Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Can-Am Spyder

[Autos_Editor]

Not a bike. Not a car. What the hell is it then?
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[JohnnyMac]

Yeah I think if I'm hell bent on a 3 wheeled road vehicle I'd definitely go for the Polaris Slingshot instead.  I've heard that the Spyder is nuetered by the electric nannies (stability/traction control), where as the Slingshot lets you have a bit more fun. 

[Kris78]

Wow. This has got to be the most scathing review I've ever read on this site. Mark Stevenson must be thanking his lucky stars he got to drive the Camaro SS convertible instead of this.

This surprised me: "In Quebec, you can ride a Can-Am without a motorcycle license." Although, it may explain why I saw so many the last time I drove the 148 from Aylmer to Shawville.

This article also explained why all the Spyders I see are driving so darn slow.

[MarkStevenson]

Wow. This has got to be the most scathing review I've ever read on this site. Mark Stevenson must be thanking his lucky stars he got to drive the Camaro SS convertible instead of this.

This surprised me: "In Quebec, you can ride a Can-Am without a motorcycle license." Although, it may explain why I saw so many the last time I drove the 148 from Aylmer to Shawville.

This article also explained why all the Spyders I see are driving so darn slow.

Thank the people at Campagna for this change of law.

[aquadorhj]

Yeah I think if I'm hell bent on a 3 wheeled road vehicle I'd definitely go for the Polaris Slingshot instead.  I've heard that the Spyder is nuetered by the electric nannies (stability/traction control), where as the Slingshot lets you have a bit more fun.

i didn't even know the slingshot existed until this post..  i kinda wish i hadn't seen it.  that's one ugly bike/car/morgan tricycle watever.

[Noto]

That's just disappointing given that anything I've ever driven with a Rotax has been a fricken blast. You'd think a third wheel would just add stability.

Scathing reviews are warranted so long as they are accurate and constructive. This article doesn't say "this thing sucks", it says "these areas need improvement". Kudos, as always, for a perfectly written critique.

[dougjp]

I've often seen them on the road and admired the look. I even thought about getting one as a summer toy, as my wife has only one restriction on me motoring wise, which is no more motorcycles (this looked like it sort of got around that). 

Thanks so much for this review. In my thoughts, NO more!

[redman]

I think I'll stick to three wheelers for cutting grass. The whole instability of a three wheeler has been tried and fails repeatedly to match four or two wheel maneuverability. We remember the ATV's of past. It seems that the market has just swapped the wheels front to back.

[johngenx]

These things are pretty popular around here (since Albertans love things that are overpriced) and I've yet to see anyone not able-bodied get off one.  Why anyone that can put their feet down would want a trike is beyond me.  When I was four, I couldn't wait to get from three wheels to two, and now there's no way I'd ever go back.

Overpriced?  Check.

Inherently unstable therefore neutered by electronic nannies?  Check.

Ugly?  Check.

[Nuttygent]

  Thank you for this article. Being a die hard snowmobiler most of my life I have looked at the Spyder as a road going sled. This does spell out the deficiencies of the ...vehicle. It is a shame though as there is a concept that has potential here.

[paul246]

If I were to buy a 3-wheeler I would get something like this... at least it can be banked into a turn.

[lebowski]

I think Vice magazine's infamous Do's and Don'ts section said it best when they captioned a photo of a guy on a Can Am Spyder: "We've got bad news for you: you don't like motorcycles." 

[CSH]

Is the slighshot legal in Ontario to buy?
What kind of license do we need?

[Fobroader]

An acquitance of ours bought one of these things for long road trips by himself and his wife and I asked him straight up, "why not a Goldwing, as far as I know thats the ultimate long distance bike??". His response, "this thing is so much better, more comfortable...blah blah blah" finally finishing with "and I am honestly way too chicken to go for a bike" AH HAH!!! I knew it. I don't get it either if you are able bodied, for $25-30K you can get an awesome, long distance motorcycle. Great review, I liked it!!

[JacobBlack]

Is the slighshot legal in Ontario to buy?
What kind of license do we need?

Last I heard it hasn't been approved yet in Ontario. Some sort of rubbish bureaucratic horsecrap unique to this bizarre MTO we have here.
Hopefully that changes.

[superukr]

Yeah I think if I'm hell bent on a 3 wheeled road vehicle I'd definitely go for the Polaris Slingshot instead.  I've heard that the Spyder is nuetered by the electric nannies (stability/traction control), where as the Slingshot lets you have a bit more fun.

WOW! that is one cool machine! reminds me Atom

[Fobroader]

Yeah I think if I'm hell bent on a 3 wheeled road vehicle I'd definitely go for the Polaris Slingshot instead.  I've heard that the Spyder is nuetered by the electric nannies (stability/traction control), where as the Slingshot lets you have a bit more fun.

WOW! that is one cool machine! reminds me Atom

I still don't get the point of 3 wheels....either 2 or 4. Again, if you can't because of a physical handicap, then that is completely different, but if you are fully able, why buy such a compromised vehicle??

[GS]

If I were to buy a 3-wheeler I would get something like this... at least it can be banked into a turn.

Exactly Paul.  As a long-time motorcyclist, I look forward to the future of three-wheeled bikes for us oldsters that can be leaned like this one you've shown.   Hopefully sport/touring bikes rather than just scooters.  Stable when at rest (the most often time bikes are dropped) with the front wheels locked upright, and leanable when they're ridden just like a true motorcycle, this type of bike and more like it will soon be here for us aging bikers that would only be caught dead on some trike or a Spyder.  The inherent dangers of non-leanable three wheelers are well-known to physicists and the granny "helpers" to lessen the dangers remove any type of fun you could ever dream of having.  The Spyder is truly a problem for a solution rather than the other way around.   

[JohnnyMac]

Is the slighshot legal in Ontario to buy?
What kind of license do we need?

Last I heard it hasn't been approved yet in Ontario. Some sort of rubbish bureaucratic horsecrap unique to this bizarre MTO we have here.
Hopefully that changes.

Not sure about Ontario but here in NB the dealer is saying they'll be road legal and you'll need a bike license.  Wonder if you could take your bike license test with one though?

[Snowman]

Never.