Article Comments 2008 BRP Can-Am Spyder First Drive

63 messages, Last post on Jun 18, 2008 at 7:41 AM

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Article comments for First Drive: 2008 BRP Can-Am Spyder Grand Sport Roadster - The Can-Am Spyder is a strange-looking vehicle, and when we had a test ride on the West Coast of Florida just south of the Kennedy Space Center, there were questions. Always questions. (more)

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#11 of 63 Re: some photos of the Spyder [barb36jack31] by jeuchler Apr 06, 2007 (1:43 pm)
Replying to: barb36jack31 (Apr 06, 2007 9:19 am) ...I have to wait until Wednesday to plunk dowen my deposit! When did your dealer say they'd have your Spyder? Ours sold out his first batch (October 2007) already.
#12 of 63 Bombardier by avachava Apr 08, 2007 (7:28 pm)
I have a good friend who has been a motorcycle dealer for over 40 years. He claims Sea-Doo's dealer/customer support sucks so bad they had to drop them. Seems the stuff breaks a lot and is always in the shop. I wouldn't have anything made by Bombardier for that reason. Y'all go ahead waste your money on this fad... Replies to this message: paisan (Apr 09, 2007 3:15 am)
#13 of 63 Re: Bombardier [avachava] by paisan Apr 09, 2007 (3:15 am)
Replying to: avachava (Apr 08, 2007 7:28 pm) Hmm odd, I know a lot of folks who swear by their Ski-doos. I have 2 friends who have Sea-doos both wave runners and jetskis, both also love em. Lastly I have a few friends who work in the NYCTA and they say the bombardier rail cars are significantly better than the Kawasaki and other brands of Subway cars. -mike
#14 of 63 Spyders available in WI by draboo Apr 12, 2007 (5:44 am)
I m from Upper Michigan. I m selling our ATVs and am (hopefully) getting delivery of a Spyder come this September. Either that or I m out a grand. I was impressed by it at a snowmobile show here a few weeks back. I found one small dealer in WI that had one slot left for Sept delivery,fortunately. I talked to a total of 3 dealers in Northern Wisc and they all are out of slots for fall delivery,tho one had 5 machines available for Jan-March delivery. Here`s the site of the one that had the five machines available as of Saturday,April 7. http://www.appletonpowersports.com/ I hope this helps someone. All three dealers told me that they would be getting one demo in that they cannot sell for 90 days,or something like that. So,there will be machines out there for test driving,eventually. Brad
#15 of 63 Test Rode the Can Am Spyder by barb36jack31 May 10, 2007 (4:10 pm)
At the Bikefest event in Leesburg, FL I got to ride the Spyder. Impressions - fast, comfortable, corners just great, brakes are fantastic. They should be with 10.5 in. discs on front with four piston calipers. Power steering very light and takes hardly any effort at all to steer. It is almost like the 600cc crotch rockets - you just kind of "think" you want to turn and it does it. Muffler is huge and kind of hokey. A nice SuperTrapp will cure that. The fuel injected 998 cc V-twin pulled liks a tractor from idle all the way to 'pucker factor" time. I was really impressed. Glad I have my deposit down. Can't wait. P.S. Digital dash includes speed read out, compass, clock, gear indicator, fuel gage. Reverse is through the gear box, not the starter motor, but BE CAREFUL! The thing will go just as fast in reverse as it will in first gear. Con quidado as my Spanish friends would say. Jack H.
#16 of 63 Spyder Test Drive 5/18/07 by nexus1 May 19, 2007 (9:13 am)
I first saw this in the popular mechanics magazine and it fascinated me. I have seen conversion kits to three wheelers on just about everything but this is the first real factory production that has some real promise to. I am a long-term motorcycle rider and I don't really consider this even close other than the controls on the handle as being referred to as a motorcycle. I viewed all the videos and reviews found out where they were going to make the next demo ride in my area on May 17 and 18th. I took three of my coworkers with me who all have motorcycles. It was a rainy day they had 14 of these machines stretched out to inspect after you fill out the paperwork and took a Breathalyzer test you could go on the test drive. First they took you around some cones to get you used to how the machine handled before they take you out on the road. My first impression on those three wheel machine was it look like a toy from one of those Transformers I am sure you seen the ones that start out as a jet fighter and turn into a robot. It is somewhat futuristic, I could say you could call it ugly or beautiful sort of like ugly Betty. It lacks the glitter the chrome that most bike owners after while get tired of shining after a while. If you can understand its birthplace was from Can Am -ATVs, snowmobiles, watercrafts, it would fit perfectly in their lineup. I would consider this more of the utility vehicle, mostly plastic skin but easy to replace easy to keep clean. Setting on it feels like more like a ATV than a motorcycle it seems to have good suspension and a fairly cushioned seat. I'm not too wild about reverse switch it could have been a button easier to access from the throttle side of the handlebars but reverse is nice. As I squeezed off on the clutch to first gear taking my round around the cones it was smooth and had plenty of takeoff power, shifting to second was as far as I could go in this very small parking lot that they had set up. Wheeling around the cones in a S-curve fashion again reminds me of ATV. We all lined out to go out in the open road on this rainy busy Friday afternoon about lunchtime in downtown Richmond Virginia. As you probably figured the traffic was bumper-to-bumper as we pulled out some kind individual stopped his vehicle so we could get our train out of the parking lot. What I found in the short run there is a lot of power out of this Rotex engine, it had a good feel that this was the most powerful ATV I've ever been on. It had a good bellow tone somewhat a little quiet but still sounded like it had a lot of meat. I could never get more than fourth gear due to the traffic situation what I did find was if you had motorcycle experience you have to forget that driving this. I naturally diped low into the corners that's a big mistake this machine takes a lot of turning room and on a sharp curve you better treat this more like a car than anything else. Even in the pouring rain it still was fun and thats probably the best way to describe this machine it's fun to drive. I can see me using this more than my motorcycle for everyday use. The hatch or the trunk whatever you call it is bigger than the pictures give it credit for. I can see myself finding reasons to go to the store or take that Sunday drive and bring two bucket of KFC in the trunk for a picnic. If any of you are interested in this machine you definitely need to drive it before you order it. One last thing I can say the three guys I took with me to test drive, I asked them this question. If you had the money to purchase this, would you after this test drive, all three of them said yes. Well I put my money on the table now I can't wait till September.
#17 of 63 How on earth? by barb36jack31 May 24, 2007 (6:17 pm)
I put my money down two months ago and the best estimate I can get is March of 2008. How did you manage to get a September delivery? Am very pleased for you, but sure wish mine was going to get here sooner. I guess it's a matter of how many your dealer has allocated. Here in the Orlando area the dealer has an allotment of 20 of the first year's production and I am # 18. Ergo the March date, I guess. Lo siento - sing loi - whatever. Good luck to you! Jack H. Replies to this message: nexus1 (May 28, 2007 2:56 pm)
#18 of 63 Re: How on earth? [barb36jack31] by nexus1 May 28, 2007 (2:56 pm)
Replying to: barb36jack31 (May 24, 2007 6:17 pm) Well you may be right, I might not get it till October or later.I called the factory and they told me that it could be between October 2007 till March 2008. They told me that they were manufacturing units for different areas for different delivery time. Also when you placed the order will determine where you're at in the production line.You should have a BRP authorization number from the factory that puts you in the system. The September date was the day that my dealer was suggesting. I also found from my dealer that I placed the order with that I was the only person who had placed an order the rest were sold to other dealers in Tennessee and Texas $1000 over invoice. I'm not sure if that's exactly right but I reckon that's the American way, make the most profit you can. Something else you may want to know, there is a whole lot new accessories for this unit that they just sent out a list to the dealers on and you have to order by June 15 2007 or the accessories may not arrive when your Spyder arrives. The dealer will put on all the accessories the factory will not put on any.The guy at the factory I talked to was named Jason he was very informative and if he did know the answer to the question he took my number and call me back later to give me the correct answer.So if you have any questions at all I suggest you call them skip the dealer entirely.[1800-864-2002] I found after talking to the factory and then talk to the dealer there was a big gap of information they just did not know.I get the feeling also from the people I talked to at BRP this is all so new to them in the first production run that they are a little unsure also.That doesn't worry me that much as long as the quality is there, another thing I was told by the time the dealer start to receive them there may be able to purchase an extended warranty. I think I have covered everything if you do find more information please post it, like you I'm anxious also and I'd rather be told the truth then jerked around just to get the order. Nexus1
#19 of 63 Spyder orders by way2faststv May 30, 2007 (11:36 am)
I found out from BRP (spouse was an employee) that they frown on any dealers who try to jack up the MSRP on the Spyder. I was assured that those dealers who want to make a quick buck will not be receiving any of the first production run. A few in the FL area have already been cut off. One in South FL is bad mouthing the Spyder since he learned that he won't be getting any. If anyone has paid over MSRP for their Spyder order they might have a very long wait before they get one !
#20 of 63 Ordering by way2faststv May 30, 2007 (11:53 am)
I forgot to mention in my previous post that all Spyder purchasers must submit a non refundable $1000 deposit with their order. BRP has a special order form that the dealer gives to the customer. It is called a 2008 Can-Am Spyder Roadster Pre Order Certificate/Worksheet. Once the dealer receives this deposit and the completed certificate, he obtains an authorization number from BRP. Only 600 Limited Edition Spyders will be delivered in North America in the fall of 2007. Plus an additional 1,500 will be delivered between Jan 2008 and March 2008. Unless you have a copy of this Pre Order Certificate/Worksheet when the order is placed your chances of getting a Spyder are not good. Replies to this message: nexus1 (May 30, 2007 4:50 pm)