2013 Can-Am Spyder Roadster Ride & Review

If we asked you to guess where the motorcycle was built that garnered the most head turns, smiling faces and crowds at the coffee shop on Saskatoon streets this summer, you may be surprised to find out the answer was not Milwaukee but Valcourt, Quebec.

The Can-Am Spyder Roadster is not a motorcycle, not in the purest sense.  What it is exactly is open 

to interpretation of its rider.  For some Spyder riders it is freedom, independence and for all of them pure exhilaration.  The Can-Am Spyder Roadster does not handle like a motorcycle, it has more in common with riding a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle when it comes to handling.   What it offers over and above any off road vehicle is sublime comfort with pneumatic suspension and dynamic power steering, incredible power from the Rotax 998cc V-Twin, an unparalleled level of safety from Can-Am’s vehicle stability, anti-lock braking and traction control systems.  There is as much technology in a Spyder Roadster as there is in most luxury automobiles.

The Can-AM Spyder Roadster is offered in three models with 8 trim levels and two transmissions for 2013.  Getting the 100 horsepower to the rear wheel is handled through either a 5 speed manual (conventional clutch shifting) or a 5 speed semi-automatic

that will electrically clutch and synchronize the direct drive transmission shifts like a 6 figure high performance sports car.  Reverse is intergraded into both transmissions and is just makes life with the Spyder Roadster so easy.  The newest addition to the Can-Am Spyder Roadster family is the Spyder ST, which stands for Sport Touring.  The “ST” combines the best features of the existing model line up; the sporty style of the Spyder RS with some of the functionality and touring capacity of the Spyder RT as you can get the ST with and without hard saddle bags.  The riding position on the ST is also somewhere in-between the RS and RT; more relaxed than the RS but you are able to ride aggressively if the need arises (which often does when you’re having this much fun) and not quite the feeling of family room’s comfort recliner that the seat on the Spyder RT model offers.

For our ride we had the crème de la crème Spyder RT Limited equipped with matching roller luggage inserts for its intergraded hard 4 storage holds,  adjustable air ride suspension, GPS Navigation,  
heated hand grips for both rider and passenger, electronic cruise control and of course AM/FM 4 Speaker Audio system with iPod integration.  The Spyder cruises comfortably at all speeds, in town and passing semi-trailers on open Saskatchewan roads.  There is never a shortage of power on the Spyder.

Who the Spyder Roadster is built for is an interesting a question.  It is definitely not for the motorcycle purest.  It is for the rider who wants the freedom, power and touring capacity of a large displacement motorcycle with the security and ease that its three wheeled configuration offers.  It is great for someone getting back into touring or if the prospect of holding up 800 plus pounds of motorcycle in the rain at a traffic light is a daunting one.  It is no secret that women in Canada have taken to motorcycling over the past decade like they did to voting in the 1960’s and it is about time!  The Spyder Roadster is for some the best and only 100% original manufacturer offered option to experience the feeling of the open road as a rider and not a passenger.

The bottom line is the Can-Am Spyder is a different riding experience and that is not to diminish from the thrill of just being out on the open road.  How different is it?  Come down to FFUN Motor Sports in Saskatoon, sign out the demonstrator and ride one.  It is not a motorcycle but by this definition neither is three wheeled Goldwing or ElectrGlide.  The Can-Am Spyder Roadster ranges in cost from $18,699 to $33,099 which isn’t cheap by any stretch until you start to look at what you get.  The Sypder Roadster is unrivalled technologically and what it costs to purchase an alternative and install a “Trike” conversion, by comparison, makes the Spyder a bargain.  The Spyder offers you a “ride it out the door” option on a fully intergraded design that comes with a 2 year warranty.  With a 100hp Rotax engine, ABS, Stability Control and Power Steering standard on all models you’ll have to spend a lot more on any alternative to get the same features and value.  Spyder Roadster is different but isn’t that the point?

2013 Ducati Multistrada

2013 Ducati Multistrada

Multistrada translated to English literally means “Many Roads”.  This pretty much sums up everything that is great about the Ducati Multistrada.  More than one person in the dealership has remarked that if you were to own one bike, only one bike it should be the Multistrada.  This machine is literally 4 bikes in one because of its variable performance settings;” Enduro“ for off road, “Urban” for around town and in the neighborhood, “Touring” for highway and “Sport” for the thrill and fun of it.  Adjusting these modes sets the available horsepower from 100hp to 150hp as well as variances in the Ducati Traction Control and ABS Braking system. 

The Multistrada does everything well; I’ve ridden it off road, over twisty mountain roads with 180 switchbacks, on open highway and around town.  The motorcycle feels light for an adventure touring bike coming in at 454lbs in the “S” model with saddle bags, maybe too

light as I found it pushed around in the stiff Saskatchewan cross winds.  Out of the wind or head on the bike handles great, the new Sachs “Skyhook” suspension is smooth and compensates for rough road condition, an additional passenger or gear.  In “Sport” mode the Multistrada can move like a sport bike, cruise all day at 20 or 30 km/hr over the speed limit with lots of jam to pass if the need arises.  The bike I was riding is equipped with the Ducati Termi homologated slip on exhaust and ECM re-flash, this makes the motor sound incredible and for those of us that like to hear our bikes  it is a must have accessory.
If I were to find fault with the Multistrata it would be the smallish 20 litre tank as the bike seems thirsty and runs low in what seemed like a short order of time.  This could also have been the result of the input from my right hand as twisting the throttle, hearing the engine roar and getting that kick in your pants feeling is highly addictive on this bike.  My other complaint is the lack of adjustability in the seat height.  Most adventure touring machines have built in height adjustments in the seat platform but the Multistrada doesn’t come with this feature.   Once you’re in the riding position though you’ll want to stay there all day and you can as the ergonomics were perfect; seated or standing the Multistrada felt natural and extremely fun to ride for hours.

The Multistrada is a technological wonder but it can be a bit intimidating too.  From the cockpit you can adjust power settings, ABS, DTC (traction control), use a PIN code instead of a key to start the engine, read through the standard assortment of fuel economy stats, check your average speed, check the ambient air temperature, consult your running time clock adjust the suspension system for 4 different settings and if equipped adjust the heated grips in three settings.  You do all this from what at first glance is a simple assortment of hand controls.  It takes a bit of effort to memorize but Ducati uses a number of the same buttons to perform multiple functions, for example the signal light cancel button is pretty much intergraded into every task and the starter button doubles as the mode and power switch for the heated grips.  The advantage to these multi role buttons is that you don’t have a switch housing that looks like it was an engineering afterthought, buttons everywhere and most out of reach of the rider, (Triumph Trophy and Honda Goldwing are examples that come to mind).  What is new on the Multistrada is the Skyhook suspension by Sachs.  The suspension would not bottom out despite repeated attempts during an off road training session I attended with Ducati a couple of months ago.  The standard Ohlins suspension was top of the line stuff, and has been a staple for Multistrada owners up until 2013, but Skyhook is very cool and if you’re riding a Multistrada without it you should really try a 2013 with Skyhook.  The 11 degree Testastretta engine is also upgraded for 2013 featuring a secondary air system to help burn off fuel that is entering the exhaust system so the O2 sensor gets a clean reading.  This secondary air along with updated fuel injectors and dual spark plug heads make the Multistrada smooth and a machine you can lug around at slow speeds in second gear, something you may not have said of last year’s model.

At the end of my first ride on the new Multistrada back in March I was certain this was going to be my favorite bike this year.  Although I do have a few things I would change about it the Multistrada is an ultimate riding machine and if you were going to own one bike that has to do everything from adventure off road to two up touring while eating 600cc sport bikes light to light…  Look no further than the Ducati Multistrada.  Check it out at FFUN Motor Sports in Saskatoon.

2013 Ducati Hypermotard Hyperstrada Unveil & First Ride

2013 Ducati Hypermotard Hyperstrada Unveil & First Ride

I was recently “required” to attend the initial ride training for the 2013 Ducati Hypermotard & Hyperstrada in Indian Wells, California.  Yeah it was part of the job, sometimes you just gotta’ do what you gotta’ do.  The unveil was superb, one thing Ducati North America does well is events, there were about 15 pre-production Hyperstrada and an equal number of Hypermotard SP’s all ready to be ridden up 3500ft. of elevation just outside Palm Desert on the Pines to Palms highway.  

The Machines;

There is so much that is new for the Hypers starting with the engine.  The 821cc liquid cooled twin now replaces the 796 and 1100’s for 2013, the 821 is deceptively quick with its 110hp (that’s 15hp more than last year’s  1100 Hyper) and three adjustable driving modes.  The all new Hyperstrada and Hypermotard features an “Urban”, “Sport” and “Touring” mode while the Hypermotard SP uses a “Wet”, “Sport” and “Race” mode.  If you’ve thrown your leg over a Multistrada, 1199 Panigale or Diavel you’ll be familiar with the customizable driving modes that adjust the horsepower as well as the Bosch 9MP ABS and Ducati Traction Control systems.  In “Wet” and “Urban” only 75 of the engine’s 110hp are available on tap from the full ride by wire throttle system.  The other modes get you to 110hp with a varying torque curve and traction settings.  A number of raised eyebrows and groans let out as we discovered that gone was the hydraulic dry clutch that every Ducati purest treats like a badge of honor on the new Hypers.  In its place was a mechanical wet clutch which Ducati claims has a lighter pull than the hydraulic of old.  To my surprise they were right.  The clutch is a simple cable system which allows for adjustment and a more natural feel for engagement than previous generation hydraulic clutch.  The pull is light and although we were not really able to put the Hypers to any severe testing, all the riders in our group admittedly appreciated the quiet, easy to pull clutch on the new 821 engine.

 

Other features this year include a slightly longer rake in an attempt to make the Hypermotard more stable.  Stability is definitely increased on the Hypermotard SP with its 50mm Marzocchi front forks and Ohlins rear shock.  The SP version of the Hyper is solid and responsive to input, I didn’t feel any of the darting or headshake of the previous generation Hypermotard.  The Hyperstrada however felt completely different with its smaller Kayaba forks and rear shock.  The Hyperstrada and Hypermotard share the same suspension while the SP gets the good stuff with the Marzocchi and Ohlins treatment.  Just as in Hypermotards past, I would recommend a steering dampener for machines equipped with the Kayaba suspension as the steering seemed to dart on the mountain roads and while riding over the bumps in the pavement a mild shake was present.

Overall the new Hypers are light (despite being 7lbs heavier than the old 1100) and powerful with a high probability of hooliganism in any Hypermotard rider’s future.  The 821 engine is superb, I would expect this engine to replace what remains the air cooled engines in Ducati’s future.  With valve service intervals of 30,000km’s the engine sets new precedence for Ducati maintenance.  If I hated everything about the rest of the bike I would still covet the engine.  The good news is that the rest of the bike is decent too.  The new Hyperstrada will open up this machine to new riders with its lower seat height, windshield and higher handlebars.  The Hypermotard gives up nothing to previous generation models and the new Hypermotard SP would make even the most conservative rider want to pop wheelies and burn rubber.  Check out the New Hypermotard and Hyperstrada at FFUN Motor Sports in Saskatoon.

First Ride 2013 Triumph Storm

First Impressions 2013 Triumph Thunderbird Storm

I have to admit it has been a few years since I rode a cruiser.  At one point in my life I could not imagine riding anything else, this was also about the time I was going through my Harley phase.  I packed up moved to the bright lights took a job at an HD dealer and got the tattoo along with a hard lesson about what it means to really ride.  These days I find myself looking for more power, more lean angle, more comfort than anything HD offers.  The Triumph Storm however could change that.

The Storm is the slightly bigger “punky” cousin of the Thunderbird.   Instead of 1597cc’s of the Thunderbird, the Storm has the Triumph “Big Bore” option which yields 1699cc’s or 103.7 cubic inches.  At a stock 85 brake horsepower (95 at the engine crank) this cruiser is no slouch; you would have to spend more than a few thousand bucks in modifications to get this sort of power out of a Twin-Cam®.  With an MSRP of $14,499 (Phantom Black) you are in a place where few motorcycle manufacturers offer so much for so little dough.  

The Storm is distinctively different from the Thunderbird with its dual headlights, absence of chrome and high pull back riser with wide drag bar.  The bike I rode had the Triumph factory performance pipe upgrade with engine remap.  The sound of the Thunderbird and Storm are different from the typical Triumph.  The traditional Triumph uses a 360 degree engine, both cylinders firing at the same time, the Thunderbird and Storm use a 270 degree firing motor which Triumph claims give them more a V-Twin sound while maintaining the Parallel-Twin configuration.  I don’t know why this 270 degree configuration works but the sound from this motor is crisper, throatier and doesn’t have the high pitched “thrapppp” found in a piped Harley.  I really enjoy the sound this machine makes.  What you do hear is more mechanical noise from this engine due to the chain driven overhead camshafts but rolling on the throttle and letting the engine growl will bring a smile to the face of and diehard cruiser rider.

Rolling on the throttle of the Thunderbird and Storm is an experience in itself.  You can feel all 85 horsepower at the rear wheel in an instant; brake stands are far too easy despite the 200 series rear tire.   Riding was predictable and the bike does not easily getting sideways when cracking on the throttle even when cornering.  Acceleration from zero to 110km/hr is quick.  Initially I found the transmission limiting my acceleration but after adjusting the clutch set up and putting a few miles on the machine it seemed to come around nicely.  In my midlife I find any cruiser tough to ride without a windscreen, I was surprised that I really didn’t feel the need to have one until I was riding much faster than what the legal limit allowed on the Storm.  I think it is was the tall pull back rise of the handlebars that helped take the wind off the chest of the rider, regardless I enjoyed riding the Storm on the highway.  Around town it garnered enough looks and thumbs up that let you know that you are riding something anyone can appreciate.

At the end of the day there are more motorcycles in the cruiser segment than anywhere else.  Another cruiser, why bother?  That’s because enough manufacturer’s still don’t have the cruiser done right.  Everyone models themselves off of the big HD but what you wind they turn out of the factories can leave you wondering if your machine was really a “good buy” since your buddies and you all know at best it’s a copy of what you really wanted.  The Triumph is distinct on its own merits.  Triumph is the cool “zag” when everyone else on a cruiser is doing the “zig” and “zig” wannabe ride.  Triumph makes its own way in the world, you have the tradition and heritage dating back to 1902, and a Triumph sets you apart as a rider.  This brand associates itself with long time Triumph enthusiast and American acting legend, Steve McQueen.  One of the cool things about Triumph is that it doesn’t need to copy anyone else, they are a Motorcycle Company in their own right with a lineage, style and uniqueness all of their own.  Ride one and experience it for yourself.  Own one and be a part of the Triumph legacy.