I politely panned the 2008 Can Am Spyder when I reviewed it almost a year ago. What I had just ridden through the canyons of Southern California was not nearly as quick or agile as a motorcycle, nor as stable as a sports car. So when the Spyder's manufacturer asked me to try a SE5 edition (that features a five-speed semi-automatic gearbox), I was prepared to truly hate it. I predicted to myself that by taking the clutch away, the trike would loose what little appeal it possessed for me.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Precisely because the Spyder is not hardcore road hardware, the manu-matic gearbox fits its personality perfectly. Dropping the clutch removes any pretenses of serious performance, so when you swing your leg over the saddle, you're not expecting to be able to run with the Ninjas or CBRs. This puts the rider in a better mindset to enjoy the Can Am for what it is.

(Click through the post to continue reading this review.)