GP shift

[Jason748]

It's harder to switch from an old english vintage right side shift.  Try stabbing the rear brake instead of the shifter sometime.   Yeeowch! 

  I know exactly what you mean there, I've stabbed the brakes trying to shift more than once on my Duc 200SS 

[p3afoster61]

I believe Kevin Schwantz was another great rider who used standard shift pattern.

[tug296]

After 39 years of standard shifting, I tried to become comfortable using G.P. shift pattern, it was difficult at first, and stayed difficult. I could do fine on the street just easing around, but had to think about what I was doing the whole time, I could not just "do it" without thinking about it.
Problem was we had a race coming up at Daytona, the Moto- ST 8 hrs. My team mate could do GP shift, but not standard, so I tried it, but decided in the end that Daytona was no place to have to deal with that issue.
So we decided to change the shifter at each rider change, this worked well for the first few stops, but the shifter became stripped, I had to ride my last few stints with the GP shift, baptism by fire .
I think I could have done better with the GP shifting if I was fresher, but was tired and it was dark and many other issues going on.

I was glad to see the checkers in that race, I was done and found myself struggling to remember to shift the other way.
I had a 1971 Sportster that had the brake on left, shift on the right, that was just wrong.

I'd like to thank Larry Dodson for his commitment to that event, he was fast and on the gas, and kept us in that race!

What is the reason Mat Mladin doesn't use GP shift?  I have a guess.

[racerhall]

its what ever works for you
i use standard shift and never had a problem
i can use gp shift but dont like it
i think madlin had a injury to his foot in the past thats why he uses standard and so dose alot of other people that are famous and win

[benprobst]

schwantz always used std shift. though I still support gp. But its obviusly not a case of being fast or slow, look at Hall. Though I do wonder how you do it Hall, I of course dont know how you gearing works, but for instance, coming out of the carousell at BHF heading torwards the bus stop, im still leaned over and weighting the outside peg with the middle of my foot when I have to roll my ankle forward and tap my shifter down to get another gear, what do you do in situations like that?

[MELK-MAN]

i think both have advantages, but for me as others have posted im too set in my ways to switch to GP. I tried once and all was good until i took my mind off of shifting and got into traffic. Went the wrong way on a gear change and ended up looping the rear end out and crashed. 2 dirt bikes, 1 supermoto, just have no intrest in swiching from standard. Never think about it, never have a false neutral.. good enough for me

[PJ]

Never think about it, never have a false neutral.. good enough for me.

Same here. I ride too many different bikes to make me want to switch over to GP pattern. I can't think of any instance where I've felt steet shifting has somehow slowed me down. Sometimes it's hard to find endurance teammates who can ride street shift pattern though.

[Super Dave]

I use GP shift for RR and regular for other stuff. 

I can also drive a three on the tree, a three, four , five , and six speed on the floor along with automatics and semi automatic transmissions.

You learn what you and the bike needs, you execute it.  But GP shift is efficient in that the large calf muscle allows you to get positive upshifts without hesitation.  Downshifting?  Well, actually, the engine is not a brake, so if you mess that one up, you'll have a chance to do it again.

[sasrocks]

everyone was telling me how it was the only way to go so i tried i tried GP at one race weekend (one day of practice) and had no problems the whole weekend. but at that track (Gateway) i think there were 2 turn i would have rather had STD pattern. 

Then I added a quickshifter to the GP linkage and the next race weekend I was blowing downshifts all day in practice.  to the point I almost ran off the track a couple times and took someone with me. 

i even was f***cking up a couple of upshifts w the QS.  ???

in retro spect, the lever was ajusted a little too high, but in the heat of the moment between first practice Sunday and the first race I pulled off the QS and went back to STD.  NO problems shifting and i ran good all day.

so for me std what i have used my whole life and i will stick with it. 

As to Mladin, he actually goes on at length about std vs gp pattern at the end of an interview @ www.onthrottle.tv (click on the track bike and scroll down to it).   Quite convincing logic and a great little interview to boot. 

[EX_#76]

Considering switching to a reverse shift pattern next year...... I tried it out a couple years ago (3 track days in a row) and could never come to grips (after 4 off-track excruciation's and a lowside).

SO..... Those of you who have switched recently, How long did it take you before you were "really" comfortable with it?

I flipped my street bike first.  I liked it right away, got used to it in about 30 miniutes, never looked back

[Spooner]

I switched last summer after riding a customer's bike at a trackday.  I didn't want to mess with switching the shifter since it wasn't quick and easy.  I rode a few laps nice and easy getting a feel for the bike and shifting.  I progressively got faster and found that I didn't have much trouble.  Coming out of the corner I would just put my foot over the shifter so I was ready for up shifts, and going into the corner I just put my foot under the shifter.  I also kept telling myself 'down is safe' that way if I got into a panic situation I knew which way to go. 

Now I ride both types all the time-I can't switch my motard to gp, so I just ride it.  Same with dirt bikes.  I think once you learn you just adapt to whatever style you need at the time, but I do think GP is easier on the roadrace course.

[Super_KC124]

My first street bike and first race bike were both 2000 GSXR600's, so I just set them up the same.  I think since I didn't have much riding experience when I started racing helped with the transition. Racing motorcross with the STD pattern hasn't been a problem either. I think because the bikes are ridden so differently. There are tracks where I need to shift mid corner and there's no room to get my foot under the shifter. Not a problem with the GP shift pattern.