Slippage?

[Cavman]

First off, I have the SE5 transmission. Something that came up this past week while traveling to the OE in Maggie Valley while towing my trailer.

When I would get on the throttle, the bike acted as if it didn't have enough clutch pressure and the bike would start reviving up and loose pulling power. It would do this in or out of trailer mode. It has never done this when I was not pulling a trailer.
Is there an adjustment or maintenance that I need to be done to the Spyder RT? I checked the oil and it was a little low. I added 1/3 of a quart to top it off.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Bob Denman]

Several questions:
How many miles are on your bike?
Where have you been keeping the rpm levels for normal operation?

It sure sounds as if you've got some clutch plates that are slipping... :shocked: The extra load of towing is what is making it most apparent.

 

[Cavman]

I have over 16k miles on the bike. I had the 14K service done at the end of March. I try to cruise at 5-6K RPMs (best mileage) and shifting around 6-7K RPMs.

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

A long shot here but what oil are you using? Did you add any additives? How long and how many miles since last oil change? Do you have the new transmission filter upgrade? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Bob Ledford]

I would say your shortage of oil would have been the primary cause enhanced the the change of leve angles caused by terrain features. Unfortunately the damage to the clutch plates may have already been done. If you performed you fill before to much damage was done you might just have dodged a bullet.

Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS) were designed for a purpose. By doing your "before PMCS" would have alerted you to the problem. Doing PMCS during operation would have alerted you to a in use problem to where you could have used a minimal amount of oil to top it off. doing an after PMCS would have had you ready to run jump, an go status.

Hopefully for you and your $$$ you caught it early enough that it is a no harm no foul thing

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree:

 

[Cavman]

I checked the oil before I left for the OE in MV and topped off the oil. I'm using 10W40 Amsoil and have since I bought the Spyder pre-owned last year. It is now due, the oil and filter change. I have not up graded on the larger filter because I have some of the others still to use.
I got my oil, filters, seals and 'O' rings from BajaRon.

The oil was only 1/3 low when I checked it on the way back from MV.

 

[Ga Blue Knight]

Before you go to far into tearing apart the bike do an oil and filter change. I have seen a few cases where the transmission filter collapsed partially blocking the flow of fluid. This caused shifting issues because of poor oil flow not slippage but it's worth a shot! Let us hope its that simple.

 

[billybovine]

Engine RPM's good so it's not operator error.
1/3 quart added to bring to full. That means it was above the add line, so it had lots of oil.
You are using Amsoil and as long as it's the motorcycle oil and not car oil that is OK.
You can ignore anything to do with the shift system as being a problem since it is only pressurized and active during the 1/2 second it takes to shift a gear.

Sorry IMHO it looks like a clutch rebuild needed.

 

[Jeriatric]

Code to watch for P0811. Not sure what the trigger point is for this code. But, once it's thrown it's probably asta la vista clutch.