Some states agree: In California and Delaware, a standard driver’s license suffices.īased on the company’s all-terrain-vehicle chassis, the two-passenger Can-Am spyder is all about user friendliness. And BRP desperately wants its Can-Am “Spyder Roadster” to be more than a motorcycle-consider the automotive terms “spyder” and “roadster” in its name, for instance. The two-wheeled-motorcycle market was deemed too difficult to crack, so the company produced a three-wheeled creation, a configuration chosen for its stability. BRP also claims low maintenance requirements and markets its experience building off-road vehicles as contributing to the Spyder's durability.With a dominating presence in both the personal-watercraft market (Sea-Doo) and the snowmobile market (Ski-Doo), BRP (formerly Bombardier) has now set its sights on the much larger on-road segment. The lowest price we could find at the time of writing was $6,000, which is a few grand more than some truly cheap old bikes, but for a "summer toy" a Spyder can be a surprisingly useful vehicle. The Spyder has also been around for 13 years now, so there are plenty of cheaper second-hand ones to shop. That's as much as a nicely-spec'd Golf, but it's surprisingly competitive against other high-end touring and sport bikes. F3 models start at $20,000 and the RT goes for $28,000 and up. The Ryker model was introduced to provide a more cost-friendly option, but even so it starts around $12,000. How much does it cost, what are they like to own, and more importantly, is it the "ultimate" three-wheeled vehicle? Whoever it's for, we need to examine it as a vehicle the same way we'd look at bikes and cars. ![]() The full-fat RT model only gets the semi-auto, and all transmissions have a reverse gear to compensate for all the added weight compared to a conventional bike.īRP clearly knows that the Spyder would appeal to first-time riders, and as such it offers its own learn to ride program. The F3 gets either a full manual with clutch and foot shifter or a semi-automatic six-speed gearbox with handlebar-mounted shift paddles. In terms of transmissions, the base Ryker gets a CVT "twist and go" transmission, once again very similar to BRP's snowmobile transmissions. Move up to the big boy F3 or RT models, and you'll have only one choice to make: 105 or 115 horsepower? Both models come with a 1.3l inline-3 "Rotax" engine which BRP uses in a number of vehicles, including its jet-skis and snowmobiles. The bigger lump also gets you Eco and Sport driving modes, which allow for better fuel economy and less traction control intrusion, respectively. You'll find that engine in the base Ryker, which also has an optional 900 cc inline-3 engine. The smallest engine 600 cc inline-twin, which BRP says is the accessible performance option. The Spyder has two distinct engines which can come in different configurations. Whether you love or hate the looks of these things, they do have a very strong tendency to turn heads on the road. Perhaps the close resemblance to a snowmobile plays tricks with your head, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder with this one. They're certainly not the ugliest motorcycles. None of the three options are particularly handsome vehicles – they're all designs that your eyes need time to get used to. You can also equip any model you want the way you want it, apart from the Ryker which is limited to only a single trim option for different wheels and a second seat. The sporty F3 model is more aggressive-looking than the Touring, and it's the one to go for if you want to push your Spyder hard. In fact, back in 2012, 27% of first-time Spyder owners had never previously owned a motorcycle. Motorcycle purists don't like it because "it can't be a real bike with three wheels," but people who are new to bikes or open-air motoring in general seem to like it.
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