SW Motech gear lever

[TheStammeringBiker]

Fitted this yesterday as the shift on my 1300 is bloody awful compared to both my 1250's, even my wife noticed being on the back as we just got back from the Picos. I've done 8500 miles since Jan on it and the shifting isn't getting any better. It's mostly the auto blipper side of it, if I blip at the right moment for it then it's quite smooth but on both my 1250's I used to 99% of the time just bang it down the box without issue and it was smooth as anything (for a GS). Dealer has looked at it and everything seems normal but I did see a video discussing the possibility that the reason could be that the shift lever is plastic (unless you have the Option 719 or the Enduro pack I think) and has some degree of flex in it and I've seen quite a few pics of them having snapped at the rotating point.

Anyhoo, as usual an excuse to spend money I bought the SW Motech one and will see if it helps, if not then I'll take it back to the dealer as all the reviews of the 1300 sung it's praises over how much smoother the gear change was over the 1250 which for me is NOT my experience at all. Unfortunately though when fitting it the ball joint you have to remove from the old lever wouldn't unscrew as the brass collar inserted into the lever just turned as it clearly wasn't embedded properly when manufactured so out came the angle grinder. Looks better at least even if it doesn't help the issue

 

[TaskMule]

I doubt there would be any flex between the shifter pivot and linkage point. That type of plastic is pretty much as stiff as aluminum. I am a little surprised that it isn't alu to begin with. The only thing that would make quick shifts bad would be the timing of the throttle cut (upshift) or blip (dnshift). Quick shifter technology was never meant to be a smooth automatic shift feature. My QS upshifts are only usefull from 4-5 and 5-6. Maybe 3-4 at high revs. Down shifts are pretty much flawless from 6th to 1st.

 

[TheStammeringBiker]

I doubt there would be any flex between the shifter pivot and linkage point. That type of plastic is pretty much as stiff as aluminum. I am a little surprised that it isn't alu to begin with. The only thing that would make quick shifts bad would be the timing of the throttle cut (upshift) or blip (dnshift). Quick shifter technology was never meant to be a smooth automatic shift feature. My QS upshifts are only usefull from 4-5 and 5-6. Maybe 3-4 at high revs. Down shifts are pretty much flawless from 6th to 1st.

Mine flexes quite a bit when pressed or pushed but I figured it was worth a try, on both of my 1250’s I could use the quick shifter all the way from 1st up to 6th and back again with (more or less) flawless shifting with only the odd clunk or sloppy change, this 1300 is awful by comparison

 

[TaskMule]

Mine flexes quite a bit when pressed or pushed but I figured it was worth a try, on both of my 1250’s I could use the quick shifter all the way from 1st up to 6th and back again with (more or less) flawless shifting with only the odd clunk or sloppy change, this 1300 is awful by comparison

I would personally never use the QS 1st to 2nd - 2nd to 3rd. The shock to the gear engagement dogs is just too much. No transmission is designed for this.