HOW TO SHIFT A MOTORCYCLE LIKE A BOSS.....

Went for a little relaxing December ride today to check out Christmas trees.........gotta love these bonus 50 degree days.

We took it slow to see the sights and I decided to freshen up on my shifting technique to stop from getting bored! I always work on some part of my ride-craft when I'm out riding, because you're never too old to learn.
So today's practice was "shifting skill".  Here's how I shift.  Maybe someone can learn to smooth out some of those clunky shifts.

TIPS AND TRICKS: For super smooth shifts---Yes, even on clunky BMW's.
1. Adjust your levers - all of them. Get the shift lever where it will sit comfortably under your toe and down low enough so you don't have to lift your foot off the peg to downshift. Adjust the clutch lever/front brake lever so that your fingers rest lightly on the top of them.  How?  Sit in your normal riding position while stopped and close your eyes, put your hands out toward the bars, lower them down with fingers out-stretched and rotate the levers so your fingers just touch the top of the levers with straight wrists. Your fingers should be in a straight line down your arms without cocking the wrists. If they aren't, loosen the clamps and rotate the levers.
Adjust the reach to the levers if you have adjustments for it. You want the tips of the fingers you use to just start to wrap around the front of the lever. Are your levers slippery with the gloves you use? (you better be wearing gloves....and NO,  finger-less gloves... aren't gloves!) ,if so, try some friction tape on the front of the levers (that's what I did on my last bike), or roughing up the fingers on the gloves with some sandpaper.
 
TRICK: Leave the clamps just loose enough to rotate the levers with hand pressure, so that you can experiment with placement when riding, and as a side benefit in a crash (sorry, for mentioning that) they can rotate and not break off.

 (ABOVE)
TRICK- An extended shift lever can help (if you can find one), I've had this one on two BMW's so far and it really helps, I can basically shift with the inside of my boot, which saves time and foot movement. Try it.
OK, all your levers and controls are right where they should be....now, lets do some shifting...

2. SHIFT FAST!! Yes even when riding slow like we did today.  Matter of fact, practicing shifting while riding slowly will make it easier to do when riding fast. If you're able to make quick, clean shifts while cruising it will be a lot easier when hustling. Shift as quickly as possible!!  Motorcycles, actually all transmissions, love to be shifted quickly but smoothly!
Don't waste time on long movements of the controls- Example: Why pull the clutch lever all the way in to the bar when the tranny will go into the next gear with a 1/4" of pull? Wasted movement-slow shift!
Take the free-play out of the clutch lever (if cable operated), and/or---PRELOAD--the clutch lever and shift lever for up shifts and downshifts to---reduce the free play, thus the amount of movement necessary. Remember shift FAST!
Better yet, if your really moving---use clutch less up shifts (NOT DOWNSHIFTS), unless you own a new BMW with the sweet Pro Shift Assist system---NO, I don't always use it!!

Above- proper finger/wrist position.
Below- I'm a middle-finger-ring-finger kind of guy. But whatever works best for you.

Whats this...TRICK?...

a throttle rocker/ Cramp Buster on the clutch side? Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. I keep both levers covered while riding and this and the one on the throttle grip helps saves fractions of a second during emergency stops. Might be the difference between tire marks on a Buick's fender or landing on it's hood!

3. WHEN IT'S TIME TO SHIFT.....SHIFT!! don't hesitate- indecision will kill your super smooth shift! Want to know if your nailed it? Take a passenger for a ride, they should not feel the shift- up, or down! Ask Mary.
Every movement of lever, throttle, pedal has to be perfectly timed and ........here I go again...FAST!
Try to think of a progression of movements as- begin throttle roll off, clutch pull, shifter up, clutch out, throttle on. Bam,bam,bam,bam,bam.
Notice above I started with "begin" to roll off throttle as I pulled the clutch in?  Not roll the throttle OFF, then pull the clutch IN...too slow.....these have to overlap! I start to pull the clutch as I roll OFF the throttle (coming down off the gas) not wait until the throttle IS off, the quickness and overlapping movements will flow together as one---bam,am,am,am,am!!
I figure that when I'm really in a hurry (and decide NOT to use clutch less shifts or Pro Assist) this all takes maybe a second or two. Mary feels two second shifts but not one second shifts!

4.PRACTICE
5.PRACTICE

Have fun....
and RIDE!
Steve