Photo by Mike Rosier/Publisher

Tony Dowdy on his Spyder.

When the initial reaction of a passerby to your mode of transportation is to immediately whip out their cell phone camera and start snapping away, you know that your ride has that "it" factor.

One local businessman's has all of that and a nifty stowaway compartment.

Tony Dowdy is getting used to the stares - and seeing people stop and gawk at his new BRP Can-Am Spyder Roadster.

He understands the phenomenon better than most, as he had much the same reaction at first sighting.

"I was in Tampa, Florida, going on a cruise and going on vacation when I saw (a brochure)," he said.

Dowdy, who serves as a district manager for Local Cash Advance, wasted little time upon his arrival home from the cruise. He quickly found more information on this unique, three-wheeled motorcycle-like hybrid that can get up to 160 miles per hour before buying two of the striking roadsters.

According to a Motorcycle.com online review, "if you're in the market for a fun-yet-unintimidating ride, Can-Am's new roadster might be right up your alley" and "it's a responsive and thrilling sports car minus the fourth wheel."

The Spyder even gets a break from insurance companies for its super stability.

Dowdy (who will either be Spy 1 or Spy 2 on the highway when the tags are eventually picked up) says it has been everything he thought and more.

"It has two computers and skid control, and it's really pretty safe."

Dowdy's wife selected a silver, semi-automatic variant.

He picked out a red one with the manual transmission.

"Oh yeah, it's been a lot of fun," he said.

And what about all the stares everywhere he goes?

"That's pretty cool too."