Ok, do you "fast shift" or "slow shift"?

[MadRussian]

What is this "shifting" thing are you guys talking about?

I thought bike only had one gear and maximum speed was 62mph

 

[Bounce]

Added the poll to the thread.

 

[Old Guy]

What is this "shifting" thing are you guys talking about?
I thought bike only had one gear and maximum speed was 62mph

The bike will take off in third giving you much more top end.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Added the poll to the thread.

Finally, now we can settle this thing once and for all.

 

[mcatrophy]

Added the poll to the thread.

Where's my "I've got no option" option

?

 

[Uncle Hud]

The original post .....

I'm interested in hearing how other FJR owners shift their bikes most of the time. Not when racing, or escaping, or generally being bad ass, but just getting from A to B.

As a general rule, do you do a "fast shift" where everything happens simulataneously?

Or do you "slow shift" where there is a slight pause between let off gas, pull the clutch, shift, release clutch?

And why?

Salish1300, an honest answer to your innocent question: I shift quickly, with a quick 'jab' at the clutch lever.

Why? I don't know. I suppose that slight pause you mention would mean losing 3 car lengths on the Atlanta freeways. Can't be having that, bro.

 

[TomInPA]

I shift, therefore I am....

Not an AE rider.

 

[Bugnatr]

Shift firm and with authority, she likes it that way.

 

[rPGoatBoy]

As the guy in the forum who has split his case open twice to fix 2nd gear, I shift deliberately, which I guess most of the time is quickly. Always with the clutch, even before the trans issues, FWIW, but now I'm preloading upshifts and holy shit I shoulda done that to start with. Preload the lever a little, pull the clutch in (back off on the throttle), and the dogs fall right into place with little accompanying noise.

 

[FJRMGM]

Clutchless.

 

[exskibum]

Quickly - it's smoother and easier on the tranny. I do it the same way both for hard accel through the gears and when taking more time between shifts (slower accel). Best ever riding compliment was at the end of a GF's first ride on the FJR in the foothills here when she asked me if the bike was an automatic.

 

[Bounce]

Added the poll to the thread.

Where's my "I've got no option" option

?

It would then be N/A and not relevant to the OP.

 

[BobbyBlue]

....Yoko had the same response after our first ride...."is this thing an automatic ?!".......i must confess to premature shifts with preload and post blipping.......i have ointment now.....comes from 2-stroke compression relief days.....i'm wet now....holy shift batman....

 

[palerider]

I am, therefore I shift.

 

[TomInPA]

I am, therefore I shift.

Button pusher!

 

[Salish1300]

Well this question was a prompt for fun for some and still useful to me and perhaps others. I knew when I asked it would trigger derision, and was neither naive or innocent in asking. Rather, like I said, I was genuinely interested. I've learned among the fun that most people honestly don't think about it enough to even know how they are shifting, which is fine, and others vary their technique. To each their own, so long as you aren't wasting your clutch or gears.

Having rebuilt a few manual transmissions on cars I know the sort of wear and tear those gears must endure. I find my FJR to be so smooth to shift that it forgives a great deal. The motor is strong enough to pull through things, and overcome less than ideal clutch work. Not that I have any experience with that

.

A beautiful day here in Western Washington and I did a ride down from Anacortes to Seattle. About 80 minutes on highway. Nicest ride yet on the bike, and boy that cruise control is heaven.

 

[Big Sky]

I like it when upshifting with moderate to aggressive acceleration to pre-load the shifter a bit, then quickly just give the clutch a token squeeze, back out of the throttle a hair and...yup, she shift smooth, precise, clean, quiet, almost like an automatic. Downshift: more clutch, a little throttle blip for synchronicity...like budda. On the other hand, I'm capable of being sloppy, too, with hard parts protesting as they grind and bang together. FJR takes it either way.

So far, done 750 miles of Montana this "winter" of 2015.

 

[creg-ny-baa]

Pretty much always fast shift as you define it; bike seems smoother that way. We'll have to see how the PC-V smooths that all out.

 

[Asahi Z]

Is VERY quick an option?

To shift is to transition (rhymes with transmission)...trans (between two) trans-oceanic, to cross from one side to another...in other words...limbo.

Motors ain't made for limbo. (like trans-gender Bruce Jenner)..."trans" anything is just bound to be awkward.

Motors are made for go-go.

Therefore, like lane changing, the faster you get from one to another, the better off you are. (did I just start another topic)...or am I starting the dreaded "thread within a thread"

Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

[FJRMGM]

As the guy in the forum who has split his case open twice to fix 2nd gear, I shift deliberately, which I guess most of the time is quickly. Always with the clutch, even before the trans issues, FWIW, but now I'm preloading upshifts and holy shit I shoulda done that to start with. Preload the lever a little, pull the clutch in (back off on the throttle), and the dogs fall right into place with little accompanying noise.

I'd venture to say that since 99 percent of FJR riders (and other bikes) NEVER have a problem with their transmission that whatever you are doing on the 1st-2nd shift - is wrong. But I could be wrong too.

The major of my upshifts are clutchless and have been for years on all my bikes.