SM VS SE

[Bensonoid]

Took mine in to get inspection and check up. Took the st se for a ride decided to play a little man that thing power shifts real sweet. Don't tell the dealer, won't name him.

I test drove the SE and had to have one. Probably the same one you just drove. I'm telling Sam what you did.

[SpyderGAAZ]

I love to shift and have 1000 miles on my STS, would not trade my manual. Not sure what a power shift is? I think I might have done it by mistake a few times but would like to know how to power shift on purpose.......please tell!!

[DrewNJ]

...

[capt.jim]

I'm in the same boat of indecision if I get the F3.
My GS- SM has 49,000 miles, shifts like butter. No problems. Love the control of the clutch and low speed drivability, (as long as i'm not in traffic that is) and the feeling of being one with the bike.
My 13 ST has the auto, I didn't like it at all when new.
It was really slow between shifts and I felt like I had to keep the rev's much higher not to have that lugging feeling. I don't like worrying about having to keep the rev's up. They do rev-match nicely during downshifts.
But at 5000 miles it is just getting broken in good and the shifts are now quick with no lag anymore.
The SE has grown on me tremendously to where I enjoy it as much as the SM.
I understand the feeling, a motorcycle should have a clutch like all my old hotrods did. But the truth is todays automatics are far more advanced and likely faster at the drag strip.
With the clutch being hydraulically activated on the 14-15 triples with the 6 speed, instead of centrifically, that makes having to keep the rev's up a non issue for them. Good luck, decisions, decisions!

[Spyda98]

I was a big SM advocate until I had to sit in traffic on my initial test ride. The SE is definitely better for me because I have to go through tunnels here in the Hampton Roads area. And if anyone is familiar with the tunnel traffic here then you know my pain of constantly pulling the clutch will push you to a SE.

[Cruzr Joe]

The SE allows you to spend more time enjoying the ride rather than worrying about pulling a clutch and changing gears with your feet.

SE ALL THE WAY.

[daveinva]

On two wheels, I go manual. Scooters freak me out, without the ability to slip a clutch I get all squirrely in the parking lot.

On four wheels, I go manual. I have fun rowing gears on a car, although yeah, it's a PITA in city traffic (which unfortunately has been the story of my life... man, gotta move out to the sticks when I retire ).

But on THREE wheels... SE all the way. I don't need the manual to feel safe like on two wheels, and I have plenty more fun on three wheels than I do in my car, i.e. I don't need to "spice up" Spyder riding with a clutch to put a smile on my face.

Now, if the SE didn't work, or worked slower than a manual, or had more problems than a manual (honestly, after four years on SL I don't see any trends for problems with either SE or SM), it'd be a different story. But the SE works great on every Spyder I've ever had the pleasure of riding (the SM works great, too, but again, unlike on two wheels or four, it's more work for the same amount of fun, there's just no upside to the SM).

Plus, as I've said before: the SE is part of what makes a Spyder a Spyder. Very few bikes have such a nifty transmission, it's all part of the charm of what makes our ride so unique. It rides like THE FUTURE. When I get the itch to strain my hand and smack my toes, I've always got my Ninja to take out for a spin...

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike,

I'm just saying that the SE controlled transmission can have more problems than the SM transmission. on winning your class at the SpyderFest drags.......Thanks

Mike

The reason I mentioned the SE-5 vs. the SE-6 is the SE-6 with it's clutch operate quite differently from the 5's and IMHO will not have the issues they did........Mike

[one2doo]

I like the feel of the manual.

[SPYD3R]

BUY n RIDE WHAT YOU LIKE....
DON'T TRY TO SATISFY ANOTHER PERSONS PASSION...
I'VE HAD VETTE'S, SS CHEVY'S (STILL DO), 442, ROAD RUNNER, AND I'M ALL DONE SHIFTING....
MY THUMB AND INDEX FINGERS DO ALL THE LABORING NOW...
I LOVE MY "SE's" AND WILL NEVER AGAIN ALLOW MYSELF TO OWN ANOTHER MANUAL SHIFT VEHICLE....
THAT'S JUST ME... YOU BUY WHAT SATISFIES YOUR NEEDS.... UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE PAYS FOR IT...
DAN P
SPYD3R

[wolphspyder]

I have had manual shift on all my past bikes, and had a 2013 STS with the SM5....loved it.....also drove the wifes SE5 and found it to be very smooth, with no power loss, when I bought my 2014 SE6....found it also to be very smooth and no power loss, and I don't baby her.....no problems with either transmission....and believe it or not....I really enjoy the SE6....so either transmission is good.....just get what you want .....they are both fun..

[isthatahemi]

I rented an SE5 for 4 days, and rode around 1200 miles. The downshifts were cool, other than that, I was unimpressed. I thought the shift buttons were backwards, easily bumped, and all around intrusive. The upshifts were inconsistent, and it was a bother to have to pay heed to running over 3500 (or is it 3700 or is it 4000rpm now!!). The shift quality was acceptable, and no more. I did not like the rpm flair on some shifts, or the strange bouts of off the line rpm flare and then bog.

Considering one only needs the clutch to get moving, and gets to feed the appropriate amount of slip, (not having a set one rpm fits all, like the SE), and then clutch to second, and after that, properly coordinated upshifts are crisp and smooth, no clutch required. The upside of the SM, is that under certain occasions, when you are either wanting to hold on, or need a free left hand, you can click off a shift with your left foot, no need to think about what button to press.

Now if the SE had a full auto option, I would understand, as it is, it is all the distraction of shifting, with none of the tactile feel, or rewarding feeling when done correctly. Boo. It's really not a semi-automatic, it's a automated clutch manual.

Just my opinion.

[DrewNJ]

Yep, there are a lot of people the don't realize that the SM shifts really easily and very quickly without the clutch.

[isthatahemi]

And doesn't require 2 hands on the bars to do it.

I'm just thing to figure out why every thread in the GS/RS shop section get flooded by responses from the RT crowd. Most of which can not accept they sit in a different rider spectrum than an RS and RSS rider / buyer. Every dang thread. Sigh. I wish the mods would at least point this out if not fix it. It spoils the option for us non RT riders to discuss things, as we are not as concerned with farkles (and good lord what is a farkle), and more out to have an engaging ride.
end rant

The SE is a as annoying as any other automated clutch manual. Unpredictable, less reliable, and has caveats to keep it alive. The only discernible advantage is bad traffic laziness. Which is far harder on the clutch than the lower rpm engagement options on the SM. In gridlock I felt like I was a abusing the SE clutch.

[bmccaffrey]

And doesn't require 2 hands on the bars to do it.

I'm just thing to figure out why every thread in the GS/RS shop section get flooded by responses from the RT crowd. Most of which can not accept they sit in a different rider spectrum than an RS and RSS rider / buyer. Every dang thread. Sigh. I wish the mods would at least point this out if not fix it. It spoils the option for us non RT riders to discuss things, as we are not as concerned with farkles (and good lord what is a farkle), and more out to have an engaging ride.
end rant

The SE is a as annoying as any other automated clutch manual. Unpredictable, less reliable, and has caveats to keep it alive. The only discernible advantage is bad traffic laziness. Which is far harder on the clutch than the lower rpm engagement options on the SM. In gridlock I felt like I was a abusing the SE clutch.

AGREEE!!!

[Deer Slayer]

I have the sm5. It is in the gear I want when I want. I ride a lot of twisties. Just could not do the flippy flappy girlie shift.

[gman214]

Thought I was making a mistake buying a SM5 given my lack of experience with a manual. Had a chance to buy a SE5 2 weeks before I bought my RS-S but the dealer sold it. So ended up buying the SM5. Man I'm loving SM5! It didn't take long to learn how and when to shift. I've actually shifted without the clutch but prefer to use it. I see some pluses for an SE but don't think I would get one.

[Deer Slayer]

Yep, there are a lot of people the don't realize that the SM shifts really easily and very quickly without the clutch.

Now you have let the cat out of the bag!

[kep-up]

I have the sm5. It is in the gear I want when I want. I ride a lot of twisties. Just could not do the flippy flappy girlie shift.

With the manual shift, you pre-select the gear you want before entering the corner. With the paddle shift, you pre-select the gear you want before you enter the corner. Spyder, motorcycle, car, formula one, whichever. All the same procedure.

So, what makes the paddle shifter a "girlie" shift?

And as to the RPM issue..... The nanny downshifts at 2500 rpm which equals about 3000 rpm in the gear shifted into. this tells me that you could ride around all day at 2500 to 3000 rpm if you wanted to do so without damaging anything.

Rode motorcycles for 50 years, swore by manual transmissions in all vehicles until 1996. Most modern "slush-bucket" transmissions are as good as if not better than the manuals. No more manuals for me.

2011 RS-S, SE5

[ThreeWheels]

And doesn't require 2 hands on the bars to do it.

I'm just thing to figure out why every thread in the GS/RS shop section get flooded by responses from the RT crowd.

Here's why:
Many of us, myself included, simply choose the "What's New" button to see all of the new posts. When you do that, the forum section becomes irrelevant.
All you see is "SM VS SE"
People just respond to the post title.
I know, this displeases some.
When the Girls section was first introduced, they got a little snippy because men would be answering their posts, again accessing them through the "What's New" search instead of reviewing each individual section.

[isthatahemi]

So I am asking too much for the older (RT) owners to know where they are at any given time?
>insert stereotype here<
Umkay.

And who's going to jump down the guys throat who said you can run under 3k RPM on the SE? Lol.

[isthatahemi]

Oh ya...... When my non-current / new 2011 had battery issues, I was able to easily able to bump start it with just me pushing.