HOW I WILL MAKE MY “RED” SPYDER MINE!

By 320,000 Miler, Hal “BikerDoc” Mette

I constantly see postings from new owners asking what mods they should immediately add to their Spyders or Rykers. I can’t really answer that question. What I tell folks to do is to ryde the bike awhile and have your own experience tell you what you need.

What I can do is share with you what I’m doing to make “Red”, my new 2022 F3 Limited Special Edition, fully safe and comfortable for me. Red is my eighth Spyder and I have logged over 320,000 miles on them to date so I have tried just about every mod you can think about. Here are my favorites:

For Long Ryding Distances:

  • My favorite mods include the Ultimate F3 Floorboards by CanAmSpyderAccessories.com. This floorboard tends to act as both a floorboard and highway peg as it tilts up toward the front. This also puts your foot closer to the brake for quicker reaction time. Every time I feel the least bit uncomfortable, I shift foot positions on the boards to relax the offended muscles.

  • I also include the driver backrest. On this Spyder I’ve added the BRP factory backrest, though in the past I’ve added the backrest from Ultimate Seats or Lamonster Garage. I found that I cannot ryde over 100 miles without the having some serious back pain. With the backrest I can comfortably ryde 750 miles a day.

  • The beaded seat you see is from BeadRider.com. These beads are comfortable and provide much needed air circulation on long rydes. They are surprisingly very comfortable.

For Visibility:

  • I mounted the 24 inch vented F4 Custom windshield with adjustable air wings to protect the hands (most windshield leave the hands out in the cold). This windshield gives me protection from the wind, cold, and heavy rain and the air wings adjust to give me a super air conditioner in the heat of summer. Also the optical quality is the best I have ever found. Great to help my elderly eyes. The added etching by Sara Clark of Tattoo My Ride was my splurge to promote the Road Warrior Foundation.

  • The stock headlights on the F3 Spyder provide a frighteningly short coverage so I always replace the stock headlights on an F3 with the LED headlights and fog lights. You can’t go wrong if you purchase these at Lamonster Garage.

  • More lighting for better visibility up front never hurts.. Here I’ve added the Halo Eye and the Halo Skid from Custom Spyder Works.com.

  • People put all kinds of lights on the rear of their Spyders to make it easier for folks to see them. I chose the lighted American Flag light. The majority of ryders that I have asked say they tend to focus on the America Flag where other lights such as strobes simply irritate them. TricLED.com still offers these, but I move mine whenever I trade in a bike.

Wraps/Paint:

  • I prefer wraps because they can be removed if the next buyer doesn’t like them or I may get tired of them and want a new look. My initial wraps will be US Spyder Ryder knee panels customized for me by wrapmyspyder.com.  I will also add American Flags because I am a patriot and I like decals from the two favorite charities I support.  Both their logos are attractive so decorate the bike nicely while sending a message.

Convenience:

  • I love having a cup holder on my handlebar. It is really easy to get dehydrated on a hot summer day so it’s great to have water close at hand.  My cupholder is a custom Road Warrior cup from Diamond R accessories who unfortunately is no longer in business. Lamonster Garage or Slingmods offer some current options.

  • I tend to fill my gas tank several times a day. On iron butt rydes, and I have done over 25 of them. I filled the tank 8 times a day. For that reason I use the Lamonster Garage Screw Top gas cap rather than fight with my key with each fill up.


Navigation

  • I am somewhat old school so I’m not proficient on BRP Connect. My dealer found the    right cable at Best Buy so that they could not only install my GPS from my prior bike but they also routed the turn by turn sound through my main speakers.

Sound:

  • A factory Spyder sounds remarkably like a sewing machine so its little wonder that traditional bikers have a hard time taking it seriously. I chose the performance primary muffler (Cat-Delete) integrated with the secondary IPS muffler from Lamonster Garage to give me a throaty sound that can be easily heard but won’t wake the neighbors when I leave for early morning rydes.

Conclusion

  • This is how I made my “Red” mine. As I said at the beginning, ryde your bike for a while and let your experience tell you what you need to make your bike yours.














Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesHal Bikerdoc, Spyder
Tags2023
CommentPost a comment

RykerRydes by Beth Samreny

RykerRydes
Featured Article by Beth Samreny

Seeing a woman on a bike is always exciting, but being a woman rider is simply incredible. International Female Riding Day (IFRD) is coming up. It is the first Saturday in May, this year it falls on May 7. It is a day that urges and motivates women to get involved in motor sports, all over the world. In 2009, 10 percent of all motorcycle owners were female. In 2018, that number almost doubled to 19 percent. In 2021 there were over four million women motorcycle riders in the US. The Motorcycle Industry Council estimates that that 24 percent of all motorcycle riders are women. This number translates to almost 1 in 4 motorcycle riders being female. I am proud to be one of them. As a Can-am Ambassador and Woman of On Road Mentor, I am passionate about riding and what I ride.

The second I sat in a Can-am Ryker I loved it. I say “in a Ryker” rather than “on a Ryker”, because that is how it struck me. It absolutely fit me and my personality like a glove. The bike is small, like me and the bike struck me as very spirited, also like me. Since I was never much of a backseat rider, I knew then that I would become a Ryker owner. As one of the first to have a Ryker in South Florida, I would experience that “Look, it‘s a girl riding that cool three wheel motorcycle” comment quite often. I’ve come to love the open road and the freedom I feel behind the handlebars. It is when I think of nothing else but that moment in time while riding...that point where life stands still.

I will have plenty of time and miles to get some extra wind therapy come July, as I am planning on an 1800 mile ride with friends to Deadwood, South Dakota for the 8th Annual Deadwood 3 Wheeler Rally (D3WR). There will be Rykers and Spyders from all over the U.S. It’s an event to which I'd love you join me, if you can.

I am especially looking forward to attending the Fall Spyder, Bike and Trike Fest To benefit The Road Warrior Foundation Sept. 22-25 in Deland, FL, as this organization is near and dear to my heart. Meet me there to support these incredible veterans.
When I am not out riding, you'll probably find me modifying my Ryker or friend's Spyder (usually barefoot lol). Can-am Ryker owners take personalization to a new level. The amount of custom colors and accessories available are exceptional. Everything from audio systems, exhaust, intakes, wraps, specialized luggage, lighting, custom seats and a whole lot more...are ready to put in place. I have put a whole variety of items on my Ryker, I've lost count how many.

There is also an increased awareness of Rykers. More and more men and women are selecting the Ryker for their first motorcycle. Dozens of Facebook and YouTube pages are devoted to them, including the Woman of On Road FB page dedicated to female Can-am owners. Among those is my own, YouTube.com/RykerRydes, where I have posted literally hundreds of helpful Ryker and Spyder maintenance and familiarization videos. I have turned my love and passion for Can-am into a small business. I am presently building my own new webpage, RykerRydes.com. Until that is completed, I offer numerous Ryker and Spyder items on my RykerRydes Etsy page. Come see what all the fun is about!!

 
Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesRyker, Spyder
Tags2022
6 CommentsPost a comment

2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Sea To Sky

I could not resist the opportunity to saddle up for several days on the newest edition, 2021 Can-Am Spyder Sea to Sky RT. Thank you, Central Florida Powersports, for allowing this to happen fresh out of the crate. I am currently over 700 miles on this Spyder and have absolutely enjoyed every mile.

The Sea to Sky RT gets its inspiration from the famous Route 99 Sea To Sky Highway, the major north - south highway running from the US Border near Vancouver to Whistler in the mountains of British Columbia and is one of the most scenic routes in British Columbia. Regardless of where you ride this Spyder, it turns heads and gets attention.

With all the much-acclaimed improvements of the 2020 and early model 2021 RTs, the Sea to Sky edition has taken luxury Spyder Ryding to yet another level in appearance, comfort, and performance.

Starting with appearance, the Highland Green color is sparkled with a gold metalflake that is complimented with what BRP calls Liquid Titanium accents. I call it gold, but regardless of what it is called, the paint and trim look great together. The Highland Green color is also on the lid of the top box while all other models have top boxes with only a black lid. Also included with the Sea to Sky model is a color matched Highland Green rear panel for a sportier look when the Link-system top box is removed. The 6-spoke liquid titanium-colored machined wheels with a satin finish really stand out and add to making this Spyder unique.

Appearance and comfort are both enhanced by the heated seats with adaptive foam, gold stitching and the Sea to Sky embroidery on the seat. The passenger seat also is heated and has the adaptive foam. The seat comfort is felt immediately when you first sit on it. No need to upgrade here. The seats are “all day” comfortable. Adding to the comfort are the larger floorboards that were introduced on the 2020 RT. I am average height, 5 ft. 9 in., and even though they are not adjustable, I found the larger floorboards accommodating to several different leg positions to eliminate leg fatigue that can happen on longer rides. For passenger comfort, their footrests have five adjustable heights. The Spyder RT Sea To Sky package also includes a front and two side semi-rigid bags to add to your convenience for long range touring.

The reliable 115 horsepower 1330 Rotax ACE and the six speed Semi-automatic transmission provides the necessary power to get this Spyder up and running very quickly. In fact, this is the smoothest running and shifting Spyder that I have ever ridden. Several times I found myself running in 5th gear while thinking I was in 6th. Contributing to the comfort and performance, this is the only Spyder that comes from the factory with a belt tensioner and there was no belt vibration at any speed.

Is there room for improvement? Not much since the suspension improvements that started with the redesigned 2020 RT make this a great touring ride. However, if you ride more aggressively and love the curves, you may want to consider a beefier sway bar. The only other improvement I would consider is to add wide-view mirrors to better see around the rear top box.

All in all, the Spyder RT Sea To Sky is a one-of-a-kind Spyder that looks great, rides smooth and performs well. This is a cruiser’s cruiser and is not too shabby around town either.

Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesSpyder
Tags2021
7 CommentsPost a comment

BRP Discontinues Garmin GPS Dealership Updates

garmin_zumo590_lm_motorcycle_gps_detail.png
Garmin 660.png

After communication with BRP to find out how to access the dealership update they previously had, I recently learned that BRP is no longer updating the dealer list that is preinstalled on Garmin devices sold through Can-Am and their dealerships. Also, in the future, the dealership list will no longer appear on devices sold by Can-Am or their dealerships.

It would be wise to bookmark the link below on your phone in case you need to find a dealer when you're not close to your home area: https://can-am.brp.com/on-road/us/en...r.html#/search.  

Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesSpyder, Garmin, GPS
Tags2017, 2020
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2020 RT Limited First Impressions

by Hal BikerDoc - 255,000 Mile Spyder Ryder

The 2020 RT Limited was the only sunshine I experienced yesterday. Despite the miserable weather I logged over 120 miles and enjoyed every minute of it. The new “lowered” RT rydes smoother and powers through the curves with much less momentum pull on the ryder. It may be Florida, but my wife noticed the heated seats right away and loved them. She was also quite fond of the Asphalt Grey. We both think BRP has once again come up with some really creative colors.

From the moment you mount the bike you notice the spacious floorboards. I felt like I could go for a walk and I constantly tried different positions allowed by the new floorboards and found several quite comfortable. It was dark and dreary yesterday, so I was already able to notice the visibility improvement from the LED headlights. Since it was misting, I left the windshield in its upright position most of the time but tested the up and down function and it worked perfectly. Oh yeah, (Florida or not) I turned on the heated seats for extra comfort.

Moving the controls from the handlebars to the center of the console made them more visible and easier to use, but I regretted needing to remove my eyes from the road to use them. While no need to refill on this short trip, I couldn’t resist opening the split seat that allows you to gas up without removing your passenger or luggage from the backseat. With lengthening and re-positioning of the stock seat, my wife and I both found the seat more comfortable. I didn’t even feel the need for a driver’s backrest. My wife didn’t have to view the back of my helmet for a change. Instead she could look over me and have a full view of the area ahead.

I understand there is a short and long handlebar option for the RT which switches out extremely easy, but I was personally happy with the standard bar.

I didn’t use the storage space addition of 6 gallons, but just from looking at it I could tell it would be much easier for two people to travel on the bike.

I used the back case several times. If feels slightly larger when I insert two full face helmets. The case material is much stronger, and the lid has improved hinges over similar cases produced in 2019. No need to worry about breaking the release or having any problem aligning the rear case lid as it closes.

Style, Sleek, Sexy. No question that appearance was highly considered on the roadster. My wife, the non-motorcycle person, kept telling me how cool the wheels are and how sleek the Spyder appears. I drew the line when she said she thought it was sexier than my F3.

Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesHal Bikerdoc, Spyder
Tags2020
3 CommentsPost a comment

Spyder Aftermarket Source

The Spyder Aftermarket Source Group designed for Manufacturers to discuss their products for the Spyder Riders around the world. Riders can join and have first viewing of new Products Aftermarket suppliers want to introduce while being able to talk and discuss the products posted.

Click the image to join the Group on Facebook. We encourage all Spyder Riders to join to stay One step ahead on all the new innovative products to come to provide a stylish upgrade or better ride.

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AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesSpyder
Tags2018
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2018 F3 Limited - My First 300 miles - Observations

By Hal Mette, AKA BikerDoc

Cluster1.jpg

First let me say thank you to Central Florida PowerSports for allowing me an extended test ryde of the new 2018 F3 Limited with BRP Connect.

The handling and performance characteristics of the 2018 are virtually identical to the 2016 and 2017 F3T and F3 Limited so no need to focus much on that if you test ryde for an upgrade. Of course the much mentioned cluster is the big upgrade on the bike. The visibility on the all digital gauge is indeed greatly improved. If you are an old folk like me you will need bifocals to read the small print in the trip stats and a couple other areas, but the real excitement was when I took my non-visually impaired next door neighbor for a ryde and he could read even the fine print on a sunny Florida day while sitting in the back seat. No more screen sunshine washout.

Cluster2.jpg

One comfort factor that I had not expected came from the elevated back seat. That increase in the back seat height also increases the amount of seat support for the back of the driver. For the first time since 2010 I could ride the Spyder over 100 miles at a time without a driver backrest and experience no pain. Granted I currently ryde a 2016 F3T so the 2017 model may have already provided this feature.

Cluster4.jpg

The joystick (the replacement for those little directional buttons) is easy to handle in terms of maneuvering through the screens and I particularly liked the trip stats report that I left up on the right of the screen most of the time. Of course, the joystick takes you through all the the setting features previously available on the Spyder. The features of pairing the Spyder with the smart phone and the driver comm system went smooth as silk although in two days I was not able to pair the passenger comm (Sena 20S) with the bike. The music from FM and my iPhone was amazing on the six speaker sound system on the limited. Also I was surprised to get better FM reception out in the countryside than I had ever experienced before.  

When you access BRP Connect life gets a little more complicated. First of all you need to download the BRP Connect apps to your phone before you arrive for a test ryde and you need to configure your phone so that all privacy and security blocks are removed to allow BRP Connect unbridled access to your phone information, otherwise you will be asked to authorize it on the phone every time you start the bike. By the way, when you start the bike there is a little download time from the smartphone to the bike that is required before you can really get started. For the experienced ryder, I recommend you study everything available about the cluster and BRP Connect before the ryde.

I got stuck in a loop, i.e. frozen within BRP Connect, a few times and I wondered if it was my technical ineptness but I had it rechecked by the GM, Master Spyder Tech, and top sales person and they verified my findings. There seems to be some minor issues with BRP Connect to be resolved - not uncommon with new software. I studied every video I could find on the new bike and on BRP Connect. I find there is a need for a more detailed tutorial for BRP Connect that focuses especially on the mechanics of its use, not its concept.

Cluster3.jpg

If a newbie friend decides to take a Spyder for a test ryde, I suggest you counsel them to take two separate and distinct test rydes. One without BRP Connect focusing on the Spyder's handling and performance characteristics that differ so much from other rydes and then after considerable study and preparation, take a second test ryde using the full screen with BRP Connect capabilities. This ryde could be mind blowing for a newbie if you try to digest everything at once. 

Your comments and personal experiences with the new 2018 Instrument Cluster and BRP Connect are welcomed. 

 

Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesSpyder, Utilities, Hal Bikerdoc
Tags2018
4 CommentsPost a comment

2017 Road Warrior Foundation Ryde Blog

hals RW map.jpg

Getting Ready ...

White Hat, my sixth Spyder is all packed and ready to hit the road early Monday morning.  I will join up with the Road Warrior Group on 10/24 in Greenville, MS and ryde the balance of the journey with them.  I have reviewed the google files and can see that Craig Anders of the Road Warrior Foundation has done his usual fine job of designing this ryde.  The combination of ryding these fantastic roads and getting to know these committed veterans, will make for quite a week.

Each evening I will describe our days journey and reception events at the welcome stops.   I should have some great pics for you and will do my best to describe not only the physical journey but the feelings generated along the way.  Several Spyder Ryders are accompanying the group for most of the trip and we hope dozens or even hundreds of others will join us for various segments of the trip.

Its about 800 miles from my home to my meet up point in Greenville, MS.  I will ryde 575 miles on Monday and the balance of the trip on Tuesday so I will be there well ahead of time to greet the arriving Road Warriors.

For those of you who can not join physically, I hope you will enjoy my blog and offer your comments and support.  This coming week will be another opportunity for a once in a lifetime journey.    P.S.   Be sure to buy your raffle tickets to support the Road Warrior Foundation and have a chance to win a new F3T.

Links

Road Warrior Foundation

Raffle Tickets for 2017 Custom F3T Limited

Day 1 - 2017 Road Warrior Ryde - Guest Post from Jay MacLeod

Day 1 of the 2017 Road Warrior Ryde began in Austin, Tx. After orchestrating a successful Spyders In The Hills Rally, Jay MacLeod still found time and energy to ryde with a few fellow Texas Hill Country Chapter US Spyder Ryders and meet up with the Day 1 send off of the 2017 Road Warrior Ryde. 

Jay, Dot McGehee Bailey,  Cheryl Burns Grove, and  Tom Grove were ready to depart from Woods Cycle Country in New Braunfels, TX heading to Austin but were delayed an hour due to a storm cell moving through and flash flooding.  Not to be deterred by Mother Nature, The "Drowned Rat Crew" made it to the send off. 

Preparations were happening everywhere at the kick off hotel. The Road Warriors packing up, the support crew and their vehicles along with other Spyder Ryders who were able to follow along were all getting their gear and their rydes ready.

The "Drowned Rat Crew" followed along too ... that is until Jay's Tonto needed to make a stop for gas. Jay claims that this was the fastest pit stop EVER and he had to ryde at unspeakable speeds to catch up to his crew and the Road Warrior ryde in only a short 10 mile stretch while they never rode over the speed limit. 

Jay and crew rode to College Station, TX with the Road Warriors before they reluctantly had to return and head home. 

Jay, thanks for sharing your Road Warrior experience and your photos. We wish you could have continued the ryde too. There's a few more pictures from Jay below.

Check back  for more experiences and highlights as the 2017 Road Warrior Ryde continues.

Day 3 – Hal BikerDoc Meets Up With The Road Warrior Ryde

Shortly after the arrival of the Road Warriors to Greenville, Mississippi a local brewery who had already closed, opened their heart and their doors to provide a venue of a welcome pizza party for the Road Warriors. The more adventuresome Road Warriors may have even made it up the hill to the casino before calling it a night. No matter how late they might’ve been they were all at their Spyders at 7:50 AM this morning ready to roll again.

The departure temperature was 43° and our riding wind-chill was soon between zero and 9°. While waiting to depart I interviewed some of the Road Warriors. Generally, they were very impressed with the Spyder. They like the comfort and ease of handling and were anxious to have an opportunity to try the full capabilities of the Spyder. One of them even mentioned that they hope they wouldn’t be monitored too closely on the track at Barber Motorsports as they would like to see how fast the Spyder could go.

Well the group is on its way to Birmingham Alabama.

Day 4 - Greenville, MS to Birmingham, AL

What an amazing day.  We left Greenville, MS with our regular core group of ryders which numbered a surprising 30 to 35 Spyders and we stopped for lunch to pick up our escort at Columbus, MS.  We picked up enough motorcycles and Spyders to put the group over 75 strong.  Thank goodness we had a police escort for most of the way to Birmingham.

We stopped at the Barber Motorsports Museum and Track. While the support ryders viewed the history of some of the finest motorcycles in existence, the Road Warriors themselves were slipped onto the motorcycle racetrack to test their Spyder skills a bit further. Of course, once again the local VFW came through with enough food for supper to feed twice as many folks. Again, kudos to Craig Anders. He is the all-time master of using google earth at his desk to find some of the most exciting back roads you could ever dream about. The ryding in the hill and curve country surrounding Birmingham is superb. I can see why the local Spyder chapter is always so busy with rydes.

Day 5 – Road Warrior Ryde - Birmingham, AL to Pigeon Forge, TN

This morning as we prepared I chatted with specific Road Warriors as has been my daily practice. I told them I was so impressed over the years that every one of them I had met had such a positive attitude. One of the two fellows responded, “Hey man I was a complete mess and I didn’t care about anything until this opportunity came about. This trip turned my life around.” Now that is precisely why I think BRP and each one of us should continue to support this charity.  We can make a difference because the Road Warrior Foundation makes a difference.

We hit wheels up a little after 8am with our usual temperature near 40 degrees and our wind chill near zero. As soon as we left the Birmingham metro area you could tell we were headed to the mountains.   The scenery became quickly beautiful and the roads very challenging.  We had a police escort all the way to the Tennessee border so we rocketed along occasionally approaching 90mph. Oops must have misread my speedometer lol.

In Tennessee the hills got bigger and the roads more challenging. We stopped once for lunch and again for a mayor proclamation honoring our Road Warriors. Everywhere we went they were honored and once again we logged about 300 miles.

This is the ryde of a lifetime. Every Spyder owner should consider it at some point. I will warn you that it is a demanding and challenging ryde in addition to being one of the most satisfying experiences you will ever feel.

Day 6 – Road Warrior Ryde to Woodstock, GA shared by Chris Banas

The morning started with a ride briefing and the Star Spangle Banner sung by a Spyder Ryder who has done it for the previous years as well. We started out in the fog and cold. Temp was 38 degrees but dropped in the valleys and low hollows. We rode the Inez Parkway, Foothills Parkway, and Cherahola. The lunch stop was at Lynn's Place.

The ryde continued to Woodstock, GA where we picked up a police escort with a rolling road block on the Interstate for 30 miles through multiple counties. The escort was led by a Police version of the Spyder. Fire trucks lined the overpasses as we rode beneath. The Road Warriors and support ryders pulled into downtown Woodstock to flag waving crowds where we were met by the Mayor and a nice ceremony. After the ceremony we were all treated to a nice dinner.

Everyone is looking forward to Charleston, hopefully without too much rain.

Last Day - 2017 Road Warrior Foundation Ryde

RWF 2017 Final day – We loaded up the gear in a light drizzle and suited up for the projected rain. The route was changed to try and get us ahead of the worst weather so we played in Interstate traffic for a bit. Thankfully for all, it was a Saturday so no weekday rush hour traffic. By the first break it was still overcast but we were ahead of the rain so we got to shed some layers. Thanks to SpyderDeb Pauly we got an impromptu police escort for a bit. Good thing too as the two officers that were not providing escort were busy writing tickets!

The ryde continued to a quick lunch and fuel stop before pressing on. Next stop was God’s Acre Healing Springs where we met a local riding group (9 bikes and 1 Spyder) that made a presentation to the Road Warriors and rode escort towards Charleston. Just outside of Charleston we stopped in a rest area and were met by the local Combat Vet riding club and picked up more riders for escort. These guys were AWESOME!

We took Charleston by storm which included the Combat Vets doing a rolling roadblock to get us on the Interstate and then surrounding our group all the way in. At the Charleston River bridge we picked up a police escort. They supplemented the Combat Vet group, not the other way around. We received a warm welcome, dinner, and a chance to relive the events and friendships made over the previous week.

Thanks to support of so many we have a new group of RWF Alumni and 2017 is almost a wrap.  Ticket sales continue at www.roadwarrior.org/raffle  be sure to pick up an extra, two, or ten to get us on track for 2018.

Links

Road Warrior Foundation

Raffle Tickets for 2017 Custom F3T Limited

Posted
AuthorDave Van Verth
CategoriesSpyder, Road Warriors, Hal Bikerdoc
Tags2017
3 CommentsPost a comment