DCT "S" mode doesnt work well in the mountains

[BeToney]

I recently got my 2017 DCT and am enjoying it except for the shift points.  "D" mode is overall completely useless unless just riding on the interstate as it wants to get to 6th gear no matter what, always at the wrong time.  "S" modes work marginally better but still wants to get to 6th quickly and won't down shift until about 20mph.
I recently took a 6 day road trip riding in the mountains and couldn't get any of the "S" modes to shift correctly as I would roll off the throttle to turn into an incline or switchback and the bike would stay in 4th or 5th gear and I would have to over ride and manually downshift 2 or 3 gears to get it to work correctly, the DCT would never be in the correct gear for riding inclines, ever.  I would constantly over ride with the down shift paddle but then it would immediately shift up a gear and I would have to over ride again, I did this several hundred times over the 6 days and it never adjusted to my riding style - doesn't this have a "learning" mode?  I eventually gave up and just used manual mode, the only time I could use "S" mode was straight and flat ground. 
Does this bike have a "learning" mode to eventually adapt to my riding style? or can the shift points be re-programmed to not immediately get to 6th gear and stay there?
Thanks for any help or advise.

[t15dja]

That's similar to my experience. I am new to the Crosstourer, having been riding my Highlander DCT since the middle of April this year. I also have a Goldwing DCT and was expecting both gearboxes to behave the same.....they don't!
I had also raised the issue on this forum, since in "D" mode my bike gets to 6th gear before 30 mph! The S1 mode seems much better and in my view S1 is what D should be like. Like you I find that in S1 the bike does not shift down until quite low speeds and I  have never managed to activate a "kickdown" equivalent by twisting the throttle.....is that meant to work i wonder? I've recently been on a 7 day tour of Scotland. I tended to leave it in S1 but then manually shift down as an when required....and yes even then the bike would shift up again a little too early.  I'm not disappointed at all though, I've just accepted that that is the way the CT DCT box works....which as I say is quite different to the Goldwing. The GW DCT is sublime and works a lot more as expected.
I'm not sure whether the gearbox "learns" your driving style...others on this forum may know the answer...it's probably not that intelligent.  I've had cars with auto boxes that are meant to adapt to your driving style but I've never noticed any difference.

[BeToney]

Originally Posted by t15dja

That's similar to my experience. I am new to the Crosstourer, having been riding my Highlander DCT since the middle of April this year. I also have a Goldwing DCT and was expecting both gearboxes to behave the same.....they don't!
I had also raised the issue on this forum, since in "D" mode my bike gets to 6th gear before 30 mph! The S1 mode seems much better and in my view S1 is what D should be like. Like you I find that in S1 the bike does not shift down until quite low speeds and I  have never managed to activate a "kickdown" equivalent by twisting the throttle.....is that meant to work i wonder? I've recently been on a 7 day tour of Scotland. I tended to leave it in S1 but then manually shift down as an when required....and yes even then the bike would shift up again a little too early.

Thank you for the reply.  I tried S1 and found it very similar to "D", I use S2 for normal everyday riding and in the twisty roads I use S3 as it holds gears a little longer but is still reluctant to shift down when the throttle is closed and the speeds decrease.

[Red Boll]

D is pretty worthless indeed. Maybe usefull on a empty highway.

I only have one S setting which I always use.
S works good for me most of the time, sometimes there is a surprise up/down shift in a corner. :|

Maybe I should use the manual setting more often.

(2014 CT here)

[Hound]

Originally Posted by t15dja

...in "D" mode my bike gets to 6th gear before 30 mph!

Did you try the DCT reset to see if it improved the gearchanges?

Mine gets up to 6th very quickly in "D" too, but I think it's nearer 40 than 30 by the time it gets there. 5th in the early 30s, for sure.

I find "D" pretty much useless unless bimbling around up to 40mph, and I often have to use the flippers to override. I don't have more than one "S" mode (2013 model), but that's what I almost always use, and I don't mind using the buttons to shift now and again. I have neuropathy which kills the nerves in feet and lower legs, and a degree of arthritis in the left hand, so the DCT is a Godsend to me, even if it's not perfect.

[DE65Y]

I feel sorry for all the DCT riders out there, having to remember which button does what and when to press it,
just to get the bike to run the way my right hand makes mine run!

 
 

[t15dja]

Thanks, DE65Y, you are all  !

[DE65Y]