RS-S SE5 with Slipping Transmission

[markmarks]

I have been noticing that occasionally my 2012 RS-S SE5 would shift between first and second slowly. When I took it in for its first service at 1,000 miles, the tech test drove it and said he did not notice any issues. Well today I was visiting the dealer for another reason and the tech agreed to take an extended ryde on the Spyder. Boy was I relieved when the tech returned from the ryde. He too experience the delayed shift. I have scheduled a service visit for next week so the tech can investigate the cause of the "slipping". Has anyone else had trouble with the transmission slipping? If so, what is causing this? Should I be worried about any damage caused by the slipping transmission?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Phil]

I've had delayed shifting on my SE5, but no idea if it is slipping. No idea on the cause. And, it's rare and random.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Warlock]

I have been noticing that occasionally my 2012 RS-S SE5 would shift between first and second slowly. When I took it in for its first service at 1,000 miles, the tech test drove it and said he did not notice any issues. Well today I was visiting the dealer for another reason and the tech agreed to take an extended ryde on the Spyder. Boy was I relieved when the tech returned from the ryde. He too experience the delayed shift. I have scheduled a service visit for next week so the tech can investigate the cause of the "slipping". Has anyone else had trouble with the transmission slipping? If so, what is causing this? Should I be worried about any damage caused by the slipping transmission?

Thanks in advance for any help!

I had put in the BRP blend oil in my wifes' 08 SE5 and man her's didn't like it at all. I drained it and went back to full syhthenic. Was using the Castrol full synthenic and will be switching to Amsoil next oil change. The blend will never go back in hers.
David

[bluestratos]

I just recently started noticing a delay from 1st to second if I shift below 4K and when it is cold it is worse. Be interesteing to see what others have to say about this. I have 9.5 k on the odometer now.

[Tazzel]

I see this only if I shift below 3200 or if the bike is cold

[NancysToy]

We need to clear up a few things here. First, the transmission cannot slip. Even with an SE you have a manual transmission (with an electric shift mechanism). The gears either mesh or they don't. The problem lies elsewhere. This is not like an automatic transmission with bands and a torque converter which can slip. A clutch can slip, though, but usually does so repeatedly. Also, hesitation during shifting is not like slipping, where the vehicle does not accelerate, but the engine speed does.

The most common cause of hesitation when shifting is shifting at too low an rpm. The Spyder should not be shifted below about 4,500 rpm for reliable shifting operation. There is an additional reason for this. If you shift too low, the engine will end up operating below the 3,200-3,500 rpm where the centrifugal clutch is locked up on an SE. This can result in clutch damage. The Spyder will hesitate to shift if you shift at even lower rpm, because it won't shift if the resulting rpm would make it automatically downshift again.

Before you report your problem to the dealer, make sure you are shifting above 4,000-4,500 rpm. Also be sure you are not backing off the throttle, but holding it steady or accelerating. Backing off can cause hesitation. If still having the problem, be sure to tell them that it is hesitating when shifting, not that the transmission is slipping.

[markmarks]

We need to clear up a few things here. First, the transmission cannot slip. Even with an SE you have a manual transmission (with an electric shift mechanism). The gears either mesh or they don't. The problem lies elsewhere. This is not like an automatic transmission with bands and a torque converter which can slip. A clutch can slip, though, but usually does so repeatedly. Also, hesitation during shifting is not like slipping, where the vehicle does not accelerate, but the engine speed does.

The most common cause of hesitation when shifting is shifting at too low an rpm. The Spyder should not be shifted below about 4,500 rpm for reliable shifting operation. There is an additional reason for this. If you shift too low, the engine will end up operating below the 3,200-3,500 rpm where the centrifugal clutch is locked up on an SE. This can result in clutch damage. The Spyder will hesitate to shift if you shift at even lower rpm, because it won't shift if the resulting rpm would make it automatically downshift again.

Before you report your problem to the dealer, make sure you are shifting above 4,000-4,500 rpm. Also be sure you are not backing off the throttle, but holding it steady or accelerating. Backing off can cause hesitation. If still having the problem, be sure to tell them that it is hesitating when shifting, not that the transmission is slipping.

Thanks for your input. To clarify some of your comments....

The dealer is the one who is using the term "slipping". It may very well be the clutch that is slipping.

During a visit to CanAm days yesterday, one of the dealer techs took my Spyder for a 20 mile ride and experienced the "slipping". I know and I am sure the dealer tech knows to shift at or above 5,000 RPM.

The Spyder was warm upon arrival at the dealership (about a 20 minute drive to dealership from home). I am scheduled to leave the Spyder at the shop this Wednesday when they will investigate what is causing the "slipping".

I think the dealer is using the term "slipping" because the motor RPMs increase but the Spyder speed does not increase so something is "slipping". The energy is going somewhere other than to the drivetrain. Using round numbers, if I shift at 5,000 RPM the motor RPMs will normally drop to 4,400 RPM and start to build again in second gear. When I experience the "slipping", the motor RPMs continue to increase past 5,000 RPM to almost 6,000 RPM while the bike is no longer accelerating THEN the shift will take place and the RPMs will drop to 4,400 as they normally would and the Spyder takes off. Instead of a crisp shift, I get what feels and sounds like a manual transmission missed shift. Hope this all makes sense.

Just to answer the question in some people's mind..... yes, I have very few contributing posts. yes, I am a newbie, having the Spyder about 6 weeks. No, my other post(s) were not negative. Yes, I LOVE my Spyder, it is the best toy investment I have made! I have no other motive than to try to solve my problem and possibly help others.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

[NancysToy]

Good answers. I'm glad there was no communications gap between you and the dealer, as I feared there might be. I have suspicions that you have a bad clutch, after your added comments...but there are other possibilities. Sounds like your dealer is on top of it. Let us know how it all works out.

[MrBones]

One more tranny question. When I first shift into reverse getting out of the driveway and then into first it CLANKS in hard. Is this normal ?? Thanks for info. Its a 2010 SE5.

[ARtraveler]

The clanking is "normal".

[SPYD3R]

i have never witnessed this, and i've got over 22,000+ miles on mine....

[Jeriatric]

One more tranny question. When I first shift into reverse getting out of the driveway and then into first it CLANKS in hard. Is this normal ?? Thanks for info. Its a 2010 SE5.

I call it a hard shift and get it reversing. Not so much shifting to first.

[Arthur---Mexico]

DO NOT EVER BUY A BLEND OIL. Blends are a joke. You have no way of knowing what percentage of synthetic oil and normal oil have been mixed together to make a "blend". Buy 100% synthetic oil. No mixtures. Amsoil is the way to go. It will cost very little more if you amortize it over 4,000 miles. And your Spyder wasn't the cheapest motorcycle on the market either.
Arthur---Mexico City

I had put in the BRP blend oil in my wifes' 08 SE5 and man her's didn't like it at all. I drained it and went back to full syhthenic. Was using the Castrol full synthenic and will be switching to Amsoil next oil change. The blend will never go back in hers.
David

[Warlock]

DO NOT EVER BUY A BLEND OIL. Blends are a joke. You have no way of knowing what percentage of synthetic oil and normal oil have been mixed together to make a "blend". Buy 100% synthetic oil. No mixtures. Amsoil is the way to go. It will cost very little more if you amortize it over 4,000 miles. And your Spyder wasn't the cheapest motorcycle on the market either.
Arthur---Mexico City

After changing the oil I had read on another website were the BRP blend had messed up some clutches . Can't remember if it was the snowmobile or ATV Can Am models.
David

[NancysToy]

Let's make something perfectly clear, despite owner preferences to the contrary and vague horror stories circulating on the Internet. The BRP blend is the recommended oil. It will not mess up the Spyder clutches. I have used it for thousands of miles without incident, although I have switched to full synthetic for the longer oil change intervals. Let's not malign a product or say doing what the manual calls for will damage your engine, without valid reason and reliable documentation.

[Machinegunner]

I thought I had clutch slipping problems. At Spyderfest I had one of the Rotax reps drive mine. He said there was nothing wrong. My problem appeared on full throttle shifts at 5,000rpm. The rep told me that the oil pressure keeps building as rpm rises. The oil pressure is what engages the clutch. My clutch only slips at the low rpm shift. At 9,000rpm the front end gets very light with no slippage at all. You just have to get familiar with the operation of the Spyder and how it works satisfaction guarantied. The motor thrives on RPM.

[Warlock]

Let's make something perfectly clear, despite owner preferences to the contrary and vague horror stories circulating on the Internet. The BRP blend is the recommended oil. It will not mess up the Spyder clutches. I have used it for thousands of miles without incident, although I have switched to full synthetic for the longer oil change intervals. Let's not malign a product or say doing what the manual calls for will damage your engine, without valid reason and reliable documentation.

I know you seem to be a Spyder expert. Now let me make something clear. My friend I don't lie and your comment to me is out of line. As you know after reading the 08 came from the factory with full synthenic. I tried the blend and it didn't work. I do mechanic work for a living and been doing this for 37 years. I have a catch can on her Spyder and it nearly filled it up in just about 200 mile ride and didn't shift good at all. Went back to synthenic and shifts good again and maybe about a 1/2 ounce in catch can in 2000 miles. This is not a horror story read on the net. This is from personal experience. So my friend I take this as a personal post towards me and that is uncalled for.
David

[MidLifeCrisis]

I know you seem to be a Spyder expert. Now let me make something clear. My friend I don't lie and your comment to me is out of line. As you know after reading the 08 came from the factory with full synthenic. I tried the blend and it didn't work. I do mechanic work for a living and been doing this for 37 years. I have a catch can on her Spyder and it nearly filled it up in just about 200 mile ride and didn't shift good at all. Went back to synthenic and shifts good again and maybe about a 1/2 ounce in catch can in 2000 miles. This is not a horror story read on the net. This is from personal experience. So my friend I take this as a personal post towards me and that is uncalled for.
David

I actually read his comments as informative and not at all an attack on you. No one here really knows anyone's back ground and there are tins of horror stories about Spyders on the net, some justified and most not. Everyone here is trying to be as helpful as possible, but somethings just don't transfer well in writing as in person, so I seriously feel some grace and clarification questions go a lot further than jumping to personal attack conclusions. I've found this site way more friendly and useful than the other sites and would like to see it remain that way... Just a though

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

[Jeriatric]

I actually read his comments as informative and not at all an attack on you. No one here really knows anyone's back ground and there are tins of horror stories about Spyders on the net, some justified and most not. Everyone here is trying to be as helpful as possible, but somethings just don't transfer well in writing as in person, so I seriously feel some grace and clarification questions go a lot further than jumping to personal attack conclusions. I've found this site way more friendly and useful than the other sites and would like to see it remain that way... Just a though

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

Tone matters. JMO

[madjack]

I guess I'll have to side with warlock, for I too have felt like I was being chastized over my methods an use of products. I also tried to use BRP oils[blend], same exact results. and now after 10K, the wifes 08 rs se5, has been oil useage free, shifts with authority, all with the dreaded mobil one 20/50 v-twin full syn. My documentation is logged, shows its never had a drop of oil added between oil change intervals [5000 mi]. Actually I put it back in my john deere lawn tractor, and use it a secound time. Personally I don;t like to post here to often, because of the " hollier than thou" attitudes expressed by some.

[MidLifeCrisis]

I'm curious to learn why the product made for and endorsed by brp for the spyder works well in most, but not all! I'm personally okay with running different oils, but haven't experimented. Would be nice to know the real reason behind the issues though.

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[brodyson]

I have the same problem with my RT. Its hesitates shifting between first and second. It starts out with no problem but after about 30 minutes of city driving, it starts hesitating. I have tried shifting at 4k, 4.5k, and 5k and the results are the same. The hesitation happens randomly, about 20% of the shifting, and only between first and second. Dealer serviced only, so oil should not be the problem.

[cyclelover63]

I'm curious to learn why the product made for and endorsed by brp for the spyder works well in most, but not all! I'm personally okay with running different oils, but haven't experimented. Would be nice to know the real reason behind the issues though.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

....14,000 miles on my 2009 SE5 and BRP is only oil I have used...No troubles with it...Some things can not be explained!

[MikeinGA]

I had the same problem and I took it back to the dealer and asked the guy that changed the oil what oil he put in mine. He said that it was barrel oil that they use in all the mororcycles and not it was not BRP oil. I bought a few BRP oil change kits and changed the oil and it been shifting fine ever since that oil change. I no longer use that dealer and on my bill for there oil change it's said that they used BRP oil at $12.99 a quart.

Mike

[Jeriatric]

Trust but verify - buyer be ware - don't ask - stick around and watch.

Good post