Bombardier spin-off BRP is ready to offer what may become its Can-Am power sport division's most important product: the Spyder F3.
The Quebec-based company has snagged a third of the touring motorcycle market, said company president and CEO José Boisjoli, versus only 2 per cent of the (larger) sport bike market, and is looking for the F3 to appeal to those looking at a cruiser bike, responsible for 64 per cent of all motorcycle sales in North America. Combine this target market with the fact that the Spyder line's unusual two-wheel front and electronically stabilized rear tire has attracted a quarter of its customers from non-bikers, and the F3 has the potential to greatly increase Spyder output at its Bromont, Que., plant.
The Spyder F3 was styled to look more like a cruiser bike, with an exposed 1,330-cc engine, and a design that's less covered by sport-bike-like plastic body parts. This imparts a tougher, rebellious visual appeal to the F3, with the requisite black leather seat and chrome-laden options available for buyers who really want to go all the way with the cruiser-bike look.
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But it can't all be bad-boy-biker appeal to the F3, because 23 per cent of Spyder buyers are women. So the F3 offers a lower seating position, making it easier for shorter riders of any gender to clamber onto – remember, you don't have to put your feet down while stopped on a three-wheeler. Plus it introduces an adjustable footpeg and handlebar system called UFit that allows a for a wide degree of heights and body types to find a comfortable position, though some custom handlebar lengths cost extra.
Hopping onto a top-of-the-line but mechanically identical F3-S, which features red accents and LED lights in the front fenders, there is a notably more laid back seating position, but a similar six-figure sports car-like rush of acceleration (0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds). The pegs are farther forward, meaning your legs are less bent than with other Spyders, though the car-like brake pedal remains. Annoyingly, that brake pedal's height above the right peg means that you have to contort to reach it, though with ABS and electronic stability control standard on all Spyders, you can mash this pedal down clumsily for quick, drama-free stopping, even in a corner.
This confidence is actually improved in corners compared with the brand's "sportier" RS line, since the farther-out pegs mean you can brace yourself hard with one outside leg when going into a corner, lessening the feeling that this machine wants to toss you off the seat, a sensation not usually present in actual leaning motorcycles. It's that extra dose of confidence over any traditional motorcycle that's part of this Spyder's appeal. Potential buyers may be wise to look at a $20,000-ish used convertible for secure open-air fun, plus more cargo and foul-weather flexibility, but the Spyder F3 will certainly be an entertaining toy when it goes on sale early in 2015.
You'll like this bike if ... The extra security of three-wheels plus cruiser-inspired design appeals more than a used convertible.
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TECH SPECS
- Base price: $21,799; F3 S: $23,299
- Engine: 1330 cc, 115 hp/96 lb-ft three-cylinder
- Transmission: Six-speed manual/six-speed semi-automatic
- Drive: Rear-wheel drive
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): N/A; 406-kilometre stated range; premium fuel
- Alternatives: Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra, Harley-Davidson Freewheeler, Honda Gold Wing Valkyrie, Polaris Slingshot, used $20,000-ish convertible
RATINGS
- Looks: The dashing love child of a cruiser motorcycle, sporting snowmobile and a bite-sized Transformer.
- Interior/Ergonomics: Optional semi-automatic transmission and right foot pedal braking make for welcoming familiarity for drivers.
- Performance: Still no sport-bike, but lower centre of gravity and putting pegs further ahead make it best-handling Spyder yet.
- Technology: With stability of two front tires, ABS and electronic stability control, it’s likely the safest vehicle without seat belts.
- Cargo: Not much cargo room for long-distance riding, but there are detachable accessories for that.
The Verdict
8.5
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Still a unique Canadian success story, the latest Spyder F3 offers surprisingly better handling than "sportier" RS models.
The writer was a guest of the manufacturer. Content was not subject to approval.
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