GS Quick Shifter Needs an Upgrade?.

[alp]

Out of curiousity I test rode a '17 Ducati Supersport S yesterday which had a quick shifter. I was surprised to discover how much better it was than the one on the '17 GS. The Ducati version changed gears up and down much more smoothly/no jerkiness regardless of what you were doing with the throttle at the time. GS down changes prefer a closed throttle and up changes you really need to be accelerating but jerkiness is still likely. I tend to use the clutch now for up changes on my Rallye to give a smoother change.
Now the Ducati engine is inherently rougher than the GS but being able to go up and down the box quickly and without jerkiness means you naturally easily run in the best gear at the time. I can live with the GS shifter but wish BMW could do a better job than they have. If Ducati can do better why can't BMW?
I initially thought it's an engine software issue and doesn't need any hardware change BUT is there much more inertia in the GS engine and transmission than the Supersport S which over rides anything you do to interrupt the drive through the gearbox during the shift and hence you get a bit of jerkiness after the gear is engaged and drive is restored??
I also test rode a Panigale this weekend which had a quick shifter for up changes only and that can be a bit worrying when you rush into a corner expecting the usual v twin engine braking from a down change only to realise that doesn't happen without the clutch...confusing...squeaky bum time.... Doh!

 

[jetjock]

Out of curiousity I test rode a '17 Ducati Supersport S yesterday which had a quick shifter. I was surprised to discover how much better it was than the one on the '17 GS. The Ducati version changed gears up and down much more smoothly/no jerkiness regardless of what you were doing with the throttle at the time. GS down changes prefer a closed throttle and up changes you really need to be accelerating but jerkiness is still likely. I tend to use the clutch now for up changes on my Rallye to give a smoother change.
Now the Ducati engine is inherently rougher than the GS but being able to go up and down the box quickly and without jerkiness means you naturally easily run in the best gear at the time. I can live with the GS shifter but wish BMW could do a better job than they have. If Ducati can do better why can't BMW?
I initially thought it's an engine software issue and doesn't need any hardware change BUT is there much more inertia in the GS engine and transmission than the Supersport S which over rides anything you do to interrupt the drive through the gearbox during the shift and hence you get a bit of jerkiness after the gear is engaged and drive is restored??
I also test rode a Panigale this weekend which had a quick shifter for up changes only and that can be a bit worrying when you rush into a corner expecting the usual v twin engine braking from a down change only to realise that doesn't happen without the clutch...confusing...squeaky bum time.... Doh!

I'm quite sure the GS is not a good as some QS s but once you get the knack works really well .

 

[Georgeeboi]

I think a chain bike will be better anyway! Mines pretty good though.

Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

An L Twin chain driven bike against a flat twin shaft driven bike

Which one is chalk and which one is cheese?

 

[yofi]

QS is undoubtedly better on the Multistrada. It's also better on the XR, though that may be because it's handling less torque lower down the range. On the other hand, throttle control on the MS is pants and the engine does nothing until it hits 3K. Difficult to get the perfect bike.

 

[Sea Dog]

I'm surprised to hear this said about the shifter on the '17 GS, because my late '16 Euro 4 is pretty darn good mated to the revised gearbox. I thought the nay sayers probably had the older, more clunky gearbox else hadn't read the manual. Who knows?

 

[alp]

I'm surprised to hear this said about the shifter on the '17 GS, because my late '16 Euro 4 is pretty darn good mated to the revised gearbox. I thought the nay sayers probably had the older, more clunky gearbox else hadn't read the manual. Who knows?

Hi, it's not that I haven't read the manual and I've had a Euro 3 and a Euro 4 GS... the point is that until anyone has tried a better shifter on another bike e.g. like the Ducati Supersport S I tested, you tend to assume that that's the way they are, I did. Just saying (not nay saying) that on the GS it's not as good as they can be. However I'm convinced now that with the GS engine/trans it won't get as good as some others, pity.

 

[Deleted account Aberdeen GS]

Alp, you raise an interesting question.
Certainly the BMW quickshifter is worth having. (There are some luddites on this forum who don't seem to "get " technology)

I'm curious as to why the BM one works differently on bikes with identical engines.
I rode a R1200RS where the quick shifts were incredibly smooth , but on my R1200GS it's not always the case. How can that be ?

 

[tanneman]

The engines make little difference in the operation of the QS. The software/wiring will be the same for both pre Euro 4 and after regarding the QS. The gearbox/drive train design has the most impact in the feel of the QS action. Chain drive with the chain properly adjusted will have a much smoother shift than a shaft driven bike. The improvements made to the latter gearbox does definitely improve the feel of the shift and removed the clunkyness that flat twin owners have become accustomed to.

However my GSA is without the QS. Yes maybe for me not a must have on the GSA (I can do without and you can do clutchless up shifts, maybe not the best practice on tarmac) but on the RT it makes perfect sense and transforms the bike. It is a must have on the K1600.

 

[SA9819]

There's a sweet spot for the shift up on my bike, 5500-6000 revs and it's as you'd expect. Going down the box as long as you are off the gas then there's no issues. I think there's an issue with expectation and understanding with the system.