998cc Anyone fitted & used an A/mkt Electronic gear Changer? What mods needed?

[Nokesy]

I have a 2012 RSS SM5 - the manual transmission Spyder. Two years ago, I got a sepsis infection just before Xmas. This almost killed me, but did a lot of damage to my heart, liver, and body. I can no longer walk on my own and need a walker to get around. I found a walker that I set up to fit my Spyder and it works well. The issue I have is that I cannot use my left leg properly and have to pull my leg up with my hand to change gears.

I found a few electronic gear changers that say are adaptable to any bike. They range from $1500 up to $2500. You would push a button to go up a gear or another to go down a gear. You still have to use your clutch as you change gears but would not have to use your leg.

Has anyone used one of these systems on a Spyder and if so, how did you modify it to fit?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ps: I know some would say to buy a semi auto, but I also had to get rid of my bass boat and bought a pontoon boat so I could still fish...

 

[Peter Aawen]

Not good to hear about that sepsis - nasty stuff!! But very glad you survived even if not completely unscathed - no matter how bad it is, it's gotta be better than the alternative! :thumbup:

As for your 'not able to buy a new SE Spyder' concern, hence the Electronic Shifter question, you might want to look for (maybe even Search here??) for Motorcycle Quick-Shift Kits - I haven't ever fitted one or used one on a Spyder (the SE models cover that need for most and have all the electronics built in! ) but the couple of A/mkt 'gear lever free' kits (as opposed to those Quick-Shift that still use the OE gear lever! ) that I've used on other bikes in the past (waaay in the past, so no detail on make/model/supply available! ) have all simply fitted the bulk of the fittings over the gear change shaft; added a button to the handlebar &/or a bit of electronic linkage to the clutch lever; and then connected to a power supply - all relatively easy to do but IIRC, pretty swish in their operation.

As mentioned above, there are other Quick-Shift kits that work off the foot gear selector (ie. foot operated) but they clearly won't suit in this instance. However, something else to consider might be fitting a remote linkage to the foot gear selector that swaps it across to the other side, so you do all your gear changing and braking with your right foot?! :dontknow:

OR, have you considered trying to trade your SM5 RSS for an SE5 RSS?? Check out the 'For Sale by Owner' sub-forum here:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?7-For-Sale-by-Owner

If you consider going the way of a Trade, then please read the READ FIRST! Sticky at the top of the Sub-forum and maybe put up an Ad seeking a trade iaw those directions?? Only if you do - be patient, it might take a while; and please do post in it regularly so that we can see it's not been abandoned; then close it properly by marking it SOLD as detailed in the Sticky once you have achieved a trade/are done with the Ad.

Good Luck! :cheers:

 

[WisconsinDavid]

I'd recommend going up to a semi auto spyder... designed to work that way for you and not a tack on solution. I didn't think I'd like the thumb shifting since I had always ridden with clutch and foot shift ... since I was a kid with a mini-bike, but I really like the semi-auto of my new-to-me 2014 RT. Glad you survived and are still living life large after the medical problems. Keep moving forward!

 

[Nokesy]

Thanks for the replies, gives me something to think about. Got all winter to figure it out.

I was hoping not to have to trade it in as I have done numerous modifications and additions. But something to look at anyway

 

[Gwolf]

My left leg was amputated long ago. I tried one of the electric shifters on a Harley Sportster I was building. It operated using a set of electromagnetic solinoids to shift up and down. Worked fairly well, but slammed the gears hard. It would have been OK for drag racing, which was the intended use. For general street riding, it had to be rough on the gears. Worked a little better if you tried to back off the throttle some before the shift. Impossible to find neutral without reaching down and moving the levers by hand......... which is the same hand you would be holding the clutch with, if the engine was running. I ended up taking it back off and building a cross over shifter to shift gears using my right foot instead. Got a Spyder with the thumb shift on the left handgrip now. It has been working flawlessly for over 5 years.

 

[ARtraveler]

I have also read your note about not wanting to trade off or sell the SM5.

The 998's are discontinued and are getting more difficult to find or get service on. A $1500 to $2500 mod will do nothing to enhance the value of your machine except making it more accessible to you. I would use that money to find a suitable trade for an SE.

The SE5 or SE6 is definitely where I am suggesting that you go to. One of the reasons I had to give up my two wheels was a bad left foot. Could not use it in the shifting process. Of seven Spyders, the one and only SM was my first, because SE was not available at the time. All others have been SE's.

You now have my .02. :bowdown: