RangerRick
Active member
I'm thinking not paying attention. How could you not negotiate a corner, unless high speed was involved?
News story about accident
Can-Am Crash
News story about accident
Can-Am Crash
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Wonder how this happened, So Sad.
- Thread starter RangerRick
- Start date
As noted in one of those vids, and in many posts & threads here, there's different skills and techniques required for riding a Spyder to those necessary for riding a 2 wheeled bike, and for some, the transition isn't always seamless! One of the early Spyder fatalities here in Oz occurred on a test ride, within a hundred metres of starting and at less than about 50 kph/about 32 mph - the 'new rider', a 2 wheeled rider of more than just a couple of decades experience, started off fairly slowly, came to the first curve, and then counter-steered straight into a tree, without slowing at all! Game over.
So for that bit, while high speed might be involved, it really isn't necessary, just a momentary lapse of concentration &/or awareness of what machine you are actually on is more than enough to do it!
This applies especially if the rider is a little tired after a long day in the saddle, maybe because they've been riding a reasonably long distance/across a few States to get to an event they feel is a bit special, like many feel about Stugis? 
Mind you, I do often have a quiet chortle to myself whenever I hear some narrator or rider, regardless of whether they're AI or a real live person, say, as someone did in one of those vids... 'Spyders are easy to ride, but you just can't corner fast - you just can't!'
Sure, that might be true if you just plonk yourself down on the saddle like a half filled sack of potatoes and push/pull the handlebars like you would a wheelbarrow, but if only those people knew exactly HOW MUCH faster and HOW MUCH safer a Spyder CAN be when cornering than any 2 wheeler, once the rider learns how to take advantage of the Spyder's massively increased tire footprint, traction, steering geometry, stability, and even the Nanny, along with all the benefits that lot brings, and the rider then has the strength to and puts the effort in to use all of that to their advantage!! Yeah, just getting on and pottering around on a Spyder IS easy, but actually Riding a Spyder to anywhere near its true potential, which is significantly beyond that of any 2 wheeled machine in the corners/twisty stuff, especially where the road surface/traction might be a bit iffy, now that takes a bit of effort and some better developed skills - skills that are different/not the same as those required &/or developed by riding a 2 wheeler for decades! But I can tell, every time, that the person saying Spyder's can't corner fast just has NOOO idea, None, Zip, Nada!
crna59
Active member
Mind you, I do often have a quiet chortle to myself whenever I hear some narrator or rider, regardless of whether they're AI or a real live person, say, as someone did in one of those vids... 'Spyders are easy to ride, but you just can't corner fast - you just can't!'
I will respectfully disagree also..... with the proper technique, you can corner as fast as the traction will allow. I took a very spirited ride with some sport bike buddies and cornered quicker than they did. You just have to get your a$$ off the rig pretty far and hang on tight..... just as you explained it!
JayBros
Well-known member
When my touring partner's F3 crapped its transmission output shaft at D3WR back in July and I had to give him a lift to the Rapid City airport to rent a car. I can tell you, after having not had a pillion on my Spyder in probably 9 or 10 years, I was very careful with my speed and I may outweigh him by as much as 50 lb - uncomfortable all the way.
mecsw500
Well-known member
I just use pressure with my feet and my knee pressure on the tank. I'm too old to hang off much, and I'm not sure it really affects my cornering speed by a huge amount. I've just gotten so used to the roll and the centrifugal force feeling. I think the tire traction seems to be the limiting factor for me.
However, I tend to ride mine a bit like Dave Moss and his "brake-turn-accelerate" process he teaches new track day riders to do, so perhaps my cornering technique is just different. I've probably also gotten a bit slower as I've gotten older, though I don't think I hang about in the mountains where I usually ride. I keep usually up with most two wheel riders.
A couple of weeks ago a guy on a Husqvarna 801 absolutely left me for dead coming down the canyon. He was sliding his bike with his knee down and leaving black lines coming out of corners. Impressive to watch for such a bike in a narrow canyon, with a sheer drop off on one side and a rock cliff on the other. A man has to know his limitations and his were way, way beyond mine. I never knew those bikes were that impressive. I guess I'm a wuss after all.
Mikey
Well-known member
Yup, and you rode your ride as you should have!!
It's not about how fast you go, it's about did you have fun at the end of the day, if you didn't then it would be time to hang it up!
mecsw500
Well-known member
Yes, we had fun over the Alpine Loop today to go and see the changing leaves, the Aspens were vivid yellow.Yup, and you rode your ride as you should have!!
I think I've just become too risk adverse to ride on the absolute limit. My wife likes it when I "make good progress" as the Metropolitan Police used to say on their advanced rider courses, but I think she'd be a bit upset if I started hanging off with a thousand foot drop down the mountainside.
Falling off really hurts and I don't think my wife and I would heal very quickly at our age.
So, I tell the kids I see out riding, ride within your limits and not someone else's. There's always somebody faster, braver, and perhaps with less to live for than you. Sometimes they listen, sometimes I get the 1,000 foot stare, especially from the t-shirt and shorts brigade.
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