Preferred shift pattern - road or race?

[jrandom]

Having recently spent some time on bikes with both shift patterns on the road, I can confidently say that I prefer riding with 1-up, 5-down 'race' shifters.

Changing down and blipping the throttle seems more natural when I'm hooking my foot up rather than pressing down, and shifting up while accelerating hard and tucked in is a lot simpler if I just have to press down rather than get my toes under the shift lever and pull it upwards.

Those of you who've tried both, which do you prefer riding with?

(Please consider the question on its own merits rather than incorporating the issue of having to switch back and forward on different bikes - imagine that every bike in the world is suddenly and automagically converted to your favourite pattern.)

Yes, mods, this topic's been covered before, but nobody's done a poll, mm kay?

[Maha]

Changing down and blipping the throttle seems more natural when I'm hooking my foot up rather than pressing down, and shifting up while accelerating hard and tucked in is a lot simpler if I just have to press down rather than get my toes under the shift lever and pull it upwards.


You make it sound as though its all an effort when is like relly licking an envelope ....not that good at first but you get used it and then it becomes 2nd nature. 1 down 5 up for me, im used to it and now i buy self sticky envelopes....

[Cajun]

i found it funny but thats due to fact i can sometimes ride 3 differnet bikes in the same week, so always felt funny, i tried it a while on my 1100, and was nice, but got annoyed everytime i went to another bike i would mess up

[jrandom]

1 down 5 up for me, im used to it...

I know. That's why I directed my question to those who've tried both. Have you?

[Maha]

I know. That's why I directed my question to those who've tried both. Have you?


No....i think i would highside soon after taking off, you know, changing up when i should be changing down, thats arsuming im on a 1 up 5 down change pattern

[boomer]

i found it funny but thats due to fact i can sometimes ride 3 differnet bikes in the same week, so always felt funny, i tried it a while on my 1100, and was nice, but got annoyed everytime i went to another bike i would mess up


almost as annoying as someone not replying to your pm :Pokey: ahhaha


tried both, and when i consciously go to remember on race shit i fook up. took of at a t-junction after stopping and lent the bike, twist the throttle.. and nearly dropped the bike as i was in 6th .. Doh !

[jrandom]

No...

<img src="http://blog.karlus.net/media/simpsons_apu.jpg"/>

[jrandom]

tried both, and when i consciously go to remember on race shit i fook up.

Sigh. I know. We all do.

I'm trying to establish what most riders would prefer if the issues that arise from having to switch back and forth could be eliminated.

[boomer]

ok.. my preference would be race shift for the ease of use as you suggest. I will log that into the poll and you should have ya statistics as required.

[boomer]

oh bollox.. i voted for the wrong fookin thing.


i need a smoko :girlfight:

[James Deuce]

Push down to go faster on the track, push down to go slower on the road. It seems to make sense to me.

I scrape toes and pegs lightly on the road every now and then. On the track my enormous paddle would get trapped under the shifter with annoying regularity using a road pattern. 3 Doesn't fit though cos I DO care.

[Crisis management]

I've never had a problem with either method and can't say that either struck me as better, however I've never ridden the same bike with both to get a direct comparison.
I've always considered shift patterns, lever location etc as one of those bike foibles you adapt to. Obviously I voted option 3.....:mellow:

[cowpoos]

I preffer road pattern on the track,road,in the paddock,in the bush and even in ditches.

why...because It makes feck all difference other than personal prefference to 98% of riders...

the main reasons I preffer road shift...because I [thats me...as in my opinion] find it easier to brake from high speed at the track and down shift fast and positivly.
also....doing big fuck off wheelies through the gears is easier with road shift...especially standup wheelies...I don't really find it a issuse changing gears while cranked over...maybe becuase I have small feet?? [size 8] I dunno...as thats the only real benifit for it?? everything else is co-ordination.

[F5 Dave]

All my roadbikes, race bikes & dirtbikes have road pattern. Never had an issue - no one changes gear more than a peaky 50cc racer, & it leans for Pisa (. . . ok that last bit was a lame analogy). Never have to think about it (had to a little when I had it on an old racebike).

Was good enough for Kevin Schwantz. Maybe I'll change it when I'm better than him huh?:bleh:

[jrandom]

Was good enough for Kevin Schwantz. Maybe I'll change it when I'm better than him huh?:bleh:

Good to see you're consistent (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=688178#post688178) on the subject.

;)

[enigma51]

I like the "race" setup.
I am tall and have big feet so to hook under the shifter when you accelerating feels awkward but when im sitting up for braking its fine It makes a huge difference on the track for me but on the road its just more comfortable when changing gears

[F5 Dave]

Good to see you're consistent (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=688178#post688178) on the subject.
;)

Good grief I didn't know you cared so much. Actually. STALKER!!!!

Funny thing is the next answer from Enigma is Race preference & Avitar Kev Schwantz:blink:

[cowboyz]

i use road pattern cause that is what I have always used and when in doubt I revert to auto pilot and I would be worried that all would be going wrong if I changed things.

[k14]

Big fan of race pattern. Had my bikes like that for 3 or 4 years now. I have to have it with my rs. Very common to have to change up gears whilst i am leant over in a corner and its even an issue to get my feet to the top of the lever whilst doing so. Is totally impossible to get it underneath whilst at full lean.

Yeah only problem is that other bikes aren't like this so is a bit of an issue when riding them. Also it isn't possible to change a mx bike to race pattern so when I get one it has the potential to cause problems.

[Sully60]

I prefer to use the R1 button to shift up and L1 to shift down, I've never had any real problems using this pattern.

[Jantar]

its many, many years since I rode a race bike on the track. But even 30+ years ago I preferred 1 down, 5 up. Mind you, I will admit that the expansion chambers touched the track before the pegs.

[SPman]

I prefer a right foot gear shift!

[HDTboy]

Tried both. My 2nd bike was race pattern when I bought it, so I kept it that way, learnt it, and would never go back by choice

[Motu]

Down for up is just the old shift pattern before the Yanks made it law for all bikes to be sold with left shift up for up.So your race pattern is just a Norton,or BSA,Matchless,AJS,Moto Guzzi or damn near any other pre 1970 bike shift pattern.Triumph were the odd one out with up for up,and then the Japanese bikes started to use that pattern.At one stage every bike I had (about half a doz) was down for up.I never had a problem changing between the two,or between left and right shifts for that matter.

[Toaster]

I prefer up down up down up down up down up down up down up down but that wasn't an option.

[Jantar]

....Triumph were the odd one out with up for up.....
Mmmm, I seem to recall riding my Triumph Super Cub rather hard one day, after spending a week or two on a Suzuki T250. The up shot was that I was aproaching a tightish right hand bend, I hauled on the front brake and dabbed at what should have been the rear brake while changing down a cog or two ...... instead, the front brakes worked fine, the rear brakes locked up, and I somehow found that I was a gear higher than I should have been.

Yep the good old triumph gears were not only the opposite way to the Suzuki, they were also the opposite side. I did get around that corner at around 20 mph faster than I had ever done it before.

[jrandom]

I prefer up down up down up down up down up down up down up down...

I thought not preferring that was why you switched from a gixxer to the 109...

[erik]

I've switched to race shift pattern. I think it makes it easier to change up while going round a corner, no fear of my foot touching the ground while I shift. To be fair, my foot never touched the ground on the bandit while I was using the standard shift pattern. But it did on my previous bike, the Zeal, which had lower pegs. It could theoretically happen on the bandit (maybe only on the track...) so why risk it.
I think it makes sense, when you're braking for a corner and changing down, the bike is usually reasonably upright so there's no worries getting your foot under the lever to shift. So you get into a low enough gear knowing that it'll be easy to shift up as you need to in the corner as you accelerate.

On the road I think it might be easier to use the standard pattern because it makes it easier to shift down when coming to a stop at an intersection, or makes it easier to change down a gear if you find yourself in a corner in too high a gear or going up a hill and you realise you need to change down.

I think that because of this, the standard pattern can encourage you to be lazier because you don't have to change down before the corner, you can simply change down in the corner when you have to. It might be harder to change up in the corner, but if you're cruising you can avoid that problem by not accelerating so hard out the corner.

I think the race shift pattern encourages better riding by making it more difficult to change down in a corner, so you have to do it before the corner, but then allows you to change up as you accelerate out of the corner more easily.

[Fatjim]

Personally, only one corner on the tukas causes me issues with trying to change up, and I just hold second a bit longer if my exit speed is slow and short shift if I get brave and go faster.

I'd rather have a more positive gear change going down through the gears than going up, because when your braking hard into a corner and you miss a down shift, clenches follow. Also, when you down behind the screen its easier to rest your foot under the lever than on top for us old blokes with zero flexibility.

[F5 Dave]

Well just to take us off in a tangent this is a little story from many years ago from a colulmn called Jody's box in a US MX mag ,

"The best motocross advice I ever got..."

The best motocross advice I ever got is meaningless today, but I’m going to reveal it to you (with full knowledge that the majority of you won’t really comprehend its significance). Ready? I don’t remember the name of the genius who shared it with me, but it changed my life when he leaned over and yelled into my helmet, "Down for low!"

In the good old days, "Down for low" meant the difference between finishing the moto and being pitched over the bars, bogging off the line or looking like a goon. What does it mean? It means that you select first gear by pressing the shift lever down. It seems so basic today, but that is only because a federal law was passed in the mid-’70s mandating that every bike have first gear at the bottom (on the left side of the bike). Before the government intervened, some bikes shifted on the left, some on the right, some up, some down and there was even one that shifted in a continuous circle (first, second, third, fourth, fifth, first, second, third...forever). Once, at Texas’ Lockhart track, I raced a Hodaka in the 100 class (up for low on the left), a Bultaco in the 250 class (up for low on the right) and a BSA in the 500 class (down for low on the right). I was thrown over the bars twice every lap.

Advice, especially good advice, is only valuable if you desperately need it—otherwise, federal laws will suffice.

If I could offer you only one tip about motocross it would be, "Aspire to the Novice class." Speed is over-rated. The faster you are, the less happy you are. I guarantee that there is not a single former National Champion who is happy with the speed at which he rides today. His joy of riding was ruined by speed that he can no longer maintain. (Whereas the rest of us can go this slow forever.) Glory is fleeting, but obscurity lasts. I have other nuggets of wisdom to impart.

Enjoy the stupidity of youth. Never mind that you don’t know how stupid you are. Trust me, in ten years, you’ll look back at the things you did, positions you took, tattoos you got and things you said and wonder why more people didn’t pick up bike stands and smack you across the forehead. On the plus side, stupidity fades as you get older—just like those tattoos

Today is the day to scare yourself silly. See that double? Do that double! If you start thinking about it, you’ll never do it. People who think too much end up living longer, making more money, vacationing in Tavarua, marrying wisely and investing well—but they don’t clear as many doubles.

Always check the water in your radiator. Never take for granted that your handlebars are tight. Look in your gas tank. Don’t keep score (they pay people to do that and they normally get it wrong). Accept the fates of motocross. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but nobody really wants to hear about it. In a nutshell, crashing can be defined in 11 words: "One second my hands were full; the next they were empty."

If a competitor compliments your riding style, compliment him on his. That’s called tit-for-tat. If he insults your riding style, compliment his. That’s called sarcasm. Never compliment your own riding style. That’s called being a factory rider. Keep all your old trophies so that after you die your children will have something to remember you by on the drive to the dump. If you’ve never won a trophy, buy one at a garage sale.

Whining is contagious. Avoid whiners as you would lepers. Forgive me, that was a thoughtless statement. Accept lepers, but avoid whiners. It’s often said that the squeaky wheel gets the grease—except at a factory team where they get a new wheel instead.

Be suspicious of people with perfect tans, art deco goatees, excessive jewelry, large entourages and Armorall’ed dashboards—they obviously have too much time on their hands. Hard work never killed anybody, but it beats the heck out of excessive personal grooming.

There’s no such thing as a loner. At least we don’t know any.

Take your parents to the races with you—even if they don’t want to go. Make your mom blip the throttle while you put on your helmet. Noise, as mom will soon learn, isn’t as objectionable when you are making it. Race a four-stroke at least once in your life. Teach a neophyte how to put a bike on a stand without getting a hernia (it’s all in the hip). Kiss a trophy girl (winning a trophy is optional).

Never mention how long it has been since you’ve had a flat tire. Never ram unless you’re willing to be rammed.

A 34 waist is the ultimate size. Why? The young are headed for it and the old dream of it.
Jeremy McGrath is no different than anybody else with two arms, two legs and 70 Supercross wins.

It’s not that hard to move out of the Novice class, but it takes years to get back in. You’re never as fast as when you’re slow!

Oh yeah…down for low.

[LilSel]

I havent tried the other shift pattern... all the bikes I've rode have had one down 5 up... (or one down 4 up)...

[Gremlin]

I can see the lean advantage that race pattern holds, and it makes sense... but I couldn't get to grips with lifting the lever under hard braking. Hard acceleration pressing down on the lever is easier yes... but lifting the lever is horrible for braking.

A few have tried to make me go to race pattern permanently, but I much prefer road.

[HDTboy]

The way I see it, you lose less time on a racetrack by missing a gear slowing down than accelerating.

[Drew]

I cant say for sure when it comes to my race bike, with the rear sets on it's quite tight, and reverse pattern would be good, but the linkage rod is the wrong length and the spare one would be worse.

So threre is no option for me to vote.

[sugilite]

An easy way to adapt to race shift is to have the following rule of thumb, head up change up, head down change down. Great for racers, not so good for road riders - "Officer, I'm learning a new gear shift technique and had my head down, sorry I did not notice she had drifted over 220" :lol:

[motorbyclist]

well for motorcross and commuting, 1down 5up is perfect for those surprise trees/trucks, but i do find on the vfr my boots become lighter and lighter every weekend.....

so for now i'll stick to what i know, but won't vote obviously as i've never actually ridden 5down 1up

i've heard of 70's dirt bikes with circular shift patterns.... whoever thought that going from 5th to 1st wasn't going to be a painful accident deserved to be fired

[skidMark]

I havent tried the other shift pattern... all the bikes I've rode have had one down 5 up... (or one down 4 up)...


can take my zxr for a spin if u want it's set up as race shift,

[skidMark]

well for motorcross and commuting, 1down 5up is perfect for those surprise trees/trucks, but i do find on the vfr my boots become lighter and lighter every weekend.....

so for now i'll stick to what i know, but won't vote obviously as i've never actually ridden 5down 1up

i've heard of 70's dirt bikes with circular shift patterns.... whoever thought that going from 5th to 1st wasn't going to be a painful accident deserved to be fired


some of the new chinese mini choppers did that...i saw the remains of some riders of them i new they got mangled up...going along at 50 kph t shirt shorts...open face...straght line....yer yer i know no gear own fault blah blah....

anmdyways though he had one more gear...clunk past neutral...1st gear...locked up the rear (no clutch) came off...got owned.