Intro with question

[Baphomet]

This seems like the best Spyder forum around from what I have read so far so thought I'd join in and introduce myself. The wife and I just got a 2010 RS SE5 which is my wife's primary rider. Figured I ought to get on here under my own identity since it will be me that does any modding and wrenching to it.

My wife is a new rider to anything not a car, and as such she is doing fantastically well. Me, on the other hand, am primarily a two wheeled guy so riding Spidey is a fun yet strange experience. I have a question that perhaps someone might be willing to tackle.

Our SE5 has the semi-automatic tranny and going though the gears and allowing the machine to downshift is not a problem, but me being used to doing my own clutching I cannot help but wonder if there is a technique to it which would make the shift up and/or down more smooth. I HAVE noticed that if I just slightly roll off the throttle during up shifting it tends to find the gear more smoothly, but I have found no technique at all for down shifting which prevents it from hitting the gears hard. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Since I am new to the forum, I am assuming it is customary to post a pic of our ride, so here goes. This is the day my wife brought it home. I have a taller BRP windshield and handle bar riser on order and will install them when they get here.

I might add that my wife, who will be the primary rider of Spidey, has Cerebral Palsy which gives her limited mobility in her legs ... so I might be asking about some mod ideas as the need arises. So far she has been able to hop and and ride this sucker with no real problem.

 

[SNSTRO]

Welcome to the club.. I am a new owner too..
this site is awesome and the members are even more so.. almost anything you can ask about the spyder you will find your answers here..

Later

 

[COOLMACHINE]

I do not have the answer.

Hello Baphomet,
I do not have the answer to your question but I'm sure you will get one shortly from one of our members. What I did want to say was I "LOVE" that blue and black Spyder. Thanks for the pic and we welcome you and your wife to the forum. Jerry

 

[SpyderDen]

:congrats: and :welcome:. Rather new myself, but I'm sure you will get lots of help on this site. It's GREAT :thumbup:

 

[Lamonster]

:welcome:
Glad you found us and glad to help with any wrenching questions you might have.

I have a sm and a se and I find that leaving the throttle wide open when shifting makes for the smoothest transition through the gears. On down shifting I like to blip the throttle a bit before down shifting.

Great looking Spyder :thumbup:

 

[pjp623]

:congrats: & :welcome: to both Baphomet and SNSTRO.

 

[Slybird]

Ditto the above posting! :congrats::welcome: Welcome to the both of you. I agree wholeheartedly with Lamonster regarding the shifting issues. Stick with this forum....it's a goldmine! :chat:

 

[Neez]

Baphomet, the semi-auto contains a blipper that automatically controls rpm when shifting. You should be able to leave the throttle where it is. I have found the shifting is smoother when you quickly brush the paddle with the end of your glove thumb, don't try to "press the button."

 

[musicarcade]

:welcome: and :congrats: on that beautiful Spyder!
:agree:w/ Lamonster on the shifting, but I usually let the spyder downshift itself unless I want to downshift sooner, like when I am making a turn. I almost always let it downshift into first by itself. Due to some other issues I've had, I try and make a point of shifting into neutral before shutting the Spyder off.

Your profile pic creeps me out tho.:roflblack:

 

[SpyderGirl]

:welcome: to the club.

Blue is the FASTEST color.

 

[bikeguy]

:welcome: to you and your wife. Hope your wife enjoys her new ride and being able to ride with you.

Cotton

 

[SpyderSteve]

:welcome: Like the colour :2thumbs:

 

[napper39]

welcome to spyder lovers,you found the best place to find out everthing you will need to know about spyders.:congrats::2thumbs: hope to see you at spyder fest.:spyder2:

 

[tofriendscreek]

Welcome! I'm relatively new to this forum also. I've said before, the members are great, the knowledge base awesome and the more I learn the less I know.

Not sure I understand what you mean that down shifts are "hard". Are you manually down shifting or letting the Spyder do it auto? I have noticed on mine if I'm doing the shifting and I'm moving into a lower gear at too high a speed it will kinda do a little lurch but I wouldn't call it hard. As I've become better at listening to the engine I seem to know when to shift and it is very smooth. The only time my Spyder rebels so to speak is when I've had to brake rather hard to avoid an animal, unseen pothole or stupid driver.

I'm sure the veteran riders will be of more assistance.

 

[medic 1]

:welcome: and :congrats: on the new Spyder. Ryde safe Bill

 

[sealfloorboards]

Hi Baphomet,

Welcome to both you and your wife. The blue is really beautiful. I have a yellow RS SM5 and love not having to deal with a clutch. Unless I'm downshifting in preparation to pass or corner I let it downshift by itself. I tend to accelerate a bit as I downshift and love the sudden surge. Other than that I have not felt much in the way of a bump, thump or clunk in downshifting. A hats off to your wife for having the courage to ride. My friends gave me some very strange looks when I started riding at 60 and because I walk kind of like a drunken sailor because of my Gillian Barre. I love pulling into the handicapped spaces and seeing the look on some faces when they see the Parking Permit on the sexy machine. Enjoy many, many miles of riding together.

Ride in comfort,

John
sealfloorboards.com

 

[Marker]

:congrats::welcome: to the both of you:thumbup:

 

[Baphomet]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. Speaking of warm, today is not. I'd say it is about 38f outside, but I took the wife's Spyder out for a ride anyway to really concentrate on my shifting and the sound of the engine. It certainly does NOT sound abnormal, and I think what I'm doing is over thinking a simple operation. I'm just too use to having my own way with a clutch. Anyway, I bundled up and tried downshifting manually and then letting the machine do it and I suppose what I'm calling a hard downshift is feeling 100 percent of the engine compression all at once instead of easing a clutch out like on a manual transmission. Just a matter of getting used to it I suppose. Of course, the important thing here is that my wife (Christy) develop her own technique/habits when SHE shifts ... not me.

As for that, when she gets home from work (I get off before her) I am going to tell her she ought to join the forum here and introduce herself. Especially since she is the 'real' owner of the machine.

 

[Henning]

Welcome

Hi:welcome:

I am quite new here too, not posted so many replays, but I have read a LOT of the posts written here. This forum has been very helpfully to me to decide to buy one.

As you wife, I am born with Cerebral Palsy, the right side affected. So I did a lot research on the web, because I couldn't try an stock spyder. I needed the throttle and the foot-brake moved to left side before could try the spyder.

Therefore it was very important to do probably research. I want to thank Fred Rau for answered e-mail very fast and very honest.

So in the late summer, I bought 2009 Se5 and put the spyder in workshop for moving the brake and the throttle. It was gambling, I didn't know yet if I EVEN was able to ride it.

Now I have ridden a little bit,actually just few day before the snow came, and I did make it! I just need an solid backrest with lateral support. HUGE thanks to Mouthpiece (Chris Ray) who will give me a stock RT backrest pad for free!! This man so kind, I'am very gratefull!:bowdown:

Now it is winter here Norway, so I gonna use the winter to build the backrest and wheelchair mount.

I can't wait to try it again:clap:

View attachment 10452

 

[capt jim]

semi-auto shift

:welcome:8 months and 6000 mi later my shifting has gotten very smoothe. bought the auto RT A&C primarily because of severe authitis in the hands and fingers. had to give up hand clutch alltogether and my two wheeler.when accelerating through the gears i continue increasing the throttle as the gears change. never down shift unless it is called for, let auto do it . hope it works same for you as well. JIM :congrats: