Stuck in gear... again!

[DaveMcC]

Last fall, suddenly my 2013 ST LTD got stuck in 5th gear. Couldn't get into neutral or any other gear. Limped home in 5th but where there was a incline of any kind it was get off and push. Finally got it to the dealer in Spokane (250 miles away-closest dealer) and he claimed to have fixed it. 'A linkage', he said had come loose. Got it back and parked it for the winter. Pulled it out today, 2/28, and rode 100 miles when it got stuck in 4th gear. Either he was a terrible mechanic or it is a design flaw. I have 31000 trouble free miles on the '13 but now this issue. I do not have a shop manual and don't want one but am willing to try to solve this on my own. Any ideas and where under the plastic am I likely to find this "linkage" issue>?

 

[pegasus1300]

You will find the shifter on the left side down low. It sounds to me like your shifter arm has the splines stripped out. Since your Spyder is a Limited, I am assuming it is an SE5, is that right? If so, you will need to remove left side plastic. You will see the shifter arm down low on the left side. Remove the 10mm screw from the arm and look at the splines. If they are worn, order a new one, they are pretty cheap. Also go to the hardware store and get a longer screw and a nylock nut. That way, after you tighten down the bolt on the new arm you can put on the nut to keep the bolt from coming loose and your arm moving on the shift shaft. This is not hard to fix, but once the arm starts moving around it doesn't take too long to strip the splines. The arm is very soft so that it will wear, not the shaft going into the engine. This is what happened to my 2012 RT Limited SE5. Oh, BTW, there is an index mark on the arm and on the shaft. It will be obvious what it is. Just line them up.

 

[ARNIE R]

Sorry for the poor picture.

If you have not already, look down at your left foot rest and there should be a curved cutout on the black trim piece. You can see the shift linkage and be able to reach up from underneath and see if it is loose or has come off completely, as mine once did.

 

[DaveMcC]

Thanks. I am anxious now to run to the storage unit where I keep the Spyder and visually inspect the shifter linkage. If a simple new nut on a longer bolt is an answer, woo-hoo. If on the other hand, the mechanic simply didn't fix it permanently, then back to the shop it goes, only with a little pressure to do the correct work this time for no charge.

Thanks for locating it for me. The picture is very helpful.

I'll repost with the final answer once it's repaired.

 

[Gilda]

This happened to me last summer. Just picked it up from an oil change. Pulled in for fuel 1/2 hour from the dealership and bike would't shift. Had a truck n trailer pick us up and back to dealership. Mechanic found this. 2015 ST L. Can't remember how many kms I had on it then. Not a hell of a lot. I'm thinking this might happen again now after reading your posts.

 

[pegasus1300]

The reason I went to the longer bolt with a nylok nut is that I had replaced the shifter arm because the splines were worn out from being loose for a while and I didn't want that to happen to me again. If I were you, as this is the second time around, I would replace the shifter arm along with the longer bolt and nut.



Edit: The arm is much softer than the shaft so that the arm will wear out and be replaced (cheap) instead of the shaft (very expensive)

 

[DaveMcC]

Super picture. I'm not a "wrencher" anymore but your Pic puts me on track to go take a look. Can't be that bad.

 

[Nobodyjj]

Looks like frigging pot metal. Quick fix on the road is jam some foil around it and tighten the **** out it. That'll probably get you home!

 

[DaveMcC]

Turns out the first mechanic didn't know what he was doing. The mechanic at the next dealer (Spokane has two Spyder dealers within 25 miles of each other) said the splines were still factory spec and he merely put it back with the bolt sitting in a groove.

NOw I worry about reliability. Wonder if the Yamaha Niken might be a reasonable alternative.

 

[trikermutha]

Yeah that bolt when put in correctly will prevent it from walking out of the spline shaft. Also that bolt has to be tight. A bit of blue Loctite on the thread of the bolt will help from loosening up.
Had that all the time happen on the Harley.

 

[Gilda]

This happened to me AGAIN! July 28 / 2019 and May 2 / 2020. 2015 ST L with under 21,000 kms on it.
The first time the cable fell off they just reattached it I guess.
My first ride for this season and I was 11.5 kms from home.
Thankfully both times i was rescued by someone with trucks and trailers.
Bike is still at the dealership and I want it fixed right this time.
Hopefully today I'll hear from them on what they will do.
Makes me nervous about going on a long rise by myself now.

 

[Fatcycledaddy]

"I have 31000 trouble free miles on the '13 but now this issue."

"NOw I worry about reliability. Wonder if the Yamaha Niken might be a reasonable alternative."

What am I missing? 31000 trouble free miles is what you posted. One bolt comes lose and you cant shift, so now you are worried about reliability and wanting something else?
Sounds pretty reliable to me.

 

[mwnation]

I need the linkage part that the splines are worn out on - anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[Snoking1127]

i need the linkage part that the splines are worn out anyone point me in the right direction

Gear Shift Lever
420257881
$32.99
https://www.partspitstoponline.com/oemparts/a/cam/51630ff8f870021a248612fb/hydraulic-shifting

 

[msherwood]

I have had this happen many times at the worst of locations, I replaced the shift arm drilled out the hole placed a through bolt, plastic lock nut and backed that up with a secondary lock nut, however coming home from work it came off again and of course in the worst of locations. It has become so untrustworthy I am considering getting rid of the Spyder before I get killed.

 

[rumblebee1078]

I'm having trouble with a '14 RS-S SE5. Changed my oil and the shift actuator wasn't shifting well all of a sudden. It is now, but when it wasn't, I thought the shift shaft needed adjusting, so I took that apart and put it back on. Now the actuator is trying to shift the gears, but I apparently have the rod adjusted wrong, cuz it acts like it doesn't have enough pressure to shift it into either Reverse or Neutral, or in the first move... But it is moving! I have no clue how to put this rod/shift shaft rod back to the factory settings, and I'm stranded. Help?

 

[Peter Aawen]

I'm having trouble with a '14 RS-S SE5. Changed my oil and the shift actuator wasn't shifting well all of a sudden. It is now, but when it wasn't, I thought the shift shaft needed adjusting, so I took that apart and put it back on. Now the actuator is trying to shift the gears, but I apparently have the rod adjusted wrong, cuz it acts like it doesn't have enough pressure to shift it into either Reverse or Neutral, or in the first move... But it is moving! I have no clue how to put this rod/shift shaft rod back to the factory settings, and I'm stranded. Help?

Check out post #2 in this thread, rumble; & read at least as far as post#9.

You do need to index the arm correctly, as explained in those earlier posts, or your selector will move, but probably not shift! :banghead: But it does sound likely that you'll need to do something like the suggestion in post #8 to get/keep moving, at least until you can get a replacement part?!? :dontknow:

Good Luck :cheers: