Gear Shift Assist - How do you operate yours?

[Deleted account 220319001]

So glad this topic was started, as I thought it was my rubbish changing that was causing the "lurch" at low revs coming up. Like others, I've took time to get used to it and when battering on it's fantastic, but from now on, I think I'll only use it from 3rd up the way, and when at the correct engine speed coming down.

 

[oxforshirerider]

Interestingly (or not, depends on your point of view) I notice a massive difference between the system fitted on my 14 plate to the new one on the 65 plate I am buying. I had it retro-fitted to the 14 plate and it was always seriously clunky, BMW even swapped one unit out as they thought it was faulty. Even at full bore changes up it would bang into place with a bit of a jar!

I pick up my 65 plate on Saturday (forced change not by choice) and when I took it out for a test ride for an hour or so, the first thing I noticed was how smooth the quick shifter was both up and down the box. I assume the system is exactly the same on the factory fitted vs retrofitted versions, but the difference is like night and day.

Anyway there is my penny's worth.

 

[waynecoluk]

Interesting topic. I pick my new GSA up on Thursday and it comes with the shift assist. When test riding it I had mixed feelings, sometimes it was a smooth change and other times it felt forced. I am looking forward to getting to grips with it and finding the sweet spot (if there is such a thing). It's also got keyless which I'm less sure about. I think its more of a gimmick but hey it was on the bike..

 

[Nutty]

Interesting topic. I pick my new GSA up on Thursday and it comes with the shift assist. When test riding it I had mixed feelings, sometimes it was a smooth change and other times it felt forced. I am looking forward to getting to grips with it and finding the sweet spot (if there is such a thing). It's also got keyless which I'm less sure about. I think its more of a gimmick but hey it was on the bike..

So you've bought a new bike with two major features you're not sure about? Why don't you just get one without these options?

 

[waynecoluk]

It was in the showroom and I got a big discount. Plus I didn't have to wait for it to be built etc.

 

[GrinningGSer]

For the down changes alone I would have it.

+1 few people mention the down change and I think it's the best feature , with the exception of the quick progress when nailing it.

 

[Reggie P]

Just use the pedal firmly. It doesnt change gear for you, its only microswitches and software.

agreed...

If you, mistakenly, gently touch the lever (before you are ready for the change up), it can detect (via the strain gauge ) pressure,
this "kills the power" and you can impact your helmet on the screen!

"Just hold the throttle steady ( preferably wide open) n bang it in" ! and Max W said.

 

[Fagin]

Is it possible to retro fit the gear change assist on the new LC GS?

I have been looking at a Triple Black but this bike hasn't got either the keyless or the gear assist and at the moment I can't afford the extra £375 to have it fitted but was thinking maybe later on?

 

[Appman]

Yes.... why else would you want to shift quickly

Maybe because it's marketed as A Gear Shift Assist and not a Quick Shifter? Which the dealers are quick to point out.

At the moment I dont feel it's worthy of that title with its lack of reliability to do what it says.

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

Is it possible to retro fit the gear change assist on the new LC GS?

Yes, it's a simple enough job but needs to be done at the dealers as the module needs to be coded to the bike.

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

.... At the moment I dont feel it's worthy of that title with its lack of reliability to do what it says.

Sounds like it needs recalibrating if you are having issues with it.

 

[mpgscott]

Yes, it's a simple enough job but needs to be done at the dealers as the module needs to be coded to the bike.

Can this coding be done with a GS911??

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

Can this coding be done with a GS911??

No idea.

There are 3 files needed to code the GSAP unit and as far as I am aware they are specific to each bike. There is a .der .fsc and a .xml file needed.

 

[xspencex]

I'm on my second GSA unit with the first one packing it in after 2k miles, seems to work fine now even on partial throttle although I don't use it from 1st to 2nd.

 

[DaveTez]

GSAP, made for mountain hairpins!

Have just returned from a 7 day trip to Europe riding some of the "passes" including & not in order the Furka, the Grimsel, the Stelvio, the San Bernadino, San Gottard.
Not my first time riding the passes & not my first time on a WCGS BUT, the first time with GSAP & what a revelation!
I hadnt really taken to it for general riding back home & found it awkward to use at times, but as I've got more used to it have really got to like it.
Using it while traversing the hairpins was fantastic, got quite addicted to the lovely farty brrrap noise it makes on downshifts & it really helped my cornering technique even allowing clutchless downshifts right down to first for the really tight steep uphill turns & then lots of throttle, 2,3,4, brake, close throttle & back down again Brilliant.
Not always 100% reliable, got the odd clunky change & neutral on occasion but was probably user error.

 

[waynecoluk]

I've had my 2016 GSA with GSAP for just over a month and it went in for the first service the other day. I bought the showroom bike so the GSAP wasnt an option I chose but I have found it to be a revalation.
As long as you are giving it throttle on upshifts and letting off on down shifts it works perfectly. The only thing I dont do is use it to change from 1st to 2nd as I've found it can be a bit clunky.
And as DaveTez has mentioned the Alps and how good it was there makes me want to look forward to my Alps trip next week even more...

 

[G&T]

The more I use gsap, the more I understand its oddities. Depending on revs it can give you a serious kick in the lower gears coming up through the gears. Manual clutch work smooths that out, so if you are pushing the revs, manual, if not gsap. However sticking with the fact that the gs has tons of character, when changing down with gsap it's like a shotgun going off, followed by a growling gurgle. It makes me laugh and I absolutely love it. 2016 r1200gs triple black.

 

[Engineer]

Have just returned from a 7 day trip to Europe riding some of the "passes" including & not in order the Furka, the Grimsel, the Stelvio, the San Bernadino, San Gottard.
Not my first time riding the passes & not my first time on a WCGS BUT, the first time with GSAP & what a revelation!
I hadnt really taken to it for general riding back home & found it awkward to use at times, but as I've got more used to it have really got to like it.
Using it while traversing the hairpins was fantastic, got quite addicted to the lovely farty brrrap noise it makes on downshifts & it really helped my cornering technique even allowing clutchless downshifts right down to first for the really tight steep uphill turns & then lots of throttle, 2,3,4, brake, close throttle & back down again Brilliant.
Not always 100% reliable, got the odd clunky change & neutral on occasion but was probably user error.

I will be doing the same of those routes on the 2,3,4 the August - with no gearshifty assisity thingy, I'll have to rely on an oldy fashionedy clutchy thingy