Rally Use

[poli]

I see a lot of videos of Rallys being used for commuting, racing and just driven around town but no one seems to be taking them on what Can Am refers to as "unpaved roads". I love dual-sport bikes but they just got too tall and I got too old. So I'm using mine to ride the dirt backroads again. The only time I'm on pavement is looking for the next dirt road to go down and see where it leads me. There's nothing like riding a dirt road, going along 15 to 20 mph, no traffic, checking out the scenery and wildlife. Hitting some loose dirt or sand and having the rear end fishtail some. Or riding after a rain and she gets a little slick. This is what I got mine for. If I want to take a ride on the road, I'll take my Spyder RTS or my Yamaha Bolt. My Rally is just for enjoying the ride and having some fun. Just curious if there are any others out there using their Rally in a similar fashion? (Check out my avatar for how I returned after one fun trip)

[ARtraveler]

From page 46 of the Ryker Manual: Just in case you have not read it yet.

Response to Road
Conditions
The road behavior of this vehicle may be different from other vehicles on the road. Follow these recommendations.

– Do not ride off-road or on ice or snow.
– Avoid puddles and running water. The vehicle hydroplanes more easily than a car. If you must go through water, slow down.
– Slow down on gravel, dirt or sand covered roads.
– Driving at temperature lower than 6°C (43°F) will result in reduced adherence. Refer to STREET STRATEGIES for detailed instructions.

Driving Modes

ECO Mode
The ECO (fuel economy mode) setting reduces fuel consumption by limiting throttle response and maximum throttle opening to maintain an optimal cruising setting.

SPORT Mode
When the SPORT mode is activated, the VSS will allow significantly more rear wheel spinning and higher vehicle slip angle, thus requiring countersteering. Moreover, when this mode is activated, traction control is reduced, meaning that rear wheel skidding is less supported even on lower friction surfaces. This mode is most effective on dry or wet asphalt. When this mode is activated, the driver should be even more careful than when normally driving the vehicle. This mode can only be activated when the driver is alone on the vehicle (no passenger) and if no VSS fault is active.

WARNING
You should familiarize yourself with the basic operation of the vehicle as well as vehicle handling with the VSS before using the sport mode. When using the sport mode, always be aware of your surroundings and of the vehicle handling.

RALLY Mode
The RALLY mode was designed to improve the riding experience on loose gravel road and other unpaved roads. VSS interventions are adapted to loose surface roads. This mode must only be used when riding on unpaved roads. When this mode is activated, the driver should be even more careful than when normally driving the vehicle.

[Spokane2303]

It's great that you are using your Ryker this way!

Please regularly keep us posted on how it holds up.

What breaks, comes loose, cracks, etc. Then we'll all learn from your experience and adjust our Rykers to adapt to rural road conditions.

I'm interested in getting one for the same type of "fun" you are having. Hundreds of miles of gravel covered maintained forest trail roads start just down the street from me.

Adventure awaits!

Thanks!

[poli]

Hey Spokane2303, I have 442 miles on her so far with probably 350 of them on dirt roads. So far, zero problems. The one rule of thumb I've discovered is 'find the smoothest route for the rear tire". If the rear tire hits a pothole, you WILL feel it. Don't worry about the front tires. They can hit a pothole, rut or whatever and you'll hardly notice it, those front shocks are super! So just keep the rear smooth. Also, on slippery stuff (sand, loose dirt) sometimes the rear fishtails some but the front stays true. As long as you keep your speed down it's no problem. When it happens it's more like a fun carnival ride you know is safe rather than a 'pucker' experience. I have hundreds of miles of Texas CR roads around me. Most are pretty well maintained (have houses every few miles) but some of them not so well maintained. I just feel this is what the Rally Edition was made for. It's definitely not an off-road machine, but as Can Am advertises: "for un-paved roads". So I can highly recommend getting one and having some fun!

[Chupaca]

Glad your out there running her through the paces. Will be nice to keep up on how everything holds up as few are out there like you are. Seems to work well for you and I remember the backroads of Texas well though at the time I enjoyed traveling down them in my TR4....

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Remember when they ( Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha etc. ) sold so-called on-off road bikes ….well they had tires similar to the Ryker Rally ….. totally USELESS except for regular gravel roads ….. and only when it was DRY ….. I wouldn't expect much from the Rally tires …..jmho …. Mike

[Trevor G]

I see a lot of videos of Rallys being used for commuting, racing and just driven around town but no one seems to be taking them on what Can Am refers to as "unpaved roads". I love dual-sport bikes but they just got too tall and I got too old. So I'm using mine to ride the dirt backroads again. The only time I'm on pavement is looking for the next dirt road to go down and see where it leads me. There's nothing like riding a dirt road, going along 15 to 20 mph, no traffic, checking out the scenery and wildlife. Hitting some loose dirt or sand and having the rear end fishtail some. Or riding after a rain and she gets a little slick. This is what I got mine for. If I want to take a ride on the road, I'll take my Spyder RTS or my Yamaha Bolt. My Rally is just for enjoying the ride and having some fun. Just curious if there are any others out there using their Rally in a similar fashion? (Check out my avatar for how I returned after one fun trip)

Great to hear! I was hoping to find someone doing what you are doing. Tell us more when you can, and thanks

[Trevor G]

Hey Spokane2303, I have 442 miles on her so far with probably 350 of them on dirt roads. So far, zero problems. The one rule of thumb I've discovered is 'find the smoothest route for the rear tire". If the rear tire hits a pothole, you WILL feel it. Don't worry about the front tires. !

The rear shock has a compression damping adjustment, the big hand wheel fitted to the right side below the seat.

There are two things which could affect the rear shock action: spring preload and compression damping.

You will probably need assistance to check this out.

1) Use a jack to raise the rear wheel until it is just about to come off the ground

2) Measure the distance from the top edge of the rear tyre to the underside of the seat/accessory frame

3) Lower the jack and remove it. Measure the same distance when you are seated on the bike - it should be no more than 2" less than the previous measurement. If it is, say, 2 1/2" less then you need to adjust the spring pre-load by turning the cam ring on the rear shock to put more compression on the spring.

I think you will find this to be the case; the Rallys I have sat on in dealers seem to be quite softly sprung in that they sink quite far when you sit down. With less than 6" of rear wheel travel you can not use any more than two inches in static sag - that is, with the rider seated and the bike at rest.

4) Check that the compression damping knob is in the number 1 position, with the least amount of compression damping. Damping is a hydraulic resistance to spring movement, and too much will make the bike seem harsh over bumps, even with a soft spring, because the damping actually slows down the rate at which the spring compresses over a bump. Too much compression damping can actually limit the amount that the shock compresses.

If what I wrote is not clear, ask away

[poli]

Trevor G, I've experimented a little with the rear suspension but I'll try your method and see what I come up with. I may be able to get it to react better but I feel if I'm going along at even 15 mph on a dirt road and the rear tire drops into a sharp hole and then out, it's going to jar me. The nice thing about dirt back roads is with no traffic you can weave in and out and avoid most of the holes (adds to the fun}, but there's always that one that you don't see in time. So far I have no real complaints about how she handles on dirt roads. It has the power to break the rear tire loose at almost any speed but it stays tracking in a straight line, you can just feel the rear tire slipping. Another thing I've learned is when you hit ruts … don't fight them. Because of width and the 3 wheels, you're not going to find a smooth path through ruts a car or truck made. Just loosen up and let the suspension do it's thing and kind of let the bike go where it wants till the ruts end. The ruts are going to keep you half way centered on the road, they're not going to lead you to the ditch. Anyway, for anyone with a Rally, try a dirt road. I think you'll enjoy it.