No gear changing issues, no false neutrals on my GSX1400, XJR1300, ZZR1200 or FJR1300
Best shifting bike ive owned was my 08 Triumph Daytona 675, so neat and slick and positive, just awesome. Never got around to fitting a quickshifter but I heard that makes them nice. Maybe one day as a track bike
Worst so far is the bmw, clunks into first gear like a sledgehammer
My best gear shift is a GSX14, it's one of the things that makes them so nice to ride. Only mod they need at higher miles is the bushes replacing with metal ones, as I've done on both of mine.
The worst is any Honda, every one I've owned or ridden prefers neutral to whatever gear you select. They all seem to go into gear & fall straight back out again. very annoying when riding.
Both my current bikes are equipped with quick shifters,,to be honest I'd find it hard to go back to normal,,,,not that there was anything wrong with the gear shifting on my 14...
Nothing wrong with my 14 , just hold the clutch in for a slow 10 count while the plates free up 1st gear clicks into place the rest I do clutchless, never found a false neutral on any Suzuki I've owned over many years.
Owned many bikes, most had great gearchange.Probably worst was CB750 Honda, probably best the old Suzuki 2 strokes. Strangest was Kawa 500 with neutral at the bottom.14 has best clutch I've had.
I only, ever use my clutch for the initial take off. :onya:
Pretty true, I grab at the lever, habit, doubt I ever pull it in much.
Depends on what I'm doing for me, I do use it when moving but not most of the time. Even the HD only gets about 1/4" of lever movement to unload the drive train as it still doesn't like clutchless changes but is improving slowly as the mileage goes up.
That's one to mention here actually. A new HD feels like you need both feet to stamp on the pedal to get any gears, they are very clunky & slow to bed in. 15k miles before they feel like a gearbox & double that before it becomes easy to use. Of course most people claim you can't find neutral on a HD, but that's because they don't adjust the clutch pushrod as required. They're like an old Brit bike in that way.
I still dip the clutch both up and down.
I once owned LE Velocette and 1937 HD. You blokes wouldnt believe their gear change ritual.pommy gearboxes were pretty good,Burmann had it nailed.
My Gen-2, Gen-3 Busa's and B-King gear change should be the same.
They are pretty similar bikes and 1340 engines.
All run in and serviced, none have high mileage.
I can tell a small difference between the 07 B-King and the 22 Busa, but the 2011 Busa is noticeably better. Identical motor to the B-King, but the gear change just feels more accurate and sharp on the 2011, hard to describe but more precise is close.
Gen-3 has a different clutch I might change one day, fit a B-King or Gen-2 or Brocks version. All 3 have Suzuki's crappy BTL.
Like Mr Daytona, I love my 2-way auto blipper quickshifter.
I thought it'd be a novelty like cruise control, 6 or 7 years of regular use I don't want a main bike that hasn't got a 2-way quick shifter or cruise control again. It wasn't a big deal when I got it, many many rides and many thousands of miles use it's become my normal.
Yet to experience a quickshifter on a motorcycle...
Pop round this weekend Eric & you can try mine. :onya:
Quote from: Eric GSX1400K3 on Thursday, 01 October 2026, 06:32 PMYet to experience a quickshifter on a motorcycle...
It feels a bit odd the first time, then becomes very addictive!
Holding the throttle fully open, not touching the clutch, just tapping the gear lever up.
This is an old clip, same as my H2 SX SE. He's a bit sloppy on his launch, but it shows the acceleration, much faster gear changes staying in the power. My Gen-3 is pretty similar.
0 to 274kph / 170mph on a short track....
The white bars to the right of the blue ones are throttle position. He holds it fully open open from pre launch to shutting off at the end.
The rev counter shows it sitting on the 2-step launch control before he takes off.
On the Busa I leave the quick shifter turned on all the time, unlike the Kawasaki it never interferes with manual or lazy shifting. The two step launch is activated by pushing the starter button. A very childish person would think both were funny at a set of traffic lights.
LOL!
Quote from: Eric GSX1400K3 on Thursday, 01 October 2026, 06:32 PMYet to experience a quickshifter on a motorcycle...
A few years ago quick shifters were only really designed for sports bikes so adjusted to change above 7000 revs, not so clever on the road. However manufacturers have realised a lot of people ride road bikes at much lower revs so have redesigned the quick shifters accordingly. So if you want to try them for yourself you wont find better one than the unit fitted to a Kawasaki Z900, super smooth at all speeds, if you try one on a 5 year old sports bike you might not like it unless you cane it.
Quote from: Mick_J on Thursday, 01 October 2026, 06:58 PMQuote from: Eric GSX1400K3 on Thursday, 01 October 2026, 06:32 PMYet to experience a quickshifter on a motorcycle...
A few years ago quick shifters were only really designed for sports bikes so adjusted to change above 7000 revs, not so clever on the road. However manufacturers have realised a lot of people ride road bikes at much lower revs so have redesigned the quick shifters accordingly. So if you want to try them for yourself you wont find better one than the unit fitted to a Kawasaki Z900, super smooth at all speeds, if you try one on a 5 year old sports bike you might not like it unless you cane it.
Mine brings up a 3 option setting.
OFF, ON, Sports.
Basically lets you chose between a daily ride and a much more aggressive harder use version.
Big difference for me was down shifts and auto blippers (and cruse control) being common thanks to modern fly by wire systems. As you say, the older up shift only cable throttle version weren't quite the same.
Quick shifters might be great on the track or drag strip but don't really, see the point on the road. :whatever:
Quote from: Mr Gee on Friday, 02 October 2026, 06:46 AMQuick shifters might be great on the track or drag strip but don't really, see the point on the road. :whatever:
If you have ever accelerated away out of a bend, away from traffic lights, past cars or anywhere else... they just do it better.
If you want to go quick, they are a good thing to have.
Like sticky tyres, radial callipers and a 1000 other things, they just do stuff better.
Agreed Tony. I'm tryin my best to stay out of this one.
I never thought I'd use cruise control on a bike, till I got one with it. Now I use it everywhere.
My BMW is the first bike ive owned with cruise, can't go back now, love it.
Apart from 1st gear clunk, the 6 speed box on the K1300GT is quite nice, just need to be positive with the gear lever. Clutch-less changes ate possible, but you've got to know the rpm point at which to change.
Given that replacement engines and gearboxes are hard to come by, using the clutch each shift is cheap insurance. There is a QS available, but more suited to the S and R versions than the GT.
Quote from: Mr Gee on Friday, 02 October 2026, 06:46 AMQuick shifters might be great on the track or drag strip but don't really, see the point on the road. :whatever:
I was raised on gearboxes without synchromesh, so knowing when to change gear at the right time was something that had to be learnt.
Quote from: Mr Gee on Saturday, 03 October 2026, 04:33 AMI was raised on gearboxes without synchromesh, so knowing when to change gear at the right time was something that had to be learnt.
Me too, but that's a bit removed from being able to shift up gears faster and cleaner at the optimum point that a quick shifter offers. A quick shifter doesn't change for you or tell you when to change, it just makes a better cleaner job of it when you do.
I wasn't so enthusiastic about them when I first go one, but 7 or 8 years and many many thousands of miles use they have just become another feature that a good modern bike should have.
Who remembers "Angel Gears"? I haven't seen those in awhile thankfully.
Shift assist is good but debatable as to whether faster than a timed clutchless shift.
Cruise control makes speed limits easier to maintain.
Angel Gears? :confused1: heaven knows where they are?