You may have heard of some newer models of sportbikes packing a quick shifter. You may be wondering what the heck that is. Lucky for you, I can try to help you understand what it is, what it does, and if it’s necessary for you to have.
The gear change process has been the same since the beginning; roll off the throttle, engage the clutch, select the gear, disengage the clutch, and roll on the gas. It sounds more complicated than it really is and can be mastered in a short period of time. The recent invention of quick shifters has changed that process slightly, making it more efficient for the rider and the machine.
For the average sportbike enthusiast, it takes around 600 milliseconds for a gear change to take place. For cruisers, a little longer, but not much. Even if you eliminate the clutch component on upshifts (which I wouldn’t recommend), as many racers do, you’ll still need 300 milliseconds to complete the process. 300 milliseconds sure doesn’t sound like a lot of time though, so you may be wondering why someone would possibly want to increase that speed. Well, as I’ve learned from one of my favorite television characters, Tim the “Tool Man” Taylor, men are always looking to make things go faster. Enter the quick shifter.
Quickshifters replace the rod that connects the shift lever at the foot with a rod that incorporates a sensor which relays information right to the motorcycle’s onboard computer, or ECU. Under acceleration, you begin the process of shifting up a gear, but you don’t let off the gas or pull in the clutch. You just pull up on the lever with your foot and the quick shifter sends a signal to the ECU, which cuts gas to the engine in as little as 15 milliseconds and reengages once the shift lever returns to it’s normal place.
Typical quick shifters replace the standard shift rod with one that incorporates a sensor.
This process relieves the tension of the engine on the transmission for just enough time for the bike to get into proper gear neatly and efficiently before returning to full power. This transition mimics the act of rolling off the gas and rolling back on, but can be done at a much faster speed thanks to electronics.
There are a few different ways that companies make their quick shifters work. Dynojet, makers of the super popular Power Commander fuel mapping systems, uses the position of the shift lever to determine when to engage the quick shifter. Other companies use pressure sensors that read the strain on the transmission when shifting without letting off the gas to determine when to intervene for that short period of time. While most of these features are designed for fuel injected motorcycles, motorcycles with carburetors can install a quick shifter as well. On those bikes, the sensor is tied to the ignition coil that cuts power briefly and restores power after the shift has taken place.
Much like Traction Control and Antilock Brakes, most of the high-end motorcycles like the BMW S1000RR, Ducati Panigale, Aprilia RSV4 have quick shifters installed from the factory, while Triumph lists it as an option for their 675R sportbike.
So you know what a quick shifter is, you know who makes them, and you know which bikes are now coming with them installed. Your next question might be: “Do I need this?” The short answer to that question is no, you don’t. The average rider will be perfectly capable of dealing with 600 millisecond gear changes and the traditional shifting procedure. If you are a racer or plan to become one, you might want to look into it. But for most of you (and myself), this technology is only something that could malfunction and need fixed or replaced. It offers little to no benefit for the average rider. But, it’s extremely interesting technology and something that will probably become the norm in the next 10 years.