Can-Am Ryker Rally Review

[Hugh Janus]

The Ryker Rally is Can-Am’s most aggressive three-wheeler. (Jeff Allen/)

Can-Am’s Ryker Rally is BRP’s most aggressive and capable three-wheeler. The Canadian company claims it’s much like a rally car all-road ready. Last time we rode a Can-Am Ryker Rally, we found it to be fun, but certainly limiting. Since our last ride in 2019, the Ryker Rally received updates in an attempt to be more dirtworthy. Or at least appear to be. Revisiting this three-wheeler, we wanted to know: Can the Ryker Rally rally?

The 2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally starts at $13,899. (Jeff Allen/)

For 2023, the Can-Am Ryker Rally ($13,899) utilizes the same 900cc inline-three Rotax Ace motor as before with a claimed 82 hp at 8,000 rpm and 58.3 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,500 rpm connected to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). But now, the 2023 Rally variant has upgraded KYB suspension, more ground clearance, rally wheels, all-road tires, a skid plate, bash bar, and hand guards. There are three available ride modes, Rally, Eco, and Standard, all of which feature safety equipment including TCS (Traction Control system), Stability Control System (SCS), and Antilock Brake System (ABS).

Remote reservoir four-position compression adjusters provided quick and noticeable changes to the suspension damping. (Jeff Allen/)

Its KYB HPG suspension has remote reservoir four-position compression damping, preload adjustment, and offers more than 7 inches of travel front and rear. Stopping forces are applied via a brake pedal at the right footpeg with an electronic brake distribution system evenly applying braking pressure to all three wheels. Up front is a pair of 16-inch aluminum wheels covering 270mm discs and Nissin twin-piston floating calipers. The 15-inch rear wheel utilizes a single 220mm disc and single-piston caliper. Coming off a two-wheeler, we found it odd not having a brake lever on the handlebar. But the component’s stopping power is strong and reassuring.

The rear shock provides remote reservoir four-position compression damping adjustment as well as preload adjustment. (Jeff Allen/)

Other updates include a pre-filter on the air intake, a higher seat with more padding, larger and lower footpegs, redesigned handlebar and hood, LED headlamp, and Akrapovič exhaust.

The 2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally comes equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust. (Jeff Allen/)

With no levers or shifters, the Can-Am Ryker Rally only requires a twist of the throttle to gain speed. The engine’s delivery offers a surge of power at any speed and the CVT adds to the vehicle’s ease of use. From a dead stop the power comes on strong; the engine is quick revving and because it doesn’t change gears like a conventional motorcycle, the speeds increase quickly without hesitation. Throttle response is direct and intuitive. Making minor throttle adjustments doesn’t result in any hiccups.

Turn and burn. The Ryker Rally is fully capable of controlled drifts—up to a point. (Jeff Allen/)

In Rally mode, TCS and SCS are the least intrusive allowing the rear tire to break loose for controlled slides. But if the system detects the slide to be too large or the vehicle is at risk of flipping, power will be cut to the rear wheel. Neither the TCS or SCS system can be fully turned off, but it’s for the best. Although it may feel like the slide is being cut short or limited by the safety equipment, things happen fast on three wheels and the electronic intervention acted as a saving grace numerous times. And that’s part of its charm. The Can-Am Ryker Rally is virtually dummy-proof. Unlike a dirt bike that requires a high skill level to throw roost and slide corners, the Ryker Rally can make most riders feel like a hero while mitigating the risk of crashing. No matter what, the Ryker Rally will deliver some big action without putting itself or the rider at risk.

Similar to a quad, initiating a slide on the Ryker Rally requires knifing the front end while simultaneously applying throttle. (Jeff Allen/)

On the pavement, the Can-Am Ryker Rally is difficult to maneuver. The steering is extremely heavy and quite strenuous. Understeer is inevitable. Unlike a two-wheeler, any direction change must be initiated through the handlebar. Carving up a twisty road is no easy feat. Muscling the machine from one corner to the next is not very rewarding on the Ryker Rally, just tiring. When the road is straight, the three-wheeler stays fairly planted, but requires a lot of microadjustments to maintain a straight line as the all-road tires tend to grab uneven surfaces and shimmy the bike from one side of the lane to the other.

Trying to muscle the Ryker through a paved corner is no easy task. And the higher the speeds, the more difficult it becomes. (Jeff Allen/)

In the dirt, the handling is the polar opposite. With less grip, the front tires are able to push and slide and help knife the front end toward the apex before lighting up the rear wheel to slide through the corner. Steering with the rear is the easiest way to hurry through a turn. And because of the safety net created by the electronic rider aids, it takes very little effort to achieve a controlled slide. Ironically, the reduced front-end grip off-road makes the Ryker Rally handle lighter off-road as it floats around the trail.

With less traction off-road, the Ryker’s handling is lighter and easier to steer. (Jeff Allen/)

The four-position compression damping remote reservoir allows for easy, tool-free adjustments. Hopping back and forth from dirt to pavement, suspension adjustment is just a few quick clicks away. Opening the compression damping up all the way (1) in the dirt creates a more supple ride and better bump absorption. Remarkably, the ride off-road is very comfortable and hardly ever jarring even on the roughest sections we encountered. But line choice is crucial. Staying out of the rough stuff will save your back, but a large rock or hole cannot always be avoided. The trickiest part of riding the Ryker Rally on rocky terrain is avoiding obstacles with both front wheels as well as the single rear wheel.

Can-Am fitted the Ryker Rally with double wishbone front suspension controlled by KYB HPG shocks. (Jeff Allen/)

Adjusting the KYB suspension components to their stiffest compression damping setting (4) on the pavement alleviated any unwanted body roll and maintained a more balanced chassis. The most challenging part of cornering the Can-Am Ryker Rally on the road is getting it to steer sharper. Stronger riders might be more successful muscling the handlebar inward, but it takes a serious effort to bend a cornering arc. Switching to Rally mode on the pavement to try and get the rear to step out and cut a sharper arc helped on tight corners. But on long sweepers, it’s literally you versus machine in an all-day arm wrestling match.

Stiffening up the suspension alleviates any body roll, but naturally the rider's weight is forced outside. (Jeff Allen/)

On both surfaces the brakes provide impressives stopping power. The system requires getting pretty deep in the pedal stroke, but nonetheless the Ryker Rally will stop on a dime. Can-Am fitted the Ryker Rally with a basic cruise control system that is easy to activate, but the system does not allow the rider to adjust their desired speed on the fly. If you want to increase or decrease your cruise control speed, the rider has to cancel the rider aid, get to the desired speed, and reset the cruise control.

What goes up must come down. Getting rodeo on the Ryker Rally. (Jeff Allen/)

To answer our original question, can the Ryker Rally really rally, yes, the revisions from the model we rode in 2019 has certainly made the Ryker Rally more capable off-road. If you have aspirations of matching Colin McRae’s Subaru, throwing roost and sliding corners, then the Rally is more capable than any trike has rights to. But to really determine the Ryker Rally’s off-road ability, we tested it against two proven dirt machines we had lying around the shop, Honda’s XR650L and Can-Am’s Defender XT HD10, in a head-to-head time trial to see where the three-wheeler stacks up.

The contestants: 2023 Honda XR650L, 2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally, 2016 Can-Am Defender XT HD10 (aka the Dirty Defender). (Jeff Allen/)

Rules are simple. The machine to complete one lap around our dry lake bed TT course with the fastest time would be deemed the most capable off-road machine of the trio. As the sun began to set, the first contestant would head to the line. Starting off on the XR650L, admittedly I was right at home. The Honda got off to a good start being the lightest machine in the test. Maximizing speed through turns is familiar. And before I knew it, I was rounding the final corner with the checkers in sight.

Ahhh! Lean angle: There is nothing like it. (Jeff Allen/)

Up next would be the Can-Am Defender SxS. I was probably most intimated by the four-wheeler simply due to the fact I haven’t spent much time in one and the Defender is not Can-Am’s sportiest rig. With its short and narrow wheelbase there’s always the concern of flipping when ripping through a corner. Threading a fine line, I was able to put down what felt like a quick lap time while keeping the Defender right side up.

Experiencing two wheels, three wheels, and four wheels back to back reveals the machines' few similarities, but mostly highlights their massive differences. (Jeff Allen/)

Finally, the Ryker was up. No lap times were discussed until after the race. So I had no idea where each vehicle stacked up. Ripping the throttle from a dead stop created some initial wheelspin but then it quickly regained traction and got up to speed. Although the Ryker was great on tight fire-road corners, on this time trial course the elevated speeds were more difficult on the three-wheeler. Charging into faster corners, I found it tough to keep momentum while also getting the Ryker to turn. A combination of understeer and electronic intervention sacrificed corner speed. When attempting to drift through long sweeping corners, the electronic interventions kick in and make the machine straighten out. Trying to rely on the front wheels to turn through a fast corner only generated understeer. The Ryker is more suited to cut and thrust rather than top speed powerslides.

On the dry lake TT course, the Ryker Rally struggled to cope with fast, long sweepers. Due to the elevated speeds, the SCS (Stability Control System) was constantly triggered when attempting to slide corners. (Jeff Allen/)

Our time trial course confirmed our assessment of the 2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally on the surfaces we rode prior to the race. The Ryker Rally does not cope well with fast, drawn-out corners. Tight, slow corners is where this three-wheeler excels. Reduce your entry speed, knife the front end toward the apex, smash the throttle, and powerslide through the exit. Unsurprisingly, the Honda XR650L clocked the fastest lap time on our mile-long course with a 1:36.9. The race for second was much closer, but the Can-Am Ryker Rally managed to edge out the Defender XT HD10 with a 1:49.5. Our Dirty Defender circulated the course the slowest with a 1:51.2.

Rounding the final corner. Asking the Ryker for everything it's got. (Jeff Allen/)

The 2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally exceeded our expectations and delivered on what the marketing effort promised: a three-wheeler that is off-road capable. Is it limiting? Of course. It will not keep up with an experienced rider or driver on two wheels or four. But that’s not the objective. The Ryker Rally is designed as an alternative option to traditional motorcycles and delivers a riding experience like nothing else. It offers a wholly different riding experience, one that is neither motorcycle or car, but an entertaining combination of both, albeit with some limitations of both as well. Whether you ride two wheels or four, don’t knock this three-wheeler until you try it, you may just (gasp!) like it.

Tight corners serve the Ryker Rally much better. (Jeff Allen/)
The 2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally retains the same digital dash we saw previously on the 2019 model. (Jeff Allen/)
The hood has a 7-liter storage compartment and the fuel tank capacity is 5.3 gallons. (Jeff Allen/)
Is the inside wheel on the ground? Because it doesn't feel like it. (Jeff Allen/)

Gearbox

Helmet: Arai XD4

Jacket: Alpinestars Tech-Air Valparaiso Drystar

Gloves: Alpinestars Chrome

Pants: Alpinestars Copper Denim

Boots: Alpinestars Corozal Adventure Drystar Oiled Leather

2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally Specs

MSRP:	$13,899
Engine:	Rotax 900 ACE liquid-cooled, inline-3
Displacement:	900cc
Bore x Stroke:	74.0 x 69.7mm
Compression Ratio:	N/A
Transmission/Final Drive:	CVT w/ reverse
Claimed Horsepower:	82.0 hp @ 8,000 rpm
Claimed Torque:	58.3 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm
Fuel System:	EFI
Clutch:	Automatic
Engine Management/Ignition:	N/A
Frame:	Steel
Front Suspension:	Double wishbone w/ KYB HPG, remote reservoir 4-position compression damping and preload adjustable; 7.3 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Multilink mono swingarm w/ KYB HPG, remote reservoir 4-position compression damping and preload adjustable; 7.1 in. travel
Front Brakes:	Nissin 2-piston floating calipers, 270mm discs
Rear Brake:	1-piston floating caliper, 220mm disc
Wheels, Front/Rear:	16 x 4.5 in. / 15 x 6.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	145/60R-16 / 205/55R-15
Rake/Trail:	N/A
Wheelbase:	67.3 in.
Ground Clearance:	4.8 in.
Seat Height:	26.6 in.
Fuel Capacity:	5.3 gal.
Average MPG:	31.6
Claimed Dry Weight:	668 lb.
Contact:	can-am.brp.com

Source

[Buckster]

One for @Sir Fallsalot to impress his TRF buddies with.

[boboneleg]

1 hour ago, Buckster said:

One for @Sir Fallsalot to impress his TRF buddies with.

I don't see that getting up many of our green lanes but it would be a right laugh on Salisbury Plain.

[Buckster]

1 hour ago, boboneleg said:

I don't see that getting up many of our green lanes but it would be a right laugh on Salisbury Plain.

Busa would do those green lanes no problem on that.

[Sir Fallsalot]

3 hours ago, Buckster said:

One for @Sir Fallsalot to impress his TRF buddies with.

May as well just get a quad

 

[Buckster]

17 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

May as well just get a quad

 

Then you can be like that legend @Marcel

[Sir Fallsalot]

8 minutes ago, Buckster said:

Then you can be like that legend @Marcel

Yes whats not to like all of the disadvantages of a car and a bike in one vehicle LOL

[Buckster]

Just now, Sir Fallsalot said:

Yes whats not to like all of the disadvantages of a car and a bike in one vehicle LOL

And you get sweet loving from Billy Bob.