2015 RTs shift quality

[Harmony 44]

Has anyone noticed their shift quality change over time? The reason I ask is in May, at 2500 mi I brought it in for its first service and was informed the hydraulic control unit assembly needed to be replaced because of shifting codes (was very abrupt up shifting). When I picked it up it was a whole new bike, much smoother. Well after a busy summer I can find the time to ride again, at 5000 mi I again have abrupt up shifts. When I first start out, shifting at 2900 rpm it is smooth as silk, above that and it is very abrupt unless I blip the throttle, once it is hot it is only smooth by blipping the throttle. What is different this time is downshifting, off throttle seems normal but any downshift with throttle say going up hill looking for more power is abrupt with a sharp metallic clank. It is going back to the dealer this week and hopefully is not too serious, but I think I have an underling issue in the transmission that hasn't been discovered yet.:spyder:

I almost forgot, It also has a vibration in the floorboards and handlebars all the time. Not too bad at idle but enough to make my feet tingle at speed, and put my hands to sleep, it never did that before. This is different than the belt vibration from 72-80, but possibly related to the inner sheave, after the alignment it touches from time to time.

 

[Highwayman2013]

Might be advisable to have them check the front drive pulley.

 

[Chupaca]

Well....

There have been some posts about the sensor cracking and leaking and sending the wrong message. I would have them check this out cause if they replaced it with the original part it may have failed again. I think the 2016 have a different part number and may be a modified part. :dontknow:

 

[Harmony 44]

There have been some posts about the sensor cracking and leaking and sending the wrong message. I would have them check this out cause if they replaced it with the original part it may have failed again. I think the 2016 have a different part number and may be a modified part. :dontknow:

Interesting, I'll hopefully have any idea what's going on by Wednesday. Right now I am glad the dealer has done all of the work to this point, this is the first vehicle I haven't touched.

It may be in my head but I swear it is louder, more guttural when I accelerate. My wife says it's louder with a high frequency whine while on the highway that she can hear as the passenger.

 

[Harmony 44]

Well still no closer to knowing what is going on. Dealer said it seemed normal, and it did feel pretty good when I stopped in. I have driven it abut 300 miles since and the vibration and noises are greatly reduced, the shifting is still acceptable too. As a matter of fact, for the first time since I have owned it I can make up shifts at any rpm as smooth as can be, before anything over 3000 rpm and my wife would bump my helmet. I even tried some wide open shifts and they were smooth as well. The tech just told me to keep looking for metal on the dipstick, fingers crossed it stays this way.

 

[ARtraveler]

Something does not sound to be quite right. Most of us find the ideal shifting point (smooth as butter upshifts) at around 3000 - 3500. Downshifting done by the :ani29: seems to be right on around 98% of the time.

Let us know what happens.

 

[Bob Denman]

The tech just told me to keep looking for metal on the dipstick, fingers crossed it stays this way.

:shocked: If a Technician said that to me: I'd start getting worried... :yikes:

 

[Harmony 44]

:shocked: If a Technician said that to me: I'd start getting worried... :yikes:

As a fellow mechanic I knew exactly what he was saying, there is a problem, but to find it under warranty protocol isn't an option. When it is really acting up or finally breaks it can be fixed, until then I will ride the wheels off of it, well as much as I can. If it was not under warranty I would have opened it up and inspected every part, but that would be foolish at this point. All I know is the more I ride it, the more I like it.:thumbup:

 

[Harmony 44]

Something does not sound to be quite right. Most of us find the ideal shifting point (smooth as butter upshifts) at around 3000 - 3500. Downshifting done by the :ani29: seems to be right on around 98% of the time.

Let us know what happens.

It surprises me sometimes when the gear change is almost unnoticeable, it is awesome, unfortunately that would be 1 in 20 shifts. Downshifting has always been much better, either automatically or manually, when they started to get rough I knew there was still a problem. Deep down I knew the hydraulic control unit was not the final repair, but I was optimistic. I will definitely keep everyone up to date.

 

[irvin48]

so what did they actually replace that made it better ? i always thought mine
had a shift or 2 i didnt like each time up or down. i try to stay in the 3-3500
range also. rode the dealers demo 16 rt and it was about the same. only thing i
noticed was a softer ride in the front and better cornering, even with a stock sway bar. irv

 

[Harmony 44]

so what did they actually replace that made it better ? i always thought mine
had a shift or 2 i didnt like each time up or down. i try to stay in the 3-3500
range also. rode the dealers demo 16 rt and it was about the same. only thing i
noticed was a softer ride in the front and better cornering, even with a stock sway bar. irv

They replaced the Hydraulic Control Unit Assembly. They did so because it had codes in memory (never had a service light), I didn't realize the shift quality was bad until I rode their 2016 demo. Now it is better most of the time, and awful some of the time. My opinion is debris in the system that occasionally restrict passages in the control unit. I don't think 1 or 2 shifts randomly is anything to be concerned about, unless they feel like you slam on the brakes then release with a loud metallic clunk in the middle.

 

[Bob Denman]

There's another thread in here someplace, that is discussing shift quality also... After reading what the OP in that thread is saying: I'm left wondering if the throttle isn't getting "chopped" by the computer, when it's time for the shift to occur. Has your dealer looked at this possibility?:dontknow:

 

[Harmony 44]

There's another thread in here someplace, that is discussing shift quality also... After reading what the OP in that thread is saying: I'm left wondering if the throttle isn't getting "chopped" by the computer, when it's time for the shift to occur. Has your dealer looked at this possibility?:dontknow:

I too have started similar threads in the past. When I say slam on the brakes it is more like someone who has never driven a manual trans and doesn't know how to use a clutch. If I blip the throttle when it is acting up the shifts are smooth so it is definitely a timing issue, either electronic or hydraulic. Either way you are quite correct that data logging will be required to locate the issue, especially since it isn't presently setting any codes.:thumbup: