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I currently own a 2013 RT S and have had an absolute blast on it. I have ridden from MO to the mountains of Wyoming and the twisty roads of Arkansas. My question is more towards the new RT vs the F3 limited regarding handling. Do the F3s handle the twisties better than the new RT machines? I do like have the ability to haul my stuff for longer trips, but I would like a little better handling in the corners.
I have a 2017 f3 limited with m2 shocks front and rear,and just bought a 2021 rt limited. They both handle great,really liking the new rt
If the only concern is hauling more stuff occasionally, then a trailer is the most cost-effective solution.
We appreciate being able to haul stuff with us when we travel so we appreciate the luggage capacity of the RT. We can carry what we need for multi-week trips and still have room for the trinkets we manage to find along the way. For local day trips, both at home and wherever we might stay for a few days while touring, we can store our helmets in the RT's right side hard case. The F3 side cases are too small to accommodate our helmets. And although the rear trunk will, overall carrying capacity is less.
We've not spent any length of time on F3s but we can say that our RTs (2015 RT-S and 2021 RTL Sea to Sky) handle very nicely thanks to Baja Ron anti-sway bars. Disclaimer: we're not hot-rod riders; we're well into the senior citizen category but we still appreciate good handling.
If you don't have Baja Ron's sway bar, you might find that will improve your RT's handling noticeably and still retain your stuff hauling capacity.
Since you have ridden some of the AR twisties, let me tell you my story. :bowdown:
We moved to AR in May of 2019. Our rides at that time were both RT's. She had a 2011 RT A&C, and I had a 2014 RT-S. One a 998/twin and the other a 1330/triple. Both worked fine for us and we acclimated to the new digs quickly.
Late 2020 I got the bug for a new Spyder. Both of our rides were almost at 40K miles at the time. I shopped local....that did not work...no friendly deals. Went to iMotorsports and decided to give a 2019 F3L a try. Previous to this, I test sat them but did not like them. Sight unseen, and testing not done, I made a deal on the 2019 F3L. Everything negotiated by e-mail. They picked up my trade, delivered the new one to my door, and gave me a fair deal as well as the current rebate on one year old 19's. I did my research and got the u-fit system set up for me. Everything fit like a glove. My first impression of the AR twisties was a big WOW.
My impressions of the F3L compared to the RT. RT rides like a Gold Wing tourer. You sit on a couch and enjoy the plush ride. F3L rides like a LUXURY cruiser. Think Road King or similar. You sit IN and not ON the F3. Lower to the ground makes for more control through the twisties. Would I buy another one?
Well, we did. 2020 we decided to trade off 2014 Spyder. I made a second deal with iMoto. Not as good as the first, but acceptable. They picked up the trade (2014), delivered the new 2020 F3L in January of 2021. Once the deal was made in Dec of 20, we parked the 2014 and Linda rode my 2019 F3L. I got to put a couple thousand miles on my Vulcan 900 before retiring it. By the time of arrival of the new 20, Linda was already gung ho for the F3.
We traded from RT's to F3's and now prefer the ride of the F3's.
Although I like the handling of the F3 Limited (I have an F3T), the newer RT handles pretty good and has more amenities than the F3 Limited. For me, even the base RT would be my choice over the F3 Limited. I miss the adjustable windshield and having usable side bags and frunk. Yes, you get a spacious trunk on the F3Limited, but overall you will still have more usable space to carry stuff on the RT and especially the RT Limited. And the seating position on the newer RT versions is somewhere in between the F3 and older model RT versions. But only you can make the final decision. Good luck.
ARtraveler and blacklightning thank you for responses. Right now the RT suits me a little better storage wise because my son often rides with me and I have to pack his and my clothing and other necessities. He is 15 now so I am sure I am going to lose my passenger before too long, and won't need as much storage room. My thoughts were if they handled relatively the same I would keep my bike until she kicks the bucket, but if the F3 outperforms in the corners then I will likely be looking for an upgrade sooner rather than later.