Review: The Can-Am Ryker... A Great Ride!

[BajaRon]

You are not only heavier than the average rider the Ryker was designed for, but taller, which is also a factor. I would definitely try one more notch on the front shocks just to see if that helps. You can always turn them back down if needed. I'd also try 20 psi in the front tires. Again, if you don't like it, set them back down. These are free 'Mods' and easily reversible.

Not to knock anyone's products. But the BRP upgrade sway bar is very weak. One reason is that they can't go too far without the danger of breaking the composite plastic end links. With your weight and height, a heavier sway bar would definitely make a big difference.

The steering damper was a good move.

Off road, or very bumpy roads, anything will tend to 'Hunt'. Generally, you should limit your efforts to correct for this because the machine will naturally try to come back on its own. If both of you trying to compensate, you may over correct and make things worse. I'm not there so I can't say if this is part of your problem. Just throwing it out there.

As Peter says, try to relax and let the machine do what it does best and only add input if needed. Once you get the hang of it, you'll have much more confidence in the machine and things will improve greatly.

 

[Raven]

What setting do you have the damper set at.
I have mine set on no.4 and it works for me.
Some have said the steering is heavier and it is a bit, but it is much smoother.
I find that I am cornering better because I am not putting in unwanted steering inputs.
Sometimes I would like more damping and sometimes less.
Now if someone would make one that you could adjust on the fly.:thumbup:

 

[BajaRon]

Is the steering damper friction or hydraulic. Friction dampeners are cheaper but give you the same resistance all the time which tends to make steering stiff. Hydraulic dampeners are progressive. Giving more resistance as the unwanted movement increases. This gives you both easy steering and great dampening. More expensive though.

 

[Raven]

Is the steering damper friction or hydraulic. Friction dampeners are cheaper but give you the same resistance all the time which tends to make steering stiff. Hydraulic dampeners are progressive. Giving more resistance as the unwanted movement increases. This gives you both easy steering and great dampening. More expensive though.

I believe the one from Ryker Mods is hydraulic.
The dampening is adjustable.
I have a bad right arm and had surgery on my left hand in June. (Paying now for a misspent youth)
All I can say for sure is that it made for a more enjoyable ride.

 

[BajaRon]

I believe the one from Ryker Mods is hydraulic.
The dampening is adjustable.
I have a bad right arm and had surgery on my left hand in June. ( Paying for a misspent youth)
All I can say for sure is that it made for a more enjoyable ride.

They are all adjustable. Doesn't mean it's hydraulic. But I think that it probably is. Just have not looked into it.

 

[nightfalcon]

They are all adjustable. Doesn't mean it's hydraulic. But I think that it probably is. Just have not looked into it.

Matris Steering Damper used by Ryker Mods...

• 16 “active” fully adjustable hydraulic damping options with calibrated holes and micrometric points of resistance and hardness.

• “Speed Sensitive” progressive hydraulic damping system.

• Piston-rod with PVD TIN (Titanium Nitride) treatment for optimal performance and durability.

 

[BajaRon]

Matris Steering Damper used by Ryker Mods...

• 16 “active” fully adjustable hydraulic damping options with calibrated holes and micrometric points of resistance and hardness.

• “Speed Sensitive” progressive hydraulic damping system.

• Piston-rod with PVD TIN (Titanium Nitride) treatment for optimal performance and durability.

View attachment 209971

Well! There you go! Nice!

 

[dgorila1]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I took a long ride last weekend on winding country roads down to Knotts Island, NC and the ride feels better with every mile. As suggested, it's a matter of getting used to 3 tires instead of 2, and the nuances of the Ryker. I am relaxing my arms and grip, which I know has helped greatly since originally driving it off the lot. Leaving for my trip to Western NC next week, so I'll get plenty of ride time and break in time on the Ryker! Can't wait to leave!

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[nightfalcon]

Modified my old Tiger XC paniers to fit the Rally. I am ditching the Pelican Cases for soft paniers to save some weight. Also, I fitted a Steering Damper using Ryker mod brackets. Saved a bit of cash buying the Matris damper separately from Aliexpress. I haven't had the chance to test it out yet, spring rain is upon us here in Kiwi land.

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[dgorila1]

Modified my old Tiger XC paniers to fit the Rally. I am ditching the Pelican Cases for soft paniers to save some weight. Also, I fitted a Steering Damper using Ryker mod brackets. Saved a bit of cash buying the Matris damper separately from Aliexpress. I haven't had the chance to test it out yet, spring rain is upon us here in Kiwi land. .....

Nice looking install! What brackets did you use to install the cases?

 

[nightfalcon]

Nice looking install! What brackets did you use to install the cases?

The brackets were off my old Triumph Tiger. I modified them to fit the Rally, here's some pics of them in development.

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Sling Mods sell a double panier & top box kit, but won't sell the brackets without the cases; as I already had cases, I made my own brackets. I have a build thread if you want to have a look

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/my-can-am-rally-adventure.1604761/

 

[greer]

Nice, nice set up. Let us know what you choose for the soft luggage.

Sarah

 

[Wetduc]

great to hear, I just put k&n filters on due to the right side looking really cruddy

 

[nightfalcon]

Nice, nice set up. Let us know what you choose for the soft luggage.

Sarah

Soft luggage turned up. The brand is called Rhinowalk. Seems robust enough and comes with an inner waterproof liner. Lots of extra straps for tying a sleeping bag or tent on. Fraction of the weight of the pelican cases.

 

[greer]

:thumbup: Ready to go!

Sarah

 

[nightfalcon]

Here is a video of me testing out the Ryker Mod Damper

 

[greer]

Subscribed!! Thanks, nightfalcon!

Sarah

p.s. Love the giggles, too :riding:

 

[broderp]

Not much chatter about the Ryker on this forum. Not a big surprise as this is primarily a Spyder site.

The Ryker has a number of limitations by design. But Fun, Fast, & Nimble aren't on that list. We purchased a brand new Rally in 2019 when they first came out. We pretty much had to because we wanted to see if we could improve suspension and handling. But the silver lining turned out to be a great ride and a lot of fun.

There isn't an easier vehicle on the planet to drive. Throttle, steering, and single brake are all you need to master. No upshifting or downshifting, you're always in the 'Right Gear'. There are NO GEARS at all with a CVT transmission. Which works flawlessly, other than a possible jerk or hesitation off the line until you get the hang of it.

Smooth! Smooth! Smooth! With smooth power transfer and a drive shaft that will never vibrate like the belt on a Spyder. No 'Red Dust of Death'. No Sprocket Alignment issues or worries about rocks.

We love our Ryker (which at the time is OOS due to stealing parts to get a customer's Ryker up and running quickly). I just thought I'd give this product a plug. It's not a Spyder, by any means. Wasn't meant to be. But it is a worthy ride and, for some, it is the perfect answer.

I own both and disagree with some of your points. I find the Spyder much more civilized, smooth and easier to ride. Not all Spyder's have severe vibration, sprocket alignment issues. I don't. The Spyder has progressive power steering as well, making steering so much easier. You shouldn't intermix rideability with serviceability. Both rides have their place and every rider's situation is different.

I also own a 2020 Kawasaki Z900 and love the riding experience of clutch and shifting. At least the Spyder has the ability to shift over the Ryker. In my book, always being "in the right gear" takes the fun out of riding. The Spyder out of the box is much more stable and comfortable as well. If you travel on the highway, the Spyder is also much better suited for that.

:cheers:

 

[BajaRon]

I own both and disagree with some of your points. I find the Spyder much more civilized, smooth and easier to ride. Not all Spyder's have severe vibration, sprocket alignment issues. I don't. The Spyder has progressive power steering as well, making steering so much easier. You shouldn't intermix rideability with serviceability. Both rides have their place and every rider's situation is different.

I also own a 2020 Kawasaki Z900 and love the riding experience of clutch and shifting. At least the Spyder has the ability to shift over the Ryker. In my book, always being "in the right gear" takes the fun out of riding. The Spyder out of the box is much more stable and comfortable as well. If you travel on the highway, the Spyder is also much better suited for that.

:cheers:

Everyone has personal preferences. My purpose was to highlight the advantages of the Ryker depending on those preferences. It sounds like your preference leans towards the Spyder. And that's fine. The Ryker appeals to a different set of preferences.

The Ryker also has some downsides, which I did not mention. I agree that the Spyder is a more civilized, sophisticated, and refined machine (at 2~3 times the price). But if you just want to jump on and go, the Ryker is great for that.

The Ryker has zero vibration. Regardless of how mild the belt vibration on your Spyder is. There is no Spyder with zero vibration. That's the point I was making because vibration seems to be very annoying to some.

I wasn't bashing the Spyder. Just highlighting the advantages of the Ryker for those who might be interested. Again, it is fun to shift at times. But the efficiency of a CVT and its ability to make the most of available HP is quite exhilarating.

I'm not sure why you say the Spyder is more stable. The Ryker has a lower center of gravity and a lower seating position. It is a very stable ride, and it doesn't lean or dive as much as the RT right out of the box. As for riding at speed, I've gone hours on the Freeway with our Ryker, and it does quite well in this regard. It isn't quite as cushy as a Spyder. But it is definitely no slouch either.

I'd respond to the 'Reliability/Serviceability' comment but I'm not sure what you're getting at there. The Ryker is generally easier to work on than the Spyder simply because it is a much less complicated machine. Though the belt replacement cuts into that a fair amount. With less to go wrong, I think it fair to say that the Ryker may well be a more reliable ride. Though I don't consider either to be 'Unreliable'.

 

[nightfalcon]

I own both and disagree with some of your points. I find the Spyder much more civilized, smooth and easier to ride. Not all Spyder's have severe vibration, sprocket alignment issues. I don't. The Spyder has progressive power steering as well, making steering so much easier. You shouldn't intermix rideability with serviceability. Both rides have their place and every rider's situation is different.

I also own a 2020 Kawasaki Z900 and love the riding experience of clutch and shifting. At least the Spyder has the ability to shift over the Ryker. In my book, always being "in the right gear" takes the fun out of riding. The Spyder out of the box is much more stable and comfortable as well. If you travel on the highway, the Spyder is also much better suited for that.

:cheers:

Comparing a 3 wheeler to a Z900 for the cornering and shifting experience has little, if any, relevance to either a Spyder or the Ryker; unless you like changing gears for the sake of it. :riding: