When I went down to take the second of my test rides so far, I went to a different dealer than I had originally gone to for the first test ride. By this time I had educated myself to the extent possible by talking to dealers, fellow enthusiasts on the web, and reading every published report I could find. While not being prepared to brand myself as an expert, let’s face it, who outisde BRP right now could, I felt I knew enough to be a good source of information to many of the people who showed up right off the street, eager to know what the Spyder was, as I waited alone outside with them while the dealer retrieved his gear.
I was happy to answer whatever questions I could, and even took it upon myself to encourage people to sign up for the test ride. When the dealer returned, I felt it appropriate to let him take over answering questions; this was his shop, afterall, and he could probably add to the conversation, and, if I was lucky, I’d learn something new as well.
But something he said struck a nerve with me. He went about telling everyone that approached that the two Spyders there that day were in fact the only two Spyder prototypes in existence. Now I already new this to be false; when I had talked to the previous dealer, he alluded to the BRP rep having two more Spyders in a trailer out behind the dealership, and of course we have all seen the pictures of several Spyders operating at once at the regional events. So the dealer was obviously lying.
Why would the dealer lie? Maybe it was just out of habit. But it got me thinking as to just how many Spyder’s might be out there at any given time. We know that the regional tours are operating at least 16 Spyders. And every dealer demo I’ve seen had one silver and one yellow Spyder.
On July 7, 2007, there are 15 dealer demos and 2 full demo tours scheduled. Doing the math that is no less than 62 Spyders in operation across Canada and the United States at one time. Given that BRP is supposedly still involved in tweaking the Spyder before production/delivery, there should be several more out there, in labs, machine shops, proving grounds, and in reserve. How many more? Well…..
A quick minded BRP725 snapped this picture at his local dealership.
(click to enlarge)
In the picture one can clearly make out the Vehicle Identification Number(VIN), which always has the production serial number as the last several numbers. This VIN clearly indicates this Spyder is the 94th produced in this production run.
So it is reasonable to assume, in the absense of evidence to the contrary, that BRP has probably produced at least a hundred “prototypes” of the Spyder. What will become of them once deliveries begin? Some have suggested that they will be destroyed. I have my doubts. There is still most of the states left to officially launch the Spyder in, and the prototypes wouls serve well in this function. Plus, BRP most likely has a global plan for the Spyder. These prototypes may make there way to distant shores sooner than later.
However they are used in the near future, don’t expect them to ever make their way onto the market. By the time their service is done I am sure they will have exceeded even the most optomsitic of exstimates as to the service life of a Spyder. Best case scenario, they are retired to museums. Worse case, they suffer a slow death, rotting away in some back lot at Valcourt.
