Anyone go from a RTL to a Ryker?

[Schreckftw]

I am going to put my 21 RTL for sale this week. Just not doing any touring on it. All I do is ride it around town for the most part now. I did however, stop by a local dealer and they had a few 22 Rykers in stock. I think that might be a good alternative for me. I really like the Rally edition because of the higher clearance and adjustable suspension on all three wheels. Being 6' 4"ish I did not have any fit issues and it felt comfortable to my surprise. I suspect it looks really small under me though .

I was just wondering if anyone went to a Ryker from a RTL and what you thought. I know the obvious going from more storage then I need to almost no storage. I was more interested in the ride.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

[Peacekeeper6]

TBH, I don’t see any valid reason to “downgrade” to what essentially is a “bar bike”.

Erm, no offense to Ryker riders out there ……

[Mikey]

Hey, with a little work they can be every bit a touring bike as the rtl, I think, some on here have some nice rides and do a lot of traveling on them!! To each his own!!

[Peter Aawen]

Just be aware that most Ryker Ryders over 6 ft tall have issues with the back of the seat being too close &
a pain in the butt ( ) .... but apart from that, if you just want to blast around locally & don't mind the loss of cargo space, why not?!

Enjoy!

[Schreckftw]

I felt more comfortable on the ryker then my RTL. More leg room. No longer looking to tour. I just want to have fun around town. It looks small but the small test ride was fun. Lot more in the wind.

[MonPaul]

I went through the exact same thing as you, I don't use the Spyder much for touring anymore - unfortunately my 2 favorite destinations were friends that have passed away. I just purchased a Ryker this year and love it, I feel closer to the road, not as much tupperware around me, the only thing I really missed was my radio so I got a bluetooth helmet for music. Every time I get on it I say this is great I think I am going to sell the Spyder; then I get on the Spyder and remember what I missed, there really is no comparison in comfort and storage. Right now I have both (not complaining!) and not sure if I can get rid of the Spyder. They are just 2 totally different vehicles and neither one can really replace the other one.

[hut1]

I am going to put my 21 RTL for sale this week. Just not doing any touring on it. All I do is ride it around town for the most part now. I did however, stop by a local dealer and they had a few 22 Rykers in stock. I think that might be a good alternative for me. I really like the Rally edition because of the higher clearance and adjustable suspension on all three wheels. Being 6' 4"ish I did not have any fit issues and it felt comfortable to my surprise. I suspect it looks really small under me though .

I was just wondering if anyone went to a Ryker from a RTL and what you thought. I know the obvious going from more storage then I need to almost no storage. I was more interested in the ride.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

Have you considered/tried an F3? Like you, almost all of my rydes are around town, or no more than a couple of hours away. I'm not as tall as you, but I have a 34" inseam. I installed the position 5 brake rod and it's very comfortable for me.

Just wondering.....

[fredgal]

i dont go far with my F3L, mostly 15 - 20 miles at a time, its sporty, and i go to the store alot for grocery's, plenty of room for that, and my house to the American Legion. is 16 miles each way, thats most of my riding,, lol...

[shakin_jake]

I went through the exact same thing as you, I don't use the Spyder much for touring anymore - unfortunately my 2 favorite destinations were friends that have passed away. I just purchased a Ryker this year and love it, I feel closer to the road, not as much tupperware around me, the only thing I really missed was my radio so I got a bluetooth helmet for music. Every time I get on it I say this is great I think I am going to sell the Spyder; then I get on the Spyder and remember what I missed, there really is no comparison in comfort and storage. Right now I have both (not complaining!) and not sure if I can get rid of the Spyder. They are just 2 totally different vehicles and neither one can really replace the other one.

~~~this guy knows what he is talking about. To all the naysayers that scoff at the Ryker, it’s obvious they never spent any time on one


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

[Schreckftw]

Have you considered/tried an F3? Like you, almost all of my rydes are around town, or no more than a couple of hours away. I'm not as tall as you, but I have a 34" inseam. I installed the position 5 brake rod and it's very comfortable for me.

Just wondering.....

Yes, but they are hard to find right now. I found a couple of used ones going for a higher price than new ones. The F3 felt bigger under me obviously. I didn't feel as weird on it. That being said, I felt more comfortable on the Ryker.

[troop]

The Ryker would be the perfect play machine. Zip around town, blast out into the country and just have fun. Add the rack/case if you want some carrying ability. The RTL is just too much excess for me and my use. I have Shad luggage/Pack Rack-top case for my F3S when I tour. When I'm home, they're off and it is now my toy. If it fits you, and you enjoy it, I say go for it.

[braye1960]

I am going to put my 21 RTL for sale this week. Just not doing any touring on it. All I do is ride it around town for the most part now. I did however, stop by a local dealer and they had a few 22 Rykers in stock. I think that might be a good alternative for me. I really like the Rally edition because of the higher clearance and adjustable suspension on all three wheels. Being 6' 4"ish I did not have any fit issues and it felt comfortable to my surprise. I suspect it looks really small under me though .

I was just wondering if anyone went to a Ryker from a RTL and what you thought. I know the obvious going from more storage then I need to almost no storage. I was more interested in the ride.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

I'm only 5'6" but I downsized from a 2012 RTL to a 2022 Ryker Sport. Other than the lack of storage, I love it! The auto transmission is SO wonderful in stop and go traffic. My 6'2" husband likes to ride it also, you can adjust everything to fit anyone. Lots of power and a smooth ride. Put almost 1000 miles on it in less than 2 months.

[Quickdraw]

Hey, with a little work they can be every bit a touring bike as the rtl, I think, some on here have some nice rides and do a lot of traveling on them!! To each his own!!

[vito1943]

I went from a Goldwing to an RT, but not necessarily for touring. I knew it was time, after 40 years of riding and approaching 80 years old, to go to 3 wheels, but I did not want to give up the comfort and amenities of a touring machine. I have fully enjoyed the last two years on my RT. I would not consider giving up the cruise control, the ABS, and the storage available even though I do not tour. Just having a place to leave my jacket, gloves and helmet when getting to a restaurant makes having that storage worthwhile, plus being able to always keep handy a rainsuit, tire puncture kit, first aid kit, etc. I also like the control that the semi-auto transmission gives me, something that would be lost with the fully automatic on the Ryker. Maybe if I really used the bike only to ride very short distances in town, on occasion, the Ryker would do just fine. But I enjoy taking multi hour rides out of the city, stopping for a nice lunch, and then riding a few hours home. The RT does it for me.

[troop]

The OP hasn't responded for over a year. Wonder what he ever did??

[Peter Aawen]

The OP hasn't responded for over a year. Wonder what he ever did??

But the OP was on the Forum this May...

So maybe just didn't like the insight??