Pic of GP shift setup

[TLRMan]

Use a TLR shift lever (it's shorter, and will clear case)
Now you will never miss an upshift again!
Just gotta get used to it....Upshifting pushing down.... :o

[Schneegz]

TLRMan:

Could you post another pic that shows the entire set-up? I mean, the entire shifter.

[TLRMan]

Originally posted by Schneegz@6th June 2003, 10:47 PM<br /><br /> TLRMan:

Could you post another pic that shows the entire set-up? I mean, the entire shifter.
I gotta get my brother back over here, but that shouldn't be a problem.
The difference is at the shifter end at the shaft that comes out of the engine. Most of the time all you have to do is unbolt the arm, and rotate it 180 degrees and put it back on. This will reverse the shifting pattern.
The problem with the SV1K is that the arm is too long, and will hit the case, so we pulled the one off my TLR, and we could see that the arm was shorter. So we ordered an arm for the TLR at the
dealership..it's around $36.00 US.

[booneylander]

I'm wondering if anyone can explain to me the advantages of the GP shift configuration?

[2WIN]

I'm wondering if anyone can explain to me the advantages of the GP shift configuration?

Foot is above the shifter which offers more lean angle and makes it much easier to shift... one up 5 down...

[Timothy]

None realy, I think racers like it because they can come out of a bend and kick the shifter down to change gear rather than having to hook their feet under the shifter to do it.

So now the bike is 1 up 5 down.

I've ridden one bike like this on track and it's good but takes some time to get used to it.

[Johna10ant]

No real benefits to be found whilst road riding. Unecessary expense for little gain.

[Matt Gephart]

Yup, from what I have heard, since you downshift before a corner your foot isn't under the lever (for the race setup), but when upshifting while exiting a corner, in a normal setup your foot would have to be under the peg, and for some racers I guess maybe be too low and actually drag their foot on the ground.

[tjm73]

No real benefits to be found whilst road riding. Unecessary expense for little gain.

I disagree. I reversed the linkage on my old '97 GSXR750 and found it to be more natural feeling to me. I don't see this mod as being any different than switching to a more comfortable seat or removing the snow shovel. It's about obtaiing your personal comfort and happiness level with the bike.

[mother]

who shifts with the bike so leaned over that their foot can't fit anyways?

[shoman94]

who shifts with the bike so leaned over that their foot can't fit anyways?

Me..:devil2: :ryan:

[JustAL]

who shifts with the bike so leaned over that their foot can't fit anyways?

Depends how long the corner is.
Just to screw you up try racing a Norton with right hand shift that's GP as well! :wallbash:

BTW, that's a bloody clean bike!

[elp_jc]

I would never change to a GP shift pattern, but sticking your foot under the shift lever reduces your cornering clearance by at least 2 inches; that's A LOT. And it's just plain dangerous to have your foot down there while cornering. And yes, those guys are millimeters from dragging. I don't have to upshift mid-corner because I don't race, but a racer can lose precious seconds if they hit the rev limiter because they can't up-shift. And getting your foot kicked back at 200 mph wouldn't be pretty. Later.

[booneylander]

who shifts with the bike so leaned over that their foot can't fit anyways?

It happenned to me a couple times on my track bike this weekend. I think I just might have to try this GP shift thingy.

[Finley]

all my race bikes had this style of gearshift, the two reasons I was given were the ground clearance one, (I proved this once by doing a race school with a normal 1 down 5 up shift bike, and couldn't up shift when I wanted to on a L/H bend before the main straight, so you had the choice of over rev = loose speed, or short shift = drop out of power band = loose speed)

the other was linked to up shifts with out the clutch, its a lot easier to push down without the clutch and on average clutchless changes are worth a second a lap, (this is before the quickshifter was invented)

[DVS]

I just got a Gixxer shift arm and am trying this for normal street riding. To me this makes more sense than the standard configuration.

For example, I would think that you would upshift more during normal riding than down (ie. shift down 3 gears at a time at a stop light).

Also when going at speed it's more natural to just tap down in order to upshift. Then when you come up to an upright position when slowing down, your body is in a better position to hook your foot under the shift peg.

A word about the fitting, luckily the shift arm came with an additional shift rod. I had to tap the rod a bit more and cut down the end in order to position the shift pedal back to the normal position, our shift rods are just a tad too long.

I'm going out for a boot now and will post up how it feels.

Edit: man, you have to keep the shift pattern in mind all the time. Upshifts feel more natural just tapping your feet. Although, because of the shorter shift arm, it takes a tad more oomph to snick it into gear. At the lights though you have to remember to press up from neutral rather than down. That got me the most.

[danci1973]

Edit: man, you have to keep the shift pattern in mind all the time. Upshifts feel more natural just tapping your feet. Although, because of the shorter shift arm, it takes a tad more oomph to snick it into gear. At the lights though you have to remember to press up from neutral rather than down. That got me the most.
Don't you think this could be a bit dangerous? Imagine mistakingly shifting from 3rd to 2nd (instead 4th) at redline...

A guy died on a recing track when the rear wheel locked up on the start/finish straight... The investigators couldn't find anything wrong with the bike. The guys friends said that he recently changed his shift pattern to GP - and a shift error could well be the only cause for the tragedy...

D.

[Timothy]

Well, I did say that it takes a bit of getting used to, I think this is onje reason that REAL racers don't ride road bikes that much, you get so used to doing something it feels alien if you change it.

I rode a friends ?BSA a few years ago, the gear and brake were the 'wrong way round' back then, I almost wrecked at the first junction!

[Finley]

Yes that does happen, as I did it. when I was racing my YPVS I also have a 750 Suzuki on the road for a while, which was OK untill one day I gave the 750 some stick out of a roundabout, was in second and changed into first instead of third, :blank: :pinch: that woke me up and left a nice black line in the road
never did it again as I learn't the lesson not to race about on the road from then on, Have no problems now but haven't used that style of gearchange for a Loooooong time
also working the other way, when I did that race school I kept changing the wrong way going into the Hairpin at Mallory so arrived in 4/5 instead of 1st:crazy:

[luckydux]

I am not wanting the gp style but would like to know what year of TL I need to be looking for to get the gear shifter from. Also does anyone have a gripe about the folding shifters?

[hkyglie]

I am not wanting the gp style but would like to know what year of TL I need to be looking for to get the gear shifter from. Also does anyone have a gripe about the folding shifters?

Any year TL & also the SV650 will work...

[Mad Cow]

who shifts with the bike so leaned over that their foot can't fit anyways?

Any racer taking the Devil's Elbow at Mallory Park!

The corner is a fast, descending and off camber left hander, you either short shift and get your foot out of the way as you power through or....

you use an upside down race pattern shifter and change gear at the correct time.

I always wondered why until I did a track day at Mallory last month, that one corner explained it all.

[SKurj]

I am not wanting the gp style but would like to know what year of TL I need to be looking for to get the gear shifter from. Also does anyone have a gripe about the folding shifters?


Any year, its the same part number.

[hkyglie]

Any year, its the same part number.

:bleh::bleh::bleh::bleh::bleh:

[DougZ]

Very good thread. :D

[luckydux]

Thanks guys!! I guess i will try the folding lever this round as it seems that it is always the little nub sticking out that breaks off...i'll report next time i go down. :headbang: It's not a stunt bike but she likes to do tricks...dirty girl:msn-wink:

[kiwi60]

I've been running all my bikes with the GP shift patten for some years, and like a lot of things - it takes a little getting used to at first.

I find my gear changes are quicker both ways and would not change back now, mind you I also have a racing bike set up this way and I find that changing up 1/2 way round a corner is a common occurance (which is why I first started using this set up).

You don't actually have to spend any $$ to try the GP shift, just take off the gearbox shift lever mounting and carefully bend it out a few mm's (holding it in a vice and using a 12" cresent works well), and reinstall 180 degrees from the std position and adjust the lever position to suit, and your away.

Yes you need to keep your wits about you while you get used to it, but it becomes natural after a while. The only problem is getting back on a normal shift pattern when test riding a bike for example - but a bit of thought is all thats needed.

[PEZ]

GP shift seems a recipe for disaster to me- any time you get on an unfamiliar bike you have to ride a bit distracted. Seems a poor excuse to give to a friend as to why you just trashed his new bike... "well, you see, it wasn't my fault, really, 'cause I got this GP shift which is so superior on track days and stuff. So why haven't you swapped your new Duc over yet? You have confused my foot with your inferior shift pattern- you could've killed me, you noob!!"

[kiwi60]

You have confused my foot with your inferior shift pattern

Inferior - that's a matter of your opinion, which I respect, however the advantages for me far out weigh any disadvantages.

Personally I have never had any problem jumping on normal shift pattern bikes - just a matter of keeping your witts about you.

By the way pez - have you ever tried a GP pattern?

If not, spend a half an hour changing it over and give it a try - who know's - you might even find an advantage in it for your own riding style, or not as the case may be.

[PEZ]

Just joking around, mostly. However, I really don't see the need for the street. Maybe I'll give it a go sometime.

[kiwi60]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[imdying]

I'd love to give it a go on my RGV, you can't just carry a gear through long turns at the track, so changing whilst you're cranked over is pretty much par for the course :(

[westerner]

I read some of this thread and got to wondering how Bayliss shifts. So watched some races from this season. Looks to me like he uses the standard one down the rest up.

The reversed shift sequence reminds me of the first time I rode a Norton with the rotary shift.

If you are in the correct gear going into the corner, wouldnt you have all the power you want while your in the corner?? My SV pulls extremely well from five to ten thousand RPM. I Dont shift in the corners but of course I'm no racer. I have this fear of highsiding.

I figure if the standard shift sequence is good enough for Mr Bayliss it's good enough for me.:D

Joe.

[WWiddy]

Anyone know the history as to why we have our "regular" street set-up as one down, 5 up for upshift, but racers have this "gp" pattern that goes just opposite?

Honestly, back whenever someone standardized the set-up, how did our street set-up get picked over the gp set-up?

Could it be an anecdote? Some designer at Harley had a tired foot one day and so he preferred it dangle under the gear shifter instead of over it?