STREET STRATEGIES
When stopping at an intersection, stop
in the middle of the lane, even if you
are preparing to turn. This can make
you more visible and discourage other
motorists from trying to drive around
you. Watch for vehicles approaching
from behind. Flash your brake lights as
they approach. Be in first gear and be
prepared to move if necessary to avoid
a collision.
Lane Changes and Passing
Remember that the Spyder roadster
is wider than a motorcycle and needs
more lateral space to pass another ve-
hicle. Also remember that the vehicle
is less visible than a car, so it is par-
ticularly important to signal your lane
change well in advance and check your
mirrors and blind spots. Be sure to
turn off your turn signal after changing
lanes; a lane change will not turn the
handlebar far enough to automatically
cancel the signal.
Never drive on the line between two
lanes of traffic (split lanes). The vehicle
is too wide.
Never drive on the shoulder to pass
vehicles. If you put one wheel off the
road, you can lose control.
Turns
Remember to slow, look, and steer
through turns.
– Slow: Reduce speed as needed be-
fore entering a turn by rolling off the
throttle, using the brakes, and/or
downshifting to a lower gear. En-
ter the turn at a speed that you can
maintain throughout the turn.
Although the Spyder roadster is bet-
ter able to brake while turning than
a motorcycle, it is still important to
slow down before you enter a turn
or curve rather than braking in the
turn. Braking and turning both re-
quire traction. The more traction
you use for braking, the less there
is available for turning at the same
time.
Whenyoutakeaturnorcurvetoo
fast, you may notice the inside front
wheel lifting off the pavement and
feel and hear VSS cutting back en-
gine power. While VSS can help you
maintain control, it is still possible to
spin or roll over if you turn too hard
and fast.
– Look: Search through the entire
turn and keep your eyes moving.
Evaluatetheentireturnassoonas
possible — surface characteristics,
sharpness of the turn, and overall
traffic conditions — so you have
time to make decisions about speed
and position. Sometimes turning
your head in the direction of the turn
helps to keep a good visual pictur
e.
– Steer: Turn the handlebar to
steer
the vehicle in the direction of the
turn. The Spyder roadster is not like
a motorcycle, so it does no
t counter-
steer, and the vehicle does not lean.
Remember, you will experience the
lateral force generate
d by turning,
so you may need to shift your body
weight to the inside of the turn to
keep a comfortable
posture on the
vehicle. You will need to exert more
force to turn the handlebar of your
vehicle than is n
eeded to turn a mo-
torcycle.
62
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SAFE OPE
RATING INSTRUCTIONS
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