Its hard to get off 2 two wheels and onto three.

[brian10x]

:chat:
Its so hard.
I've been on motorcycles for 35 years. I don't consider myself a particularly great rider, but I get by.
In 2020, I had a back operation, and now my legs are a little weak from nerve damage, and I don't balance as well as most people.

With age, I'm also not as fearless as I once was.

I also take longer to heal.


My reaction time is not as fast, and my hearing and eyesight not as acute.

I usually ride every day to work. I spend all my down time researching three wheeled alternatives, mostly the Can-Am Spyder.

Then I start up my sweetheart after work. My beloved CBR500R.

And I change my mind. I don't have to give up motorcycles. This is the best (well, nearly the best) feeling in the world. I twist the throttle and I'm going to live forever.

Then some Prius cuts me off, a gust of wind catches me by surprise at a light, or my left foot slips on an invisible patch of gravel.

Then I'm home back on CycleTrader looking at Spyders again

But, I feel so......weak, as a man, to go from 2 to three wheels. What kind of weak, limp-wristed coward am I ?

I have to give it more time. I can do this. I can still ride. Or can I ?

Comments, of any kind, are welcome.

Brian
In sunny Tucson

 

[al0vely]

Get rid of the CBR so it no longer tempts you to do what isn’t feasible.

Take a 3 wheel course and ride the Spyder then fall in love and buy one.

 

[cruisinTX]

I feel your pain. I have been on two wheels since 1968 buuuuut, had a long hiatus from 1980 to 2000 and have been making up for lost time and miles ever since to the tune of over 400K miles since starting again in April of 2000. However we bought a 2014 Spyder RT Limited for my wife in the fall of 2017 and I have been transitioning to three wheels very slowly. That all got accelerated after I came down with a very severe case of shingles last Memorial Day followed by an even worse case of postherpetic neuralgia that is on-going. The first two months of that had me flat on my back in bed where I lost a lot of strength and riding skills. The two wheelers were still calling out to me but the superior wind protection of the Spyder made riding less painful so I have been ryding it almost exclusively since last August. It's not so bad to not have to hold up a 600lb bike or hold onto the throttle because of cruise control, etc. In short getting older (69 tomorrow) comes with needing some more creature comforts and that's nothing to be ashamed of. I do plan on keeping a couple of the two-wheeled collection for some time but the Spyder will continue to get more a share of my time from now on.

 

[Saluda]

Took me about 30 minutes to make the decision, haven't regretted it at all. Weak ??? Come on.

 

[bigbadbrucie]

I just turned 80 3 weeks ago. I got my first 2 wheeler when I was 16, which translates to having my m/c licence for 64 years. I also had about a 20/25 year hiatus, but here I am, now on a 2014 RTS and loving it. The learning curve to transition from 2 wheels to 3 does take a while. To my way of thinking, get rid of the CBR. Keeping it will only make the transition harder, if not impossible. Jump into the pond with both feet. Right now all you’re doing is sticking a toe in the water and finding it cold.

 

[Bfromla]

Suggest attempting three wheel courses & test rides:2thumbs: as well as reading any number of threads on Enabled spyders https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?128-Enabled-SpyderLovers
Spyders make things possible :firstplace: add a hand brake & full paraplegics enjoying comfortably. The learning curve for experienced riders does varylecturef_smilie:better than not riding at all)

 

[Navydad]

My wife and I have touring for almost 50 years. You name it and we have owned it settling on sports touring bikes in our later years. The decision to go to the Spyder for our touring bike was a tough one, but we have no regrets. It took me at least a thousands miles of riding before I started feeling comfortable with the Spyder. Dang thing wouldn't lean no matter how hard I tried. I do have my Moto Guzzi V7 in the garage for those times when I need a two wheeled fix, but the Spyder is our main travel bike.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Brian, I know it's long, but it's well worth a read - https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...t-Do-s-and-Do-Nots-quot-for-new-Spyder-owners

And then when you do get a Spyder, it's probably worth re-reading the bits that apply to whichever your chosen model/engine is. :thumbup:

Sure, they're different to 2-wheeled bikes, but once you really get a handle on riding a Spyder & get 'yours' set-up properly for you/to your satisfaction, you can potter along as gently as you like and never hafta worry about gusts of wind or invisible gravel, just enjoy getting your knees in the breeze without the worries; OR, if you want to put the effort in, you can ride it harder & faster than you ever dreamt possible in the tight stuff! In fairly standard trim/on stock tires, it'll never be the fastest machine on the block simply due to all the extra air it hasta push ahead of it & all the extra weight it hasta move; but it will be at least as fast if not faster than most cages, and once it's tweaked to your satisfaction & got some decent tires on it & it's ridden reasonably well by an increasingly capable rider, it'll eventually out corner & out brake any 2 wheeled bike on the road as well as most other things besides; and at it's best, IF YOU PROVE TO BE UP TO IT, it can even be the absolute fastest thing thru the twisties, IF your body is still up to putting in the effort required as & when required! hyea: They're not only more stable thru the corners & on the less than ideal surfaces, they've also got a somewhat larger area of tire contact patch with the road & an extra wheel of brakes, giving you better braking potential/capabilities and cornering potential/capabilities, and when you learn the body english required to extract the best from one of these wondrous things, you too can have a real blast on them... Maybe a slightly different blast to that you might get from your 2 wheeler, but still an equal or possibly even better blast - those of us who ride them at any level don't crow about the Miles of Smiles for nothing! :yes:

And btw, if you want to ride a Spyder as well as you can, maybe even push it right out to it's limits &/or yours, you're probably going to hafta be a LOT MORE committed, gutsy, and capable than any 2 wheel rider short of the top tier professionals out there! :lecturef_smilie: There's none of that centrifugal or centripetal force crap around to help you stay upright & corner at speed, these things will try their hardest to toss you off at every opportunity until you learn how to manage the massive cornering forces they can generate; there's none of that limp wristed chicken hearted easy counter steering stuff or just lean with the bike stuff... when/if you ever really start to explore the capabilities of a Spyder you'll discover that you NEED more core strength than any 2 wheeled rider ever needed; you'll NEED to learn how plan & look well ahead then actively steer it safely thru every corner; you'll NEED to learn how to move yourself &/or your weight around to match & then enhance it's capabilities; and it'll take much more effort just to stay on the thing than those pantywaist 2 wheelers ever hafta exert! It takes guts, skill, strength, and bucket loads of pure adrenalin to ride a Spyder to its limits/your fullest, and if you don't already KNOW in the deepest parts of your soul that adrenalin REALLY IS BROWN, try jumping straight onto a Spyder & riding it exactly the same way you ride that Honda now & you soon will! :yikes: And only THEN will you be able to move beyond those 2 wheel biased ingrained misconceptions and limitations and discover the absolute Joy of riding a Spyder in rings around those mere mortals on their lesser 2 wheeled steeds!! :trike:

So stop being an increasingly fearful aging wimp on a 2 wheeled machine, get yourself a Spyder or Ryker and be an exhilarated & excited aging rider on one of the greatest machines you'll ever straddle! nojoke It'll be hard (cos it's different, & you hafta 'unlearn' a bunch of stuff about riding that you currently take for granted ) and it'll take some time, most reckon on more than a couple of thousand miles to really start getting comfortable with them, but maybe if you've ridden quads or snowmobiles a fair bit then you'll be able to get there quicker; but once it all falls into place, you'll wish you hadn't wasted all that time pussy-footing around on a 2 wheeled bike worrying about making the decision to take the big step & get a REALLY EXCITING & CHALLENGING TO RIDE machine like a Spyder! You KNOW you Want to, so get out there & BUY the damned Spyder so you can finally discover what you've been missing all this time! hyea:


Just Sayin' :cheers:

....But, I feel so......weak, as a man, to go from 2 to three wheels. What kind of weak, limp-wristed coward am I?...

:roflblack: Maybe too weak for a Spyder? :dontknow:

Go on, screw your courage to the sticking place, be a Man, and Just Do It! :thumbup:




Ps: Check out the Enabled SpyderLovers section to see how others have managed -

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?128-Enabled-SpyderLovers

and the 'UNSEEN DISABILITIES' thread - https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?128-Enabled-SpyderLovers

 

[mark4Jesus]

I was where you are about 5 years ago. In my case, I was healthy and could handle my Victory Cross Country Tour. However, my wife (after 25 years of riding) got scared of leaning in curves and quit riding. Soooo, we got our Spyder and she started riding again. I went through two-wheel withdrawal for a while. Riding a Spyder has its own, unique fun and challenges. As Peter said, it is a more physical ride in the twisties, but I have come to love it. Again, it is different, but good.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Been there felt that .... the Spyders are Motorcycles in legal terms only .... it is a 3-wheel car .... drive it that way and you will soon LOVE it .... I have learned to use as little input (physically) in driving it, as possible .... I GUIDE it.... unless I'm going B*lls to the wall in the Twisties. (I'm 76) .... take your time, practice in Non-Traffic places and it will all come together .... good luck ... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Columbia]

Brian

I get it. In some ways your story matches mine. I got off two wheels two years ago. Medical reasons. I still miss riding. I probably always will. But.

There's always a "but."

My wife goes with me on the Spyder and that's a good thing. Two wheels? No wife.

I've worked hard to learn the idiosyncrasies of my 2015 ST. I don't care much for the V-twin, but it's what I've got, so I'm learning to like it. I've had some fun in the twisties, a different fun than two wheels, but when I toss my body around a bit I can get the Spyder to dance and I can keep up with the two guys I've ridden with for years (one on an FJR the other a BMW street bike or the large Tenere)

I miss the leaning. I always will miss carving turns leaned over. Such is life, isn't it? Change after change, some we choose, many we don't.

But. On its own terms the Spyder works. It's growing on me.

I've put new tires on, which improved things. I'm planning to change out the front shock springs, which should make handling a bit tighter. New anti sway bar made a significant improvement. So the old Spyder and this Olde Fahrt are getting better and better at having fun, i.e. making good time on roads with very little straight sections.

Spyder is kinder to my body. I can ride longer. I had noticed on my last bike I needed to stop more frequently; not on the Spyder. I now stop when I want to, not when I have to.

The parts guy at the local dealership said "People who go to a Spyder from a car or truck won't shut up about what a kick the Spyder is. People who go from two wheels to three are a bit less enthusiastic." Uh huh. But remember what I said about accepting a Spyder on its terms? True of most everything, I think. It doesn't work when I think Damn! This thing doesn't lean. It's a V-twin. Terrible fuel economy. And so on. Instead I've forced myself to think I'm riding. Same gear. Similar sounds and sensations. A new vehicle to learn with more potential than I first thought. I'm in a new land, a new country. What does it have to teach me?

I lived in eastern Europe for a couple of years. It was like getting on a Spyder. If I expected it to be the USA I was always disappointed. When I finally forced myself to say "It ain't the US. In some ways it's better. Appreciate it for what it is, rather than focus on what it isn't." After awhile I didn't have to force myself.

Same with the Spyder. I require less and less force to think of it on its terms, accepting it for what it is, rather than complaining about what it isn't.

A l-o-n-g treatise to say "Getting off two wheels is a challenge. Riding on three is also. I can't ride two any more, so I'm going to make the most of riding three."

Can you do it? Of course. If you want to.

 

[Snoking1127]

Just remember when you get on a Spyder you guide on the highway, if you try to "drive it/man handle it" it will be all over the road. Want to correct a little to the left, then gentle push on the right handle bar and vice a versa. In the twisty you get a little more involved, moving you weight to the inside of a corner, and pushing down on the outside running board. I run on cruse control all the time and just rest my hands on the handle bars.

 

[2dogs]

I found it much more challenging to go from three wheels to two wheels. The physical limits at the time along with gravity all worked against me. I believe I used more gauze and bandages than my mom had in the medicine cabinet. But I eventually succeeded and overcame the hardships. Now going back to three wheels was like a flash from the past. It took about 5 seconds and I had it all under control.

 

[brian10x]

Get rid of the CBR so it no longer tempts you to do what isn’t feasible.

Take a 3 wheel course and ride the Spyder then fall in love and buy one.

Seems like a course is a little silly. Compared to a motorcycle, the Spyder seems almost too easy. That reminds me of something that appeals to me about motorcycles. I'm doing something that requires a great deal of skill, and a lot of people just can't master it. Am I becoming one of them?

 

[brian10x]

When I picture myself on a Spyder, this image comes to mind:

 

[brian10x]

I just turned 80 3 weeks ago. I got my first 2 wheeler when I was 16, which translates to having my m/c licence for 64 years. I also had about a 20/25 year hiatus, but here I am, now on a 2014 RTS and loving it. The learning curve to transition from 2 wheels to 3 does take a while. To my way of thinking, get rid of the CBR. Keeping it will only make the transition harder, if not impossible. Jump into the pond with both feet. Right now all you’re doing is sticking a toe in the water and finding it cold.

Thanks you, and everyone else for the great comments. If I can just get that image I see burned into my brain every time I picture myself on a Spyder-

 

[baxter]

I feel your exact thoughts. My wake up call was after bike accident leaving left leg not as it was and having thoughts of dropping my Harley Ultra was deciding what to do. I have been riding basically all my life taking long trips from Florida Keys to the Arctic Circle, Newfoundland to San Diego and everything in between. I finally swallowed my pride and decided that to keep riding safely. three wheels was way to go.

 

[brian10x]

I feel your exact thoughts. My wake up call was after bike accident leaving left leg not as it was and having thoughts of dropping my Harley Ultra was deciding what to do. I have been riding basically all my life taking long trips from Florida Keys to the Arctic Circle, Newfoundland to San Diego and everything in between. I finally swallowed my pride and decided that to keep riding safely. three wheels was way to go.

Thank you! I'm finding this community to be extremely supportive, more so than any of the motorcycle forums I've been on.

In the last year, I've dropped a bike three times, and, bike damage aside, It was not only damned painful, but I am no longer strong enough to pick up a dropped bike. Advantage: Spyder.

 

[Wahrsuul]

I'm with Columbia - I can still ride and hold up a big bike, but the wife prefers the tryke. She doesn't want to drive it, just ride. Since I don't want to transition from one to the other, I have a Spyder. She wanted a 'Wing trike, but they're WAY more expensive and don't handle as well. There are other issues too.

Getting old sucks, no two ways about it, but age is supposed to bring wisdom, so you should realize BEFORE something bad happens that it's time to get off two wheels. If that means going to three, then so be it. Some people just stop riding altogether. That choice is yours.

I can tell you or certain (as has already been said) going from two wheels to a Spyder is a serious transition! You' pretty much have to un-learn your riding habits and reflexes and develop new ones. The first time I rode a Spyder RT it scared cr** out of me. It was twitchy at low speeds and seemed to want to follow every rut in the road. Yes, you mastered two wheels, something not everyone does. Now you can master three, again something that not everyone does. My brother is several years older than me and has had a bike of some kind since he was 15. He refuses to ride my Spyder. I used to have trouble keeping up with him on a bike, but now I can do it with ease.

If you want to keep riding, it sounds like you're going to need a trike of some kind. Personally the Spyder is the only one I considered.

 

[brian10x]

I'm with Columbia - I can still ride and hold up a big bike, but the wife prefers the tryke. She doesn't want to drive it, just ride. Since I don't want to transition from one to the other, I have a Spyder. She wanted a 'Wing trike, but they're WAY more expensive and don't handle as well. There are other issues too.

Getting old sucks, no two ways about it, but age is supposed to bring wisdom, so you should realize BEFORE something bad happens that it's time to get off two wheels. If that means going to three, then so be it. Some people just stop riding altogether. That choice is yours.

I can tell you or certain (as has already been said) going from two wheels to a Spyder is a serious transition! You' pretty much have to un-learn your riding habits and reflexes and develop new ones. The first time I rode a Spyder RT it scared cr** out of me. It was twitchy at low speeds and seemed to want to follow every rut in the road. Yes, you mastered two wheels, something not everyone does. Now you can master three, again something that not everyone does. My brother is several years older than me and has had a bike of some kind since he was 15. He refuses to ride my Spyder. I used to have trouble keeping up with him on a bike, but now I can do it with ease.

If you want to keep riding, it sounds like you're going to need a trike of some kind. Personally the Spyder is the only one I considered.

Thanks for the helpful comments. I'm rapidly finding this forum to be a fantastic source if both helpful information and sage advice.

Probably the demographic here aligns closer to mine. On the Honda/Kawasaki/Royal Enfield forums I used to frequent, hardly anyone responded at 4ish in the morning, but a lot us us here wake up earlier than most.

Thanks to all of you that responded! I really appreciate it, and I will probably be joining you around September.