New Guy on Left Coast - looking at buying a Ryker or maybe Spyder, but which model?

[Peacekeeper6]

I would take a test ride on an RT.


Also, here is another suggestion: look at the 2014 spyder models and up, they have the "1330 " ace engine, low maintenance , 3 in-line cylinders. You can cruise around town in 6 th gear at a lower rpm.


Deanna

Your town must be pretty big, LOL.

If I try to do that, I'd either go WAY over the speed limit or lug the engine, neither of which is good for my wallet ....

[ks4hcoach]

Hi Rich,
Congratulations and I think you made a great choice based on your initial thoughts. The F3S is quick and loads of fun. I would like to have one to compliment my 2021RTL for shorter, sportier rides. It is a LOT quicker and sportier than my RTL and handles pretty good stock. A Baja Ron sway bar, good shocks, and a set of Vredestein Quatrac tires and it would be great! I almost bought a 2018 F3S in a bank repo situation...but it was a littler "rougher" than I liked and someone wanted it more that I did but it was a blast to ride.
Wind protection is almost nonexistent on the F3S so if that is important to you, their are several good options. I put a Madstad adjustable screen/brackets on my 2009 Spyder GS and was more than pleased with the results. Vastly better wind protection and MUCH reduced turbulence and noise at helmet level. Madstad does make a very similar setup for the F3 and F3S. Here is the link: https://madstad.com/products/can-am-spyder-f3 This setup is quite similar to the one that I put on my 09GS and would probably work very well.

Thanks for posting pics of the vintage race bikes. Pretty cool! Is that Suzuki one of the older racing V-twins, or an I4 motor? Ever do any classic racing Ducatis?

Enjoy your new Spyder. I think you will be very happy with it!

Rod

[missouriboy]

Your town must be pretty big, LOL.

If I try to do that, I'd either go WAY over the speed limit or lug the engine, neither of which is good for my wallet ....

As BLUEKNIGHT has pointed out, you CANNOT lug the engine with the SE6 (or SE5) transmission. The computer is programmed to disallow it, with the automatic downshift feature.

[rich46]

Hello Rod, Thanks for the info a windshield is at the top of the list. The wife also wants a normal motorbike brake lever so that is also at the top of the list. Being a retired car racer I will be making the bloody thing handle better with better shocks and a sway-bar up-grade.

As far as the vintage motorbikes at present we are racing a 2014 R-6 Yamaha build for the Irish "Road Racing" Prodie class junior TT, 1980 Guzzi Le Mans 750/1000 (pictured), 1992 VFR400 Honda, and a pair of 1982 Suzuki GS1100E's to race in Classic Superbike (these are to look like the Grame Crosby/Wes Cooley raced under the Yosh banner) The motorbike you see jumping the "Bridge" is a 1992 GSXR 1100 W Built to race at the Manx Classic and Phillips Island. The Guzzi did race at PI but was not really up to the event with too little HP. We now have other motorbikes more up to the task.

Cheers

[ks4hcoach]

Hi Rich,

Let us know which way you go for the windshield on your new F3S. Note that the used F3S Repo bike that I tested and bid on had a huge F4 Customs windscreen. It worked reasonably well, but was so big it that it looked out of place on the F3S. It had fairly good wind protection, but I don't think the wind protection was any better than the much smaller Madstad adjustable windshield I put on my 2009 GS, and, the buffeting and turbulence at helmet level were not as good with the giant F4 screen. Motorcycle Dave, a sponser here, has just picked up the Madstad products by the way. Nothing bad to say about F4 Customs, but these screens are subjective to the rider, and, they work differently on different bikes. Things like handguards, etc., all affect wind flow and turbulence. I think that is one reason the Madstad worked so well on the 2009 GS. It is very adjustable for both height and angle, plus, there are 3-4 different windscreen heights available to help optimize the performance for the rider. Note that I took a BMW R12S with a Madstad adjustable screen out for a test ride several years ago. I couldn't make that screen work well for me at any setting with respect to buffeting and wind noise. On the other hand, the BMW water cooled R12GS, with its small but height/angle adjustable stock screen provided clean, turbulence free air for me at six foot height...In any case, you should be able to improve the wind protection on the F3S markedly.

ISCI is a custom fab machine shop company that has been making a very well done (but $$$) handbrake kit for Spyders since the original Spyder RS/GS came out. They still have these "bolt on" kits for nearly all Spyders, included the F3 series. Here is the link: https://isciride.com/products/hand-brake-system/

I installed one of the ISCI floorboard kits on the 2009 GS, primarily to help my son who wears a prosthetic left leg, ride the bike more safely. The quality of the ISCI products, including how it is packaged and shipped, is impeccable. I have never seen such attention to detail! I have heard nothing but good things on their handbrake kits, but have not seen one first hand. I would like to have one on both bikes but the $$$ keeps me from this. Why CanAm can't see fit to provide this from the factory is beyond me. To me the Spyder is more like riding a snowmobile (which Can Am makes by the thousands) than any other type of vehicle. Haven't seen a snowmobile yet that relies on a foot brake...Just rolling the Spyder around, or loading/unloading on a trailer illustrates how useful the handbrake could be.

There are several good posts throughout the years on Spyderlovers that feature hand brake upgrades that the owners have engineered, and most of these are very well thought out and done, and, and a huge savings over the ISCI kit. But one has to have the time and ability for this. Not being retired, I barely have time to ride and maintain the bikes.

Here are a couple of links from a few years ago that have good information on owner engineered handbrakes. Note that these links have more links within, so can be a good source of information and understanding of how these hand brake kits work in conjunction with the factory braking system.
Link: https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...SCI-Hand-Brake And another link: https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...rake&p=1232376 And with searching there are more. With your work on rebuilding vintage racers, you have a headstart in this area.

On the Suzuki GSXR1100-based racer, I believe that's the older air cooled I-4 motor. My brother has built one of his open class hillclimb bikes on that motor, and also has built from scratch, a really nice GSXR600 (water cooled, later generation motor). The 1100 is a beast power wise. He has replaced the GSXR600 with a GSXR750 (its a "big bore" 600)...which is much faster/more powerful than the 600 and nearly as fast as the 1100. These are really good engines that see use in midget race cars, hill climb, drag race, and of course road racing.

Have a great day,
Rod

[Deanna777]

Your town must be pretty big, LOL.

If I try to do that, I'd either go WAY over the speed limit or lug the engine, neither of which is good for my wallet ....

Peacekeeper,

My town is medium size.

I was only making a suggestion.

Deanna

[rich46]

Hi Rod,
Thanks for all the information. I looked at the links fro the front brake set-up and for the most part they look to be easy enough to put together. My problem is much like yours in that I can do the work but with out the time. I would prefer a hand brake and my wife really wants one so I may just fork up the money for the kit and be done with it. When it comes to windshields I need to look into those a wee bit more. I have a screen sponsor (can't say names because they wouldn't want people calling for deals) that does make ones for the Spyders but I don't know how well they work so I'll shop around.

As to your question about the Suzuki at the Isle of Man. That bike as I said is a 1992 the 750/1100 W's were the first water cooled GSXR's we picked that model because for some sanctioning bodies the bikes needed to be from that time period to compete. These early water pumpers are not the best engines without extra work. Bike handled well but was down on power. That motorbike has now been set aside and will only be raced in the new Mexican street races that were started last year. The Mexican organizer has put together a double event with both a Road Race and a Hill Climb so it is a pretty fun few days.

Cheers, Rich