Bombardier builds a better motorcycle

For those of you who yearn for the freedom of the open road but are dissuaded by motorcycle's inherent 2-wheel instability, Bombardier's latest may be right up your alley.

The Can-Am Spyder Grand Sport Roadster is a three-wheeled motorcycle with state-of-the-art performance and appointments, a technological marvel that makes riding a bike as easy as driving.

The key is in the configuration -- two front wheels and one back, a great improvement over the three-wheeler conversion kits for bike like Honda's Gold Wing, which have two rear and one front. The Can-Am's front wheels feature a double-wishbone suspension and an anti-roll bar. Power is supplied by a liquid-cooled 998cc V-twin engine which powers the belt driving the rear wheel.

The propensity of three-wheeled vehicles to flip is alleviated by a combination of ABS tech, Bosch stability and traction control.

The bike will sell for around $15,000, in the Harley-Davidson two-wheeler neighborhood. Some states require registering three-wheelers as cars, so check on your state's licensing costs and insurance costs to make an informed decision.

Also, while the bike seems simple enough that a novice could operate it, taking a training course from a Motorcycle Safety Institute approved site will give you skills to handle this and any other motorcycle properly.