergency Braking exercises. More than one student has gone through the windshield on a Spyder. They don't realize how much upper body strength it requires to ride these things for an 8hr. class!

deaths in the class?? I would suggest there is a problem with the curriculum...

 

[Jackhartjr]

deaths in the class?? I would suggest there is a problem with the curriculum...

Why would you think that, sir?
I knew a lady who bought one and brought it to the class. She was driving it fairly slowly during the class, got confused, gunned it, ran it up an embankment, crashed, and later died from complications.

 

[Gwolf]

Same old problem... when I built a Harley Sportster Trike from a wrecked 2001 Sporty, way back in 2003 and nobody was building trikes of any kind, I would pull into a gas station to get fuel, and people who had no clue what it even was would walk up and want to know where to get one. They would say they've never been on a motorcycle in their life, but they could ride that, because it can't fall over. No matter how many times I told them it could and would turn over, because of going into turns too fast or loading it up top heavy, and you can dump it. Loose gravel spilled on a turn, and it would slide. I rode it for 25 years and never flipped it over, but I had it up on two wheels in tight turns or avoiding road hazards and nearly crashed into people pulling out from side roads with a cell phone glued to their faces more times than I could count. Had the brakes locked up and slid right up to their car door sideways. Most of them just pulled on out and drove off without a word. Any of them can turn over. Most of those that do turn over are the people who didn't think a three wheeler could turn over, and then got caught in panic stop situation!

 

[dpetrick]

I still ride my 2 wheels. When I get off the bike and hop on the Spyder, it takes a few miles for me to acclimate myself with the differences!

I also ride a Spyder and two wheeled bikes. Have a Honda XR150, and a Royal Enfield Scram 411. I take them places I would not venture on my Spyder F3L. Both bikes and the Spyder have a different fun factor.

 

[Snoking1127]

When I took the trike class in Arizona in fall of 2020 their was a guy that had never ridden a motorcycle. He a really nice HD trike delivered to the site. On the final test of the decreasing radius corner he lost control and hit the tires stacked along a concrete block wall at full throttle. Rear of bike was several feet off the ground and he was several feet above the seat. His plan was to ride it home across the East Valley of Phoenix. Instructor passed the rest of us, and I told another HD Trike guy to stay and make sure that if the instructor passed him, to not let the guy try to ride it home. As he had never ridden a motorcycle on the road.