Friend having a weird problem

[Fire Joe]

I have a friend who just took delivery yesterday of his 08 Spyder he bought off of e-bay. Mind you he has ZERO motorcycle experience. Anyway, he called me tonight and said that long story short, the Spyder would only stay running in reverse and that as soon as he puts it in any forward gear it dies instantly. I am going over tomorrow to check it out. I actually don't have much experience with motorcycles as well but definitely more than him.

I would hate to think it's user error because I may not be able to keep myself from laughing tomorrow Not too sure it's a clutch problem because then wouldn't it die out in reverse as well? Any tips on what to look for or check out tomorrow when I look at it? If all else fails I told him to take it to Cowtown as they will make sure he is taken cared of.

Oh, one last bad thing about his whole ordeal is that the seller he bought it from... his phone is now disconnected. I really hope he didn't get scammed by getting a bad ryde ray:

Thanks in advance for any :helpsmilie: you all can give me to pass along to him.

 

[pierrelogic]

I have a friend who just took delivery yesterday of his 08 Spyder he bought off of e-bay. Mind you he has ZERO motorcycle experience. Anyway, he called me tonight and said that long story short, the Spyder would only stay running in reverse and that as soon as he puts it in any forward gear it dies instantly. I am going over tomorrow to check it out. I actually don't have much experience with motorcycles as well but definitely more than him.

I would hate to think it's user error because I may not be able to keep myself from laughing tomorrow Not too sure it's a clutch problem because then wouldn't it die out in reverse as well? Any tips on what to look for or check out tomorrow when I look at it? If all else fails I told him to take it to Cowtown as they will make sure he is taken cared of.

Oh, one last bad thing about his whole ordeal is that the seller he bought it from... his phone is now disconnected. I really hope he didn't get scammed by getting a bad ryde ray:

Thanks in advance for any :helpsmilie: you all can give me to pass along to him.

With the extremely limited experience I have, the first thing that came to mind is brakes. Maybe someone rode with the brakes on (not that anyone here has every done that :yikes but perhaps they are allowing it to go only backwards but clamp down tight going forward? Easy to determine...put it in reverse, ride around in circles several times without hitting the brakes then use the kill switch to stop the Spyder and feel all three disc. Are they smokin' hot? Bingo.

I admit this is a shot in the dark. I've only seen this happen in cars before..normally the back brakes/emergency brake left on. Causes terrible MPG too.

 

[Fire Joe]

With the extremely limited experience I have, the first thing that came to mind is brakes. Maybe someone rode with the brakes on (not that anyone here has every done that :yikes but perhaps they are allowing it to go only backwards but clamp down tight going forward? Easy to determine...put it in reverse, ride around in circles several times without hitting the brakes then use the kill switch to stop the Spyder and feel all three disc. Are they smokin' hot? Bingo.

I admit this is a shot in the dark. I've only seen this happen in cars before..normally the back brakes/emergency brake left on. Causes terrible MPG too.

I'll be sure to try that out tomorrow. He never did say if he managed to ride it in reverse himself but did say that the truck driver who delivered said that they had to load it up in the truck in reverse. Guessing that is why he said it only works in reverse.

Thanks for the tip and I'll report back here tomorrow to let you know if that was it or not.

 

[BajaRon]

Does not sound good to me.

1-They had to load it in Reverse, not good
2-All of a sudden the seller can't be reached, not good
3-No logical reason why he's having this issue other than a system failure

Good luck.

 

[Fire Joe]

Does not sound good to me.

1-They had to load it in Reverse, not good
2-All of a sudden the seller can't be reached, not good
3-No logical reason why he's having this issue other than a system failure

Good luck.

I agree with you, specially with point #2. He and I actually bought our Spyders only days apart. To think at first I was in a bidding war with him over the Spyder he bought but ended up buying a different one I saw on e-bay. I just feel really bad for him. He was so excited this past week knowing his ryde would be in last night. It's how I felt while waiting for mine to come off the truck.

Hopefully in the event of the worst case scenario (he got scammed) that the buyer protection thing that e-bay has will come through for him. Either that or he decides it's still worth it and have Cowtown work their magic on it.

 

[Tom in NM]

You didn't say if this was a SE5 or a SM5.

One thing I would try is to put it into neutral while it is running and manually push it forward and backward - and see if that "wakes" it up. ( this is just one of those "do something" things - no real mechanical reasoning behind it ).

But watch what the gear indicator says when you try and shift it. On a SE5 you cannot shift into a gear that would stall out the motor like that - unless there was a problem in the transmission or braking system (like pierrelogic suggested) or if there was some 'one-way' jamming obstruction with the wheels or belt/sprockets.

I don't know if you can shift a SM5 into too high a gear. :dontknow:

Also check what the idle RPMs are - if they are under 1500, that may make it stall out in 1st - I am not sure if low RPMs would have that effect in reverse. It could be a problem with the throttle adjustment.

No matter what, make sure the guys in CowTown check it out. In your friend's place, that would give me piece of mind and confidence in the overall condition of the Spyder and it would be worth whatever it cost.

And yes, for sure, make sure the kickstand it up.

Tom

 

[Mo Lee]

Really need to know if it is SM or SE model. When you say won't stay running the first thing is does it just die like a switch is being shut off or does it die like it is being overloaded as in locked brakes or something.

 

[Fire Joe]

Sorry about that guys, I completely forgot that important piece of info. It is an SM5 and according to him it dies instantly when put in a forward gear. He should be calling me around 3pm so I will be checking this thread all day before leaving. Thanks so much again for all the advice.

 

[SSG Bean]

Some of the early models had issues with the gear position sensor. I don't know that it would cause the symptoms you've stated, but it may warrant some exploration.

 

[Firefly]

Have them check the GPS (gear position sensor)... but........... with all due respect (you did say he's new to motorcycles)..... is he familiar with proper clutch operation?

I guess we need more details on what exactly is going on.

Is it stalling, or just outright stopping when he has the clutch IN and clicks up into first?

Hopefully just the GPS unit--- about $85 part.

 

[Fire Joe]

Have them check the GPS (gear position sensor)... but........... with all due respect (you did say he's new to motorcycles)..... is he familiar with proper clutch operation?

I guess we need more details on what exactly is going on.

Is it stalling, or just outright stopping when he has the clutch IN and clicks up into first?

Hopefully just the GPS unit--- about $85 part.

I am honestly not sure if he is familiar with clutch operation. I am actually hoping he isn't and that's all that is wrong. No cost fix and all I will need to do is show him how to properly work it.

Sorry for the lack of details. I am going by what he has told me so far. He is actually out of town right now that is why he won't be calling until later. I am sure frustration and worries of being scammed is high on his mind, I could tell by his voice when he called me yesterday so he may have very well left out some details.

On a side note, I looked up the buyer protection thing that e-bay offers and for that to kick in the damage has to do with the engine, transmission and some other parts and the cost for repair has to be over $1K before they would step in and think about reimbursing him his money if in fact the seller is now AWOL.

EDIT: He says that as soon as he engages a forward gear it dies out. He didn't say if it lurched forward then dies which would tell me that likely he isn't holding the clutch in.

 

[pjp623]

Let's look at simple first, if the E-brake is not totally disengaged, you can still go in reverse, but not in any forward gears--ask me how I know? "Blush, blush. pps:

 

[musicarcade]

Wow you have a strong e-brake! I was able to drive forward thru several gears w/ mine depressed a long ways!pps::roflblack:

Told them it needed some adjusting on my 600 mile inspection

 

[pjp623]

Well, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who's been a bit "out to lunch here", must be that I just have a heavy foot. :roflblack: E-brake still holds, how about you?
​

 

[Fire Joe]

Let's look at simple first, if the E-brake is not totally disengaged, you can still go in reverse, but not in any forward gears--ask me how I know? "Blush, blush. pps:

I have never taken off with the parking brake still active but for the life of me I have a heck of a time trying to disengage it. Just can't get the touch down so I just don't use it

 

[Eddie]

I have never taken off with the parking brake still active but for the life of me I have a heck of a time trying to disengage it. Just can't get the touch down so I just don't use it

LOL I do NOT use mine any more. I pushed it down by accident at a stop light and it would not disengage and it WOULD NOT MOVE :yikes: I had to put my full 320lbs on it and bounce to get it to release. nojoke

 

[musicarcade]

LOL I do NOT use mine any more. I pushed it down by accident at a stop light and it would not disengage and it WOULD NOT MOVE :yikes: I had to put my full 320lbs on it and bounce to get it to release. nojoke

I hate it when that happens. Definitly knocks you down a few pegs on the "cool" index.:roflblack:

 

[boborgera]

EDIT: He says that as soon as he engages a forward gear it dies out. He didn't say if it lurched forward then dies which would tell me that likely he isn't holding the clutch in.

:dontknow:
I think you hit the nail on the head, Hitting first with out clutching.
Also the reason they had to lode it in reverse might be because sometimes that's the only to get up a ramp with out hitting the undercarriage on the Spyder,

 

[Blue Star]

kick stand is down:yikes:

Spyders have kick stands?:dontknow:

 

[Eddie]

I hate it when that happens. Definitly knocks you down a few pegs on the "cool" index.:roflblack:

LOL It sure does!!! pps: Plum thru the green light