Shifting problem on 2012 Limited RT

[Hoagie]

All of a sudden I can't get the bike to shift into the gears and the paddle seems looser. Worked fine at first today then I can't get it past 3rd gear. RPM's ar staying high when it goes back to 1st gear on downshift. Help please!

[Bob Denman]

Take a look at the shift linkages...
...They're down sort of underneath where you'd be changing the oil...
(Underneath the bike; of course)
Perhaps something has come loose?

[Chupaca]

Start with the oil level. Then the shift arm /linkage. Then the paddle shifter. Need to see if your getting any codes indicating shift sensor faults. Hope you tried the key walk in case of a glitch. Looking more like a paddle problem from the change in the feel of it...

[ARtraveler]

It does sound like shift linkage. Had the same symptoms when it happened to me one time.

[Hoagie]

It does sound like shift linkage. Had the same symptoms when it happened to me one time.

Is it an easy fix?

[Hoagie]

It does sound like shift linkage. Had the same symptoms when it happened to me one time.

I tried another ride and now can't get past 1st gear! Goes into 1st and reverse with no problems

[Bob Denman]

Have you taken a look under the bike yet?
(We can't tell you what you're going to see; you need to do some eyeballin' for us...)

[ARtraveler]

Is it an easy fix?

Just reattach with screw/nut.

[Hoagie]

All of a sudden I can't get the bike to shift into the gears and the paddle seems looser. Worked fine at first today then I can't get it past 3rd gear. RPM's ar staying high when it goes back to 1st gear on downshift. Help please!

Took the Spyder to the dealership. They hooked it up to diagnostics. Couldn't find a problem. Tech took the bike out and said it shifted fine. Then I tried and took the rpms up higher and it shifted. BUT, then I also noticed the Cruise control was switched on. When I turned it off the bike shifted like before. I felt like an idiot but also found out something new. I wonder why they didn't know that the cruise control was a factor? Anyway, thanks to all who tried to help! Happy riding folks! John

[ARtraveler]

Took the Spyder to the dealership. They hooked it up to diagnostics. Couldn't find a problem. Tech took the bike out and said it shifted fine. Then I tried and took the rpms up higher and it shifted. BUT, then I also noticed the Cruise control was switched on. When I turned it off the bike shifted like before. I felt like an idiot but also found out something new. I wonder why they didn't know that the cruise control was a factor? Anyway, thanks to all who tried to help! Happy riding folks! John

I am not sure if cruise control has any effect on the shifting process. If you are running cruise control and shift either up or down, the cruise control will disengage. Cruise control on should not effect your ability to shift though.

I always leave cruise control on--on both 's. That way I am ready to kick it in whenever I want to. I live rural, so the highway is always a quarter mile away.

[Hoagie]

I am not sure if cruise control has any effect on the shifting process. If you are running cruise control and shift either up or down, the cruise control will disengage. Cruise control on should not effect your ability to shift though. I always leave cruise control on--on both 's. That way I am ready to kick it in whenever I want to. I live rural, so the highway is always a quarter mile away.

I don't have an answer for whether it does or not, but as soon as I disengaged it , I was able to shift at lower rpms again. Too many side streets around here to be gunning it way up in order to shift. Anyway, I am thankful it wasn't a mechanical problem...labor at the shop is $119 an hour! lol

[Bob Denman]

Took the Spyder to the dealership. They hooked it up to diagnostics. Couldn't find a problem. Tech took the bike out and said it shifted fine. Then I tried and took the rpms up higher and it shifted. BUT, then I also noticed the Cruise control was switched on. When I turned it off the bike shifted like before. I felt like an idiot but also found out something new. I wonder why they didn't know that the cruise control was a factor? Anyway, thanks to all who tried to help! Happy riding folks! John

Glad to hear that you found the problem.
It sounds as if you may have been just trying to shift a bit too early... it happens!!

Generally speaking; the 998-equipped bikes with the SE-5 transmission, like to be shifted at up around 5000 rpm or so.
It allows the clutch to be fully engaged; no slippage means much longer clutch life!

[billybovine]

Having the cruise control on should not have cause any of the symptoms you have described. Another possibility based on your description of how you drive at very low rpm's it is possible it was in trailer mode. it forces higher rpm shifts.

[Hoagie]

Having the cruise control on should not have cause any of the symptoms you have described. Another possibility based on your description of how you drive at very low rpm's it is possible it was in trailer mode. it forces higher rpm shifts.

Definitely not in trailer mode. I check the settings often because it seems the auto volume likes to go off. I like it set at medium.

[Hoagie]

Glad to hear that you found the problem. It sounds as if you may have been just trying to shift a bit too early... it happens!! Generally speaking; the 998-equipped bikes with the SE-5 transmission, like to be shifted at up around 5000 rpm or so.It allows the clutch to be fully engaged; no slippage means much longer clutch life!

There are times I like to get on it a bit to get away from heavier traffic. lol I used to have a Honda VTX 1800 which had a lot of power. Just seemed strange to me that being in cruise control mode would affect the shifting. Maybe try it and see if it affects the way it shifts for u?

[LeClaireRog]

There are times I like to get on it a bit to get away from heavier traffic. lol I used to have a Honda VTX 1800 which had a lot of power. Just seemed strange to me that being in cruise control mode would affect the shifting. Maybe try it and see if it affects the way it shifts for u?

Just ran into the issue the other day on my wife's 2011 RT-S. Tech said it has to be at least 3500 rpm to shift. They didn't charge me anything because I apparently amuse them from time to time.

[billybovine]

Definitely not in trailer mode. I check the settings often because it seems the auto volume likes to go off. I like it set at medium.

If you are loosing your radio settings it is because when you turn your key off and then turn it back on before it fully shuts down, for example when you forget to set the parking brake, some or all of your user setting will return to default. Settings that I have noticed will change are: Display of radio on main screen, auto volume, bass, treble and few others I can't think of at the moment.

[Hoagie]

If you are loosing your radio settings it is because when you turn your key off and then turn it back on before it fully shuts down, for example when you forget to set the parking brake, some or all of your user setting will return to default. Settings that I have noticed will change are: Display of radio on main screen, auto volume, bass, treble and few others I can't think of at the moment.

Yes, I have done this when forgetting to set the brake. Thanks for that information! I will make sure I set the brake first now.

[duncansiler]

I'm currently experiencing the same problem and I thought it was a fuel flow problem, but when I took it to the shop and spoke with the lead mechanic he told me that it was a throttle linkage problem! That there are 5 computer on the bike and if one isn't communicating correctly with the others it throws them all off. I toll him that the only way I could get the bike to go into gear is if I retard the throttle, that's when he told me it's not fuel control it's throttle linkage going bad! I hope that helps you and gets you back on the road. I hope to be back on the road next week after I get my bike out of the shop.

[sandeejs]

They didn't charge me anything because I apparently amuse them from time to time.

Apparently we go to the same shop.
~Sandee~

[Chasplaya]

All of a sudden I can't get the bike to shift into the gears and the paddle seems looser. Worked fine at first today then I can't get it past 3rd gear. RPM's ar staying high when it goes back to 1st gear on downshift. Help please!

We just struck a similar problem with our 2010RT, my Wife and I were heading out on a 5hr road trip and got 100m up the road when my Wife exclaimed she couldn't change the gears!!
It wasn't linkages it was the small springs in the Paddle shift, they had virtually disintegrated, these springs are about 6-7mm long and as I don't live close to a Can Am dealer I bought the smallest spring I could from an Auto parts shop; the spring was 15mm so I cut it in half and replaced the broken ones. Careful if you take the shifter apart it has small ball bearings which fly everywhere!! A couple of trial and error with getting the length correct and it now works better than before.So off we went on trip a few hours late. ON journey we stopped at a Can Am dealer and enquired about getting the correct springs and we were told they (BRP) don't sell them separately you have to buy the complete shifter which costs aprox $NZ1000.00 the springs I got cost $NZ5.00