GP or standard shift pattern?

[Super Dave]

I It just comes down to personal preferance.

Really?  Or isn't it more logical and efficient?

[Mark Bernard]

Logical and efficient.....! "Touche"

[tigerblade]

Really?  Or isn't it more logical and efficient?

Well Brian Drebber says it's personal preference and he's on TV!



j/k I use GP pattern.   ;D

[Nate R]

I switched to GP last year on the SV, but my CB 750 was standard. Took about 1/2 a day to get used to on the SV, and a couple days on teh CB 750 to make sure I was in the right shift mode there.

I rode a standard shift bike on the track at summit, and found it difficult. I would get into the track mode in my brain, and then try and standard shift.

Im a big fan of GP shift on the track.  :D

[Sunny]

I too switched to GP shift earlier this year, and took about an half day to get used to it.  When everything is running smooth, I have no problem with it, but then when in tight dicing situation, natural instinct kicks in and cause me to downshight instead of upshift (at exit of the corner).  

I have locked up my rear several times doing this.  Fortunately, I didn't crash nor run off the track once due to it yet.  Needless to say, I switched back to standard shift so I can concentrate on riding and not making sure that I am shifting the right way.  

I didn't find GP shift helping me at all but taking away some % of my concentration from just riding.  For the corners that will require a shift in the mid corner, I just ride differently.  Either going in the corner in a higher gear to begin with and roll on the throttle way early to pick up the rpm, or just carry more entry speed to keep the rpm in the power band (require a big arc to maximize average corner speed but may delay the full throttle timing exiting the apex).  Going into the corner in the correct gear, I would square off a corner more to begin with so that I can stand up the bike a little bit for a short while in mid corner to shift up (left hander).  

There are always ways around every problems which improve some compromises, and I believe it's a personal preference in my case as I couldn't make GP shift a second natural like the standard shift is to me after riding standard shift for almost 13 years.  

Everyone say smooth is the key to be fast, right?  Well, smooth to me will require a shift pattern that is my second natural and doesn't take away my concentration for just riding.

[The_Oracle]

I use GP...  I find it much easier and sensible...

Here is an EASY way to remember GP shift direction:

1. Head down, push down
2. Head up, pull up

I have both my street and track bike setup GP...  It took me a day of riding to master it and I have been riding standard for 21 years.  I should note, that one time when I wasn't concentrating (about three days into the new shift style) I accidentally hit 2nd instead of 4th...  I was VERY close to having a nasty get-off, but made it.  I will never make that mistake again.

Also, I still ride friends bikes with standard shifting and don't have any problems...

I to agree that this is a preference thing, but GP does feel more natural to me.

Choose your way and stick with it for a while.

-Rip

[Super Dave]

I didn't find GP shift helping me at all but taking away some % of my concentration from just riding.  For the corners that will require a shift in the mid corner, I just ride differently.

Ah, again...resistance.

Do what you want.  It isn't going to be something that you necessarily pick up in an instant.

Really, you shouldn't be focusing so much on your riding, but on your bike...how it handles, how it gets traction, all that.

You know what kind of springs you have in it front and rear?  Sag?  Do you recognize how a change in gearing changes the chassis feel?  

If you're making a gear change in the middle of corners, you probably have other issues that need to be fixed.  

That's what I do...fix things and riders.

[Sunny]

You may be right, Dave!  I'll give GP shift another try I guess during my coming trackday at Grattan with STT on July 5th!   ;)

In my experience, I really didn't feel/notice any advantage of GP shift when using it except for the long left sweepers that required a shift in the middle of the corner.  My bike shifts really good, and I have never got a false neutral (true Honda quality).   ;D  I personally like to tap down on the downshift (easier shift than hooking the shifter up as you said) as I personally think precise downshift is more important as corner entry speed and exiting speed is what really makes a bigger difference in lap time (try to get a higher average cornering speed when you mis-shift going into a corner is basically impossible).   ::)

Regarding concentrating on riding...........  Everything you said about how the bike handles, how the bike gets traction, staying on the intended/desireable line, maximizing speed, etc, are riding!   ;)  At least that's what I meant when I said to concentrate on riding.   ;D

I do know exactly what springs I have in my front and rear suspension and all the sag numbers plus all the damping setting.   ;D  I am pretty picky in nature, so I tend to feel every details in how my bike acts when riding.   ::)  

For corners that required extra shifting in the middle of the corner, I too thought about a gearing change so that I wouldn't need to shift in the middle of the corner, but then with a smaller displacement bike (less HP/Torque), there are just compromise that will need to be make in certain tracks with certain layouts.  Changing sprocakets for a different gear ratio for the long sweepers to avoid extra shifting tends to mess up all other gearing in technical area (tighter turns) as I can't stay in the power band in a higher gear or revving the life out of the motor still going too slow in a lower gear (my bike doesn't have a desireable close ratio gearbox).............  I rather compromise for the long sweepers as I tend to make up more time in the technical section overall on a smaller displacement bike!   ;)  

[Super Dave]

....but then with a smaller displacement bike (less HP/Torque), there are just compromise that will need to be make in certain tracks with certain layouts.

Like what kind?

600?  

125 GP bike?

Vintage road racer?

Vintage 125 GP bike?

Ridden them all, and seldom have I had those kind of problems.  Generally, it comes down to set up and execution.  

[r6_philly]

I have GP on my racebikes and standard on my street/dirt bikes. I don't have a problem using either. I also take street bikes on the track and have no problem when I need to use standard shifting.

The only time (and I continue to do so) that I mess up, is when I come off the track after a race. I would forget which way to shift back down to 1st (I would do the standard way and end up in 6th)...

But when I am focused with racing, and just performing the repetitive task of shifting before entering a turn, I will never mess up. Because it is built into my brain that I need to pull up on the lever so many times. It is actually not a concious effort of shifting, it is just something I am supposed to do before I turn in to the next corner, like many other tasks that you have to perform. It wouldn't matter either way, if I don't do these things correctly I wouldn't go fast, but having it GP pattern make performing the actions a bit easier.

[xseal]

get a heal shifter for the street bike, .. assuming its a HD.

[Sunny]

Like what kind?

600?  

125 GP bike?

Vintage road racer?

Vintage 125 GP bike?

Ridden them all, and seldom have I had those kind of problems.  Generally, it comes down to set up and execution.  

1998 Honda RVF400.  Definitely one you haven't ridden yet............   ;D