Modern Vespa

...my Mp3. Actually, it is my good friend Mikes bike ( he had a Mana before this Spyder), and we went out riding today. There were things I noted as we rode, many of which are spelled out by looking at this photo..

It looks scared.

I noted a few things--he obviously had more power, but he also seemed to be riding along in a fair amount of luxury--nice stereo and a windscreen that seemed to block all the breeze--there seemed to be a veritable barka lounger back there for the passenger.
He was not exactly hurting in the turns either, despite the lack of a lean. Well, he had to waste no time at all considering the road--is there gravel, or whatever else? No worry! Stay upright? Pretty much a given, so ripp through the corner and gone.
Hey, all this can't be building much character.
I consider all this as I bumped along, buffeted by the wind, and smugly thought--"Yeah! But he can't LEAN! Ha Ha!"
Well, still like my bike, but it does put some ideas in your head.
If I had the money fro a touring ride, that would be it.
Weirdly, for a touring bike, it has a range about like an MP3.
No doubt people are wiring in aux gas tanks already.

The 500 is a fighter, while the Spyder is a bomber.
And bomb it does the Spyder, because it is loaded down w/technology; yet it can't lean.
Might as well drive a car.
But, hey, did you ask to try it out?

I took one for a test ride before I ever heard of an MP3. Based on a review I had read; I expected to like it. I absolutely hated it
If you're not used to it a non-leaning 3 wheeler can be squirelly in the turns.

I pulled up on my MP for Can-Am demo days and rode the RTS. It feels like your going to go over but you can't. TONS OF POWER, TONS OF MONEY. That Blue one with the matching trailer is $35K

He offered to let me ride it, but I did not want to ( too expensive and too different from what I am used to). He also offered to let me ride his Mana ( for sale now for $6k) on the ride today--that was tempting, but I cannot afford it, so no reason to get to liking it.

I get a Mana if they had a full fairing option. The little sheild on the 850 GT doesnot do for me.

It has very little lean, and is only one step away from driving a convertible. Ball park prices, $20-24k, depending on model, never pay list. Heard the sport model has some computer issues, this past year. At twice the engine size, sure it runs faster. Goldwing riders generally think it is underpowered. Question is, "sport or touring", reason why I bought the MP3. Just for local running and fun, at 30% less weight then my wing. Do not need to do 160 mph on a rocket at my age.

Mike says he thinks the engine should have been larger, considering how big and how much the things weighs. They have never appealed to my visual sensibilities--more snowmobile than motorcycle really, but that said, I can certainly see a lot of advantages to the design.
My understanding ( never having been on one) is that the Goldwing is an amazing bike in many ways, but it still is a hefty thing no doubt at slowspeeds, fully loaded with a passenger. At a minimum, you at least have no need to balance a Spyder. The reverse was cool too. You can really whip the thing around in reverse. The Goldwing has a reverse too I think, but you would not be able to use it as freely.
Apples to apples, the MP3 and the Spyder have almost no relationship other than happening to have 3 wheels, so not fair to compare them.
The comparisons are with Goldwings and the like.

As G03 said, it's "one step away from driving a convertible." I'd rather have a Miata.

I MUCH prefer my Miata. The Miata is better in almost every conceivable way.
Neither is capable of filtering. My Miata should be faster and more comfortable over a curvy road especially with a passenger. I've re-located my spare so luggage space is significantly higher. If the weather changes I can put the top up and motor on. I hear gas mileage is comparable. The Miata was MUCH cheaper.

I like to think of the Can Am Spider as a snowmobile on wheels. They don't lean either.

I think I read somewhere their mileage is in the low 20's. If that's true it would really be a killer for most of us. Does anyone here know the facts?

LL75

PS - Re another comment on not worrying about gravel, etc. That's just how it feels on my hack, go anywhere and not worry. There are limits of course but so far I've not encountered anything that made me turn back. If having a reverse was a big deal you could always buy a Ural and for a lot less $$$

Oh they lean you just need the right conditions, some deep POWPOW.

That's what I've been telling friends for years. It has a lot more power than an MP3 and many people like them. If you enjoy snowmobiles you may be very happy with a spyder. If you enjoy the handling dynamics of a bike you might not like a spyder. Take a test ride and see if it works for you.

:shock: The Spyder people have the Goldwing touring crowd in their sights.
From the windshield back it looks like what the next generation Wing should look like. The dash, motor and drive train don't seem to compare to the wing.
Your getting a third wheel for about the same price point as the Wing,minus the fuel mileage. High 20's? It's a nice 'safe" rig for two up or the generation who is finding the wing to be a little to heavy. No right side hand brake either.
Tideman

I think there are likely more Spyders being sold than Mp3's....it's the darling of that segment/demographic right now. Price and fuel economy aside, I'm told by our local dealer the Can Am Spyder biz is a good one to be in right now.

They seem to appeal to a narrower general client type than the Mp3 from my unscientific observations....

I'd rather have a 'Wing, and I believe they still deliver high 30~low 40 mpg.

The spyder has definite appeal for the non-rider that wants the immediate gratification of riding without the pesky learning how process.

If Piaggio did a little advertising the MP3 might sell too.

Yes; but why should they spend money that they ain't got in the first place to advertise when they've us as living, breathing billboards for them, every single time we're riding out there and giving everyone who's halfway curious about it a whole spiel about the pro's and more pro's of an MP3 vs. Whatever. Sometimes, I seriously believe that I should be on their payroll.

they don't advertise here in the USA but in the rest of the world they do. We play 2nd fiddle to the rest of the world in scooter market so they could care less (piaggio that is ). Just look at the dealer support for the guys in Europe compared to us in the USA.

There's nothing economical about the Spyders...tires, gas mileage, space, price.......you name it. It's an image thing. I've ridden 1.

I'll take a 400 MP3 over a Spyder ANY TIME !

You mean, next to nuttin'.

note just for the mind, my wing had 8% speedo loss from showroom. Corrected that, and my mpg are 32-35 most of the time. A lot of gw's claim around 40 mpg, but without speedo fixed, this is a plus of 2-3 mpg. Also putting in a higher octane gets 2-4 mpg better, but long term hurts the engine with build up deposits. Trike a bike, and ballpark loss of 5 mpg is about normal, putting it into the high 20's mpg. Adding that big wide wind resistant front to the spyder, does not help either.