I rode my 2015 Raider from Miami to Eastern Oklahoma. Taking frequent stops and two naps , and it's a great bike. I could only hope that Yamaha would make a next generation of the Raider with a 6th gear , even bigger motor, and bigger gas tank . I'd bike that bike immediately Love the style Love the performance.
mines an 09 and I love it. Yamaha could work on the stock seat a bit, and aftermarket is getting dry, but i love tearing up the mountain roads in wyoming!
Weighs 110 lbs more than my '99 TC88 FXDL with 200+ miles range. I get why people don't want a Harley, there's always something that needs sorting and it's all part of the experience finding out how much it's going to cost to fix. Then you find out how much an exhaust is on the Yamaha and the fun stops right there.
Raider still outperforms in every other way, though. Engine was way ahead of its time as well. There's little to nothing to customize because it's too good straight from the factory. Whether that's good or bad is personal preference.
@@tom23245I would 100% agree. HD is just catching up to this motor. You still can't beat the performance and price, nor the exclusivity. Nothing better than not seeing your bike on every corner, but still getting the stares, compliments, and "what is it" question.
I loved your comparison with Joe Peshi. Never had bike for so long. I'm not ready to sell it. 2017 was the last year. Is it true that Yamaha came back with the 2023 ?
Is the air cooled less or more maintenance than a liquid cooled one? How does this compare to a vtx1800 which is adored by millions. Thanks for the crisp and great review.
It’s less maintenance, then liquid cooled, but you do have to watch your engine temperature in the summer sitting at a light too long. I love the VTX 1800. It has great pull, the shaft drive does give you more power loss. But the radiator is very handy in the summer for sure.
@@tgmotorider.narratinglifeo3480 oh wow. That is good to know. I have a fjr1300 and maybe go with the vtx just for the liquid cooled and Honda reliability.
Just got my 09 raider 2 days ago for my first bike, i love it so far and i think it handles so great it really is a beginner bike as long as you have a decent throttle hand and are not too scared to ride it. I borrowed my friends 05 fat boy right after the msf class for a few days and i think the raider is much easier to control and handle.
