Cleaning the reverse switch contacts on a 13 RT Limited

[Pat Clark]

Bought my 13 a few months ago (16k miles) and getting it into reverse has been problematic at best. Yes I've read the book, searched this forum and talked to the dealer. Sometimes it shifts right away, sometimes not. No error codes. Shifts all 5 fwd gears smoothly up and down with no issues.
Dealer said one possibility would be to pull the switch housing and clean the contacts. Has anyone else done this and if you have..... any issues to look out for?
If worse comes to worse I'll take it to the dealer but I'm cheap and hate paying for something I can do myself.

Thanks, Pat

[paulbrinker]

Bought my 13 a few months ago (16k miles) and getting it into reverse has been problematic at best. Yes I've read the book, searched this forum and talked to the dealer. Sometimes it shifts right away, sometimes not. No error codes. Shifts all 5 fwd gears smoothly up and down with no issues.
Dealer said one possibility would be to pull the switch housing and clean the contacts. Has anyone else done this and if you have..... any issues to look out for?
If worse comes to worse I'll take it to the dealer but I'm cheap and hate paying for something I can do myself.

Thanks, Pat

What I found on my 15 is it is all in the sequence. I need to hold the reverse button down then hit the paddle shifter. If you do it at the same time or in the opposite sequence it will not shift. That was the hardest thing to get use to when I upgraded from a 12.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

What I found on my 15 is it is all in the sequence. I need to hold the reverse button down then hit the paddle shifter. If you do it at the same time or in the opposite sequence it will not shift. That was the hardest thing to get use to when I upgraded from a 12.

....But If this doesn't fix the issue.......be very careful with taking the paddle shifter apart, my memory of taking mine apart ( 2+ yrs ago ) was .......there are more little loose parts in there than you might think. But I think the above sequence thing should work.........Mike

[billybovine]

I am surprised at what your dealer said. I have not seen the the reverser switch innards but I have seen some of the others and they are bubble switches molded inside silicon rubber. Water and air tight. The contacts can't get dirty. The only way to get to the contacts is to cut the silicon rubber open. That would just ruin the switch.

The dealer tech can connect up to BUDS and watch the switch operate. From that they can determine if the switch is working properly or not.

[Chupaca]

double check the steps taking the switch apart is not as easy as the old bikes were. Most parts on these machines are good or replace parts and few are able to repair or find it worth repairing. Some shops replace the whole command unit rather than take it apart to replace one part...

[Bob Denman]

Your dealer doesn't have a clue...
Follow the shifting procedures listed above, and see if that helps first...
(Approaching 40,000 miles on Spyders, and STILL having a bit of trouble with finding reverse...)

[ottawa-rider]

Make sure you depress the button squarely and firmly.

I had issues also with my first Spyder going into reverse until I realised it was all my fault.

[Pat Clark]

Thanks folks, got dragged off to Christmas shop this afternoon. Will play with it again tomorrow. Sounds like I won't be pulling the switch apart. That's why I asked first.
Thanks again,
Pat