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

[rich46]

Hello Everyone,

Here in SF Bay Area of Left Coast. As of right now I am only looking into a Spyder. I have been riding bikes most of my life but only solos. I had a bad crash 18 months ago and I can't run up a lot of miles on these motorbikes. I like to do long distance things (spent almost 20 years doing competitive events like the Iron Butt) so I have been considering the Ryker version of the CanAm as a way to still be able to run up the miles with wind in my face and not need to stop every few miles to take a breather. Right now I'm good for 150 miles on a Sunday morning but after that I'm pretty much ready for a stop.

I thought this would be a good place to get some idea of what the world of the three wheeler was like. So here goes; I spent most of my life racing cars but always had a passion for motorbikes with they often being my main form of transport. When I stopped racing myself I started building customer cars and when I retired I turned to building road race bikes. My close friends are racing the vintage bikes that I have build at places all over the USA and we've also done the Manx Classic and the Phillip Island Classic plus the Daytona Vintage races held right after the 200. I tell you all this for two reasons. First I don't mind working on things to make them better and second even being an OLD FART I still have a major need tor speed.

So as part of letting you get an idea about me I am in hopes that you all might give me your thoughts on which Ryker I should be looking at and what improvements should I be considering to make the bloody thing work best. I will go with the 900 and I wont need more HP but I do want the thing to handle. The nice touring versions would not really be my cupa. I tend to pack light and my wife rides herself so no passengers.

I was most impressed with this forum so please let me know your thoughts, ideas and opinions both good and bad. Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Rich

[fredgal]

......

So as part of letting you get an idea about me I am in hopes that you all might give me your thoughts on which Ryker I should be looking at and what improvements should I be considering to make the bloody thing work best.
..........

F3 Model

[Piratezz]

Agree with fredgal, Opt for an F3s, much more suited for your needs, Ryker is more for offroad, and toying around a bit, no offense to the Ryker ryders, I think they are a blast, but for what the OP starter, says in the post, need for speed, and better handling, I would go for an F3 every day of the week, and twice on Sunday....

F3 outta the box, performs fairly well, best upgrades, see my signature, start with stiffer swaybar, then auto-tires, then shocks, and then if you really need the speed, pedal commander, and a ECU tune...
try to test drive em both, you'll see what I mean...

[Pirate]

I'd opt for the basic F3 and if your budget allows the F3S. Add ons in this order: BajaRon sway bar and end links, Pedal Commander, auto tires, shocks.

[hypurone]

So as part of letting you get an idea about me I am in hopes that you all might give me your thoughts on which Ryker I should be looking at and what improvements should I be considering to make the bloody thing work best. I will go with the 900 and I wont need more HP but I do want the thing to handle. The nice touring versions would not really be my cupa. I tend to pack light and my wife rides herself so no passengers.

I was most impressed with this forum so please let me know your thoughts, ideas and opinions both good and bad. Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Rich

We could have been brothers separated at birth! I have gnarly injuries from a near head-on then crash on my Ducati S4RS and no longer have enough core left to support a bike... As for what you should get, that is a personal choice and you should ride everything you can get on! I DO honestly think a Ryker will be "underwhelming" to you! I would steer you to the F3 Spyder. I'm in the far North/East Bay in Solano (Green Valley) and you can come and sit on mine for ergos and such, if ya want. Santa Rosa has a couple of them but the big selection will be at Elk Grove Power Sports!

[ARtraveler]

Ryker is pretty "bare bones" compared to the Spyder line up. Not as comfortable a ride as the F3 or RT.

If you can, I suggest test riding the different versions. A Can Am dealer should have all three. If you want to consistently do 150 milers, the F3 may be a better choice.

Only you can find that out by test rides.

[Saluda]

Welcome, love our RT.

[FrogmanDave]

You said you wanted a Ryker. Get the Ryker Rally. Built for in case you decide to venture off onto a gravel road.

[Deanna777]

Deanna

[ks4hcoach]

Hi Rich,
You should share some pictures of your classic road racing bikes. That sounds really cool!! My brother used to be serious into motorcycle hillclimbing but now runs a hillclimb and occasionally build a custom, nearly hand made hillclimb bike by lengthening and stretching, with custom long swingarm, a late model motocross frame with a modern engine like a GX1000 or GX750 Suzuki, or, long ago, a 1700+ cc HD bada@@ Sportster-powered hillclimber.

I have a 2021RTL and have had a 2009 Spyder GS, one of the original Spyders for six years or so. The RTL is nice, smooth, and comfortable, and handles better, by far than the 2009 GS did stock, before I put a Baja Ron sway bar, Vredestein tires, and good shocks on the GS. But the RTL doesn't sound like what you want for sportiness.

I spent a far amount of time riding a F3S that had a F4 windshield and rear hard bags added. The F3S was a blast to ride. Same engine as the 1330 triple in the RTL, but geared lower and lots sportier and quicker. Plus, it was comfortable enough to enjoy putting some miles on. The triple is smooth with great power and torque across a wide rpm range.

I haven't ridden a Ryker, but hear they handle very well and are quite sporty. They are also very small and don't have much storage relative to the F3 or RT series Spyders, plus have little to no wind protection stock. If you are tall guy, they may be a bit cramped too as they are small.

My biggest gripe would be the CVT belt transmission that the Rykers have. The CVT is simple and cheap...but it "decides" what the gear ratio is and not so much you. I have had ATVs with the CVT and didn't particularly care for them for the previous mentioned reason. Since you build custom vintage race bikes, I am betting that you like to shift gears. If so, keep that in mind when checking out the Ryker.

My "sporty" Spyder would be the F3S with some mods to improve handling and functionality, hands down, and one with the hand clutch and full manual 6 speed transmission would be at the top of this list.

Good luck with trying out the various Spyders that may fit your needs and safe riding. Welcome!

Rod

[rich46]

Hey All

Am sorry it took so long to get back with a big thank you all for your kindness. What a friendly forum. I will soon have time to pass along a good profile on what I'm about and some pic's of the race bikes from Phillips Island, Daytona, and the Isle of Man - all Vintage stuff,

Right now just thanks again.

Cheers
Rich

[KX5062]

Rich,

I agree a Spyder sounds more like your cuppa, rather than the Ryker. The F3 could do it, but the F3 is built around a Harley type of ride positioning, so if you like that type of body position, then that's it. If you prefer a more traditional motorcycle ride position, ie: ride on top with feet down, then there are other models out there. Most would be used, since new stuff has limited choices. You might like an older model with the old Aprilia L-twin engine, since that engine is racing derived it might float your boat. Let your fingers do some searching to see. RS, GS, RT, and more are all out there on the used market.

[rich46]

Hello to everyone,

After my first posts I was busy working on a few Racers for Laguna. When those were done I started working on all the good advise I was getting from the Forum. Got to see many models both new and used. Ryker and F3 mostly at the dealers in Santa Rosa and Elk Grove........................Now I have NO IDEA which model I would be happy with. As far as riding position I do like the Ryker except my butt hits the rear fender/rack .......or.........I do like the F 3 but not really the seating and it feels big and lumpy. I know that I want something I can throw around out on the coast early Sunday mornings but I also would want to be able to hop on and ride to LA for a Bike Show. I never ride two-up but I have a Wife who already has asked if she can ride in the commute lane if she needs to get someplace. WSo she does plan on being "borrowing" the CanAm from time to time. She does ride Solo's so she does get it.

So here's what I'm left with. Keeping in mind that I raced cars for many years and still build motorbikes (I have been known to; hummmmmmm push the limits on empty windy roads) so modifications are not a problem. So do I start with the Ryker and make it work better on windy tarmac and an occasional trip or do I go with the F 3 and make it more sport like with an altered seating position ?

I really loved the input so please help as I find myself in quite the quandary.

[UtahPete]

Hello to everyone,

After my first posts I was busy working on a few Racers for Laguna. When those were done I started working on all the good advise I was getting from the Forum. Got to see many models both new and used. Ryker and F3 mostly at the dealers in Santa Rosa and Elk Grove........................Now I have NO IDEA which model I would be happy with. As far as riding position I do like the Ryker except my butt hits the rear fender/rack .......or.........I do like the F 3 but not really the seating and it feels big and lumpy. I know that I want something I can throw around out on the coast early Sunday mornings but I also would want to be able to hop on and ride to LA for a Bike Show. I never ride two-up but I have a Wife who already has asked if she can ride in the commute lane if she needs to get someplace. WSo she does plan on being "borrowing" the CanAm from time to time. She does ride Solo's so she does get it.

So here's what I'm left with. Keeping in mind that I raced cars for many years and still build motorbikes (I have been known to; hummmmmmm push the limits on empty windy roads) so modifications are not a problem. So do I start with the Ryker and make it work better on windy tarmac and an occasional trip or do I go with the F 3 and make it more sport like with an altered seating position ?

I really loved the input so please help as I find myself in quite the quandary.

I think you would be making a big mistake not considering a pre-2014 RT, or even a GS. There are mods you can do to this to make it perform and handle superbly. The seating is very much like a sports touring bike, or you can sit in a more relaxed position with highway pegs. The Tri-axial handlebar option will give you a choice of positions also. Based on what you have said so far, the F3 seating is not going to work for you and the Ryker is just too small and sporty for much 2-up riding.

Where in the Bay Area are you? I've lived in Vallejo, Benicia and Pacifica.

By the way, the name of your thread is real important if you want to get meaningful responses. The fact that you're from the SF Bay Area isn't really relevant to your question, is it? But, the question of which Can-Am to get for your particular wants, needs, riding style, etc is. Ask the moderators to help you change the thread name. Good luck.

[GFrog]

I really loved the input so please help as I find myself in quite the quandary.

Check-out Martin the Vlogger, he owns a real mean F3S and 4 new customized Rykers. He has some really interesting videos. His F3S is one superbike of a Spyder. check this out: https://youtu.be/Umwh10cG6lg

This is main channel.
https://www.youtube.com/c/MartinTheVlogger/featured

[FrogmanDave]

Ryker and add the turbo kit. Hella fast!

[Peter Aawen]

.....

By the way, the name of your thread is real important if you want to get meaningful responses. The fact that you're from the SF Bay Area isn't really relevant to your question, is it? But, the question of which Can-Am to get for your particular wants, needs, riding style, etc is. Ask the moderators to help you change the thread name. Good luck.

Expanded the thread title a little - does that look good to you/help any Rich?

Drop me a PM if you want to change it.

[KX5062]

Hello to everyone,

After my first posts I was busy working on a few Racers for Laguna. When those were done I started working on all the good advise I was getting from the Forum. Got to see many models both new and used. Ryker and F3 mostly at the dealers in Santa Rosa and Elk Grove........................Now I have NO IDEA which model I would be happy with. As far as riding position I do like the Ryker except my butt hits the rear fender/rack .......or.........I do like the F 3 but not really the seating and it feels big and lumpy. I know that I want something I can throw around out on the coast early Sunday mornings but I also would want to be able to hop on and ride to LA for a Bike Show. I never ride two-up but I have a Wife who already has asked if she can ride in the commute lane if she needs to get someplace. WSo she does plan on being "borrowing" the CanAm from time to time. She does ride Solo's so she does get it.

So here's what I'm left with. Keeping in mind that I raced cars for many years and still build motorbikes (I have been known to; hummmmmmm push the limits on empty windy roads) so modifications are not a problem. So do I start with the Ryker and make it work better on windy tarmac and an occasional trip or do I go with the F 3 and make it more sport like with an altered seating position ?

I really loved the input so please help as I find myself in quite the quandary.

From what your describing, it sounds like the ST variant would be closest to your desires.

[ndf3lover]

Hello Everyone,

Here in SF Bay Area of Left Coast. As of right now I am only looking into a Spyder. I have been riding bikes most of my life but only solos. I had a bad crash 18 months ago and I can't run up a lot of miles on these motorbikes. I like to do long distance things (spent almost 20 years doing competitive events like the Iron Butt) so I have been considering the Ryker version of the CanAm as a way to still be able to run up the miles with wind in my face and not need to stop every few miles to take a breather. Right now I'm good for 150 miles on a Sunday morning but after that I'm pretty much ready for a stop.

I thought this would be a good place to get some idea of what the world of the three wheeler was like. So here goes; I spent most of my life racing cars but always had a passion for motorbikes with they often being my main form of transport. When I stopped racing myself I started building customer cars and when I retired I turned to building road race bikes. My close friends are racing the vintage bikes that I have build at places all over the USA and we've also done the Manx Classic and the Phillip Island Classic plus the Daytona Vintage races held right after the 200. I tell you all this for two reasons. First I don't mind working on things to make them better and second even being an OLD FART I still have a major need tor speed.

So as part of letting you get an idea about me I am in hopes that you all might give me your thoughts on which Ryker I should be looking at and what improvements should I be considering to make the bloody thing work best. I will go with the 900 and I wont need more HP but I do want the thing to handle. The nice touring versions would not really be my cupa. I tend to pack light and my wife rides herself so no passengers.

I was most impressed with this forum so please let me know your thoughts, ideas and opinions both good and bad. Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Rich

You should be looking at either an f3 or a RT. I would spent the extra money and buy the RT. I have a 2021 f3 now and I don't care for it. I've had 4 RT and love them

[hypurone]

So here's what I'm left with. Keeping in mind that I raced cars for many years and still build motorbikes (I have been known to; hummmmmmm push the limits on empty windy roads) so modifications are not a problem. So do I start with the Ryker and make it work better on windy tarmac and an occasional trip or do I go with the F 3 and make it more sport like with an altered seating position ?

I really loved the input so please help as I find myself in quite the quandary.

I have a custom seat on my F3S for just the same reason plus my injuries... Also, remember that you can change to foot rest position by getting a different length brake rod! If ya wanna drive up here you can sit on mine... I have modded mine quite a bit....

[Deanna777]

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

[rich46]

I really want to thank everyone who gave me their thoughts on my Ryker V's Spyder and which way to go. I had offers to go places and see how some of the choices felt and all kinds of options and thoughts.

I was lucky enough to get a chance to try out both machines. I also took along my wife, who is also a rider, and she likewise got rides on both. We ended up in Dublin, Ca. at the dealer talking with Stacy. We played with options and models accessories. So what we found is because of the supply problems, accessories are a loser unless we choose to come back to the dealer during the fall, because most bits are on B/O with delivery all over the calendar.. For us this turned out to be good fortune as there are all kinds of aftermarket suppliers and the prices for what we would want are much lower the OEM stuff. Being a retired mechanic, installation is no problem - so it turned out well for us.

So next week we pick up our Spyder F-3 S no extras and thank you all! Will be in touch.

Cheers

[UtahPete]

What year?

[rich46]

2022 after wife rode it, it was all but a done deal.

[rich46]

Here are some vintage race pics