Any quickshifter tips??

[Bedifferent]

So I installed the quickshifter myself, being careful to neatly tie down and dress the wire back and out of the way. I took it to the dealer to have it activated and it seems to be working well. I know and understand all the recommendations for when and when you can't use it and it works pretty cool.
I have found up shifting under power to be a no brainer, with the top of my boot resting on the underside of the shift lever before hitting the shifter. Down shifting I am still working on... I have found it works best when you get down to around 1500 RPM's. Going down from 6,5,4,3 seems to be okay, but I prefer the clutch going into second and obviously neutral or 1st gear. I haven't worked out the under power, neutral power or the no power aspect of down shifting.
I'm interested in what other riders have found in using their quickshifter. What works best for you on the down shifts? Any other tips on keeping it smooth?

 

[A1A Rider]

Downshifts definitely are smoother with clutch. Going to a complete stop, I generally just use the clutch, I can downshift faster in a row with no bike jerking at all.

Upshifts are not bad but clutch still wins - smoothness wise.

I hate the dreaded unexpected upshift from 1st to Neutral on a quickshifter. Thinking you are in 2nd, giving throttle and quickshifting up again.. oh, man, scary. Because of it, I don't use my quickshifter from the 1st to 2nd, or even 2nd to 3rd (not to mistake for a false 2nd). If you don't use a clutch, I don't understand why it has to stop in Neutral. Thus, when I upshift, even with clutch, I generally try to add a bit more force to the shift pedal up. But when I generally start getting myself in unexpected Neutral with limp upshifting, is after 3-4 hours of driving, when I get slightly tired and shifts can range in applied power to the shift pedal.

Overall, if I remember I have a quickshifter at a moment I want to shift, I would usually use it only to upshift from 3rd and up. Generally never for downshifts. Though, my driving is rarely taking be beyond the 4th gear. I don't have yet patterns of behavior for the top gears (like 5 and 6).

 

[atomsplitter]

I don't have the TSA on my Rocket, but do have it on my Speed Triple RS. I find I toy with it more than use it for its intended purpose (track riding) so I'm big on just staying with using my clutch on all my bikes. That said I do shift the RS from time to time without clutch pulled, just not very often.

 

[Bedifferent]

Downshifts definitely are smoother with clutch. Going to a complete stop, I generally just use the clutch, I can downshift faster in a row with no bike jerking at all.

Upshifts are not bad but clutch still wins - smoothness wise.

I hate the dreaded unexpected upshift from 1st to Neutral on a quickshifter. Thinking you are in 2nd, giving throttle and quickshifting up again.. oh, man, scary. Because of it, I don't use my quickshifter from the 1st to 2nd, or even 2nd to 3rd (not to mistake for a false 2nd). If you don't use a clutch, I don't understand why it has to stop in Neutral. Thus, when I upshift, even with clutch, I generally try to add a bit more force to the shift pedal up. But when I generally start getting myself in unexpected Neutral with limp upshifting, is after 3-4 hours of driving, when I get slightly tired and shifts can range in applied power to the shift pedal.

Overall, if I remember I have a quickshifter at a moment I want to shift, I would usually use it only to upshift from 3rd and up. Generally never for downshifts. Though, my driving is rarely taking be beyond the 4th gear. I don't have yet patterns of behavior for the top gears (like 5 and 6).

I'm inclined to agree with you on several points. I have found the up shifting to go really well and I can miss the dreaded neutral issue by resting my foot with gentle pressure under the shifter. It shifts really quick and smooth. Dropping my foot below and having to do a longer distance with my foot before hitting the shifter is the problem. When down shifting, I'm seldom in 6th gear unless coming off the expressway. 5 and 4 under 1500 works well with 3 becoming a little more jerky if you don't do it right. I'm thinking 3, 2, 1 will be more with the clutch in the future. If I have to act quicker going down coming off the highway in front of my house it just feels better with the clutch. I don't usually downshift and use my engine to slow me down so that's probably why Im less inclined to use it. It just doesn't feel natural and normal for me. I never go into 1st unless I am almost stopped.

 

[EskimoPie]

You need to think about how the quick shifter works in order to understand where it works best. The quick shifter doesn't actually do any shifting. You shift just the same way you always did by actuating the transmission with your left foot. What the quick shifter does is sense the movement of your pedal very quickly and adjust spark and/or fueling to as rapidly as possible change the engine RPM to as close as it can to an unloaded state in the new gear so it slots right in without needing the clutch.

When you're upshifting, it does that by cutting spark or fuel (not sure which method Triumph uses, different manufacturers use different methods) so that as your foot actuates the transmission to the new gear the RPMs have dropped enough to be at the right speed for the new gear. This means that it works best when you are at high RPMs and high throttle application. If you're putting around at idle or low RPMs, the ECU has much less ability to reduce engine RPMs.

Inversely, when you're downshifting, it increases RPMs. This means that it works best when you have completely closed the throttle and the ECU has the most ability to influence increasing RPMs. If you're on the throttle AT ALL when downshifting, I find it confuses the ECU or limits it's ability to find the right RPM and results in a very clunky downshift.

I LOVE the shift assist and I actually enjoy it the most on down-shifts. I don't believe anybody that tells me they can more accurately rev match manually on the downshift using the clutch than the ECU can. You simply can't react fast enough or control the throttle as precisely as the ECU can. I love the feeling (and sounds from the Werkes pipes) of rapidly tapping down 2 or 3 gears in a second or two and it being smooth as butter and dropping speed rapidly with engine braking alone.

Whenever I've ended up in Neutral on either an upshift or downshift, I know full well that I was being lazy/complacent with the shift and just didn't fully actuate the pedal.

In any case, this shift assist system works absolutely wonderfully when you're hooning the crap out of it with a huge grin on your face. Nothing like pegging that throttle in first and just tap tap tapping through the gears until you can't pucker any more.

 

[zenbiker]

After over 3000 miles using the quick shifter, I've never experienced a single false neutral! I also find the shifting to be as smooth as silk and it is certainly the best shift assist I've experienced.
This was not the case with my Ducati X Diavel with which it would happen occasionally.

 

[Bedifferent]

You need to think about how the quick shifter works in order to understand where it works best. The quick shifter doesn't actually do any shifting. You shift just the same way you always did by actuating the transmission with your left foot. What the quick shifter does is sense the movement of your pedal very quickly and adjust spark and/or fueling to as rapidly as possible change the engine RPM to as close as it can to an unloaded state in the new gear so it slots right in without needing the clutch.

When you're upshifting, it does that by cutting spark or fuel (not sure which method Triumph uses, different manufacturers use different methods) so that as your foot actuates the transmission to the new gear the RPMs have dropped enough to be at the right speed for the new gear. This means that it works best when you are at high RPMs and high throttle application. If you're putting around at idle or low RPMs, the ECU has much less ability to reduce engine RPMs.

Inversely, when you're downshifting, it increases RPMs. This means that it works best when you have completely closed the throttle and the ECU has the most ability to influence increasing RPMs. If you're on the throttle AT ALL when downshifting, I find it confuses the ECU or limits it's ability to find the right RPM and results in a very clunky downshift.

I LOVE the shift assist and I actually enjoy it the most on down-shifts. I don't believe anybody that tells me they can more accurately rev match manually on the downshift using the clutch than the ECU can. You simply can't react fast enough or control the throttle as precisely as the ECU can. I love the feeling (and sounds from the Werkes pipes) of rapidly tapping down 2 or 3 gears in a second or two and it being smooth as butter and dropping speed rapidly with engine braking alone.

Whenever I've ended up in Neutral on either an upshift or downshift, I know full well that I was being lazy/complacent with the shift and just didn't fully actuate the pedal.

In any case, this shift assist system works absolutely wonderfully when you're hooning the crap out of it with a huge grin on your face. Nothing like pegging that throttle in first and just tap tap tapping through the gears until you can't pucker any more.

Thanks for your take on it. I am aware of the actual functionality of the system. My understanding is it cuts the ECU and management of the system for about 15 milliseconds to make the shift. That's way faster than manual shift time which would be more like 500 ms or like a half second. I'll experiment a little more on the down shifts with no throttle and see what I get. In any event, you have to be assertive when shifting and can't be wishy washy about making the shifts if you want to use it as intended. There is a learning curve for the operator and I find it to be a nice option to play with.

 

[Bedifferent]

The comments were all very helpful. I have it all figured out now. I never had an issue with the upshifts, smooth as glass and no miss shifts. Always under power as I already knew. As for downshifts, it's smooth as well with no power applied and shifting under 1500. 1200 RPM is ideal in my opinion. No jerks, it just drops down to the next gear. You do have to be careful on the upshift because you can be well over 80 in a 55 before you know it. It is very deceiving about how fast you are going if you're enjoying the shifts instead of paying attention to the speed. I think the GT may stand for...GET TICKETS!