There really are no alternatives to the Can Am reverse trikes

[crna59]

Tilting Motor Works went out of business.

Doesn't mean it's not an option. There are plenty for sale...

 

[jcthorne]

Doesn't mean it's not an option. There are plenty for sale...

If you ride one, just once, you will know why they went out of business. Let's just say its no Spyder.

 

[Mrmikey]

Wow. That front end is really ugly.

That's an understatement, ugly af for sure. I like the Honda one tho, that's a nice looking machine and you can't beat the sound neither. On second look no, I like the profile but head on not so much.

 

[pegasus1300]

The Tilting Motorworks for Harley and Goldwing is gone. The Honda conversion from Mototrike is their design and Honda has and will have nothing to do with it. I believe they also made a 4 wheel conversion also, but I haven't checked their website lately to see if either one is still available.
When I first went to 3 wheels, I bought a Goldwing conversion, and it was a very nice trike. I had it 4 years and put almost 50,000 miles on it. Then I got a chance to ride a Spyder RT and never looked back. It rode so much better both flat and curvy. I have since demo'ed several Tri Glides and Honda conversions, yet I still come home to my Spyder!

 

[crna59]

If you ride one, just once, you will know why they went out of business. Let's just say its no Spyder.

I was one of the consultants in writing the User Manual with Bob when they opened in Snohomish.... enough said!

 

[Flying V]

There’s always some little malfunction/issue/aggravation with Spyders. Good idea but lacking in Honda type reliability. If given a practical choice from a reputable company I’d switch.

 

[BajaRon]

There’s always some little malfunction/issue/aggravation with Spyders. Good idea but lacking in Honda type reliability. If given a practical choice from a reputable company I’d switch.

I think you may have swerved into the underlying answer. If making a reverse trike were easy, everyone would be doing it. No one is fencing off the genre. So why haven't others jumped into this pool? And why is it that those who have, have failed?

I think we need to give BRP some credit here. Though that doesn’t mean we let them off the hook for obvious shortcomings.

In reality, the Spyder has become much more reliable over the years. More gizmos yet fewer problems. When you add bells and whistles, things get complicated. Complication increases the opportunity for issues. If you go to any forum (including the Gold Wing version). You're going to find a great deal of complaints. That's because everyone posts their problems on forums. For good reason. That’s what we are here for! Once posted, everyone talks about them, giving negative subjects a lifespan. The shame is that this sometimes chases potential owners away. But I think our problem cure rate on this forum is quite high.

This is not to say that BRP's Spyder has achieved Honda level reliability. It bothers me greatly that BRP has cut corners here and there, creating unforced errors and shooting themselves in the foot. Their off ramp to Chinese batteries as just one example.

I’ve got a 2008 GS, a 2015 F3, a 2019 Ryker, and a 2020 RT. Overall, they have been quite reliable with a few minor exceptions.

I am a satisfied customer. In the end, that’s really what it’s all about.

 

[Knizar]

I think you may have swerved into the underlying answer. If making a reverse trike were easy, everyone would be doing it. No one is fencing off the genre. So why haven't others jumped into this pool? And why is it that those who have, have failed?

I think we need to give BRP some credit here. Though that doesn’t mean we let them off the hook for obvious shortcomings.

In reality, the Spyder has become much more reliable over the years. More gizmos yet fewer problems. When you add bells and whistles, things get complicated. Complication increases the opportunity for issues. If you go to any forum (including the Gold Wing version). You're going to find a great deal of complaints. That's because everyone posts their problems on forums. For good reason. That’s what we are here for! Once posted, everyone talks about them, giving negative subjects a lifespan. The shame is that this sometimes chases potential owners away. But I think our problem cure rate on the forum is quite high.

This is not to say that BRP's Spyder has achieved Honda level reliability. It bothers me greatly that BRP has cut corners here and there, creating unforced errors and shooting themselves in the foot. Their off ramp to Chinese batteries as just one example.

I’ve got a 2008 GS, a 2015 F3, a 2019 Ryker, and a 2020 RT. Overall, they have been quite reliable with a few minor exceptions.

I am a satisfied customer. In the end, that’s really what it’s all about.

Ditto to what Ron posted,
I have nothing but good to say about my 2020 RTL that I bought new and now have 60,000 miles on it.
I have yet to see any other brand motorcycle that I would trade mine for, I'm HOOKED on the SPYDER!
Safest trike on the road in my book.
Bill

 

[Flying V]

I always heard that the Japanese companies had such a bad experience with lawsuits surrounding their 3wheel atv's that they won’t or can’t make trikes anymore? Anyway, as Ten Bear said in Outlaw Jose Wales, “there is iron in your words“.

 

[racoon]

I live in small city in Tennessee. There is a CAN-AM dealer in town, but they're focused on 4-wheelers and only carry a limited number of 3-wheelers. I just checked, and their online inventory shows 42 CAN-AM vehicles (276 total vehicles), but only 7 new CAN-AM Spyders and 4 older models (1 Ryker, 1 F3, 1 RT, and 1 Canyon).

And of course there's that scene from Diamonds are Forever with Bond being chased by bad guys on Honda ATC90 3-wheelers. Bond steals one of the ATC90s to escape.

 

[Mikey]

I live in small city in Tennessee. There is a CAN-AM dealer in town, but they're focused on 4-wheelers and only carry a limited number of 3-wheelers. I just checked, and their online inventory shows 42 CAN-AM vehicles (276 total vehicles), but only 7 new CAN-AM Spyders and 4 older models (1 Ryker, 1 F3, 1 RT, and 1 Canyon).

And of course there's that scene from Diamonds are Forever with Bond being chased by bad guys on Honda ATC90 3-wheelers. Bond steals one of the ATC90s to escape.

I am sure if you walked in there and wanted a different color of one of those models he has on the floor, he would find one for you! He's paying on a floor plan every month on his inventory to BRP, if he sells more side by sides, why not have more of them! There are a couple of bigger dealers in that area that have the equipment on the floor that he could maybe draw from, ask me how I know that, was in one for an hour and a half trying to buy from them, but they didn't want my money enough to come down that little bit more that I was looking for! I ended up buying one private sale the following day!! Great for me!

 

[Flying V]

I live in small city in Tennessee. There is a CAN-AM dealer in town, but they're focused on 4-wheelers and only carry a limited number of 3-wheelers. I just checked, and their online inventory shows 42 CAN-AM vehicles (276 total vehicles), but only 7 new CAN-AM Spyders and 4 older models (1 Ryker, 1 F3, 1 RT, and 1 Canyon).

And of course there's that scene from Diamonds are Forever with Bond being chased by bad guys on Honda ATC90 3-wheelers. Bond steals one of the ATC90s to escape.

It’s even worse in Abingdon, Virginia. The dealer there carries a couple of Can-Am four wheelers, along with Kubota tractors, lawnmowers, etc. and this keeps the franchise tied up in that area so nobody could sell three wheelers if they wanted to from that company. Can-Am should regulate that themselves, but apparently they don’t.

 

[BajaRon]

I always heard that the Japanese companies had such a bad experience with lawsuits surrounding their 3wheel atv's that they won’t or can’t make trikes anymore? Anyway, as Ten Bear said in Outlaw Jose Wales, “there is iron in your words“.

Honda's issues were with their conventional platform off road machines. Apples and oranges. There is nothing preventing Honda from entering the market beyond potential market share and cost analysis.

One of the things that lent to the demise of these machines was the fact that parents were buying them for their kids because they were easy to ride and assumed to be safer than 2 wheels. So the majority of injuries were to minors. Not a good look for Honda.

 

[Flying V]

From Search Engine:

• Past Legal Problems: Japanese manufacturers, particularly Honda, faced significant legal challenges in the past related to their three-wheeled vehicles. These issues stemmed from injuries and fatalities associated with their off-road three-wheelers, leading to lawsuits that impacted their reputation.
• Settlement Agreements: It is suggested that Honda may have agreed to avoid manufacturing three-wheeled motorcycles as part of settlement agreements from these lawsuits, although this remains unconfirmed.

Market Perception​

• Niche Market: The three-wheeled vehicle market is often viewed as a niche segment. Manufacturers may perceive that the demand is not large enough to justify the investment required for development and production.
• Profitability Concerns: Producing trikes involves high costs for design, development, and manufacturing. Companies like Honda may find it more profitable to focus on their core motorcycle and automobile markets rather than entering a less lucrative trike market.

Current Market Dynamics​

• Aftermarket Solutions: Instead of producing their own trikes, Japanese manufacturers have allowed aftermarket companies to meet the demand. These companies provide a variety of trike conversions and options, which may be more cost-effective for consumers.
• Growing Popularity: Despite the historical hesitance, the trike market is experiencing growth. However, manufacturers may still be cautious about entering this space due to the previously mentioned factors.

In summary, Japanese manufacturers like Honda have historically avoided producing trikes due to past legal issues, market perceptions of profitability, and the current dynamics of the aftermarket industry.

I live in small city in Tennessee. There is a CAN-AM dealer in town, but they're focused on 4-wheelers and only carry a limited number of 3-wheelers. I just checked, and their online inventory shows 42 CAN-AM vehicles (276 total vehicles), but only 7 new CAN-AM Spyders and 4 older models (1 Ryker, 1 F3, 1 RT, and 1 Canyon).

And of course there's that scene from Diamonds are Forever with Bond being chased by bad guys on Honda ATC90 3-wheelers. Bond steals one of the ATC90s to escape.

You’re lucky to have a Can-Am dealer in your town. I wish we did.

 

[BajaRon]

From Search Engine:

• Past Legal Problems: Japanese manufacturers, particularly Honda, faced significant legal challenges in the past related to their three-wheeled vehicles. These issues stemmed from injuries and fatalities associated with their off-road three-wheelers, leading to lawsuits that impacted their reputation.
• Settlement Agreements: It is suggested that Honda may have agreed to avoid manufacturing three-wheeled motorcycles as part of settlement agreements from these lawsuits, although this remains unconfirmed.

Market Perception​

• Niche Market: The three-wheeled vehicle market is often viewed as a niche segment. Manufacturers may perceive that the demand is not large enough to justify the investment required for development and production.
• Profitability Concerns: Producing trikes involves high costs for design, development, and manufacturing. Companies like Honda may find it more profitable to focus on their core motorcycle and automobile markets rather than entering a less lucrative trike market.

Current Market Dynamics​

• Aftermarket Solutions: Instead of producing their own trikes, Japanese manufacturers have allowed aftermarket companies to meet the demand. These companies provide a variety of trike conversions and options, which may be more cost-effective for consumers.
• Growing Popularity: Despite the historical hesitance, the trike market is experiencing growth. However, manufacturers may still be cautious about entering this space due to the previously mentioned factors.

In summary, Japanese manufacturers like Honda have historically avoided producing trikes due to past legal issues, market perceptions of profitability, and the current dynamics of the aftermarket industry.


You’re lucky to have a Can-Am dealer in your town. I wish we did.

This may be Google's AI speculation. But I still don't see it. Getting burned on a conventional trike design has no correlation to the Spyder's reverse trike format. If there is a clause in some kind of agreement, surely it would not include any and all 3 wheel configurations. But even if it did, it would only apply to Honda.

A conventional trike lends itself to steering issues and a tendency to flip or roll over. It's just simple physics. How many rollover reports have you heard with the Spyder? The answer is, very few. And some of these have come from people running silly fast in reverse and turning quickly. Essentially converting their Spyder into a conventional trike. Again, a simple matter of physics. There is no doubt in my mind that Honda engineers know this.

Some have hit deer, dogx, and other road hazards and not flipped. The Spyder has proven to be an extremely stable platform.

Here are the reasons that I think other manufacturers are not wanting to compete in the reverse trike business.

#1- Google AI facts; (And what we already know) Can-Am Spyder sales represent a niche market, averaging roughly 10,000 to 12,500 units annually. This is a small fraction of the traditional two-wheel motorcycle market—which sees hundreds of thousands of units sold yearly just in the US. Honda alone sells 20 million motorcycles and scooters a year worldwide.

#2- The startup costs for producing a competitor to the Spyder would be substantial. Engineering and certifying the ABS/VSS system alone would be significant. With a relatively small sales expectation, the return on investment would not be inviting.

Love him or hate him, Rush Limbaugh was right when he advised ‘Follow the Money!’. In business, that’s almost always the answer.

 

[jcthorne]

There is also the problem with the patents on the VSS that Bosch and BRP have an iron grip on. Harley actually built reverse trike prototypes and ran headlong into the brick wall of patent licensing. BRP flatly refuses to license the tech to anyone at any price. The way the patents are written, it would be next to impossible to build one and not violate them. A reverse trike without VSS is unsafe to sell.

I have often suggested that it would benefit both companies for them to form some sort of merger or buyout. Each has strengths in this market the other lacks. They also have long history with each other with Rotax engines being used on a number of war time Harleys.