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Manual vs. Automatic

SM5 for me, no question about it, not even a little bit. I LOVE shifting, it really is part of the experience for me.
 
I own a SM5 and have ridden two SE5s.... I prefer a manual hands-down, but the SE5 is pretty nice too. Shifting is a lot smoother and it seems to accelerate faster. However, I prefer to have control over my shift points thanks. :doorag:
 
Hmmmm!!

Lets see.. should I order chocolate cake or carrot cake... Sounds like a personal preference decision to me. They're both incredible. Here's a personal observation... by going three wheels vs two, we have already departed somewhat from conventional motorcycling, going SE5 is just another notch in that departure. For that reason alone Kim & I have decided to go SM5 on both our RT's..... Cake anyone??? Len
 
SpyderGirl said:
I own a SM5 and have ridden two SE5s.... I prefer a manual hands-down, but the SE5 is pretty nice too. Shifting is a lot smoother and it seems to accelerate faster. However, I prefer to have control over my shift points thanks. :doorag:
Click to expand...

You control when to shift on the SE5. The only time it will shift for you is when it downshifts at about 2500 rpm. In effect it never shifts for me except when I want it to, like when I am coming to a stop light. I don't have to bother going down through the gears. I chose all upshifts and all down shifts at any rpm higher than 2500- which is all of them except like I said- coming to a stop when I often left the trans shift itself.

Being a lazy guy at times I would be happy if it had a shift program for up and down, as long as I could turn it off. That would make it more like paddle shifters in a car.
 
Jornie1 said:
Lets see.. should I order chocolate cake or carrot cake... Sounds like a personal preference decision to me. They're both incredible. Here's a personal observation... by going three wheels vs two, we have already departed somewhat from conventional motorcycling, going SE5 is just another notch in that departure. For that reason alone Kim & I have decided to go SM5 on both our RT's..... Cake anyone??? Len
Click to expand...

Cake! Mmmmm, I like cake! :D

jgwoods said:
You control when to shift on the SE5. The only time it will shift for you is when it downshifts at about 2500 rpm. In effect it never shifts for me except when I want it to, like when I am coming to a stop light. I don't have to bother going down through the gears. I chose all upshifts and all down shifts at any rpm higher than 2500- which is all of them except like I said- coming to a stop when I often left the trans shift itself.
Click to expand...

:agree: The reason I was unsure about the SE is I also wanted to maintain control of my shift points. I have all the same control those with SM Spyders have, with the added benefit of not having to worry about downshifting under rapid braking conditions. Sure, I may not be able to pull in the clutch and coast very well, but besides the snowy example given earlier I can't see a lot of Spyder coasting going on.
 
SpyderWolf said:
I have been riding with some 2 wheeler friends along some beautiful mountain roads before. When we stopped I was asking them about the waterfalls I saw, and the sheer rock faces right next to the road that I thought were so cool. They actually said they never saw those things as they were too busy concentrating on riding their bikes. That is when the realization hit me that the SE5 Spyder is truly a different animal, and in a class by itself. :doorag:
Click to expand...

+1 couldnt have said it better myself! automatic makes everything more enjoyable.
 
manual/auto

Had a 2008 manual shift.... my 2010 RT is automatic...love it. Like the fact it downshifts into 1st at lights automatically.
 
RShrimp said:
Which should I get? I have never been a fan of automatics but this is a bit of a different beast.

after 6000 mls with the SE .. would never change back (did 13.000mls on a GS-ME) - like most other things on this .. spyder... it needs a time to understand it - makes you faster and much coooler
chris
Click to expand...
 
This was our first trip to the smokies with our SE5, as for manual vs auto after riding the gap, the spyder in front had SM they use their brakes alot more than the SE. I found down shifting with the SE gave me more time to watch the road and vihicles in front of me. The only draw back that I can see is the fuel milage and the weight of the spyder. Reason being coming home we met up with another spyder rider with a SM pulling a trailer also and he told us he can go 150 miles on a tank where as we could only go 120. We rode together for about 100 Miles and he definetly got better fuel milage then we did, going the same speed 63mph.
 
I'm getting the manual cause it's cheaper. Did demo the se, did like it, just don't want to spend the money for the se. I'm hoping the 1500.00 price difference will keep my wife from killing me when I bring it home. EEK... :f_spider: it's a Spyder!
 
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