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Spyders loose in the Boro
Polaris holds test drives for three-wheel motorcycles
042308 SPYDER 2Web
Freddie Bates of Hinesville leads in a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who came to Polaris of Statesboro to test drive a Can-Am Spyder Wednesday. The manufacturer's test-ride tour was in town to tout their three-wheeled, motorcycle-based sportster.

            The latest design in on-road vehicles made its way to Statesboro last week as the crew of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) unveiled the Can-Am Spyder roadster at Polaris America of Statesboro on Highway 80 East.

The Spyder is a three-wheel vehicle (two in the front, one at the rear), that offers the performance of a traditional motorcycle with much of the peace-of-mind of a convertible sports car. With a starting price of just over $15,000, the Spyder isn’t just another “grown-up” toy, it is a high performance vehicle designed for any rider including the novice.

“There are many people who don’t want to get on a motorcycle, but want to experience that open road feel,” said Matt Mondek, a member of the BRP team which is traveling the southeast on the Spyder demonstration tour. “This machine gives riders the best of both worlds – performance and piece of mind.”

Mondek said BRP will visit dealerships throughout the summer and into next fall.

“It is hard to put the feel and performance of this vehicle into words, you just have to ride it,” he said. “It isn’t a motorcycle. It is powerful and strong, has antilock breaks, and numerous safety features built into it. With all of that, it still is a blast to ride.”

Mondek pointed out that the Spyder is not an economy vehicle designed to replace a Honda Accord or similar vehicle.

“This isn’t a car, but you get the same feel of safety and performance that you would have if you were in a convertible for example,” he said. “It appeals to everyone, but I would say that the typical demographic would be a 35 to 40 year old male that probably has an ATV or personal watercraft already in his garage.”

Donna Wallace, co-owner of Polaris America of Statesboro, said she is very excited about being an authorized dealer of the Spyder.

“This addition really completes our offering,” Wallace said. “We have ATVs, motorcycles, personal water craft. The Spyder fits that unique nitch of an on-road vehicle that is not two-wheeled. It has a much broader appeal, and we are just very excited to have to opportunity to sell something so unique and high performing.”

Donna, and her husband Mike, moved their dealership from a Northside Drive location to a newly constructed building in 2005. Since that time, the Wallaces have added other lines to their dealership including a number of BRP products.

“We are so pleased to carry what they make,” Wallace said. “They are very high tech and well made. You just have to see their products to understand.  The latest in their SeaDoo® watercraft line is just unbelievable.”

Even though local citizens were invited to come and try the Spyder, the dealership had none to sell that day. If you would like a Spyder, then you must contract for one which includes a down payment and the issuance of a certificate of ownership with an assigned number.

“At that point, you get in line,” Wallace said. “The vehicles are shipped to the owners in the order that the certificates are received. I can certainly give buyers a fairly good idea as to when they would be receiving their Spyder. We believe that it is such a fabulous vehicle, that it is worth a little bit of a wait.”

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP), a privately-held company, is a world leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of motorized recreational vehicles. Its portfolio of brands and products includes: Ski-Doo® and Lynx™ snowmobiles, SeaDoo® watercraft and sport boats, Evinrude® and Johnson® outboard engines, Can-Am™ all-terrain vehicles and roadsters, Rotax® engines and karts as well as direct injection technologies such as ETEC®.

To learn more about the Spyder, you can visit the company’s website at www.spyder.brp.com.

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