Quickshifter disable

[Arsey]

Not if the quick shift is anywhere near as bad as the one on my 1200GSA lc

The quick shifters on many BMWs are certainly very poor compared to other marques.
1250GSA/900GSA/900GS all very notchy.
Possibly quite a few on here think the quick shifters are good on their BMW because they simply haven’t ridden a different brand with one fitted .

 

[botus]

yes, I suspect the issue is if you can't ride (maybe its a help) - whereas if you wish to look after your bike and its gearbox by changing like a grown up, where it will bring far better, far smoother, and far less damaging changes - as you try to achieve this, shift assist fights you

BMW shift assist only started to be remotely competent with model year 2021 bikes - but nothing is even better

 

[RallyeGS]

I had a S1000XR loaner for a couple of days and the QS was buttery. I don't think the boxer engined bikes will ever compete.

 

[Pukmeister]

I can see the point of a QS on a track bike/fast road bike.

Not so sure of the need for it on a GS.

 

[RallyeGS]

Agreed. I have the ASA equipped GSA and I will use it in manual mode sometimes. The shifts are definitely better in manual mode than a non ASA bike using the QS. I am at the point in my riding career that I am happy to let the bike do the gear changing for me, much like my car!

 

[Nick Marshall]

Owned more than my fair share of BMW Flat twins.

For me. I am not in any hurry to get anywhere.
I can expect a smooth gear change when using the clutch.

It’s not the case using the quick shifter. So don’t bother at all.

My previous bike, a Triumph Rocket 3R had the factory quickshifter. It’s a £550 option.
It works. But after years of BMW ownership. I had got used to not using a quickshifter.

Never found a need for one on a motorbike.

Also, if you own more than one bike, and one has it and the other doesn’t.
It’s easier to just forget about them completely.

 

[boatman]

I can see the point of a QS on a track bike/fast road bike.

Not so sure of the need for it on a GS.

Not a GS ,,, but the QS on the V Strom 800 is a very good bit of kit , especially for overtakes , walk it out n if it’s clear - - pin it n run up the box ,, it’s much more seamless and slick on this bike than I could possibly do manually

 

[tw99]

Can’t fault my 1250GSA, what’s so bad about the 1300 ?

In my experience, nothing.

I find that upshifts on the 1300 are more or less the same as on the 1250, I tend to use it from 3 -> 6 as 2 -> 3 can still be a bit jerky, but downshifts are much smoother than the 1250 - feels like the rev matching is perhaps better than before, and it's absolutely fine going anywhere from 6 -> 2 as long as you make sure you're on a closed throttle.

All that said, it's not as smooth as on the inline 4s, but it works fine within the constraints of the rest of the bike.

 

[twizzle]

Q/S rules in Twizzle land…….3,4,5,6 up only - and only when on the beans….

Never down… seems too painful…..

Er - that’s it

 

[Arsey]

Not a GS ,,, but the QS on the V Strom 800 is a very good bit of kit , especially for overtakes , walk it out n if it’s clear - - pin it n run up the box ,, it’s much more seamless and slick on this bike than I could possibly do manually

Agreed. It’s like a hot knife through butter. Suzuki and Yamaha do the best QS by far

 

[Clifton]

My experience with the 1300 GS one is that it can be something approaching smooth going up from 3rd, 4th or 5th. But you really have to be careful about how much throttle you're using at the time otherwise it jolts quite badly.....

My experience also. It works well going to 4th, 5th, and 6th as long as you're on the throttle and more the better, but when under light throttle or upshifting when almost coasting it's jerky. Similar when downshifting while accelerating, like to go around a vehicle, it's not very smooth.

I do have a Rocket 3, and have tried the Triumph Explorer GT Pro - both of which are silky smooth up and down no matter what speeds you're doing. It can also be disabled in settings, hence me wondering if BMW took the same approach.

I'm still fumbling through the various settings but I don't recall seeing a "Shift Assist Pro disable option". I take it to the dealer for it's "free" 750 mile service on Thursday, I'll ask them because I'd prefer it not be there.

 

[leadfarmer]

The quick shifter on my 1300 is better than the one on my 1200 was but it’s still far from perfect,

Up changes can be pretty random, some are nice and smooth, some are really not, works best under load, never use it on partial throttle

Down changes on the other hand are always great as long as the throttle is closed and you’re engine braking, if you need to drop down a gear to overtake use the clutch, but on a GS you rarely need to drop it a cog because of the torque available

The quick shifter really comes into its own when you come into a corner fast and on the brakes, if you are two finger braking and blipping the throttle without a quick shifter it’s easy to pogo the front end when you get it wrong, with the quick shifter you can stomp down the box and crank it over whilst braking right up to the apex

 

[TaskMule]

The main problem with the QS is a lot of people think it's supposed to turn your bike into a general all around automatic.

 

[Clifton]

Up changes can be pretty random, some are nice and smooth, some are really not, works best under load, never use it on partial throttle

Down changes on the other hand are always great as long as the throttle is closed and you’re engine braking, if you need to drop down a gear to overtake use the clutch, but on a GS you rarely need to drop it a cog because of the torque available

I'm still feeling my way on this bike but agree with how you describe it. I'm finding the QS only works well under limited situations while in all the other scenarios you're better off not using it. Obviously see the benefit on a track or aggressive riding on the street, neither of which I'm doing anymore.
What I have noticed is my clutch shifts don't seem to be quite as smooth on this bike. I assumed it's just the nature of this gear box, or maybe it just needs to break in? Or maybe as Fiddlesticks mentioned preloading the shifter engages the QS just as I'm clutching?

I'd like to ride the bike a while with the QS disabled and if clutch shifts are smoother I'll leave it disabled. If they're not, may as well leave it active.

 

[botus]

well there's three guys that should know...

 

[Martin GSA UK]

I was getting false neutrals going up the gears with the quicksilver, particularly 5th to 6th. I first moved the shifter pivot point, to lower the gearshifter, there are two holes where it mounts. It comes from the factory in the higher hole. Perhaps to accommodate big feet and big enduro boots. This improved things.

I then did some fine tuning with the old school threaded linkage. Just loosen the lock nuts both ends (the rearmost nut is anti-clockwise thread) and turn the linkage rod to lower the shifter. I lowered it another couple of millimetres. Have got it perfect now and the gearshift still comfortably high enough for downshifts. Feels more natural with normal riding boots.

 

[botus]

I have 3 GS's from 2007, 2011 and 2025

when ambient temps are >15C the early box is by far the best
the GSA TC has a short nasty movement - half the time you have to recheck it actually went in 10k miles from new - bike in mint condition
the 1300 has a very short travel, with extremely stiff recalcitrance

its the same with the throttle response

2007 light precise action, beautiful modulation (once you short the joke fueling
2011 heavier weighting even worse fuelling, nasty to rode
1300 flyby wire nastiness, jerky, hate it

and again for the brake and clutch levers

2007 utter perfection
2011 look identical but are nastier to operate
1300 uncomfortable nasty cheapo rubbish - note the NEW GS12 now has levers almost like the original 2007 GS ones

 

[Martin GSA UK]

Not my experience. 2008 1200GS, everything was woolly, vague and reluctant.
2019 1250GS, clutch fine, gearbox good enough, even the quickshifter, if you gave it a firm command.
2026 1300GSA, clutch easy, gearshift requires less input. Quickshifter good, once shift lever appropriately adjusted. But, I don't use the quickshifter between 1st and 2nd, either direction.

Like the OP, I've always liked clutchless upshifts and reckon I could be as quick and smooth as a quickshifter going up the 'box. But I wouldn't disable the quickshifter, as it is better than me going down the box. Love it going into mountain bends, especially.

The BMW boxer clutches, gearboxes and gearshifting are getting much better in my experience. Also, I even find myself turning round to give my 1300GSA Trophy a final admiring glance before I leave the garage!

Loved my 1250GS, but I've come round to the new bike. Quite excited about my first proper tour on it next month. No doubt, when the 1300 replacements arrive in future, there'll be moaners continuing the theme, disappointed BMW have screwed it up, not as good or handsome as the previous version. Ever the case.