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While the wife was shopping, just prior to Christmas I was drawn to an Augusta Victory dealer who had one parked out next to the street. I went in and asked for a test drive, and was graciously accommodated.
I didn't have my helmet w/ me, so a brain-bucket was offered. Proof of MC license, sign up, the usual stuff, and I'm riding away.
First impression, this is not a motorcycle! Leaning and cornering are a whole different experience than riding two-wheels. My Spyder was a standard transmission version, not the new automatic. It had great "hey look at me" yellow and black paint, and was reasonably quick. More like a hot car, than the motorcycle, however.
Back to cornering. In a hard turn, the inside front wheel lifts off the ground as the machine is weighted toward the outside of the corner. Centrifugal force, pulling you and the machine away from the center of turn toward the outside radius. Oh, and all turns are "car-like" in that you turn the handlebars in the direction you want to go. The Spyder likes to "crab" its way around a sharp turn, until the rear wheel breaks loose. Then it understeers quite nicely.
A rider followed me out of the Victory parking lot and at a stop said he could, "See I was trying to lean and counter steer the thing," w/out much success I might add. It's a hard habit to break, but I think that after a few rides and several miles one would get used to this new dynamic.
The other sensation is one of being "on the thing" and not as "well connected" to its operation and function. You tend to slide forward during braking and backward during acceleration, more than I'm used to on a bike.
The Spyder is very forgiving in its function. It has traction control, abs, linked braking, dynamic stability control, all in the name of not throwing the thing into the weeds! Big brother, does intrude on the party, and probably for the better!
At about 55 mph on a rather rough roadway the thing feels "nervous" as if it would shoot off course at the slightest provocation. But, it did track straight and true. I'm sure its again a matter of gaining experience w/ the Spyder rather than a design flaw.
Overall, the experience was pleasant and exciting. Soon after this, I saw a Spyder running w/ a pack of sport bike in the N. Georgia Mountains, and was impressed at how easily the rider kept up w/ the pack. I even saw the guy side it through a gravel strewn corner like nobody would dare on a street bike.
So, I guess there are plus and minus sides to ownership as is the case w/most modes of transportation.
I hope this has been helpful. If you can get a test ride, throw your leg over a Spyder and see what you think. I believe it would be a very attractive alternative to a motorcycle, if I were handicapped and could not control a bike. The freedom and exceleration of riding are all there in the Spyder.
Len
Last edited by GoldenJubileeBonne; 01-28-2009 at 12:46 PM.
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