Are Can-Am's any safer than a motorcycle?

"66P1800inpieces" (66p1800inpieces) 04/20/2019 at 13:30 • Filed to: None

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I love the idea of getting a motorcycle but know too many people that are hurt or dead. I think if I lived somewhere with more open or back roads it would be more reasonable, but NJ roads are just too contested and crazy. I don’t want to ride 50 miles just for nice roads ( I feel that it is different/not an issue when in a car). I just saw this new Ryker model pop up. $8500! I had to double check to make sure it is road legal. Seems like a reasonable enough price point. Question is, are these any safer? I feel these have more of a road presence and would be visible to oncoming drivers. The biggest issue in the sad motorcycle stories I’ve heard are people turning in front of the motorcycle, or in one case a truck trying to turn left from a right only parking lot exit. Seems motorcycles disappear into the landscape.

atfsgeoff > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 13:49

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I feel these have more of a road presence and would be visible to oncoming drivers.

If it can disappear behind an SUV, then it’s the same issue.

Wise motorcyclists will keep near the double yellow line in the middle of a road, so that oncoming motorists can see them from a long way back. DO NOT tuck in behind a car. Hang yourself out to the left of the driver side edge of the vehicles in front of you. Visibility is key.

Also a riding jacket and helmet with hi-viz/reflective elements doesn’t hurt.

bob and john > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 13:55

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nope. as far as I’m concerned, these are actually MORE dangerous., Cant lanesplit, cant lean....so you get ALL of the disadva natages of a bike, with none of the advantages.

not to mention, you look like a complete tool riding one. 

Spanfeller is a twat > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 14:01

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get a proper motorcycle

Mercedes Streeter > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 14:04

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I’d say it’s a wash or maybe a little worse . They do appear marginally more visible and you can’t drop or lay one down. But then you have none of the features of a motorcycle like leaning, lane splitting, and being able to take narrow exits in e mergencies. They also can suck  in the winter and rain as one of your wheels will always be in the worst of it.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 14:13

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As others have said, the can-am removes a lot of your maneuverability for no more visibility. Dual sports/adventure bikes are *arguably* the best to be visible since the seats tend to be up high and the bike itself cants you more upright vs a chopper or sport bike canting you far forwards or back along with a low set height.

People do stupid shit in front of my bright yellow Focus ST and apparently can’t see it. The way I see it, if that car can go unnoticed by drivers then everything less yellow and smaller is invisible too.

So yeah.....don’t get a can-am for “safety” reasons. 

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 14:25

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If you were the only vehicle, it would maybe be safer because you’re not going to drop it. But I feel like most motorcycle crashes are caused by cars, or at least involve them, so I can’t imagine this is any better. 

Manny05x > bob and john 04/20/2019 at 14:25

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I second this.

Cash Rewards > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 14:30

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In the scenario of a blown stop sign or something similar, you are 100% as fucked. 

66P1800inpieces > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/20/2019 at 14:32

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Good points. I ‘ve always liked the dual sports and my neighbor picked up a BMW F800R about a year or two ago. He loves it. I have minor hearing loss so I like that it is relatively quiet.

bob and john > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 14:39

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I used to have a f800R actually. 

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 15:12

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Yeah I wear earplugs when I ride. Helps out to shut out wind noise and engine drone. Actually makes an all day ride quite nice. I have a KLR 650 that’s my daily/anytime ride and a triumph trohpy 1200 that’s my project bike. Dual sports like the Honda CRF or the Suzuki DRZ make great, easy to handle starter bikes that are also very stable over rough road. Also quite comfy compared to a sport bike. I’d also say a ninja 250/300 doesn’t r ock you forward too far at all and they have compliant suspension despite their looks.

As far as "safe" goes, your best bet is the easiest bikes to control so as long as you buy a more durable, simple bike without a hair trigger throttle or a peaky powerband, you're doing right on the safety front.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 15:17

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Yes an d no. You won’t have any more protection in a collision but you definitely won’t skin the whole side of your body because a car brushes you and topples you over while moving.

66P1800inpieces > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/20/2019 at 15:54

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“ ask me how I know ” ?

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > 66P1800inpieces 04/20/2019 at 20:34

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A coworker at my last place used to have one, and used to do a crazy amount of riding, 10 months a year in New England . All the reasons pro/ a nd long list of cons listed below i think hold true. One thing he did state, that I haven’t seen listed, was that after a long ride he was much less tired . I don’t ride so I can’t say one way or the other. 

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > bob and john 04/20/2019 at 21:57

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Unless you have some disability that won’t let you drive a 2 wheel motorcycle.

bob and john > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 04/20/2019 at 22:13

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we are clearly not talking about that situation here. 

oldmxer > 66P1800inpieces 04/21/2019 at 02:05

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the way i look at it i was thinking of going side car ‘cause my wife is disabled, side car rigs suck so this would be perfect except you can buy a nice car for what they cost new

Ride > 66P1800inpieces 04/21/2019 at 09:27

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You may look like a tool, I doubt it, but whatever. I couldn’t imagine someone putting down a fun machine like this. I have been on all kinds of bikes, dirt,Enduro,cruisers,sport,trikes, three-wheelers,four wheelers,utvs. Two constants here they are all fun and none are made for safety. So don’t whine “ mom” about safety. I'm sorry you live in a crappy state to ride, I lived in Perth Amboy for a year in the 80s. Sh!t hole then probably worse now. But don't discouraged people from buying one of these amazingly fun machines just because you live in Yankee land, and can't fart in public without 12 people knowing you did. Strap on a Can-Am Ryker hit the open road "no such thing in Jersey" and have a blast. Ride on.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > 66P1800inpieces 04/21/2019 at 21:10

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I wish these leaned, like a motorcycle, and I think the Yamaha Niken that does lean is WAY over-complex. I wish the Honda NeoWing were in production.

It cannot lane-split, but it also cannot low-side, and the likelihood of high-side crashes are greatly reduced, in terms of maintaining traction and single-vehicle wrecks. Gravel, sand, wet, slippery, glossy road marking paint... and just sheer amounts of braking traction, two wide front tires will have more grip, and more inherent stability.

Geometrically, two points in two dimensions make a line. Three points in two dimensions make a plane. In three dimensions, a triangular sided pyramid is the most stable geometric form. A single-track vehicle will be more nimble, but inherently less stable in an emergency involving loss of traction.

The rider is exposed and vulnerable in the event of any wreck, and other drivers are going to either see you or not see you, just like any other vehicle on the road.

I would much rather have a Can Am, a Spyder or Ryker, over a vehicle like Polaris Slingshot, and I would not go with a rear-wheel trike like a Harley.

A Ryker is also likely to be much easier to ride, especially for an inexperienced rider, with a single foot brake, and a twist-and-go throttle for the CVT drivetrain. Less involved but also less complex.

The reviews of the Ryker are that it is GREAT fun, and most of the resistance is coming from motorcycle traditionalists, rather than people welcoming a new powersport vehicle option to the fold of fun vehicles to get people “in the wind.”

I have not seen as many reviews of the base 600cc Ryker, but the 900 and the Rally are reviewed more often, and are generally reviewed with surprise at how much fun a 3-wheeled, CVT driven vehicle is...

It isn’t a “ bike” (bi-wheeled cycle), but it is technically a motorized reverse-tricycle... which still can be contracted to “ motorcycle.”

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/21/2019 at 22:21

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Yesterday, a BMW R1200GS, poster-child for the adventure-bike segment, was following me, and passed me.

I like BMW bikes in general.

But if you aren’t going “The Long Way Around”, like Ewan McGregor, that sort of bike just seems like overkill.

It was huge. It was bulky, it looked like an angry Decepticon Transformer, and it looked like it was loaded down for a safari trip, not a jaunt across town... At least with a Miata or a Mustang convertible, you don’t have to get dressed up in sweltering layers of expensive gear just to get on the thing, because ATGATT. (all the gear, all the time)

I used to own a bike, a very cool little Honda Hawk GT, and had protective gear... it had to be a special occaision, and just the right weather for me to consider that, rather than just getting in our Miata, and putting the top down.

If GoldWing is a motorcycle Limosine, then GS/MultiStrada are motorcycle SUVs.

And I guess I don’t see the big advantage of either one over a decent convertible car.

Now an R1100S, or a K1200R-Sport, or Ducati’s new 1260 Diavel, now you’re talking my language. The Grand Touring performers of the motorcycle world... not super-small speed monsters that are uncomfortable after 5 minutes, and are useless below 50 mph, and almost guaranteed to get a ticket whenever they leave the garage, but not gigantic 800-lb overkill, either.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 04/21/2019 at 22:32

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I mean, I ride a KLR 650 which is the K-5 Blazer of the motorcycle world and I do most riding on the road but occasio na lly on the trails....

But yes, if you get the GS model to just pose at starbucks, you paid as much as a car for a bike that’s arguably worse on the roads you ride on than many other bikes costing the same or less. Oh well, I’ll jus t mutter “must be nice to have that kind of cash...” under my breath when I see the starbucks posers.

A KLR650 blogger I follow once posted this video and I loved it:

It’s a parody of his very heartfelt tribute to his own KLR:

66P1800inpieces > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 04/22/2019 at 00:04

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That NeoWing looks neat. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. It reminds me of the three wheeled Piaggio scooters I once saw in Europe.  But you, know,  in a grown up Honda way :)

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > 66P1800inpieces 04/22/2019 at 00:10

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I should have expanded the reason I think the fatigue aspect is important and can come into being a safety issue. If you intend on taking it on long journeys, I would imagine that being more alert of your surrounds, and not making poor decisions while tired at some point outweighs the performance limitations  of the vehicle.

Donald59 > bob and john 04/22/2019 at 01:29

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I wouldn’t say that they have all the dis advantages. I really don’t think my Can-Am would have fallen down when the clay (or whatever it was) crap from the parking lot of the Yukon River Camp (yes, that’s on the Dalton and I live in Florida ) decided it wanted to t ake up new residency in my Gold W ing’s front fender and lock up my front tire. That’s when three wheels started looking like a real good idea.

Do I give any mind to those people with an excessively high o pinion of themselves? No. There are plenty of p eople around who, for whatever reason,  think that if you don’t do things just like they do you’re a “complete tool” (or some other derogatory term) . The IBA has no problem with Spyders , why do you?

Donald59 > 66P1800inpieces 04/22/2019 at 01:34

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You could ask me how I know! Well, just about the  getting knocked over part. I didn’t lose any skin because I was wearing the gear.

CRider > 66P1800inpieces 04/22/2019 at 15:59

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R iding one of those trikes is far more dangerous than a bike- you’re just as screwed if you get hit by a car on a trike ,   you’re less able to avoid getting hit by a car, and you still don’t get the experience of riding a bike. If you want to avoid the danger posed by other drivers, go where there are no other drivers.

66P1800inpieces > CRider 04/22/2019 at 17:01

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Good videos. Makes me lean more to the Dual Sport. Although,now I need to move to a state with ride able trails :)

CRider > 66P1800inpieces 04/22/2019 at 19:31

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Check out Dirtopia  to see some dirt trails in your area. The great thing about dual sports is that they can go on any public road, even places where OHVs aren't allowed.