Article Comments 2008 BRP Can-Am Spyder First Drive

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

You are in the Future Vehicles Forum. Your Host is kirstie_h

What is this discussion about? Concept Cars, Future Vehicle

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)

Outline

Messages Page 4 of 7: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; Prev; Next; Last

#27 of 63 Spyder by way2faststv Jun 02, 2007 (9:32 am)
The auto is not really an auto transmission. It has an automatic clutch that is controlled by a computer. You still have to shift through the gears, just that there is no clutch lever to press and release. The Yamaha FJR 1300AE has a similiar transmission. It never went over well in the Yammi. There was a low speed problem with stability on the 2 wheel bike. That may be less of a problem with the Spyder. It would be impractical $$$$ to convert a standard into a clutchless Spyder. I doubt if anyone outside the factory would even attempt it. Replies to this message: nexus1 (Jun 03, 2007 6:00 am) spyderva (Jun 03, 2007 8:11 am)
#28 of 63 Re: Spyder [way2faststv] by nexus1 Jun 03, 2007 (6:00 am)
Replying to: way2faststv (Jun 02, 2007 9:32 am) I think there is a lot of unscrupulous dealers out there who now they have a unicorn in limited numbers and try to make the best profits they can get away with. Not many of us are as lucky to find a dealer like way2faststv did and get $1000 off list price. My dealer added $395 shipping plus $395 ,I think they called it an assembly fee or setup fee ,plus tax. Also any options installed of course is extra. I already knew that the first ones like anything else that is new and in limited numbers is going to be more expensive and that's the price you have to pay for having one of the first ones.I called other dealers they would give me a better deal on one arriving next year but all of their allocated for the first run had all had deposits on them. After BRP did their demo test rides in my area that sowed up all available one that were left in the first run production.You got to give credit to BRP marketing strategy. My question is to the ones that have already laid their money down, have you received your $1000 jacket yet? How long did it take? Did you receive a certificate from BRP not the Certificate /Worksheet but a plaque with the production number? I wish I had more patience it's a long time between now and October+. NEXUS1 Replies to this message: spyderva (Jun 03, 2007 8:11 am)
#29 of 63 Re: Spyder [nexus1] by spyderva Jun 03, 2007 (8:11 am)
Replying to: nexus1 (Jun 03, 2007 6:00 am) Yeah even with the new dealer I went through there was a markup. The salesman crossed off the default setup and admin fees for normal bikes and replaced them with higher ones. Dealer setup was 389, freight was 310, admin was 60. I guess in retrospect the first dealer's numbers were in line with these. I just didn't like his lack of honesty in the whole procedure. Maybe he was honestly unaware you could pre-order an electronic trans, but it's too late now.
#30 of 63 Spyder by way2faststv Jun 03, 2007 (8:21 am)
I don't think that the jackets or plaque will arrive before the bike. I saw the jacket I think they will give us. It is a nylon pull over style. I bet the numbers e-bay will be getting for these things will be off the wall. People in the states where they will not be sold will want one. I'll probably be kicking myself for not ordering 2 from the initial production run. The OEM accessories for the Spyder are priced very high. I bet aftermarket companies will be jumping in and come out with stuff that blows the OEM stuff away...looks and price wise. That stock oversize "vacuum canister" muffler will be the first thing to go ! Replies to this message: nexus1 (Jun 04, 2007 12:52 pm)
#31 of 63 Re: Spyder [way2faststv] by nexus1 Jun 04, 2007 (12:52 pm)
Replying to: way2faststv (Jun 03, 2007 8:21 am) I call BRP today and asked about the jackets and the plaques they told me as I'm sure you've already read the first 2500 units sold we'll get a jacket and an authorized plaque with the production number on it. The plaque and a jacket will be shipped with the Spyder together this fall.The newest options they have available for the Spyder are not on the website yet but are available to be ordered through your dealer. NEXUS1
#32 of 63 Gas mileage? by stevecebu Jun 05, 2007 (8:38 am)
Does anyone know what the real world gas mileage would be on one of these? I'm thinking maybe 50 mpg with the manual. Does anyone have any numbers on it? Thanks.
#33 of 63 gas milage by way2faststv Jun 05, 2007 (9:08 am)
I heard they are averaging 45mpg, but it will all depend on how you drive it. Replies to this message: stevecebu (Jun 06, 2007 2:06 am)
#34 of 63 Re: gas milage [way2faststv] by stevecebu Jun 06, 2007 (2:06 am)
Replying to: way2faststv (Jun 05, 2007 9:08 am) Thanks, I guess all that additional tread gives it a lot more friction on the road. I will have to try one when I get back to the US next year. I would like a bike but I just don't manage to drive the big bikes well due to being only 5'7" tall with short legs. This looks like it might be a good answer for me. Be even better if Honda made one for $6,000 or so.
#35 of 63 Spyder Second Test Drive 6/16/07 by nexus1 Jun 16, 2007 (9:55 am)
I've had a second chance to take the Spyder on another test drive. This time it was on lonely backroads on a very warm sunny day.The dealer had two demos to test but that day when I got there only one of them was running. Apparently the other one had some glitches in the computer that when it got hot it would only run about 50 miles an hour and the limp home mode would be digitaly displayed on the screen. I had brought another coworker who was very excited and I believe a little nervous since it had been awhile since he'd been on a motorcycle. I went ahead and let my friend take the first demo drive with the dealers representative leading the way on the other Spyder. Even though it had problems he felt like as long as he didn't run too long and get it very hot it might be okay. He was waiting from the factory to give him some information on how to fix the problem but they had not gotten back with them on time we had gotten their for our ride. As I patiently waited and looked around the place that I had come to take the demo ride it was sort of unusual to see nothing but boats other watercrafts and crates of jet skis stacked up as high as the building. I thought this was a very unusual place to be selling a product that drives on the highway. But again the company that makes this Spyder it's their first time on the pavement at least in a while so maybe it's not that much of a stretch also since they also have the Rotax engine in the watercrafts and jet skis here that may give them an advantage over others who don't have this engine in anything they sell as far as serivce and repair. Finally my friend returned and of course a smile from ear to ear, only comment that he would give me was awesome again the negative side was the sharp turns. The only other negative comment was that he felt a shimmy or wobble in the front and mostly when he changed gears. Well now it was my turn and as I sat back on the Spyder with a little more confidence than the first time. I knew this time it was going to give it a workout. My guide who was also there mechanic and very good person I may add took us down some backroads some sharp turns over some rough terrain a couple hard uphill grades if you call going up a bridge a grade. This time I was able to stretch this thing out on some long straightaways the power curve seems to be unending I can say that for its weight this thing moves very fast. As I shifted into second gear and pop the clutch I could've swore the front two wheels came off the ground for just a moment my rear end slip back in the seat a couple inches and I heard a little voice in my head say Oh Yeah. Between second and third it's almost an instant it's almost the same shift without stopping almost as fast as you can shift to second your already shifting into third. I stretched it out through fourth and fifth and I can't really say how fast it went but I did get into three digit.By no means is it the fastest I've been on two wheels but it is the fastest I've been on three. That little thing on the front they call a windshield is hardly big enough even in the crotch rocket position to do much good. I tried some of the sharp curves a little faster than I should have to see what would happen if the anti- brake system kicked in I did not notice it nor did the engine throttle back. I still leaned which helps a lot but you still get that throwed off feeling and you truly have to fight a little more since the bike trike doesn't lean.I had wanted to do another test I had a urge to see what would happen and how hard it would be to recover if the right wheel fell off the edge of the pavement so I let my guide sort of get out of sight but I chickened out at the last minute I had a vision of me cart wheeling through the woods bad idea. The negative parts, I'm going to miss weaving through traffic,and the sharp curves are going to get a little hard to get used to also in slow speed the wide turns you have to make just to get out of the parking lot is something you can have to learn how to judging but overall I have no regrets ordering one, again I can only say this is not a motorcycle not even close for people to compare this have not driven it. This is a four wheeler missing a wheel that is the best way I can describe it and how it handles. The appeals of this type of vehicle is probably going to be widespread for many different reasons the hard-core motorcyclist will not like it because they will try to compare it to a motorcycle but on the other hand the guy who has driven a snowmobile or a four wheeler will love it. I just wish patience was one of my virtues. NEXUS1
#36 of 63 Jackets are arriving by way2faststv Jun 17, 2007 (9:38 am)
I got a letter yesterday from BRP thanking me for my Spyder deposit and informing me that the free Spyder jackets will be arriving at the dealerships this month. Just in time to wear it in the 90 degree summer weather while waiting for the trike to come next fall. Replies to this message: nexus1 (Jun 18, 2007 1:22 pm)