Interesting

I've been seeing lotsa ads for this lil thing lately:

I have to admit I'm intrigued by the Spyder.  I've always admired sidecar rigs and most especially those of the BMW variety.  The Spyder reminds me of sidecar rigs in that three-wheel way but it's different... very different.   A sidecar-equipped bike is a compromise and not something I'd ever seriously entertain owning.  They're cool looking in that eccentric sorta way and you DO meet some real characters who ride them.  Trust me on that last statement.

Back to the Spyder.  I spent an hour or two on Can-Am's web site this morning while taking my coffee.  The Spyder comes in two basic versions... sport and tourer.  It's a good looking motor-something (I hate to use the term motorcycle); in the touring configuration it sports 100 horsepower and weighs less than a thousand pounds.  The sport configuration adds six horsepower and loses about 250 pounds which would make for a sporting proposition, indeed.  Both versions come with anti-lock brakes, stability control systems, and 5-speed manual transmissions, with reverse.  A semi-auto trans is an option on both bikes.  Can-Am is certainly proud of these things... the RS starts at $16,500.00 and the RT at $21K.  A top o' the line RT will set you back $25K... and that's a pricey bike.  

I said I'm intrigued.  But I don't know if I could really see myself on one of these.  I'm still too much of a purist at heart but I'm an aging purist... and therein lies the attraction.  I'll never do a 500-mile day on Miss Zukiko but I sure could do that... and probably more... on a Spyder.  It's an interesting daydream.