Hello, I just bought a 2009 SE5, and just have some general questions about the transmission. First, do you have to let off the throttle while you are upshifting? I have tried it both ways, and it sure seems to smooth out the shifts if I let off and then hit the button. Second, how much shoud I be able to feel the transmission downshift? I live in Iowa and we still have a bit of garbage on the ground so I have been driving it around the neighborhood.So far I haven't even gotten the thing out of third gear. The downshift from 3rd to 2nd seems pretty loud, but then from 2nd to 1st, it is smooth. It has 12,000 miles on it, and I am hoping I did not buy a machine with problems in it already. How reliable are these electonic transmissions generally?
You don't have to let off the throttle to upshift; but some folks find that it's a bit smoother if you do.
Inconsistent backshifting?? I've not heard of that one! Run it a bit more to get a better feeling for what it's doing would be my best advice. My 2010 RT backshifts a bit "noticeabley", but at least they are all the same all of the time...
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2010 Blue RT Audio & Convenience model Se-5 transmision. Dealer-added foglights, accent LEDs and extra speakers. Some RTS chrome windshield, front spoiler and top trunk trim, RTS frunklight and frunk liner, Top Trunk liner, Chrome lower air deflector, fendertip LED bulbs and ISCI floorboards added by yours truly...
In my experience, if you are accelerating hard and running over 6,000RPM's, keep the throttle open and the shifts are smooth. If you are lugging the engine some with short shifts, then let off the throttle while shifting. IMHO, you want to avoid the shift resulting in the automatic clutch slipping during the shift change. The down shifts can seem a little loud as the computer seems to give the engine a squirt of gas to bring up the rev's to help smooth out the down shift.
If you run the engine to the rev limiter while shifting, then the shift will be really slow/long while the engine comes of the rev limiter. I did that once by accident. The engines are pretty bullet proof, don't be afraid to run it at higher RPM's. But your mileage will go down if running over 5,500RPMs alot.
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Dave
'11 RT Ltd.
Working on some custom LED lighting with an intelligent controller...
Don't forget Dave; our RTs are "throttle by wire", while he's still "cabled up" with the GS... That might affect how his bike reacts.
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2010 Blue RT Audio & Convenience model Se-5 transmision. Dealer-added foglights, accent LEDs and extra speakers. Some RTS chrome windshield, front spoiler and top trunk trim, RTS frunklight and frunk liner, Top Trunk liner, Chrome lower air deflector, fendertip LED bulbs and ISCI floorboards added by yours truly...
So last night I drove it up to the gas station (In 40 degree weather) to fill the tank. I managed to get it into 4th gear heading down the main drag. The shifting is noist in all the downshifts except 2nd to 1st. Its is sipposed to get up to 50ish tomorrow, so I may take it out on one of the four lanes where I can really get get into it. One odd thing...I thought these had a 6.6 gal fuel tank. My fuel warning light was on, and it took like 3.5 gallons to fill the thing. I hope the tank is larger than that, I don't want to have to stop every 100 miles to fill up while I'm driving cross country.
Fuel capacity and range has been; and always will be, an issue...
I've never had the fuel warning light pop on, but the most I've ever taken is a touch over 4.2 gallons...
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2010 Blue RT Audio & Convenience model Se-5 transmision. Dealer-added foglights, accent LEDs and extra speakers. Some RTS chrome windshield, front spoiler and top trunk trim, RTS frunklight and frunk liner, Top Trunk liner, Chrome lower air deflector, fendertip LED bulbs and ISCI floorboards added by yours truly...
I own a 09 SE5 which has about 20000 miles on it, the down shifting can be quite noisey
I have found that if the oil is a little low or old that the bike down shifts hard, also if I have been running it hard it can be a little bit quirkey with the tranny. I did have a problem with the clutch pack (was replaced by can-am) than they found out that the ground wire to the clutch was missing (6 dollar item) they installed the wire no more problems. you don't need to let off the throttle while shifting, if you try to shift like a clutched motorcycle it can be really jerky.
I have a 2008 GS SE5 with 4000km on it..I've found not letting off the throttle while shifting is actually smoother (I've tried it both ways), and I've also found shifting in the 4500-5000 RPM range to be the smoothest as the motor revs out more.My Spyder shifts better when warmed up in cooler weather as well..I hope this helps.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone, I actually took the bike out today and clocked 60 miles on it. It was 38F today, so I had my snowmobile gear on. I thought the shifting was better once warmed up, but still wondered if it should be smoother.When I got home I pulled the side panel off to check the oil level. It is not even registering on the dipstick.I do not have any warning lights, but I am going to try changing the oil and filter and see if it helps. What kind of oil do you fill these with? is it just standard engine oil?
Transmision Shifting
Run it a bit more to get a better feeling for what it's doing would be my best advice. My 2010 RT backshifts a bit "noticeabley", but at least they are all the same all of the time...
Linear Mode
