Why Your 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Is Using More Fuel Than It Used To
Shop parts for a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Motorcycle.Your 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 is a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected four-stroke roadster with belt final drive and electronic ignition. That matters, because a computer-controlled engine that suddenly drinks more fuel has a different set of likely causes than an older carbureted machine. The encouraging part is that most of the usual suspects here are inexpensive to check, and several can be ruled out in an afternoon.
Confirm the Drop Is Real Before Chasing Parts
A single tank tells you very little. Fuel economy shifts with wind, temperature, traffic, and throttle habits, and one bad fill-up can make a healthy bike look thirsty. To get a real figure, fill to the same level each time, note your odometer or reset the trip meter, ride normally across several tanks, then divide miles ridden by the fuel added. Average three or four tanks before concluding anything.
Question the numbers themselves, too. If your Spyder runs a rear tire that is not the original size, or its drive pulley ratio has been changed, the speedometer and odometer both read incorrectly and your calculated economy looks worse than it truly is. Many riders never calculate mileage at all — they simply notice they are stopping for fuel more often than they used to.
Riding Conditions and Habits That Quietly Cost Fuel
Cold weather is the most common innocent explanation. A cold engine needs extra fuel to run smoothly, and short winter rides never let it reach full operating temperature. Winter-blend and ethanol-blended fuels also carry slightly less energy, so a seasonal dip in economy is entirely normal.
Beyond weather, consider how the bike is used. Headwinds penalize a machine with as much frontal area as a Spyder, and sustained highway speeds burn far more than a relaxed cruise. A passenger, loaded saddlebags, or a taller windshield raises the workload, while aggressive acceleration, long idle warm-ups, and a route of short hops all push consumption upward. Because the RT-S uses a semi-automatic transmission, holding lower gears longer than necessary has the same effect.
Rolling Resistance: Tires, Brakes, and the Drive Belt
Underinflated tires are the most overlooked cause of poor fuel economy on any vehicle, and your Spyder has three of them to watch. Check pressures when the tires are cold and check them often, since a slow leak that would be obvious on a car can hide on a three-wheeler.
Feel for drag as well. After a ride, carefully touch each wheel area and see whether one is noticeably hotter than the others, which points to a brake caliper that is not fully releasing. A lightly dragging caliper is easy to miss from the saddle but costs fuel constantly.
Inspect the drive belt next. A belt that is over-tensioned, misaligned, or contaminated with grit loads the driveline unnecessarily, and one running too tight can wear the bearings it passes through. Check tension and alignment, and look for debris or damage in the belt itself.
Air Intake and Spark Plugs
An engine only burns fuel efficiently when it can breathe. A clogged or heavily soiled air filter restricts airflow and forces the injection system to compensate, producing a richer mixture. If the filter has not been changed in a long time, or you ride in dusty conditions, this is a cheap place to start.
Spark plugs matter just as much. Worn, fouled, or incorrectly gapped plugs will not fire cleanly, so some fuel leaves the cylinders unburned. Pull them and read them: a uniformly dark, sooty appearance suggests a rich condition, while healthy plugs show light tan or gray deposits. Because this Spyder uses electronic ignition, there are no points to wear or adjust.
Fuel Injection Faults That Enrich the Mixture
On a fuel-injected Spyder, these causes are electronic rather than mechanical. An oxygen sensor that has drifted out of range, if your bike is equipped with one, can persuade the system that the mixture is leaner than it is, so it adds fuel the engine does not need. A coolant temperature sensor reporting a colder engine than reality has the same result, keeping the mixture rich long after the engine is warm.
Dirty or leaking injectors are another possibility. One that does not seal completely dribbles fuel between pulses, and one that sprays poorly fails to atomize fuel well enough for complete combustion. A fuel smell around the bike, especially after it has been sitting, deserves attention for economy and for safety. If a warning light appears, have stored fault codes read rather than guessing at parts.
Engine Condition, Cooling, and Modifications
General engine wear lowers compression over time, and lower compression means less energy from each gallon reaches the rear wheel. Valve clearances that have drifted out of specification have a similar effect. Both are worth mentioning to a mechanic if nothing simpler explains the drop.
Because the RT-S is liquid cooled, its thermostat belongs on the list. A thermostat stuck open keeps the engine running cooler than intended, and an engine that never reaches full operating temperature stays in its enrichment phase longer. If coolant temperature reads unusually low, this is a fair suspect.
Modifications deserve a mention too. An aftermarket exhaust or high-flow air filter installed without matching changes to the fuel mapping can leave the engine running rich. If mileage fell right after a performance part went on, that timing is the clue.
When to Hand the Spyder to a Mechanic
Most of the checks above cost nothing, and doing them first saves you from paying someone to inspect tire pressures. Some symptoms, though, point to something deeper:
- A strong, persistent fuel smell
- Black smoke from the exhaust
- Spark plugs that come out soaked or heavily sooty
- Rough running alongside the mileage drop
- A warning light on the dash, if your bike has one
Persistence is the other clear signal. If tires, air filter, belt, and brakes have all been addressed and your riding conditions have not simply changed, yet the Spyder still uses noticeably more fuel than before, have it looked at. Describe when the change began, whether it arrived suddenly or gradually, and what you have already checked — that information helps a mechanic narrow the search quickly.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel System Parts for a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Motorcycle.
Shop Air Filters for a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Motorcycle.
Shop Tires for a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Motorcycle.
Shop Brake Parts for a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Motorcycle.
Shop Spark Plugs for a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Motorcycle.
Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your motorcycle's official owner's manual. Always refer to your manufacturer's documentation for model-specific instructions, torque specifications, safety procedures, and maintenance requirements. If you are unsure or inexperienced, consider seeking assistance from a qualified mechanic or technician.
