Potential Ryker Buyer - concerned about the Understeer? Any ideas?
Hello All,
New to the forum here. Looking at Rykers and Spyders to get my wife back on the road and out of a cage. She used to ride two wheels and has had some health issues and surgeries that make her less than comfortable on two wheels these days. So we thought we would give the Spyders and Rykers a look and a ride.
We went to our local dealer who had some used units. We first test rode a 2012 Spyder RSS. She rode it around their facility and then we went for a two-up ride with her as passenger. It was nice. It felt a little "darty" to me on the road, but the road surface seemed to have a lot of impact on that. Also was a very heavy wind day, so it was hard to tell how much we were being affected by crosswinds as well. After the Spyder, she tried a 2020 Ryker 900. She liked the riding position a bit better and preferred the simplicity of the CVT. And she preferred it in her parking lot ride.
I then took the Ryker out solo to see how it compared in the "darty" category to the Spyder. It felt a bit less so to me. And I did my testing on the same loop, so the roads were the same. The one thing that completely surprised me was the understeer that I experienced on corner exit while picking up the throttle. I've road raced and track ridden two wheels on and off for 30 years and force of habit is rolling on throttle after apexing on corner exit. What I experienced on this specific machine was that if I picked up the throttle moderately, it quickly resulted in a severe understeer experience that would allow the front to push excessively, I am talking a few feet, not inches. It was entirely stable the whole time, but as soon as I was moderately back in the throttle, the machine just refused to continue turning until I rolled back off. I was not going at speeds that I thought were remotely excessive and it didn't feel like the inside tire was anywhere near lifting. It just felt like that once the rear tire started driving the machine forward it overpowered available traction on the front and induced the severe understeer. The first experience was a semi tight right hander where my left front wheel was probably a good 18" from the center line and by the time I backed out of the throttle to allow the front to regain traction, I was probably 12-18" over the center line. I did this multiple times during the rest of the test ride to get a better feel for it and it was definitely tied to how much throttle input there was. Neutral to light throttle I never experienced it at similar corner speeds. As soon as I started picking up the throttle moderately it would push. This happened at lower speed 20-30mph turns and also at higher 40-50mph turns, although not as pronounced as the lower speed turns.
My concern is that this happened at what felt like a very modest pace to me and with only moderate pick up of throttle, nowhere near heavy or full throttle. I would be concerned that if it happened to my wife who has much less experience, she may not intuitively recognize what is happening in time to correct and could find herself either in the oncoming lane facing down a vehicle, or off the road in a ditch.
It just felt like the front lost traction way earlier than I ever would have expected. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I am wondering if it was something as simple as tire pressures being way off and just losing traction way sooner than it should have. The dealer was swamped when I got back, so we didn't check any pressures or what not, but their suggestion was to just try riding a new one and see how that feels, which we will likely wind up doing.
From what I have read on the site here, it certainly seems like these take some learning to adapt to if coming from two wheels, but this just seemed excessive. I've got enough time with bars in my hands to never be in the death grip, but even that would more likely manifest in perhaps some of the dartiness, not a full-on understeer slide from broken front tire traction.
Other than that, they were fun machines! Hope someone else has perhaps experienced this and could share their thoughts.
Thanks!
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 04-13-2024 at 06:57 PM.
Reason: Expanded title to briefly ask the question/s... ;-)
Wow, lots to answer! Spyders and Rykers don't handle like a TWO-wheeler, and if you have a VERY strong grip on the handlebars, it will seem DARTY. I've owned three different Spyders and after learning their Quirks I could safely drive all of them at 100 + mph on the highway with one hand. Spyders do better when you gently GUIDE them as opposed to keeping a firm hold on the bars. The one you drove may not have been well ALIGNED or it had improperly inflated tires etc. ....
That 12 RSS had the old V-twin engine which needed lots more revs to be driven properly .... the newer 1330 engined models (2014 and up) work well at anything above 2500 rpm's ... They feel smother have more torque etc. .... The Ryker works best for a single rider, the RT's and F-3's can easily handle two up riding .....
Best advice I got when a first drove a Spyder was to drive it like a car and check how strong the brakes are .....
Good luck ... Mike
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 04-13-2024 at 07:02 PM.
I am 77 and have been riding 2 wheels since the age of 14. I had an accident last year with my Harley and it scared me because it could have been an lot worse. With this in mind I bought a used 2011 Can Am RT-S because I didn't want to put much money in it because I didn't know how much longer I can ride because I do have a bad heart. I bought it without a test ride and on the way home I asked myself what in the h#+# have I done. It was all over the road and I just kept in mind that if I went off the road it would be on the ditch side instead of head on into a car. But after 400- 500 miles I started feeling more comfortable and now I love it. Forget 2 wheels and learn to ride 3 wheels. Let it go and just guide it and you will love it. I have never ridden a Ryker but it does not have power assist steering as the Spyder does so it would be entirely different. Good luck in your quest. Do not be afraid to buy used if you find one that you fancy but even though I have and like my old 2011, I would recommend buying 2014 up RT with the 1330 engine and 6 speed transmission because of better mileage and less maintanence. Just for information I and some riding mates rode 300 mile range for lunch yesterday.
"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast"
Long time motorcyclist here, I was perusing motorcycles on craigslist just before Thanksgiving and noticed a 2021 Ryker Rally at a local dealership at a ridiculously low price. The day before Thanksgiving I took a fast test ride in their parking lot and I told them if they can change oil and clean it up I'll return before closing and write them a check. Black Friday sales kept me busy with upgraded seat, a windshield and hand guards, saddlebag, storage for the back and more.
It's not a motorcycle. But it's fun. Think: street legal go cart that can do 100 mph. I've ridden it to the coast a couple times, 300 miles round trip, on a great 'motorcycle' road, and it's a blast. Not as fast as my bike but it accelerates and corners faster than most cars I've driven. I've long had two or more bikes in the garage, one for touring, one for something different. This is definitely different, but lots of fun. Your and her comfort level will increase with miles, and the Ryker is cheap enough you can hardly lose. I turned 70 a few months ago and tall heavy 2 wheelers may not be comfortable for me for many more years, this will.
R6Roadracer, as you learned, Spyders, whether RT series or F3 series, any of the earlier models, even the Rykers, none are race machines, or even what should be considered a race on Sunday sell on Monday type machine.
Yes, folks often state being an aggressive rider or spirited rider. Unfortunately as aggressive or spirited as they may be, the Can Ams are very limited by low horsepower and frames / suspension designs that are too flexy when pushed hard.
Regarding your concerns for the test ride machine experiencing understeer. Certainly understeer or push could happen, but more typically, the steering system and suspension are inducing bump steer from chassis lean. As bump steer induces outside front tire toe out, the machine can dart to the outside of the turn, without rider input into the bars.
Ride these machines within a reasonable expectation, they ride fine as tourers, cruisers, or runabouts.
We have a 2014 RTS. Yes it has mods done that improve handling and enjoyment. A racer it is not. Simply a fun tourer, for grocery runs dragging the RT622 trailer, or trips. A machine the wife and I enjoy together.
If you want performance, stick to your Yamaha. The photos below are my other toys to play more serious on.
PMK nice bikes.
I don't think I have ever seen a Yamaha in a Rickman before.
Actually, it is a real Rickman Yamaha. One of 39 chassis built. Best we determined, pretty rare with only 6 of the 39 left.
Imported by Steens in Alhambra CA back then.
sounds like you are plowing into the corner. The rykers can't do that successfully. you have to slow in/fast out on these trikes. I can oversteer all day long doing that.
also the stock sway bar links are junk. My ryker handled 100% better once I swapped them out with aftermarket ones.
My solution to help my wife with steering on her '20 Ryker Rally was to add a steering dampener and BajaRon's swaybar and links. It helps but as others have stated, you have to be easy on the grips and drive it more like a car or snowmobile.
Potential Ryker Buyer - concerned about the Understeer? Any ideas?
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Originally Posted by Raven
