• Deputy D.A. Lighthart Jr. goes from old school to new school.
Even the cops like to stop the Spyder — fortunately, to admire it
SISTER LAKES - You know it's going to be an interesting new-vehicle test hop when the first stop involves a cop.
Three of us were coming off a light in Berrien County aboard prototype 2008 Can- Am Spyders - right in front of Deputy D.A. Lighthart Jr., watching us from his department-issued Harley-Davidson.
For more than a few heartbeats there, I thought Jeff Kieper, our ride guide, had overlooked the deputy and was going to nail the throttle on his agile 106-horsepower, 697-pound three-wheeled Spyder.
• Crank her hard, and you'll start to distort the outside tire. But just as you lift the inside tire, the engine management computer cuts out to keep all three tire patches on the tarmac.
Thankfully, he did not. And we didn't. But I was showing a minor trouble code on the Spyder's digital display panel and pulled onto the gravel along the highway to check things out with Kieper.
And, yeah ... maybe ... hopefully ... please ... let our police escort pass on by for this test ride.
No such luck.
That's all right. Lighthart hit his lights to cover our rear, and came up to inspect the trikes - a common law enforcement encounter where the Spyder is concerned, according to Kieper.
Lighthart's professional and personal interest is understandable: Bombardier's Spyder looks, rides and feels like no other road-going vehicle out there. (He was not alone. The nicely-coiffed lady in the Lexus who stopped and said "Is that the Spyder?" knew her stuff, too.)
At its heart the Spyder is a Rotax-built 998cc liquid-cooled V-twin, powering a wide, low-profile rear tire with belt drive. Up front are two independently sprung front tires, flanking a 44-liter ignition-locked storage trunk in the nose.
Climb aboard - but remember, this is not your grandfather's trike, or even your dad's motorcycle.
You step on the folding footpeg like a quad-runner or ATV, grip the grips and step over the low, broad, comfortable saddle to the other peg.
Coming off a motorcycle? Keep those feet on the pegs at stops.
Right off, you'll notice it feels like a big snowmobile. It handles that way, too. The first turn needs snowsled-style body English, or it will feel like it wants to spit the rider off.
• Riding a Spyder means using body English like you're on a snowmobile.
Never mind. You'll get used to it quickly. Hidden around the chassis are multiple computers to keep all three wheels on the ground, if you get silly.
And that motor, with 77 foot-pounds of torque, makes getting silly a simple procedure.
Goose it and loose that big rear tire on asphalt or gravel? No problem. But expect the engine retard to kick in quick. (And no, it is not, as my Journal colleague called it, that "cutter-outer thing.")
The sound is similar to the engine missing - which it is. On purpose.
The Spyder is beyond spunky. Throttle jockeys should expect about 25 miles per gallon, not the 35-40ish estimated. (A dry Spyder sucks up about seven gallons, under the seat.)
• Good wind protection, a stable saddle, and plenty of ponies mark the Spyder.
And don't expect a front brake lever. There is no grabber there, a real disconcerting notion for avid motorcyclists. (My right hand kept pawing the air off the grip, looking for that familiar safety blanket of twin, hydraulic front stoppers. The other half of TeamBoxer, Ohno, reported the same thing.)
The Spyder actually has three hydraulic discs, and all are activated by the rear brake lever by the right foot peg. With anti-lock braking, a mild push can bring the Spyder down from speed in a hurry.
• The front boot (that's trunk, mate) open.
On the left side, behind the peg, is a ratcheting parking brake. Click-click-click it down at stops. One light touch releases it for travel. (A warning light on the dash serves as a reminder.)
About that dash: Speedometer sweeps to 200, tach to 12,000. Redline at 9,500. She likes to rev. Center-mounted digital readout does everything but report the weather. Kind of busy there, but information is power.
• Gauges are large and easy to read, with other readouts digital and idiot-light style.
A small fairing and short smoked windshield pushes the air smoothly over and around the driver. Taller windshields, a gel seat and various luggage components are available. Clutch lever and feel is motorcycle standard.
So is the gearbox. It shifts with authority and has clear physical and sound cues, letting you know you are doing the right thing. It's one down and four up, for five forward gears. (An electric shift version of the Spyder is coming.)
(Think riding this muscular three-wheeled beastie is fun in forward gears? Spooling it backwards in a large parking lot is big fun, too.)
Tapping up once on the shift lever gets the trans back to first.
So, back to basics: Who'll get caught in the Spyder's roughly $15,000 web?
Well, older riders who still want to be in the wind on a sporty mount - but also want a solid, stable ride with creature comforts.
Younger, new or returning riders who are not all that sure about the motorcycle-safety thing, but still want to ride.
Mildly physically challenged people who can't handle a regular motorcycle could be an interesting demographic, too.
And anyone in between who likes something different and has the beans for it - and is interested in a vehicle that can do, well, 100 mph plus.
Issues? A few. This is not a motorcycle. You don't ride side by side. The Spyder takes up most of the lane, and that left front tire can find itself hanging over the centerline if you're not paying attention.
Easing up to someone at a light to trade gum or share at a tankbag map is not an option. The turning radius is bigger than a bike, smaller than a car.
• Front wheel detail. ABS is standard.
Beyond that? The visual and physical cues are probably easier for "regular" people - vs. bikers - to come to grips with.
Bombardier and Can- Am have done well with other recreational vehicles, off-road and on water.
The Spyder should fit right in to that portfolio.
• A broad firm saddle makes for a nice perch. Can-Am offers lots of accessories