[Stryke Force One]

Hello fellow Stryker owners....my research has commenced after visiting my Star Dealer on Saturday. My girlfriend and I checked out the Stryker (a Blue one and a Orange-ish color one. They had a black one too..but I heard black was the slowest color (not sure if that is true or not. )

I liked it. Felt good on it, moved easily. The dealer has a demo bike I am going to ride this week. I currently ride a Vulcan 900 Classic, which is a great bike for what I use it for, mainly commuting (a whopping 2 miles to work) and other little things. (I need saddlebags really).

But I am wanting something with a little more pizazz and flair and just some downright bada$$-ness....I was looking at a Dyna Fatbob which is a really nice machine, but the price would probably be about $7k MORE than the Stryker. I can do it, but just don't know if I need that little badge that says "HD" on the side. I do enjoy motorcycles no matter where they are built, assembled, created, dreamed up, or from another galaxy (although Warp Drive would be cool).

So I have been reading this forum (thanks to each of you by the way). Been reading about the different heights of people who ride, I am somewhere between 5'10" with the guys or a stretch to 5'11 to the ladies... (Ok I copied that from a magazine.lol) and about 195lbs

Anyway, I am looking for riding feedback, comfort, vibrations, and overall general feelings about the Stryker. Are you glad you bought it? Would you do it again? For those that have had theirs for a little bit, what is the general feelings toward the bike. My girlfriend and i each own motorcycles. So I am not worried about riding 2 up. Just me, and being able to ride more than 50 miles before my butt goes numb (yeah I had to get a new saddle for my Vulcan the stock seat put my butt to sleep).

Anyway...(oops said that already)....but your feedback would be great. Thanks....Hopefully if the ride goes well I can decide if I want to go the Stryker route or not. There is the mighty Raider...but do I seriously need a mega cubic inch monster Motorcycle? Yes of course I do! I just don't see the point of it at this point. This motorcycle (Stryker) will be my second bike.

Be gentle ladies and gents (I looked at all the pictures so I know what you all ride!)....I'm a car guy converting to the motorcycle realm and I like what I see thus far.

Later.
Doug

 

[richard3]

Got rid of my 900 custom for the stryker, 100% happy, No high rpms, comfort is awesome, great investment for me, this bike is awesome, also checked out the dyna and the roadking, didn t want to pay that price, good luck with your decision....

 

[kcl-labrat]

i had a deposit on a wide glide sedona orange until i saw the raven stryker in person and boy am i glad with my decision.

whatever choice you make welcome to the forum

 

[strykenshane]

I sold a VTX 1300 and test rode all the Harleys and Victorys untill I found the Stryker. By far this is the best bike for the money and the mods are endless.

 

[venjurak]

I gave my impressions on the Stryker about a week ago. Here is my review so far. I hope this will give you some info you want....

The fuel injection of the bike is really nice. No longer will I have to wait 3 -5 minutes for my bike to warm up on cold mornings, just start it up and go. The throttle is really touchy because of the fuel injection and I have had to get adjusted to this. The bike has a 1304cc 80ci v-twin engine. The bike accelerates strong, better than my old VTX which was 60lbs heavier with everything I had on it. Stryker has more torque than the Fury and 10.3 more HP than the Fury. The Stryker is geared tall. Cruising around at 30 mph in town while in second gear and it seems like you are lugging the engine. I was doing 55-60 in 4th and the bike still did not seem like it needed to shift into 5th. Also, the engine surges a little bit while at low speeds. I have found out this is due to the oxygen sensor on it and it being tuned lean for EPA regulations. I found a fix of splicing a resistor from RadioShack in the O2 sensor wire that supposidly takes care of the problem. I will have to try this sometime later. Shifting into 1st and 2nd is a bit clunky but so was my VTX. The seating position is comfortable for me. I am 6 foot tall and the seat height is about 1 inch lower than my old VTX. Some people have said that the seat is too hard and maybe I just have not ridden far enough on it yet, but sof far I have no complaints about the seat. Handlebars are pulled back at a comfortable position leaving a slight bend in my elbows and almost no noticable vibration from them. Instrumentation is easy to read with a lot of nice bells and whistles. Digital gas guage, clock, engine diagnostics, self-cancelling turn signals, dash light adjustment, etc. LED Taillight and Turn Signals with clear lenses are a nice touch also. Ride is very nice and smooth although I will probably have to stiffen up the rear shock a few settings. Wide 210 rear tire makes the bike stable along with the extra 1.4 gallon tank under the seat gives the bike a low center of gravity. Top tank holds 3 gallons. Bike manuvers well but low speed manuvers will take a little practice since it has a 40 degree rake. Belt drive is very responsive. Mechanic said I would have to adjust the belt tension after about 1000 miles, then I should not have to touch it again. It uses a carbon fiber belt which he said should last me 80,000-100,000 miles before needing replaced. Passenger pegs seem just a little high so I might have to get the peg relocation kit and move them down and forward a bit to give my wife some more leg room. Since back seat slopes down the fender slightly, my wife said she felt like she was sliding off the rear of the bike so I got the Star backrest alsong with the luggage rack for my T-bag. She said it is much nicer now that she can lean back and not have any fear of falling off the back. So far I am very pleased with it.

 

[Stryke Force One]

Excellent write up Venjurak thanks thats what I was wondering that is helping me. I didn't know it had self canceling turn signals...thats nice.

StrykenShane - thats really good to know. I like the Victory motorcycles and felt very good on a Vegas never ridden one though. Thanks. I was going to check out the HD's cause i really like the WideGlide and Fatbob. But they are nearly 5-6K more out the door.

KCL - thats is REALLY good to know. Thanks.

Richard you know where I am coming from then. 8)

Thanks guys. I am hoping to go ride it tomorrow. I probably won't get one this year, but most likely next year. But I never rule anything out either.

I do KNOW I want either the blue or the Orange.

 

[echopee]

I gave my impressions on the Stryker about a week ago. Here is my review so far. I hope this will give you some info you want....

The fuel injection of the bike is really nice. No longer will I have to wait 3 -5 minutes for my bike to warm up on cold mornings, just start it up and go. The throttle is really touchy because of the fuel injection and I have had to get adjusted to this. The bike has a 1304cc 80ci v-twin engine. The bike accelerates strong, better than my old VTX which was 60lbs heavier with everything I had on it. Stryker has more torque than the Fury and 10.3 more HP than the Fury. The Stryker is geared tall. Cruising around at 30 mph in town while in second gear and it seems like you are lugging the engine. I was doing 55-60 in 4th and the bike still did not seem like it needed to shift into 5th. Also, the engine surges a little bit while at low speeds. I have found out this is due to the oxygen sensor on it and it being tuned lean for EPA regulations. I found a fix of splicing a resistor from RadioShack in the O2 sensor wire that supposidly takes care of the problem. I will have to try this sometime later. Shifting into 1st and 2nd is a bit clunky but so was my VTX. The seating position is comfortable for me. I am 6 foot tall and the seat height is about 1 inch lower than my old VTX. Some people have said that the seat is too hard and maybe I just have not ridden far enough on it yet, but sof far I have no complaints about the seat. Handlebars are pulled back at a comfortable position leaving a slight bend in my elbows and almost no noticable vibration from them. Instrumentation is easy to read with a lot of nice bells and whistles. Digital gas guage, clock, engine diagnostics, self-cancelling turn signals, dash light adjustment, etc. LED Taillight and Turn Signals with clear lenses are a nice touch also. Ride is very nice and smooth although I will probably have to stiffen up the rear shock a few settings. Wide 210 rear tire makes the bike stable along with the extra 1.4 gallon tank under the seat gives the bike a low center of gravity. Top tank holds 3 gallons. Bike manuvers well but low speed manuvers will take a little practice since it has a 40 degree rake. Belt drive is very responsive. Mechanic said I would have to adjust the belt tension after about 1000 miles, then I should not have to touch it again. It uses a carbon fiber belt which he said should last me 80,000-100,000 miles before needing replaced. Passenger pegs seem just a little high so I might have to get the peg relocation kit and move them down and forward a bit to give my wife some more leg room. Since back seat slopes down the fender slightly, my wife said she felt like she was sliding off the rear of the bike so I got the Star backrest alsong with the luggage rack for my T-bag. She said it is much nicer now that she can lean back and not have any fear of falling off the back. So far I am very pleased with it.

It's interesting that Yamaha claims to know nothing about this surging issue to this date. I called them yesterday about this. My mechanic made my fuel richer by 6 points (whatever that means). This seams to have lessened the issue, but it's still there. The only other issue I have with this bike is clicking noise from the rear brake. This noise was there from 100 km and on. My mechanic replaced the pads (warrantee) but the noise returned within another 100 km. He will ask Yamaha for a new rotor.

I love the bike. I have the black one. I think it is what sets the Stryker apart from most other bikes, but that is just personal preference.