One year with the Thing

September 2019

A year with the Thing deserves a proper review!

During this time there wasn’t a single month when the Spyder didn’t hit the road. Roughly every other weekend it was out rolling. In total, about 9,942mi16,000km were covered — the equivalent of 828mi1,333km per month, 207mi333km per week, or 29mi47km per day. Most of the distance was made up of weekend rides of 112mi180km to 186mi300km. There were also two longer trips through Spain with passenger and luggage, each around 1,243mi2,000km over the course of a week.

Almost all trips were done two-up and practically all in good weather, except for one 249mi400km ride under heavy rain.

On the way back from the Spanish Can-Am Spyder Club Meeting, a storm was forecast in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. We chose to return from Galicia crossing the Gerês mountains southward — a big mistake. The rain started light in the morning and grew heavier throughout the day. The Spyder held up heroically. From the winding roads of the Gerês to the motorway stretches down to Entre-os-Rios, all under a downpour, there were no problems or unexpected situations. In the end, just a soaking to remember.

Overall fuel consumption averaged 35.1 US MPG/42.2 UK MPG/6.7L per 100km, which I find satisfactory. My previous Triumph Tiger 800 XcX managed 42.7 US MPG/51 UK MPG/5.5L per 100 km over the same distances, but with half the weight and always solo.

No problems of any kind, except for a warranty replacement of a front wheel that had some cracked varnish spots (manufacturing defect).

The maintenance schedule calls for service every 9,321mi15,000km or 12 months, which was duly carried out at the Benimoto dealership. Oil and filter were changed, checks performed, and software updated. The bill came to 187.23€, which honestly seemed quite reasonable.

After this time, the front tires show little wear, while the rear is nearing the end of its life. It has reached the winter wear marker and is close to the summer marker. It probably has another 1,243mi2,000km to 2,485mi4,000km left, which is not much more than the usual lifespan of a good rear motorcycle tire (9,321mi15,000km). Since I’ll have to replace the tire soon, I’ll likely change the rear brake pads at the same time, as the service showed they were already more than halfway worn. Nothing unusual here — pad life is average, especially considering the brake has to handle over 1,102lb500kg of weight and does so very efficiently.

Otherwise, we’ve enjoyed the Spyder immensely. It has proven to be a perfect vehicle for touring, which is what we love most.

On the motorway it’s a delight. It offers good aerodynamic protection and a relaxed riding position, convenient for both rider and passenger. On secondary roads the riding is more physical, especially if the route is very twisty, but also more fun.

Over time we’ve gotten used to the Spyder’s dynamics and the presence of the Bosch stability control system (VSS), which Americans call the "nanny"... This "nanny" intervenes as soon as it detects the risk of a wheel lifting off the ground. It’s a bit intrusive, especially when it detects a passenger, becoming more active due to the added weight. It usually acts by applying brake pressure to the outside wheel in a curve to prevent the inside wheel from losing contact. At first it feels strange, but once you get used to it you end up trusting the "nanny". Knowing the system will correct speed if necessary sometimes makes me enter corners without adjusting speed at all. It’s no surprise that for this reason — and because braking in a corner doesn’t affect trajectory on this type of vehicle (unlike a motorcycle, where it’s easy to lose your line) — the Spyder is undeniably safer than a two-wheeler.

What the Spyder doesn’t like are poor roads. With three wheels and low ground clearance, it’s not ideal for rough, patched-up country roads. Speed bumps also require caution, as the front tends to scrape on the way out. The solution is to slow down a bit and keep a light grip on the handlebars to avoid feeling every imperfection. In fact, the rule of holding but not gripping the bars applies almost always.

So, what’s the final verdict?… It could only be positive!

It has given us excellent moments of wind-in-the-face travel, just the way we like it. It has done so without mishaps and more safely than on two wheels. At this point I have no doubt I made the right decision, and right now no motorcycle on the market would make me trade the Spyder.

And now, unless something unusual happens, the next review will be in a year…