Love the semi automatic transmission

[Casher50]

Before I bought my new RTS I was not sure I would like the semi-automatic transmission, but I love it. It gives me the control of a standard transmission without messing with a clutch. Who ever came up with this transmission instead of a standard or a fully automatic transmission should be given a large raise. Who else out there loves it also?

[ARtraveler]

Four out of five of my 's have been the SE. Need I say more?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

When I bought my first Spyder ( a GS ) back in 09, I had a choice of transmissions .... I was leery of the SE because Honda had one a ways back and I wasn't impressed ....So I chose the tried and true Manual .... I'm sorry I made that choice .... the BRP - SE trans is everything I ever wanted and more ....could it be made to shift a little quicker, I hope they try ...... Mike

[JerryB]

Hi Casher50,

Re: Who else out there loves it also?

I would not say that I 'loved it' but I am damm glad that I bought mine with it.

Jerry Baumchen

[oldguyinTX]

Add me to the "SE" party too. After an industrial accident in 1988, my left hand ain't what it used to be. But I can shift an SE just fine. And Mike, I remember those Honda transmissions. They were pretty buggered up weren't they?

[DGoebel]

AMEN and AMEN to that, I just wish we didn't have 12 inches of snow today, I'm WAY behind my annual mileage goals.

[missouriboy]

I love the SE too, my arthritic hands just couldn't deal with holding in a clutch any more. I just wish my particular vehicle didn't upshift so damn lousy half the time. (OLD Spyder shifted real sweet, just like it should.)

[d.o.spyder-rts]

I love the se trans also. I'm on my second. One of my considerations when I bought my first RT-S was that trans. It would be easier for my wife to drive it in an emergency. Dale

[Chupaca]

Glad you like it and it is all you want it to be but not to be one sided I love my manual and would never give up the control you have with it...

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Add me to the "SE" party too. After an industrial accident in 1988, my left hand ain't what it used to be. But I can shift an SE just fine. And Mike, I remember those Honda transmissions. They were pretty buggered up weren't they?

When you consider what Honda has accomplished over time ....... That wasn't one of their shinning moments ................Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Glad you like it and it is all you want it to be but not to be one sided I love my manual and would never give up the control you have with it...

The only thing I can think of is ....you can slip the clutch and we can't .......... not really much of a loss ....at least not when you consider what we've gained ,IMHO .... Mike

[Chupaca]

The only thing I can think of is ....you can slip the clutch and we can't .......... not really much of a loss ....at least not when you consider what we've gained ,IMHO .... Mike

Being able to slip the clutch has saved our butts in several occasions. Being able to pull in the clutch and coast the short shots or shift to neutral for the downhill has gotten us the extra mile to the filling station. Being able to push start when you have a battery or starter issue is a plus. Being able to put it in gear so as not to have it roll away is nice even when park brake fails. Being able to blip between shifts to clear the exhaust and avoid backfiring and of course there is the whole fooling the nanny in those fun twisting uphill downhill corners on the back roads. But hey it's all in getting the most out of it. Not a fan of the push button world taking the fun and skill out of things. Not to worry here in America it is dying anyway and soon all vehicles will be autopilot or push button..

[Mad Mac]

Since I have to wear a brace on my Lt. foot/leg, having the "paddle" shifter is my savior, if I want to ride a M/C of any type. So yes I'm happy for it. Mac

[Motorcycledave]

I just wish that along with the SE they would make a hand brake like ISCI has
standard on all Spyders

Before I bought my new RTS I was not sure I would like the semi-automatic transmission, but I love it. It gives me the control of a standard transmission without messing with a clutch. Who ever came up with this transmission instead of a standard or a fully automatic transmission should be given a large raise. Who else out there loves it also?

[Little Blue]

YES, For me (SE Trans) is the only way to GO. As the body get old some things need HELP.

[RinconRyder]

I bought my SE for the wife. She can drive a stick car just fine but has never driven a motorcycle with a hand clutch and at the time we bought it she was recovering from a broken left arm (so I didn't know just how much strength she would have eventually). She likes it just fine. I can't stand it. Not only is the paddle difficult to reach downshifting but the damn Spyder sounds like a Harley with every shift (LOUD THUNK) unless you hit the revs just right. If it were my bike I would have bought an SM.

[Raprider]

I'm enjoying the SE so far...part of yesterday's ride took us on a couple of particularly steep/twisty/rough-surfaced roads and I was very comfortably shifting between 2&3 and not having the jerky feeling I used to get from my manual that would often make me feel more than a bit unsettled on these types of roads.

I find the SE to be very quick-shifting up and down, much smoother as well...SO has not helmet-bonked me once...yet!

On the flip side...
I do miss the occasional free-wheeling just so I could let my throttle hand relax, but have started to use the cruise con for this...and have been leaving it in the switched-on position.

I mainly wish the paddle could be adjusted somewhat to fit my small hand a bit more comfortably...I am finding my left thumb gets a bit crampy and I'm using a thumb-over grip periodically. I've also been experimenting with flicking the up-shifts with my index finger.

[Casher50]

I just wish that along with the SE they would make a hand brake like ISCI has
standard on all Spyders

I had a hand brake installed before I bought my RTS. It helps a lot because my numb diabetic feet make using a foot brake difficult. Maybe that is another reason I love the SE transmission. I don't have to shift gears with my left foot.

[Bob Denman]

I'm "Happi9er than a Pig in fresh poop"; with the three "ESSIES" that I've owned!

Smiling Pig.jpg

[fjray]

The sissy shift trans is one of the few things I miss from the spider. If I could afford a new wing it would be the DCT version. That would be the best of both worlds.

[ruralgirl]

I'm "Happi9er than a Pig in fresh poop"; with the three "ESSIES" that I've owned!

There ya go, another undeserved maligning of an innocent species! Pigs don't love to live in poop, fresh or stale, any more than we do! On behalf of misunderstood porcines everywhere, I (we) demand a retraction!

But I too love, love, LOVE my SE6! I'd have bought a manual, but the only model they were selling at $6K off retail was the one I bought. Considering the nearly nonstop, ever increasing pain in my left foot from a horse wreck many years ago, I'm doubly glad now that that foot can just sit there idly enjoying the ryde.

[missouriboy]

There ya go, another undeserved maligning of an innocent species!

And here's another one, a comment someone posted about that "swamp" that needs to be "drained"... "I find it necessary to point out that a swamp is part of a healthy ecosystem that recycles nature’s waste. We really need to refer to Trump’s Washington as a sewer, which requires significant added energy to clean up. Swamps everywhere are insulted."
I thought that was deeee-licious!

[Casher50]

I'm enjoying the SE so far...part of yesterday's ride took us on a couple of particularly steep/twisty/rough-surfaced roads and I was very comfortably shifting between 2&3 and not having the jerky feeling I used to get from my manual that would often make me feel more than a bit unsettled on these types of roads.

I find the SE to be very quick-shifting up and down, much smoother as well...SO has not helmet-bonked me once...yet!

On the flip side...
I do miss the occasional free-wheeling just so I could let my throttle hand relax, but have started to use the cruise con for this...and have been leaving it in the switched-on position.

I mainly wish the paddle could be adjusted somewhat to fit my small hand a bit more comfortably...I am finding my left thumb gets a bit crampy and I'm using a thumb-over grip periodically. I've also been experimenting with flicking the up-shifts with my index finger.

I recently had a similar experience. I was riding with a friend (he was riding a Honda 1100 Shadow) and we got behind a dump truck on a very steep hilly road. I was actually enjoying going from fourth to third to second to first (doing my own down shifting) and back again. As the truck labored up and down the hills. My friend was not having a similar good time, however.

[Tnpapa]

My left foot and a lawnboy mower had an encounter and though I can do the manual transmission the se is heaven on earth. Between my 13 rs that I traded for my 15 RTS I have over 23,000 happy riding miles.

[sandeejs]

Before I bought my new RTS I was not sure I would like the semi-automatic transmission, but I love it. It gives me the control of a standard transmission without messing with a clutch. Who ever came up with this transmission instead of a standard or a fully automatic transmission should be given a large raise. Who else out there loves it also?

I LOVE the semi-automatic. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Hitting the clutch would give me an ongoing pain in my toes. I fixed it by wearing steel toed boots and shoes. Now, with my beautiful 2016 RT Limited, all I have to do is tap that paddle. I can wear my hightop gym shoes, or whatever boots I feel like. Sometimes I miss the paddle, and beep the horn. Like the Road Runner......LOL!
~Sandee~