Quick Shifting Blues

[Death Sprockett]

It's pretty nice out so I've been putting some miles on the tracer, getting a feel for the bike. One thing I really don't like is the quick shifter, I know it's supposed to be better on the gears, but it just doesn't feel natural. Maybe I just need some time with it, but I find that I'm more confident in my ability to shift the bike. 

Could be I'm using it wrong, but when pulling (not hard mind you), I pull it up into the next gear. I can feel the engine pause and the gear engage and then there's a small jump. I tried compensating with the throttle but that seems to make it worse, so I fell back to shifting on my own.

Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks

-Paul-

[betoney]

8 minutes ago, Death Sprockett said:

It's pretty nice out so I've been putting some miles on the tracer, getting a feel for the bike. One thing I really don't like is the quick shifter, I know it's supposed to be better on the gears, but it just doesn't feel natural. Maybe I just need some time with it, but I find that I'm more confident in my ability to shift the bike. 

Could be I'm using it wrong, but when pulling (not hard mind you), I pull it up into the next gear. I can feel the engine pause and the gear engage and then there's a small jump. I tried compensating with the throttle but that seems to make it worse, so I fell back to shifting on my own.

Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks

-Paul-

What engine rpm are you attempting to use the quick shifter? 

I have never ridden with one but was recently asking a few employees at the local dealer about installing the quick shifter on my '15, they both very recently bough 2019 base level Tracers and installed the factory QS.  They said if you are just putzing around at 3,000rpm or below, it can feel kind of clunky but if you rev it up a bit as you shift then it is noticeably smoother. 

[new1709rider]

It really shines when you're accelerating hard, don't let off of the throttle at all and it will be some of the smoothest shifting you've ever done!

[johnmark101]

As said above, it works best at higher rpm.  During normal riding I shift with the clutch, but when I am hard on the throttle and winding it up a bit I use the quick shifter for fast, smooth shifts.

[Death Sprockett]

That makes perfect sense, at the moment I'm just running errands around town and getting a feel for the bike. Next time I'm out on the freeway I'll lean into the throttle and try it and see how it feels.

The longest ride so far was to Cycle Gear to get a pair of gloves without knuckle guards so I can turn the key without removing my glove first 😁

Thanks for the info...

[norcal616]

Dont keep a steady throttle- always be adding throttle when using it, use above 4k rpms, also dont be slow/pre load shifter...

[Dodgy Knees]

QS are a novelty function on the open road. Completely unnecessary but can be fun under hard acceleration.  More useful on track.  Imo.

[bugie]

also changing into 4th, 5th and 6th is noticably smoother than 2nd and 3rd

[johnmark101]

4 hours ago, bugie said:

also changing into 4th, 5th and 6th is noticably smoother than 2nd and 3rd

I noticed this as well.  I can understand why first to second is not as smooth as it has to pass through neutral.  Maybe it has to do with the difference in the spread of the gear ratios.  I am guessing that the closer the ratios the smoother the shift as there is less of a change in rpm.   

[bugie]

19 hours ago, johnmark101 said:

I noticed this as well.  I can understand why first to second is not as smooth as it has to pass through neutral.  Maybe it has to do with the difference in the spread of the gear ratios.  I am guessing that the closer the ratios the smoother the shift as there is less of a change in rpm.   

Yeah i have the same opinion. To be honest even when shifting manually under hard acceleration the gears feel smoother the higher up you go 

[HGP61]

When I test rode a new GT model at the Edinburgh Saltire dealership last year I am sure i was  was told by the salesman that I should only use the quickshifter function when accelerating above 4,000 revs and using gears 3 to 6, I thought it was a useful function and did try it on the test ride. I felt it made a slight difference when I was overtaking at one point but not enough of a difference from the standard tracer to sway my decision to go for the GT model.

[bugie]

I don't think the quickshifter makes any difference during overtaking (other than letting you be a little lazy, however, you quickly start to love it when you are banked over coming onto full throttle as you exit a turn and are able to tap the gear lever and almost instantly change the gear.

 

[HGP61]

1 hour ago, bugie said:

I don't think the quickshifter makes any difference during overtaking (other than letting you be a little lazy, however, you quickly start to love it when you are banked over coming onto full throttle as you exit a turn and are able to tap the gear lever and almost instantly change the gear.

 

The difference was exactly as you have mentioned, the instant feeling of the gear change when overtaking made me feel the overtake was completed quicker. Unfortunatly perhaps I have been on bikes for 40 years and too much of my riding has been on bikes without modern electrics I certainly want the security of ABS and traction control but at my age I dont feel the need to re-learn how to ride differently to save a few seconds a lap on a track. 

Love Malta by the way but have driven a few roads over there where I would be cornering at 1/4 trottle, keep your traction control on.

[bugie]

2 hours ago, HGP61 said:

Love Malta by the way but have driven a few roads over there where I would be cornering at 1/4 trottle, keep your traction control on.

On some roads TC just lights up the dash like  a Christmas tree so you have no choice but to turn it off.

[Dodgy Knees]

I'd rather rev the gear out when overtaking and change when in front, just incase I miss a gear on the wrong side. Does depend on the overtake though.