Two in front...or two in back

[bduffey]

A recent post about the Polaris, plus some bar-room discussions I've had make me wonder..............

If you absolutely HAD TO give up riding on two wheels, would you go for a Polaris-type vehicle with two in front? Or would you go for a trike, with two in the back? Or would you give up biking completely?

I wonder?

 

[Grey1one]

I haven't ridden one, but a guy I know said he tried a two up front and felt like he was going to slide off the seat in turns since you don't lean.
With two at the rear you sit more in the seat than on the seat, so that's what I would choose.

 

[Huck369]

2 in the front is more stable....but nothing will ever really replace just 2 wheels

 

[Joe A.]

2 in front or a sidecar for me!

 

[danrev]

I would have to ride both in order to make a decision. I've never ridden anything with 3 wheels, not even a tricycle when I was a little kid.

 

[mreric]

Can-am spyder

get an automatic tranny with it.

still be classed as a motorcycle and be in the carpool lane as a single rider

 

[670cc]

A quad beats a three wheeler. We tried a Goldwing quad conversion and it rode pretty decent. I've ridden Spyders and all kinds of trikes. Three wheels, whether two in front or two in back, handles like a top heavy car with handlebars, but with the added disadvantage of being a three track vehicle (not one like a motorcycle or two like a car). The three tracker jiggles all over the place on bumpy roads. The Spyder and Goldwing trikes ride so poorly, if I had to give up two wheels, I'd just get a small, fun car instead.

If I HAD to get a three wheeler, I'd go with two wheels in front for sure.

Think about the old three wheel all-terrain vehicles (Honda ATC). They didn't last long due to their instability.

 

[bduffey]

I took a Spyder for a test ride when they first came out. Was pulling out of the dealer lot.... tried to lean into a turn.... almost took out the business owners pickup truck when the machine kept going in a straight line!!!

Here in Massachusetts you don't need a standard m/c license to operate a Spyder. There's a special permit you can get after attending a shortend MSF course. As a matter of fact, if you are legal to ride the Spyder, you are prohibited from riding a 'regular' motorcycle.

 

[mreric]

I took a Spyder for a test ride when they first came out. Was pulling out of the dealer lot.... tried to lean into a turn.... almost took out the business owners pickup truck when the machine kept going in a straight line!!!

Here in Massachusetts you don't need a standard m/c license to operate a Spyder. There's a special permit you can get after attending a shortend MSF course. As a matter of fact, if you are legal to ride the Spyder, you are prohibited from riding a 'regular' motorcycle.

I ride a motorcycle due to crazy so-california bumper to bumper traffic, being able to get into the carpool lane solo is the main reason i ride. so in CA is classed a motorcycle. that is the reason i would choose it.

 

[backtochain]

My impression when I took a Spider for a ride was if a person never rode a motorcycle before this may be fitting for them. None of us know the decisions we are going to make as we get older but at this point in time I must conclude if I'm to old to stay on two wheels , than I probably should stop operating any vehicle. It's two wheels or a taxi as far as I know.

 

[mnooooa4]

Ridden the old 3-wheel trikes and they tip over if you get too crazy. I heard the 2 in front are more stable. Never ridden one of those though. Do you have to forget what you know about counter-steering at higher speeds?

 

[670cc]

Ridden the old 3-wheel trikes and they tip over if you get too crazy. I heard the 2 in front are more stable. Never ridden one of those though. Do you have to forget what you know about counter-steering at higher speeds?

LOL! You won't forget about counter steering! You'll be reminded every time you first turn the bars the wrong way, then correct by going the other way. First time I rode a Spyder on the highway I was weaving all over the place. I had to keep saying to myself, "turn left to go left, turn right to go right". It was a scary experience.

People buying three wheelers that have not ridden motorcycles probably have no problems.

 

[gboswellsac]

I haven't ridden one, but a guy I know said he tried a two up front and felt like he was going to slide off the seat in turns since you don't lean.
With two at the rear you sit more in the seat than on the seat, so that's what I would choose.

I'd try a side car first.... then a trike. Friends who have ridden both trike and Can-Am, say the Can-Am you need to keep both hands on it at all times as it tries to steer for you .... The trike is just a little different. Do not see too many former bikers on Can-Am but lots of older on trikes. The wifes of older Wing riders were the big sellers of trikes...

 

[Ruggybuggy]

LOL! You won't forget about counter steering! You'll be reminded every time you first turn the bars the wrong way, then correct by going the other way. First time I rode a Spyder on the highway I was weaving all over the place. I had to keep saying to myself, "turn left to go left, turn right to go right". It was a scary experience.

People buying three wheelers that have not ridden motorcycles probably have no problems.

Lots of people in Canada who ride spyders also ride snowmobiles in the winter so it's a natural transition. Like riding your snowmobile in the summer.

 

[Jelly]

I've not ridden either but my vote would go for whichever had such a geometry set up that it would still lean into corners, so probably 2 up front I would guess?

 

[kpinvt]

I tried a Can-Am at Americade in 2007 before they went on sale. It was like riding a very large, very fast ATV. Not for me. If I had to give up two wheels I would try to get one of the tilting three wheelers like the MP3. I've never ridden one but a friend had one as a loaner for a weekend while his KLR650 was in the shop. He said it was a blast to ride with unbelievable grip in the corners. I saw an article not too long ago about a patent that Honda had applied for that featured a tilting, two wheels in front design on a frame that looked a lot like the frame on the NC.

 

[Ed Up]

I've ridden Gold Wing trikes and Harley trikes. I took a Can Am for about a 120 ride early in the summer. If I had to choose a trike I would take the Can Am. They handle great for a 3 wheeler. Like someone else said, it's like a high performance 4 wheeler. The computer on it sits the front tire down if it starts raising in a corner by applying the opposite tire break. I did a pretty radical weave in a parking lot and it just shut down like a rev limiter would. Seem to be very safe, but you do have to wrestle them.

 

[bduffey]

Someone I know who has owned both a standard m/c and a Spyder described it to me this way................... You ride a m/c. You drive a Spyder.

 

[IronButt84]

Corvette convertable

 

[Naked_Duc]

I would go with 2 in the front but not a Cam-Am. I'd get a Slingshot.