SHIFTING

[Boots]

I have a SE5 automatic. I still need to up shift and sometimes down shift when I need to slow down quicker. My question with the gears. What gear should I be in when I am going about 45 MPH and what gear above 55 MPH ? And does it hurt my Spyder if I manually down shift ? I sure do not want to mess up my transmission. Hubby and I have diff opinions ? Thanks, boots

 

[Jeriatric]

You may find this helpful. Read all the entries. Some opinions differ here too.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...sion-question&highlight=transmission+question

 

[Tierhog]

Hi Boots!

The 990 Rotax is a high revving engine. Many will debate the ideal sweet spot, but we generally agree on two primary points.
Lugging, or low rpm riding is not encouraged (under 3500 rpms). Excessively high rpm riding (maintaining 8000 rpm and above) is also discouraged.

Maintaining 45 mph (consistent speed) would place me in the "top end of 3rd" and 55mph would be 4th gear. Anything over 65mph is ideal for 5th.

Try to think of rpm levels more than speed. Shift between 5-8k depending on how spirited you ride is. Downshifting is perfectly safe. I blip the throttle and enter a lower gear around 3800-4000 rpm.

I hope that helps

 

[NancysToy]

It should never hurt to either downshift or upshift as long as the resulting rpm would remain in the middle (third) of a machine's operating range. It is only outside that middle area that you might have difficulties...especially with an SE Spyder. JMHO

 

[SpyderDen]

Just curious Scotty, why is the SE5 more sensitive to shifting RPM range?

 

[Spyder4Tess]

It maybe more of a question like,what RPM it should be.

 

[SethO]

Hi Boots!

The 990 Rotax is a high revving engine. Many will debate the ideal sweet spot, but we generally agree on two primary points.
Lugging, or low rpm riding is not encouraged (under 3500 rpms). Excessively high rpm riding (maintaining 8000 rpm and above) is also discouraged.

Maintaining 45 mph (consistent speed) would place me in the "top end of 3rd" and 55mph would be 4th gear. Anything over 65mph is ideal for 5th.

Try to think of rpm levels more than speed. Shift between 5-8k depending on how spirited you ride is. Downshifting is perfectly safe. I blip the throttle and enter a lower gear around 3800-4000 rpm.

I hope that helps

who told you this? the engine in the millie R rev'ed higher and my og death machine had 86,000 miles on it and it was drove over 8k for rev all the time, plus when you slow down enough the se-5 will down shift and its not going to hurt anything to run it low.


There is no issue with downshifting manually to answer the post question and in all the 86k on my old bike I only had a fault with the transmission was the paddle shifter had a issue from being used too much (at 60k) but it still worked just would give a check tranny fault.

 

[Tierhog]

Who told me not to lug it? Who told me not to maintain 8000 rpms for 20min down the highway?

Same mechanic that physically put mine together five years ago in the bay area. He takes calls when hes not buried under a skidoo, spyder, or can am quad. He took 30min at the end of his day to familiarize me with my spyder, and thus far has proven extremely reliable.

Then again, my ZX-6 guys said the same thing (taking into account rpm/engine differences)

The OP was looking for shifting and cruising RPMs/speeds not "How high can you take it".

If spyder riders want to scream down the highway at 8k for miles on end or lug at 3000k in a high gear consistently, be my guest. I was just trying to steer them in the right direction.

 

[ulflyer]

Boots, at 45 I'm mostly still in 3rd, but close to going 4th. At 55 to 60 I'm still in 4th, and if speed is climbing I'll shift to 5th. I find that on a lot of secondary roads where speed limit is 55 I never go higher than 4th.

I manually downshift a lot to keep RPM's above 3500. 24K on mine now and so far so good with the transmission.

 

[Bob Denman]

Hi Boots,
45 would be just about at the top of third, and thinking about hitting fourth if the road ahead is opening up...
A couple of BRP reps have told me to try to avoid using fifth if I'm not running at least 55 mph.

Those guidelines pretty much keep me above 4,000 rpm, so the clutches are certainly fully locked-up. :thumbup:

 

[NancysToy]

Just curious Scotty, why is the SE5 more sensitive to shifting RPM range?

The SE needs to have enough rpm to fully engage the clutch and keep it engaged. The SM doesn't care...when you let that lever out, it is fully engaged.

 

[jthornton]

Really it depends on the grade and the current action at hand. If your going down hill, coming to a stop, if your cruzing on level ground, going up hill, passing... The main thing I do is keep the RPM above the centrifugal clutch lock up RPM of 3400 when under power. When I'm under power I keep the RPM in a happy place for the Rotax for the action at hand. This could be anywhere from 3500 to 6-7k it just depends on all the variables. When coasting to a stop I just let the nanny down shift for me.

JT