Quick shift opinions?

[Wintersdark]

On 2/8/2022 at 6:57 AM, kilo3 said:

I'm geared the same as you remember? I'm even going to 15/45 this spring.  There's got to be something we're missing here how mine works so well outta the gate.

Hah!  I'm actually REALLY seriously considering popping on a 15/45 setup this spring as well; I think I got a kinda bad chain, and while it has no kinks, there's a pretty big loose spot on it - roughly 12mm difference in slack as you rotate the chain around.  Figuring on just replacing the works, getting a heavy duty chain as I'm pretty hard on it.  I love me some hard acceleration, and kind of prefer the feel of the bike at higher RPM to low RPM.

That's strange, though.  Wonder why mine's so sketchy there?   Someone else mentioned the linkage adjustment, though I'm not really sure what the mechanism of failure would be there - maybe allowing more pressure on the level before triggering the ignition cut to allow the shift making it easier to just push it into neutral?  This would explain why it doesn't happen when I'm hard on the throttle, as there'd be way more pressure required to push it out of gear.  Just spitballing, though, this is pretty far outside my wheelhouse.

[kilo3]

I'm going to wait till I can ride a bit before swapping my chain/sprockets. I want a good a/b comparison but i'll let you know.  Same for brakes, going to HH pads.

You have your ecu flashed yet?  I honestly don't remember if my QS was decent before my tune but I sent my ecu off pretty early in riding this bike as well.

How is 4-5-6 when your just sort of putzing around with the QS?

[dazzler24]

Quick question for those in the know - Is the Healtech iQSE-1 a shift up AND down option for 2015 Tracers?

I've tried to look/find but have had no luck.

TIA

[Garz747]

My bike doesn't have a Q/S and I don't have a need or a want for one.   The soon to be electric future will be single speed drivetrain so enjoy this analog pleasure while you still can!

[piotrek]

58 minutes ago, Garz747 said:

My bike doesn't have a Q/S and I don't have a need or a want for one.

This ^

Not knocking people who feel the need/want for one, but I personally love rowing through gears... and the feeling of a well executed shift, regardless of speed. Manual shift ATW... car or bike.

[kilo3]

I suppose when the internal combustion engine came out, some people complained about not getting to shovel coal as well.

[Wintersdark]

On 2/9/2022 at 10:47 AM, kilo3 said:

I'm going to wait till I can ride a bit before swapping my chain/sprockets. I want a good a/b comparison but i'll let you know.  Same for brakes, going to HH pads.

You have your ecu flashed yet?  I honestly don't remember if my QS was decent before my tune but I sent my ecu off pretty early in riding this bike as well.

How is 4-5-6 when your just sort of putzing around with the QS?

It works but it feels clunky if I'm not riding aggressively.  I haven't had my ECU flashed - keep thinking about it (been waffling about replacing the exhaust for a year anyways) but with two bikes needing farkling now my budget is spread thinner.  

I hadn't used it 1st-2nd for a long time after some early "oh look, neutral!" occurences, and over the last few days I've been riding it around and trying it out again.

No drops into neutral now; I feel maybe it was just a matter of being newer to the bike and not shifting with sufficient authority?  

But still, it's pretty clunky in lower gears when I'm not on the throttle.  Definitely not a good experience for puttering around like a mature, responsible motorcyclist.  I think it's just less noticeable in higher gears but just as clunky really. At lower throttle and/or sub 5000rpm, I get way smoother shifts just shifting normally.

 

This, though, is being pretty picky imho.  It's not bad at all, just that it's so much slicker when riding aggressively.  Definitely not a DCT replacement for the more sedate rider.  

 

 

[Wintersdark]

2 hours ago, piotrek said:

This ^

Not knocking people who feel the need/want for one, but I personally love rowing through gears... and the feeling of a well executed shift, regardless of speed. Manual shift ATW... car or bike.

If the choice is manual or automatic, for me it's manual 100% of the time.  However, a quickshifters is a super fun toy (abd that's all it is, a toy, not something you ever need) when you're feeling zoomie.

Thats my opinion anyways.  I feel there's two approaches to them:

One set of people view them as a way to make their transmission essentially a semiautomatic, to reduce the work when riding around.  

The other set just wanna go fast or play.  And if you're chasing lap times (or what have you) all else being equal a quickshifter will always be faster than a guy shifting manually, even clutchless shifting.  Then it's just a fun toy.

For me, the first is just sad.  To each their own, but the whole shifting process moving through gears and accelerating even at more normal speeds is part of the joy of motorcycling and I'd never want to give that up.  There definitely won't be a DCT bike in my garage. Still, I get it. I hope that's never me, but I get it. Particularly if you ride in heavy traffic. 

I'd argue if you're in the first bracket, a DCT bike is just a better choice that'll give you a better experience.  And in the second... Unless you're REALLY particular about lap times... Yeah, it's just a fun toy, nothing more.

[dazzler24]

On 2/10/2022 at 4:34 PM, dazzler24 said:

Quick question for those in the know - Is the Healtech iQSE-1 a shift up AND down option for 2015 Tracers?

I've tried to look/find but have had no luck.

TIA

Answering myself -  Looks like it can be used for both up and down but sensor should be installed on shift arm bolt (recommended) and not the shift rod.

[duckie]

If ya dont find a QS useful it is cause ya just too slow and dont know how the ride fast on real mountain roads. 
 

When I bought my 04 R1 for track use, it came with a power commander so I added a QS, my first ever experience with one.

One aspect I wasnt expecting about a QS is the freeing up of the hands just to be used for steering input…especially when leaned over.

Here in California there are some real mountain roads. Roads that have combinations of turns and elevation changes not seen on a race track in the world. Once I experienced a QS on the track, I knew I wanted one for my mountain riding……and its been a real pleasure to use when Im up riding in the mountains.

Going up hill and I mean up hill, the second you pull in the clutch, you lose momentum and slow down way faster than on a flat road. So, to compensate for this, a faster shift is needed. Faster than on a flat road. A QS helps alot.

See, here in the mountain roads there are these things switchback turns. These are tight 180 degrees turns where you can experience 20-25 feet or more in elevation change from when you enter a turn to when you exit plus you are still going uphill and I mean uphill.  A QS helps because all you gotta do with your hands is steering and not steering, clutch, throttle.

So, dont knock those that find a QS useful just based on your opinion. 
 

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by duckie

[OldBikers]

4 hours ago, duckie said:

If ya dont find a QS useful it is cause ya just too slow and dont know how the ride fast on real mountain roads. 
 

When I bought my 04 R1 for track use, it came with a power commander so I added a QS, my first ever experience with one.

One aspect I wasnt expecting about a QS is the freeing up of the hands just to be used for steering input…especially when leaned over.

Here in California there are some real mountain roads. Roads that have combinations of turns and elevation changes not seen on a race track in the world. Once I experienced a QS on the track, I knew I wanted one for my mountain riding……and its been a real pleasure to use when Im up riding in the mountains.

Going up hill and I mean up hill, the second you pull in the clutch, you lose momentum and slow down way faster than on a flat road. So, to compensate for this, a faster shift is needed. Faster than on a flat road. A QS helps alot.

See, here in the mountain roads there are these things switchback turns. These are tight 180 degrees turns where you can experience 20-25 feet or more in elevation change from when you enter a turn to when you exit plus you are still going uphill and I mean uphill.  A QS helps because all you gotta do with your hands is steering and not steering, clutch, throttle.

So, dont knock those that find a QS useful just based on your opinion. 
 

 

^ Totally agree.

 

I rode a 2019 Tracer 900 GT in the Pyrenees where there are no straight roads to be seen and the QS was a godsend.  It felt clunky at first but once you get used to it the shifts become so smooth and fast.  I've been riding for over 50 years and the QS is one of the best innovations made.  I now have a 2012 T9GT and love the QS both up and down.  I traded a 2012 FZ-01 which had a nice trans but you can't beat the QS.

[OldBikers]

OOPs, that was supposed to be a 2021 T9GT not a 2012.

 

[Windster]

8 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

Answering myself -  Looks like it can be used for both up and down but sensor should be installed on shift arm bolt (recommended) and not the shift rod.

Yeah, but for downshifts, you need to blip throttle, and as it dosn't have an auto blipper, you will have to do it manually. And there is a question would a QSE let you blip throttle if it would cut of ignition on downshift.
I acctualy bought a Healtech iQSE for my 16' Tracer, but did not installed it yet. But I do not expect to use it for donwshift.

[2and3cylinders]

10 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

Answering myself -  Looks like it can be used for both up and down but sensor should be installed on shift arm bolt (recommended) and not the shift rod.

 So this device permits both and Downs quick shifts; i.e., blipper function?  If so what parts are required to do both?

[dazzler24]

10 hours ago, Windster said:

Yeah, but for downshifts, you need to blip throttle, and as it dosn't have an auto blipper, you will have to do it manually. And there is a question would a QSE let you blip throttle if it would cut of ignition on downshift.
I acctualy bought a Healtech iQSE for my 16' Tracer, but did not installed it yet. But I do not expect to use it for donwshift.

 

8 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

 So this device permits both and Downs quick shifts; i.e., blipper function?  If so what parts are required to do both?

The website isn't entirely clear or definitive about the downshift function but it would appear that downshifting is possible but is not the primary intention of the device.

This from the Quickshifter easy (iQSE) instructions: -

4. How to use the QuickShifter
- You may do clutchless upshifts only during acceleration, i.e. at partial to full
throttle, well above idle speed.
- Always use the clutch under these conditions:
 selecting first gear
 finding neutral
 shifting to 2nd gear if it’s not smooth without clutch on your bike
 during deceleration/braking
 when hitting the rev limiter
 when the engine does not pull
- You may do clutchless downshifts with partial throttle from the higher (4-6)
gears only if the shifts are smooth and effortless on your bike and the shift
lever is not stiff. Otherwise, use the clutch for downshifts.
- Be sure you always do quick, confident and complete shift movements with
your foot, until the lever stops. Adjust the shift lever position if necessary to
ensure effortless and complete shift movement with your foot.
When the power is cut, there's a limited time (typically less than 90ms)
while the gearbox is being unloaded and clutchless shift is possible. After
this time the gearbox is loaded again due to engine braking. If you change
the gear slowly, you may hit false neutral or you can't make the shift at all.
- If the shifts are not smooth, do not stress your gearbox. Use the clutch until
you make the necessary changes.