Scott,
I sure like the looks of the R3T. How does it compare to the Voyager as far as ease of handling at slow speeds, balance and engine heat? The seat height seems OK. Overall weight is less than the Voyager, maybe due to missing trunk and fairing. Also, I'm a little surprised at the size of the engine at almost 2300cc. It sounds huge compared to the Voyager 1700. Your thoughts and comparison other than what you've provided? Thanks.
The handling has pro's and cons.
My legs are short so that's what affects me the most.
I find the R3T to be a little more difficult to back into/out of a parking space.
It has a 32 deg rake, so moving slowly through a parking lot or gas station at walking speed takes a little more care.
The weight is a LOT lower though. On the Voyager I had to really steady myself while my wife got on the bike; if it leaned to much it took quite an effort to keep it from going down. The R3T is VERY easy to hold steady.
Overall I think the Voyager was a little easier to maneuver but the R3T is a lot easier to catch/hold if your footing isn't perfect.
Kawasaki really did a good job with the KAMS.
There is more heat on the R3T but it's not too bad unless your stuck in traffic for a while. My wife does complain about the heat on her right foot. It's really no worse than other big bikes I've ridden and it's WAY cooler than the big air cooled V-twins.
The KAMS system on the Voyager just does a really great job so the comparison is offset.
The power is something else.
You can ride it like a cruiser and lazily shift gears pulling that mass quickly up to speed without any strain, complaint or worry about downshifting....OR, you can give her the whip and outrun any naturally aspirated cruiser on the road.
The obvious trade offs are conveniences for style and power.
My biggest complaint of the R3T over the Voyager is the valves. The Rocket uses shim under bucket which are
scheduled to be adjusted at 20k. The Voyager uses hydraulic valves that don't require adjusting.
I enjoyed my Voyager and I'm happy with the 36k miles I had the privilege to put on it. But, I was ready to move on.
I've had the R3T for nearly 3 years and 20k miles. I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to move on unless it's an updated Rocket.
Like I said before, everyone should throw a leg over one at least once. It might just ruin you for other bikes.
Scott