So is it a bike or a car

[Speed Demon]

Can-Am Spyder is caught in a legal web Wednesday, 19 November 2008 Is it a sportscar? Is it a bike? Is it a trike? No, it's the Can-Am Spyder.


The three-wheeler has many traits of a car with a single foot-operated brake, parking brake, electronic power steering, reverse gear and stability control.
It is unlike a bike because it doesn't lean or counter steer.
And now a semi-automatic version has arrived in Australia which gives it more car-like characteristics.
However, because you sit on it and steer using handlebars, Australian states require riders to have motorcycle licences.
BRP, the Canadian company that makes the Can-Am Spyder, disagrees and has hired Hawker Britton consultancy firm to try to convince the governments to change their minds.
It can be ridden on a car licence in most US states, most European countries and for the past six weeks in New Zealand.
"We just want people to have fun in this country," says BRP Australia marketing manager Duncan Knight.
"New Zealand has fitted in with the rest of the world and Australia wants to go its own way."
He said governments were forcing their customers into an unsafe situation.
"We want to train our customers to ride this product properly," he said.
"But governments want to train them to ride a bike first which is unsafe for this product.
"It is not a skill set that is suitable to this vehicle. You have to leave a lot of your bike skills behind."
Knight said that if they were unsuccessful in gaining car licence status their next step would be to seek car licence endorsement.
"We would provide training centres around the country where a person could do a Spyder course and get their car licence endorsed to ride this vehicle," he said.
"We believe it will be worth it even though it will be expensive for us."
Knight said they were struggling with the complexities and variances of laws between states.
For example, in Victoria, the Spyder is registered as a trike so it can be ridden on a learner's permit.
"However, you have to get your licence on a bike and then you can't ride it for a year anyway until your licence graduates to larger capacity machines."


Even after all this i still think its a bike not a car
What do you think. Should people that drive cars be allowed to ride/drive one of these

[Sumfun4me]

"We just want people to have fun in this country," says BRP Australia marketing manager Duncan Knight.

Yup - he killed it for the West right there.

[Ryven]

As they said, it's the way you sit/steer it that makes them determine it as a car/bike, has come up with the odd imported 3 wheel buggy in the past.

I'd have to test ride/drive(?) one to make up my mind.

[SpeedTrip]

Let car drivers ride/drive them so they can get those poxy 50cc scooters that cant even do the speed limit of the main h/ways

[Semi]

Reckon it would wheelie?
Im guessing not, but damn that'd look

[BrendonM]

they have this but not the atom...

[Ryven]

Reckon it would wheelie?
Im guessing not, but damn that'd look

I'm going with yes, just going to be rather unpleasant on the way down with all that extra weight/car style suspension.

[shmoo]

I would say it more closely matches a quad bike, rather than a car or two wheel motorcycle. I still reckon that on the whole, it is more bike than car.

[kwakas]

they won't wheelie, nor will the do a burn out. Heaps of electronic traction aids that can't be turned off. Not sure if aftermarket cpu would help though.

[kwakas]

I must say, stoppies would be fun on them though, and extra stable...

[Ryven]

I must say, stoppies would be fun on them though, and extra stable...

From that photo I'm thinking the nose would eat pavement and either fling you back down hard, or flip you.

[jezz]

From that photo I'm thinking the nose would eat pavement and either fling you back down hard, or flip you.

I agree.... flippy mcflip flip and land on top of the rider

[faultykyle]

I agree on it being a bike not a car... but because of the stuff he mentioned I think it should be like with scooters, rideable with a normal C class license. Still need a lid though...

I just hate scooters so much... I'll do anything to have them off the road.

[nicka]

yamaha 1000cc engine yeah?

[Rizzo]

It's more bike than cage, and why do we need to encourage more squid riding scooter monkeys to join us out there?

By the way a mate did a test ride on one and reckon's they are shit.

[wannabee]

Think it would be a good substitute or scooters (May they die in hell) on our roads.
Dont get me wrong...scooters are fine!... If you live in somewhere like ledge point or a small little fishing town or something and need something to pop to the deli to grab the milk and bread... but thats where the line is drawn!!!

something like this, however i would say in a smaller framed 250 or even 400 version or something would be a better idea then scooters as a substitute on the c-class thing...
1000 cc's wont happen as a substitute on c-class i dont think!...

[Tenchi]

Went up to the motorsports dealer and sat on one. Was asking myself the same question - car or bike? I'm going with CAR, mainly coz I don't see one using motorcycle parking.

[Goofy]

can't lane split
can't wheelie
can't stoppie
can't get your knee down around corners on it

not a bike

[cthulhu]

yamaha 1000cc engine yeah?

Rotax I think.

[Dubs]

I can lane split
I can't wheelie
I can't stoppie
I can't get my knee down around corners on mine

Is mine a bike?

Dubs

I get your point tho