Upside Down Gear Levers

[adifferentname]

I was wondering if any of the instructors use the 1 up 5 down gear change pattern on their bikes and also if you set up the hire bikes with reverse gear change for racers who are attending the school?

 

I would also be interested to know whether the majority of racers out there are using standard road gear change or the upside down method....

[Bones]

Street Shift Pattern = 1 Down - 5 Up

Race Shift Pattern = 1 Up - 5 Down

 

Race bike is race shift pattern. There are a few corners that you have to shift up whilst leaned over, and short shifting is not an option (its a 400 with the power to weight ratio problem ).

 

Street bike is street shift pattern. Never really needed to have race shift on the street (not in that much of a hurry).

 

School bikes are street shift pattern. We're using Triumphs, and the gear lever connects straight to the gearbox shaft.

 

On the race pattern, to remember which way to shift, the rule is :- Head down, push down (go up a gear). Head up, lift up (go down a gear). Clutchless shift on going up (push down) the gear box, use the clutch for going down (lift up).

 

Cheers

[fastfreddie]

if you take the coderace school in the u.s., you have your choice of shift patterns on the 636. you can also have new race rubber(208) installed which you may take home afterwards(purchase item). that was the set-up when i attended in 4/03...it may have changed.

[Steve M]

If you use one of Will's bikes (yes, they ARE Will's bikes), and you ask him nicely, he may switch the shift pattern for you.

 

Personally, all my bikes are reverse pattern shift - except my BMW 1150RT - and I am working on a way to switch that one as well. Although I do not often get confused while riding (going back and forth between school bikes, personal track bikes and my RT), I can't count the times I have been in a parking lot thinking I was in first gear when in fact I was in sixth gear. Under these circumstances, finding neutral between fifth and sixth can be challenging and embarrasing...

[stu#71]

Brilliant memory aid - thanks. I've just "swopped" over and have been trying to get my head into thinking in reverse - head down, push down is going to really help - cheers!

[stuman]

In the U.S. all the student bikes are street pattern, but like Steve said you can ask Will to change it for you.

 

All the instructor bikes are race pattern.

 

My bikes are all race pattern, except my dirt bike. Funny, I don't have a problem switching back and forth. When I first started as an instructor with the school Cobie MADE me ride race pattern and I got used to it real quick and like it better then street shift now.

[Bones]

Just remember that you're sharing the school bike with other students on the day. So Will may not change the shift pattern if you're sharing the bike?