I like My New F3T but She Needs Some Improvments!

[IdleUp]

Hey guys just picked up a F3-T a few days ago and I'm noticing a few things I don't like and never found on my past Spyder's (first release in 2007 and the RTS) I drove 3 different bikes and they all were the same.

1) Seems as if the new 3 cyl engine has a lot of general engine noise (maybe timing chains) there's a lot of racket even at idle. At highway speeds the noise is louder than the exhaust.

2) I didn't want an auto but got one - seemed no one in Atlanta area had a straight shift in the F3T in red as I wanted. Anyhow, the auto is as klunky when shifting as it was in the 5 speed release - one would think after re-designing the whole engine and drive train they would improve the shift quality and even provide some different downshifting options.

3) I also noticed the gear train has some back lash as you add throttle or let off the throttle. Seems its not as bad in 6th gear but from 5th down is almost on the verge of non-acceptable.

Any input on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks Mike

[ARtraveler]

I have one of each (998 and 1330). My impression is pretty much the opposite of what you have experienced.

I find the 1330 quieter than the 998, the transmission seems to shift smoother (the magic range for me is 3000 - 3500 rpm).

Instant response when shifting.

Don't know what to say about what is going on with yours.

[vided]

I can't really address the engine noise, due to being hearing challenged.
the se-6 shifts quite smooth.
are you shifting at 2500/3000.
don't back off the throttle when shifting,(up or down).
check your oil level.

[IdleUp]

Don't know - I drove 3 bikes - 2 F3T and 1 F3S and they were all exactly the same!

There's not even a shadow of doubt the 3 cyl is twice as noisy as the old motor.

With regard to the shifting It's not me - I'm talking about hands off and she's down shifting by herself - sounds like a damn Harley!

[Tango]

The F3 engine's are also out in the open more. Tom

[robmorg]

The F3 engine's are also out in the open more. Tom

I'll bet that's it. I've ridden several 1330 RT's and ALL of them have been much quieter, and shifted more smoothly, than my 998 RT - even BEFORE the CAT and the acoustic panels were removed on mine. I seem to recall that the F3's I've ridden were not as quiet, but I really wasn't comparing engine sound at the time. They're a much different bike.

[IdleUp]

The F3 engine's are also out in the open more. Tom

Yeah I'm sure having the engine exposed is hot helping the noise - what bothers me is why is the motor so damn noisy my Goldwings had the motor totally exposed and it was dead quiet and it had 3 more cylinders??

No one has commented on the back lash (free play) in the drive line - are you guys just not noticing it? Its definitely there just speed up a bit then add throttle and lower throttle you can hear a distinct bang in the drive train what could possibly have that much free-play. Neither of my other can ams had that is that an artifact of the auto?

[Bob Denman]

You need to:

Ride More Worry Less.jpg

[Pirate looks at --]

You need to:

Ride More Worry Less.jpg

There may be more engine noise, though I don't notice it, and that may have to do with no Tupperware around the engine! The only noise I hear is the sound of the exhaust note! And I love it. At rest is purrs loudly and at speed it sound like a swarm of angry hornets! No mechanical noises at all. As for the transmission it is smooth like butter going up through the gears. Now I don't let the semi auto downshift for me. I prefer to control that part of the ryde. The exception is going from 2nd to 1st as I come to a stop. Again smooth like butter. Two thoughts, one you need to work on your shift points, or two who ever is prepping those machines is not doing a very good job! JMHO!

[vided]

You need to:

Ride More Worry Less.jpg

​or dump it

[robmorg]

Yeah I'm sure having the engine exposed is hot helping the noise - what bothers me is why is the motor so damn noisy my Goldwings had the motor totally exposed and it was dead quiet and it had 3 more cylinders??

Yeah, but the Goldwing engine is a horizontal six with relatively small cylinders. Those engines are extremely smooth and quiet by their very nature. You cannot really compare the two.

No one has commented on the back lash (free play) in the drive line - are you guys just not noticing it? Its definitely there just speed up a bit then add throttle and lower throttle you can hear a distinct bang in the drive train what could possibly have that much free-play. Neither of my other can ams had that is that an artifact of the auto?

Everybody notices some of what you're talking about, but nobody knows why it's there. (Or if some do, I haven't seen many explanations.) I guess we've just all come to accept it. Especially since the semi-auto trans works extremely well and is relatively trouble free. You almost never hear of any problems with them.

If you have drive-line noise that you think is unacceptable, then you may want to take it to the dealer and have the service manager, or lead technician, take a ride on it and see what he thinks.

[Bob Denman]

That's just the drive belt taking up any slack, during the power-up...

[ARtraveler]

Yeah I'm sure having the engine exposed is hot helping the noise - what bothers me is why is the motor so damn noisy my Goldwings had the motor totally exposed and it was dead quiet and it had 3 more cylinders??

No one has commented on the back lash (free play) in the drive line - are you guys just not noticing it? Its definitely there just speed up a bit then add throttle and lower throttle you can hear a distinct bang in the drive train what could possibly have that much free-play. Neither of my other can ams had that is that an artifact of the auto?

Are you rolling off/on the throttle when shifting--such as the way it is done on two wheels and manual? With the semi auto, you just leave the throttle where it is when punching the shift button--the computer takes care of the throttle response on its own. This could be a simple solve--if--your is mechanically okay.

[IdleUp]

Don't have any problem up-shifting from a stop and the down "Auto" shifting while barely acceptable sounds like a beginner trying to down shift.

The real problem is in everyday use in city and in hilly terrain (I live in N Georgia Hills) you actually hate to shift the the bike because you know its going to clunk 99.9% of the time.

I'm from old school and after owning these things since 07 with standard shifts and quiet effeteness shifting, I'm totally disappointed with the terrible nosey klunky performance of the auto-shift. One would think that after years of complaints with the auto 5, BRP would have spent the money to engineer a more advanced shifting mechanism for their bikes - after all it is a touring bike.

This combined with the un-heard of rattles and un-nessary noise coming from the engine is totally un-acceptable for a touring bike.If you think the engine noise is OK on a Spyder then start up a 1800 Goldwing engine its silent.

[Bob Denman]

Having had two "ESSIES" (a 2010, and 2014); I can vouch for the fact that BRP did a great job of improving how well they shift...

[Pirate looks at --]

Well all I can say is that either there is a real problem with your machine, or whoever put it together out of the box didn't know what they were doing. Mine makes only the noise that I like, and purr of the engine, there is still and always will be a clunk when you drop it into reverse, but when I shift from 1st to 2nd, butter, 2nd to 3rd butter, 3rd to 4th butter, 4th to 5th butter, 5th to 6th butter! I am not too sure why you are allowing the machine to down shift for you, I know it will but on my F3L I like to downshift myself. I want the control as I decelerate. You may try that and see. If you still have issues I would take it to the dealer as they may have some parts lying around that didn't get put in your build!

[IdleUp]

Well all I can say is that either there is a real problem with your machine, or whoever put it together out of the box didn't know what they were doing. Mine makes only the noise that I like, and purr of the engine, there is still and always will be a clunk when you drop it into reverse, but when I shift from 1st to 2nd, butter, 2nd to 3rd butter, 3rd to 4th butter, 4th to 5th butter, 5th to 6th butter! I am not too sure why you are allowing the machine to down shift for you, I know it will but on my F3L I like to downshift myself. I want the control as I decelerate. You may try that and see. If you still have issues I would take it to the dealer as they may have some parts lying around that didn't get put in your build!

There's nothing wrong or different from my machine to any others - Like I said, I drove three (3) other bikes F3-S & F3T's and they were all the same. They all shift like a stink'in Harley, The motor rattles like its broke and there is back lash in the transmission.

It's embarrassing to hear this $25,000 refined stare of the art piece of machinery clank gears like a farm tractor - shame on BRP!

[Bob Denman]

Yes; there IS something different with yours. Mine has always shifted smoothly...

[Highwayman2013]

Gee my 2012 shifts smoothly, I have ridden a few F3's and RT's with the SE6 and they shift just fine. Stop letting off the throttle! Oh and get he front pulley checked.

[murphybrown]

Hey guys just picked up a F3-T a few days ago and I'm noticing a few things I don't like and never found on my past Spyder's (first release in 2007 and the RTS) I drove 3 different bikes and they all were the same.

1) Seems as if the new 3 cyl engine has a lot of general engine noise (maybe timing chains) there's a lot of racket even at idle. At highway speeds the noise is louder than the exhaust.

2) I didn't want an auto but got one - seemed no one in Atlanta area had a straight shift in the F3T in red as I wanted. Anyhow, the auto is as klunky when shifting as it was in the 5 speed release - one would think after re-designing the whole engine and drive train they would improve the shift quality and even provide some different downshifting options.

3) I also noticed the gear train has some back lash as you add throttle or let off the throttle. Seems its not as bad in 6th gear but from 5th down is almost on the verge of non-acceptable.

Any input on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks Mike

My 2016 F3T SE6 has a "sweet spot" that when I shift at that RPM it is 100% smooth as a hot knife thru butter and NO noise...now shift outside the sweet spot and can get the occassional klunk. Reverse more than not it will klunk. My Red Stallion likes 2700-2800 for noiseless shifting...

[Pirate looks at --]

There's nothing wrong or different from my machine to any others - Like I said, I drove three (3) other bikes F3-S & F3T's and they were all the same. They all shift like a stink'in Harley, The motor rattles like its broke and there is back lash in the transmission.

It's embarrassing to hear this $25,000 refined stare of the art piece of machinery clank gears like a farm tractor - shame on BRP!

Two choices,can I assume that the same dealer prepped all three? Or operator error and you need to adjust your shift point. Remember, this machine does not rev like the ST you have ridden in the past?

[IdleUp]

Gee my 2012 shifts smoothly, I have ridden a few F3's and RT's with the SE6 and they shift just fine. Stop letting off the throttle! Oh and get he front pulley checked.

Thanks for the reply but unless you've enjoyed the total silence of a standard shift on a Spyder, you have nothing to reference to regarding a smooth or quiet shift something the SE6 is not capable of . . . .

[Bob Denman]

Is there any way that you can post a video of all of this clunking, thunking, and hammering?

[Pirate looks at --]

Thanks for the reply but unless you've enjoyed the total silence of a standard shift on a Spyder, you have nothing to reference to regarding a smooth or quiet shift something the SE6 is not capable of . . . .

I have experienced the total silence a smoothness of the SE5 and SE6 for about 35000 miles, so we have a point of reference that YOU don't. I would get that thing fixed!

[IdleUp]

I'm not trying to be negative or disrespectful, the bike has some beautiful workmanship, rides great, steers great, but any way you slice it, all these F3 bikes engines are over the top noisey and all the auto's shift terribly. I have a number of fiends who I ride with who own the same bikes so this pertains to all auto shift Spyders.

Evidently, the Genius Technicians at BRP need to understand that in order to downshift a manual transmission or in fact any standard shift transmission smoothly, you have to accomplish the following:

1) The clutch must disengage. (completely)

2) The engine must increase in speed to mesh the new lower gear rpm.

3) The shift must immediately take place and the clutch re-engaged.

This sequence of events is not happening with the Spyder auto shift. Regretfully, as the Spyder begins to downshift, the processor momentarily adds throttle at the wrong time, this error is physically evident to the rider by the momentary increase in "Speed" on each downshift as you coast to a stop. Bottom line, while the auto shift works to a degree, BRP has failed to simulate the timing of throttle - clutch and shifting, and therefore fails replicate what happens when an experienced rider shifts to lower gears when approaching a stop.

Most of the problem is due to the fact the auto-shift blips the throttle "Before" the clutch is disengaged rather than after the clutch is dis-engaged so it never sync's the rpm correctly. Another problem is the clutch never completely disengages properly during shifts like it does when the bike comes to a stop.

To be perfectly honest with you - I can shift a standard shift Spyder smoother "without using a clutch" better then BRP has managed with a SE6 clutch!

This exact problem was evident way back when I drove one of the first release 08-09 of the SE5 in Virginia. What I and others felt then, is what we're feeling now with the newer SE6 transmission.

Thanks - Mike