North Central Florida man needs help from someone with BUDS

I live in Ocala Florida. I have a 2011 Spyder RS SE5. It quit shifting and I can't figure out why. Nearest dealer that will work on it is 80 miles away and they want around $200 an hour to diagnose the problem. I'm willing to pay someone to work on it but I can't afford to pay them $200 an hour. I've been on disability with a bad ticker since 2015. I'm hoping to find someone within a couple hundred miles with the BUDS stuff. I reached out to a member in Southern Florida but so far, they haven't replied.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ing-schematics

Get the proper maintenance manual for the year and model. Not the Owner's Manual, the Shop Manual, which has the specific procedures for almost all mechanical, electrical, and other problems. The Shop Manual is expensive, but not compared to an hour at the dealership.

Find the trouble shooting section for your problem and go through all the potential problems that cause the malfunction. The manual has many pictures of the parts affected, and how to correct them.

You don't have to be a factory mechanic to work on anything. If you can read a manual and turn a wrench, you can fix just about anything there is.

A lot of working on machinery is just a matter of confidence in yourself. The more you do it, the more confidence you gain.

You will probably be better off doing the job yourself, because the dealerships often create as many problems as they solve.

I have been working on my own motorcycles all my life, and the Spyder for the last 4 years. Never ran into a problem on it so far that meant that BUDS was even needed. It is not required for most problems you will be fixing. A Multimeter and a 12-volt test light will usually be enough.

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Originally Posted by Gwolf

Get the proper maintenance manual for the year and model. Not the Owner's Manual, the Shop Manual, which has the specific procedures for almost all mechanical, electrical, and other problems. The Shop Manual is expensive, but not compared to an hour at the dealership.

Find the trouble shooting section for your problem and go through all the potential problems that cause the malfunction. The manual has many pictures of the parts affected, and how to correct them.

You don't have to be a factory mechanic to work on anything. If you can read a manual and turn a wrench, you can fix just about anything there is.

A lot of working on machinery is just a matter of confidence in yourself. The more you do it, the more confidence you gain.

You will probably be better off doing the job yourself, because the dealerships often create as many problems as they solve.

I have been working on my own motorcycles all my life, and the Spyder for the last 4 years. Never ran into a problem on it so far that meant that BUDS was even needed. It is not required for most problems you will be fixing. A Multimeter and a 12-volt test light will usually be enough.

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I've been twisting a wrench since I was a little bitty dude. I learned the basics of how an internal combustion engine works in Job Corps. Worked as an apprentice mechanic in a lumber yard before I joined the service. Working on cars became a hobby only after that. I purchased a shop manual Some if not all of the procedures for troubleshooting shifting problems require BUDS. I checked all the fuses first. They were all good. I removed the gear shifting rod from the gear shifting lever and got the transmission to shift. That showed me the problem was in the shifting system, not the transmission. I replaced the paddle shifter by tracing the wiring harness to where it plugs in, unplugging it and plugging a new one in. I didn't mention my LCD display doesn't display anything. I can't retrieve any codes that might point me in the right direction. The TCM controls the HCM. I was an electronics technician in the Navy but that was 40 years ago. The electronics on these bikes require someone with a lot more knowledge than me to troubleshoot.

I'm in Lake Placid, about 150 miles, have BUDS.

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Originally Posted by Gwolf

Get the proper maintenance manual for the year and model. Not the Owner's Manual, the Shop Manual, which has the specific procedures for almost all mechanical, electrical, and other problems. The Shop Manual is expensive, but not compared to an hour at the dealership.

Find the trouble shooting section for your problem and go through all the potential problems that cause the malfunction. The manual has many pictures of the parts affected, and how to correct them.

You don't have to be a factory mechanic to work on anything. If you can read a manual and turn a wrench, you can fix just about anything there is.

A lot of working on machinery is just a matter of confidence in yourself. The more you do it, the more confidence you gain.

You will probably be better off doing the job yourself, because the dealerships often create as many problems as they solve.

I have been working on my own motorcycles all my life, and the Spyder for the last 4 years. Never ran into a problem on it so far that meant that BUDS was even needed. It is not required for most problems you will be fixing. A Multimeter and a 12-volt test light will usually be enough.

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I generally agree with you, but sometimes you do need BUDS. I needed BUDS to fix problems on both my Ryker and Spyder. The Ryker had a bad SAS (Steering Angle Sensor) and BUDS was necessary to both diagnose the problem and calibrate the replacement. The Yaw Sensor went bad on my Spyder, and BUDS was needed to reset the fault and calibrate the replacement sensor.

Good luck Cad, you're heading in the right direction, I hope you find your gremlin!!!:2thumbs:

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Originally Posted by DickB

I'm in Lake Placid, about 150 miles, have BUDS.

I generally agree with you, but sometimes you do need BUDS. I needed BUDS to fix problems on both my Ryker and Spyder. The Ryker had a bad SAS (Steering Angle Sensor) and BUDS was necessary to both diagnose the problem and calibrate the replacement. The Yaw Sensor went bad on my Spyder, and BUDS was needed to reset the fault and calibrate the replacement sensor.

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Sounds like DickB is offering help to Cadaverdog above.......I think.

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Originally Posted by Mikey

Good luck Cad, you're heading in the right direction, I hope you find your gremlin!!!:2thumbs:

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You and me both.

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Originally Posted by DickB

I'm in Lake Placid, about 150 miles, have BUDS.

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Since I don't like to count my chickens before they're hatched I can't do anything until my next disability check gets into my bank account on the 3rd. I have a truck but I'll have to rent a trailer. According to Google Maps it's 170 miles from my house to Lake Placid. Another member recommended I contact Kenny Butler in St Cloud which is 70 miles closer but there's no Kenny Butler on the members list. If I can't find anyone closer to help me when do you think it would be convenient for you to look at it? I have a lot of the panels and the part that houses the instrument panel off the bike now.

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Originally Posted by Cadaverdog

Since I don't like to count my chickens before they're hatched I can't do anything until my next disability check gets into my bank account on the 3rd. I have a truck but I'll have to rent a trailer. According to Google Maps it's 170 miles from my house to Lake Placid. Another member recommended I contact Kenny Butler in St Cloud which is 70 miles closer but there's no Kenny Butler on the members list. If I can't find anyone closer to help me when do you think it would be convenient for you to look at it? I have a lot of the panels and the part that houses the instrument panel off the bike now.

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I am willing to help. Send me a private message and we can exchange phone numbers. Who knows, I may just decide to take a ride up to Ocala!

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Originally Posted by DickB

I am willing to help. Send me a private message and we can exchange phone numbers. Who knows, I may just decide to take a ride up to Ocala!

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I just sent it. I'm still making payments on this thing. Right now caterpillars are climbing all over it getting ready to turn into moths. I piddle with it everyday but I'm basically dead in the water trying to figure out why it doesn't shift.

When I had a 2011 RT SE5, It started shifting funny and at the wrong times. It ended up being a bad battery. After the battery was replaced, it was back to normal.

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Originally Posted by SLemmons

When I had a 2011 RT SE5, It started shifting funny and at the wrong times. It ended up being a bad battery. After the battery was replaced, it was back to normal.

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I had the battery tested under load. It was fine but I charged it anyway. Reinstalled it. No change. I tried it with jumper cables hooked to my truck. No change. It's not shifting funny. It's not shifting period. But I'm tempted to buy a new one and check it out.

those two cylinders like oil make sure your tank is topped off

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Originally Posted by fatboy

those two cylinders like oil make sure your tank is topped off

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Sound advice. I check the oil before every ride. I keep it as close to the full mark as I can without overfilling it.

Well that might work if you do it Perfectly ..... However if you do it AFTER every ride - it will save time and gas and the engine WILL be up to proper Temp. .....Mike :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by BLUEKNIGHT911

Well that might work if you do it Perfectly ..... However if you do it AFTER every ride - it will save time and gas and the engine WILL be up to proper Temp. .....Mike :thumbup:

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I'm usually too burned out when I get home but I run it until the fan comes on when I warm it up. I have done it after I rode it and it was the same as it was before when I checked it before I rode it. I had to put a couple ounces in the first time but it's still just below the fill mark every time I've checked it since then. I usually only ride it about 80 miles round trip unless I'm going to Daytona for an event there.

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Originally Posted by Cadaverdog

I'm usually too burned out when I get home but I run it until the fan comes on when I warm it up. I have done it after I rode it and it was the same as it was before when I checked it before I rode it. I had to put a couple ounces in the first time but it's still just below the fill mark every time I've checked it since then. I usually only ride it about 80 miles round trip unless I'm going to Daytona for an event there.

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Well the fan has a thermostat that registered what the Temp is in the radiator ..... and has nothing to do with the Temp of the engine or oil !!! ..... It's your Spyder do what makes you happy ......Mike :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by BLUEKNIGHT911

Well the fan has a thermostat that registered what the Temp is in the radiator ..... and has nothing to do with the Temp of the engine or oil !!! ..... It's your Spyder do what makes you happy ......Mike :thumbup:

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The fan is control by the coolant temperature sensor in the engine. The radiator has no sensors in it.