Can-Am Spyder R/T Techno

It's a sunny Friday afternoon, late autumn, and I've been feeling a bit anxious about riding the new Can-Am Spyder R/T. Having never ridden one before and after a quick walk around of the vehicle -- poking and prodding the front end -- I'm fairly confident it will be a unique riding experience.

In hindsight, my anxiety was probably understandable; the Can-Am Spyder R/T is not an intuitive vehicle to ride, at least not initially. To be fair though, I did come away from the experience with a lot more positivity than I anticipated and, although the vehicle is heavy and somewhat unwieldly, it has a certain allure that's difficult to quantify.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Made in Canada and exported to Australia, the Can-Am Spyder has found a niche following in Australia, despite the relatively high cost of admission. All models are powered by a water-cooled 998cc Rotax V-twin engine, with four valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts. The engine has been an Aprilia mainstay for a number of years.

The Can-Spyder R/T's twin-cylinder fuel-injected engine has a slightly different state of tune compared to the street model Spyder, outputting 100hp (71kW) at 7500rpm, down from 106hp. Peak torque is quoted at 104Nm at 5500rpm and, together with more mid-range punch, the electronic throttle control has also been modified to deliver softer response to suit the R/T's touring nature.

The latest Spyder R/T model to arrive in Australia starts at $32,190 (Victorian pricing, does not include on-road costs) for the bare-bones R/T manual model.

This entry-level model features a five-speed manual gearbox (plus reverse gear), 155lt of cargo space in the integrated panniers and top box, an electrically adjustable screen, cruise control, heated handgrips, adjustable passenger footrests, power steering, a stability control suite including traction control, plus a digitally encoded security system. Not a bad whack of features, really.

For the record, the total storage capacity of 155lt is broken down as follows:

- Front storage capacity 55lt
- Glove box storage capacity 1.8lt
- Left cargo storage capacity 23.5lt
- Right cargo storage capacity 26lt
- Rear cargo storage capacity 40.5lt

We tested the mid-spec model, the Can-Am Spyder R/T Techno model which starts at $35,890. Our test trike was equipped with the semi-automatic five-speed gearbox, which adds a premium of more than three grand ($38,930) which gets everything as the above model but adds an iPod compatible AM/FM stereo system with speed compensating volume and handlebar controls.

The R/T Techno models also gets heated pillion passenger hand grips and an electronic front cargo release.

Topping the range is the Can-Am Spyder R/T-S model, which costs $41,590 for the auto model ($39,589 for the manual). This top-shelf bad boy adds 'chrome smoked' alloy wheels, a premium audio system with more speakers, upgraded 'RT-S' trim, and adjustable rear suspension.

The adjustable rear suspension found on the R/T-S model is ideally suited to the specially designed trailer accessory, which is priced at roughly $6500 in Australia (plus around $1100 for the tow hitch). It adds another 622lt of space, taking the total cargo space to an impressive 777lt when including the panniers and top box.

The trailer is not merely an afterthought either. Can-Am's parent company BRP has developed the trailer to integrate with the Spyder R/T's stability control and electrics systems. Unfortunately we didn't get to test the trailer.

ON THE ROAD
The latest model in the Can-Am Spyder range is bigger and heavier than it's already considerably chunky sports trike sibling, and the author wasn't quite sure how to approach the 425kg behemoth.

The seat height is a very welcoming 750mm (and the adjustable screen means that taller riders can still get head protection from the wind) but clambering on board for the first time was awkward. Subsequent mounting were thankfully much easier...

Once seated there's a plethora of controls on the handlebars to digest, and riders must deactivate the electronic park brake and cycle the electronic command centre before starting the engine.

You sit very high on the Spyder R/T, so your view of the road is very good and though daunting at first, it doesn't take long to acclimatise to the plethora of controls festooning the handlebars.

The riding position is fairly comfortable with widely spread bars that come out to meet you and soft seat cushioning. All in all it's pretty easygoing, but for slumpers or those with poor posture (such as yours truly) your back may get a little sore after a few hours. Overall however, the Can-Am Spyder R/T is a more comfortable ride than its racier cousin.

Cruising down the street for the first time, the Can-Am feels too sensitive in the steering department (it features power assisted steering via the handlebars). Even cruising in a straight line proved problematic. But like many things in life, perseverance resulted in success and with relaxed arms the Spyder R/T became far more manageable.

My confidence building, I started to throw the big three-wheeled tourer around a bit more, and it should be said that the mirrors are very effective in traffic. The steering dynamics take a while to get used to and are somewhat baffling when you look at how they work.

The Can-Am combines the handlebars of a motorcycle (or SeaDoo if you will) with the front end of a car, yet leaves you the benefits of neither. It really needs either a tilting cantilevered front end (see the Piaggio MP3) or a lower ride height with bucket seats and a steering wheel.

As a totally rigid vehicle the only way to maintain any sort of speed through a corner you need to lean inward. Turning the handlebars and leaning inward is, well, utterly counter intuitive.

You really have to fight instinct to hack through a corner at speed, but after a few hours of full-throttle riding along some winding coastal I eventually began to have fun (and trust the trike's electronic stability controls). Cranking through a tight corner at speed you feel as though the Spyder R/T is going to tip over, but overcoming this fear opens up a world of fun.

Though it's not as exhilarating as exiting a corner under full throttle on a powerful sports or naked bike, there is something curiously compelling when you get the Can-Am's measure and can wilfully dive into corners under brakes then fire out of them under full throttle.

Interestingly there's only one brake pedal – no hand-operated levers. Flex your right foot and the Can-Am's electronic braking system automatically distributes brake pressure between all three wheels.

Braking power is fairly good around town, but when push comes to shove out in the twisties, the brakes felt soggy after repeated punishment and took their time hauling in the trike's considerable bulk from higher speeds.

One of the more memorable aspects of the Can-Am Spyder R/T is its engine note, a hugely entertaining, utterly bassy acoustic rhythm that thumps away very pleasingly at idle. Crack the throttle and you'll be rewarded with an increase in volume and pitch from the big Rotax twin, and out on the open road it's stirring stuff.

There is a touch of lag between belt-driven rear wheel in combination with the automatic gearbox and twisting the throttle; it's not as responsive as your average 1000c touring motorcycle (the Can-Am's weight doesn't help either).

But crack open the throttle and punch through the (left-thumb operated) gears and you'll be outpacing most traffic around you. The vehicle needs manual input for upchanges but will downchange automatically which is handy.

Measuring 2064mm wide, the 2010 Can-Am Spyder R/T is wider than most family cars. Yep, it's fat. This means no lane splitting, and you'll need a full carpark spot to park the thing.

It's bulk sometimes gets the better of the Can-Am too, and I noticed a few times while taking a break from full throttle charges through the hills that in fifth or fourth gear at 60km/h its 104Nm of torque couldn't be maintained uphill, and subsequent downchanges to third or even second gear were needed.

So what's the verdict on the Can-Am Spyder R/T? At first I was convinced it was a foolish concept, the kind of vehicle for eccentric millionaires and gadget-loving loners. It felt twitchy and overly sensitive to steering input and the controls were bewildering.

But after coming to grips with the way the Spyder R/T handled, I really enjoyed myself -- immensely so on fast flowing and open corners. As a tourer, it's actually a very handy machine, with a decent sized 24.5lt fuel tank, while the heated handgrips, contoured seats and capacious storage make it ideal for longer journeys.

If money was not an issue, I'd definitely consider buying one. Vehicle's like this will also appeal to riders who are either getting old and would have trouble hefting a conventional 300kg tourer, or have injuries that prevent them operating a motorcycle.

The Can-Am Spyder R/T is also one of the most eye-catching vehicles let loose on Australia roads. If you like the attention of onlookers and other motorists, then you'll find the Can-Am Spyder R/T is money well spent.

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Wet weight: 425kg
Seat height: 750mm
Wheelbase: 1773mm
Length: 2667mm
Width: 2064mm
Ground clearance: 115mm
Fuel capacity: 24.5lt