Can Am Spyder RT - Rode Test
Doc Shaw - May 5, 2011

Over coffee one morning, a good friend complained that his weekly pilgrimage to the gas pump had been cutting into his Starbucks budget. Considering that gas was now over 4 bucks a gallon, I nodded in agreement. For anyone, replacing their morning indulgence of a double mocha with a gallon of gas can take some of the fun out of living. Along with this new economic reality came the inevitable question of what kind of mileage my Honda VTX 1800 eked out. 

Doug, who is in his fifties, knows that I am an MSF instructor.   He also wanted my opinion as to if and what kind of first bike should he look at. I seriously pondered this question as Doug has not ridden two wheels since he owned a Schwinn. So the question for me was what type of commuter machine would I be comfortable suggesting to an older friend, or anyone for that matter, who has not ridden a bike before. What would be the right first bike… scooter maybe or a trike? After all he was going to commute 25 miles to and from work. Like me, he still feels 23 between the ears so neither suggestion really appealed to him. 

But, then I thought of the Can Am Spyder. At that time, I described the Spyder as a snowmobile for the asphalt, which is a pretty accurate impression. But, that was all I could offer… an impression.  Aside from the few Spyders I had seen cruise past me on the road, I knew next to nothing about them.  So if I was going to recommend this bike, it was time to have a closer look.

I called Michaels Power Sport in Reno and talked with John, the dealership manager, and explained to him why I was interested in learning more about these particular bikes and as I hoped, he quickly invited me over to have a good look and take a test ride.  

At the dealership, I was introduced to young salesman, Kris Pepper, a seasoned Can Am Spyder aficionado. It was quickly apparent that Kris liked the Can Am and enjoyed riding them.  His enthusiasm was contagious. As a two-wheel purist, the three-wheel layout of two up front and one in the rear still screamed snowmobile with wheels. But, as my mother explained to me in my youth, you can’t tell if a book is good by its cover. That time tested saying later proved itself true with the Can Am Spyder.

As I did my initial walk around, the first point that Kris made was to remove any idea that the Spyder was a bike… it’s a three-wheel snowmobile, uh… roadster.   

To be honest, the snowmobile sarcasm quickly faded as I paused at the north end of the Spyder and my eyes followed the sleek downward sloping of the front trunk to an open maw of what resembled a predator. The head, fog and running lights, which framed the front end of the Spyder, did little to soften that impression. 

The backside of the side mirrors housed the turn signals.  There is so much illumination embedded into the front of the Spyder RT that it could double as a lighthouse.  The same could be said of the tail and brake illumination.  It appeared that BRP engineers wanted to make sure that oncoming traffic wouldn’t miss this rolling modern art.  

Extending laterally from the bike’s front cowling were two wheels with three lugs holding each aluminum mag wheel in place. Fit and finish around the sides of the Spyder were flawless. Allen bolts held the bodywork solidly against the underlying frame. There was no rattling as I plunked the side covers like a guitar string. 

The saddlebags integrated well from the mid body. The side opening saddlebag covers latched solidly. The latches were located into the rear of the trunk and placed as book ends to the trunk latch.  Each saddlebag could easily hold a ¾ helmet and have room left over for a few extras. There was no sudden drop of the side cover as gas pistons allowed for gentle opening exposing the ample insides of the saddlebags. 

The trunk was deep with 14 inches downward depth with enough room for two full bags from the supermarket. The front trunk was mat lined and deep. Total storage available was estimated at 155 liters. If you are planning on a summer of touring you can add extra storage with the color matched Cam Am’s $4000 trailer; hitch extra.  Based upon what I had seen so far, the Spyder RT was a bike you could actually use every day. 

The paint was the only hiccup that I noticed in an otherwise nice piece of engineering. There was a mild orange peel appearance and feel to the otherwise bright paint.

The pilot’s seat was soft, comfortable, deep and surprisingly sticky.  Not gooey, but the material would definitely keep my seat from sliding.  There were kneepads that took me back to my Honda CB160 over 30 years ago. At first glance, I thought the kneepads were a bit of overkill. It was later, on the road, that the reason for the kneepads and the sticky seat became evident.

The passenger seat was even more comfortable than the pilot’s and should not generate much grumbling from even the most sensitive passenger after a day of touring. The backrest, which was integrated into the trunk, supported my lumbar spine comfortably and curved around holding me securely. I also liked the ample floorboards, which I felt were positioned thoughtfully for most average passengers. For the pilot, the pegs were positioned like a relaxed sport touring bike… feet slightly back promoting my body to sit straight up. It was comfortable ergonomics. Handlebars were within easy reach and my arms and shoulders were relaxed.

The instrument cluster was well laid out and, for the most part, the gauges were easy to read. The analogue speedo and tach were large and separated by a small LED, which also displayed a digital speedometer just in case you couldn’t see the analogue needle. Can we say redundant?

 The LED’s various information displays were easily changed from the left hand grip with the rider’s thumb.  Audio controls were also within easy reach of the left thumb.  The blue display also provided outside air temperature and time, both of which were difficult to read in the bright light.  In the lower left of the LED was the digital gear display. To the right of the instrument cluster was an easy to read engine temperature gauge and to the left, the fuel. Below the instrument cluster was the ignition, which also controlled access to the gas tank located under the left side of the seat.  

The controls for the high and low beams, the height of the quickly responding motorized windshield, horn and self-cancelling turn signals were easily reached with the thumb from the left handgrip. The right handgrip held the controls for the engine cutoff switch, flashers and cruise control.  Independently controlled heated grips for the pilot and passenger were nice and toasty. The semi-automatic transmission on the RT-S was also controlled easily with the left thumb and index fingers. My only complaint with the shifting paddles was the smooth sliding without a positive click feedback as I shifted up and down. It’s a minor issue, but it would have been a nice plus. 

The reverse gear requires both hands to engage. The two-handed safety feature for Can Am to prevent inadvertently spinning up the RPM’s as you shift into reverse.  The other Spyder control switches gave the rider solid feedback. Two speakers up front and two recessed into the trunk were independently controlled and the audio was clear on the open road.

The Rotax 998 cc liquid cooled V-Twin engine is a well-proven power plant with a claimed 100 hp at 7500 rpm.  Torque is estimated at 80 ft-lbs at 5500 rpm.  With fuel injection and throttle by wire, the twist of the throttle was effortless and the Rotax was immediately responsive. Kevlar embedded belt drive transfers power to the rear wheel.

As would be expected, there are independent shocks with almost 6 inches of travel front and back. The single rear shock is air adjustable from the control panel below the handlebars.

The front rubber selected by BRP isn’t exactly a motorcycle tire, but it was not a car tire either. Tire size for the two front tires is 165/65 R14, while the rear tire is 225/15 R14. The rear tire is wide and flat and the tread is unidirectional.  This also means that like all motorcycle tires, you will not get away cheap when it’s time to replace with the rubber. 

The RT also came equipped with what BRP calls Dynamic Power Steering, which worked smoothly.  Steering was light and responsive to input. 

I was impressed with the time Kris took to explain all the nuances of the Can Am Spyder.  I have road tested other motorcycles where the salesman threw me the keys and told me to have fun without so much as showing me where to stick the key, though I had an idea. Not a good way to motivate any potential customer to consider a purchase. 

My impression was that the Can Am Spyder RT was a fine piece of stationary engineering.  The question was whether it was a wallowing asphalt snowmobile or was it sport bike hybrid?  Time to find out. Like mounting any two-wheeler, I threw my left leg over the saddle and situated myself on the deep seat.  Unconsciously I placed both feet on the ground quickly realizing that my feet were superfluous.

The engine sparked to life smoothly. As the Spyder was warming up, it dawned on me that there was no right front brake lever. I knew this, but when you are used to squeezing the front brake when sitting still, it’s just doesn’t feel quite normal when it’s not there.  I guess you could say the same about the clutch lever, but the front brake lever is a comfortable friend. I did, however, keep the right-sided brake pedal comfortably depressed.  I then turned the handlebars to full lock in each direction.  The power assist steering worked well with no hiccups or resistance.

With the engine warm, I engaged first gear depressing the paddle with my left thumb.  First gear engaged with the familiar thunk. No different than most other cruisers.  The Spyder didn’t move even when I let off the brake pedal, which controlled all three disc brakes. I added a bit of throttle, and the Spyder responded smoothly.  I applied the brake and felt the immediate positive response of the disc brakes.  

After practicing a couple of runs the length of the parking lot, the shifting and braking, I felt ready for the road. I nodded adios to Kris and merged with the traffic. The throttle response was again positive and without any surprises as I paddled though the five speeds of the semi-automatic transmission.  

The first thing I noticed as I accelerated was how well I was protected from the wind by the fully deployed windshield.  I wasn’t in a total bubble, as there was a cool breeze caressing the back of my neck, but not noisy or uncomfortable.  The Spyder was definitely responsive to light pressure from the handlebars.  Just push the handlebars in the direction you want to go and it immediately responds.

You need to keep in mind that the laws of counter steering don’t apply with the Spyder.  

Once you get comfortable steering, the Spyder is easy to track. The electronic throttle was smooth and immediately responsive.  There was plenty of linear power in all five gears. Passing was easy.  As I came to the first traffic light, I manually downshifted with the paddles, and the transmission responded immediately with a positive, but not unpleasant thunk.  At the next light, I let the semiautomatic transmission downshift, which it did as the engine slowed below 2000 rpm. When the bike was at a full stop, the transmission was in first gear. 

I will say the Spyder was smooth and quiet. Lowering the windshield added a nice breeze into the cockpit.  I made a left onto the picturesque roads in old southwest Reno and settled in to enjoy the tight country curves.  It was a beautiful cool day with light traffic. 

As I came to the first tight sweeper, I understood immediately why BRP made the seat sticky and why kneepads were integrated into the seat. Kris warned me more than once that the RT is a roadster and doesn’t ride like a bike. But leaning is a habit that riders intuitively enjoy.  I knew the Spyder would not lean, but as I accelerated into the turn and the lean didn’t materialize, it was a sudden learning moment… actually it was ah- s**t moment. I squeezed the kneepads firmly and felt my gluteal area pulled to the outside of the curve.  Oh, so that’s what Kris meant! 

After a couple of additional curves I adjusted to squeezing the kneepads. The one shortcoming that I noticed with the Spyder was the need for a deeper saddle. Actually, the rider would appreciate bucket seats. A quick Google search found aftermarket Can Am seats that claimed to mitigate this issue. I didn’t feel that I would slide off the seat, but so far it was the only hiccup in an otherwise enjoyable ride.  

The Spyder stuck to the curves as if Velcroed to the asphalt. I gleaned no sense of stability or tracking issues.  Kris had explained that the onboard computer was programmed to immediately retard the engine if one of the front wheels was to break traction.  The brakes controlled from the single right pedal worked flawlessly with no surprises.  I was unable to engage the ABS.  Slow speed control was very positive. I was also able to complete full lock 360’s and figure 8’s without any sense that I would lose traction or control.  Acceleration onto the freeway was impressive and the Spyder was stable at speed. The Can Am Spyder is a unique looking bike and did get its fair share of gawking from drivers. 

Like all fine pieces of two-wheel engineering, the Spyder needs a bit of routine TLC.  BRP recommends a basic service every 3000 miles and a major service, including a valve adjustment every 12,000 miles.   As you would expect, there is a 59 page catalogue with every conceivable leather, chrome and technological goodie that the well-outfitted Spyder man or woman would want or need.

I returned the Spyder to Michael’s Power Sport with a new image of this finely engineered sport-touring bike firmly embedded in my mind.  Along the way, I satisfied my primary reason for testing this bike in the first place. The Can Am Spyder is not just a good first bike for any rider, but a safe and enjoyable bike for older first timers. I would feel comfortable recommending this machine to anyone old enough to have a license. 

The minor hiccups of the Can Am Spyder should not be any issue for most riders and easily resolved with a couple of aftermarket purchases.  The asking price for the Spyder RT is $26,900, plus all the extra costs that normally accompany any big-ticket purchase. 

I would agree with most folks that the cost of the Can Am Spyder is a chunk of change, but it’s a complete and well-engineered piece of road technology.  With tire chains it might just double for a snowmobile during the winter. 

About the Author...

Dr. Steven Shaw is a motorcycle enthusiast with 35 years of motorcycle riding experience; 5 years as a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Motorcycle Rider Coach and Traffic School Instructor. He teaches advanced on road riding skills to inexperienced riders. Dr. Shaw volunteers time to the local high school driver’s education classes introducing new drivers to motorcycle awareness. Doc Shaw is dedicated to improving motorcycle safety.