Shifting / clutching habits

texomawaves

texomawaves

Registered
I have maybe 300 miles on this bike, and not even broke in yet. I've already had a few mis-shifts both up and down. It's more likely just me getting used to it, or it's a seemingly sensitive tranny. I've noticed my clutch action has to be quicker for a smoother up-shift. I also noticed having an occasional issue getting into and out-of neutral. And to get out of N I would have to release/regrip the clutch... kinda weird. That might be my new boots and feeling the shift lever action.

So... any tips and opinions would be greatly appreciated ...and jokes welcomed too haha. Maybe there isn't anything to it, I'm over-thinking this, and I'm just dreaming up topics to post while I'm at work :) Thanks guys!
 
You are posting about a very serious issue! And you are right to be concerned as incorrect shifting will cause tranny problems which are annoying to ride with and are expensive to repair.

Any way you shift, your foot action has to be decisive and powerful. It's when you baby the shifter the problems occur.

First, upshifting. You really have to use clutchless upshifting - better for tranny, quicker and easier for a rider. Since I learned about the benefits of clutchless upshifting from either Sportrider or Motorcyclist some years ago, I switched to clutchless upshifting and since then never used a clutch - street or track. You can look it up elsewhere on the web, and if you have questions, come back and ask.

For downshifting, you of course have to use your clutch and blip the throttle in one smooth action.
 
i dont know if i would go so far as to say its a mechanical issue. I mean it could be but it just sounds like you need to shift like you mean it kinda like already stated. when i bought my bike it had some issues with a false neutral every once in a while. largely went away with better shifting habbits and just some riding time to break in good and just get used to the bike and its quirks. clutchless shifting is fine but most people feel weird doing it. all in repitition i guess.
 
The bike maybe a little tight when new, so it's probably a combination of the tight new transmission and your inexperience with it. My experience is that nearly all transmissions are different even on the same kind of bike - there is a little different feel. I don't know about clutchless IG (tell us more on that one) but its all in getting the throttle and clutch action in sync. I will admit I have snatched an upshift without even letting off the throttle or hitting the clutch in the heat of battle. As IG says don't pat the shifter, snatch it. Neutral can be a bit difficult to find but then i never look for it except when stopped, so i can carefully nudge the shifter around to get it. Also remember that the transmission, clutch and engine all run in the same oil so good oil is critical. You probably have the stock oil in there so at the first service get some high quality synthetic in there.

I personally feel the transmission on the Busa is one of it's strong points, so I think you just need to get used to it and break it in.
 
To clarify, once in a blue moon I would get a false neutral when I apply little pressure on upshift, and in such case I would pull the clutch and upshift. When I was looking for a bike after Sandy flooded my '01, I was test riding another '06. The owner didn't "share" with me any issues, and this one turned out had a tranny problem when the 2nd was popping out of gear. Man, that was not fun.

arch, so clutchless upshifting is one of those things where there is no trade off - it's better all around. The reason it's better for the bike is because the upshift occurs automatically and at the exact moment when the load is relieved on the tranny. There is no way regular upshifting can be that precise.

The technique only applies when you are on the throttle, and is laughably simple: on the throttle, preload the shifter with positive pressure (don't worry it's not going to shift under load), blip the throttle (off-on), the upshift occurred automatically, remove pressure off the shifter.

This works great when on the throttle, and even close to redline. It is also very quick - almost like automatic transmission.
 
Well I ll be darned ! This clutchless shifting thing is interesting. Since I don't tear down motorcycle transmissions and have no plans to this subject is new to me.

Here is what I have learned in the last year and a half. My 1st Busa (01) shifted fine and I pretty much used the clutch most of the time.

With my 05 back in January of 2013 when I bought it the 1st thing I noticed was how smooth it shifted. Every once in a while the shift

was so smooth I wasn't even sure it shifted because I didn't feel anything in the shifter. Hell, maybe my toes are going numb and my brain doesn't know it yet ! :laugh:

Anyway, after a while I just started shifting without the clutch just as IG instructed in the earlier post.

As I got a little bit braver I started increasing the rpm until I throttled it wide open, arriving at about 10,500 rpm and I would do the clutchless 1 / 2 shift ! All this time I have been wondering

if I am hurting the trans. Thanks IG, I feel much better now ! I also notice when I change the oil their isn't anything collected on the magnetic drain plug that would cause concern.

About downshifting... it seems if I get the motor throttled to the point of no load... or a slight amount of engine braking load (not fully closed throttle ) the trans will downshift when I touch the shifter.

The times I have done it arn't all that many but when I have it felt fine.

What I like about doing that is allows me greater focus on everything else I am doing to make the ride fun. As in... how fast can I get around this corner. :laugh:

I love this tranny! I may have missed 2 or 3 shifts in 15,000 miles and found a false neutral once, perhaps twice. I am happy with it ! :cheerleader:
 
Your brand new transmission will be clunky and stiff for a few thousand miles. Once you get through the initial break in oil change, wait til about 3k miles and switch to synthetic oil. You will notice an immediate improvement. Everyone misses a shift now and then, usually due to a lazy foot. I have two different kinds of riding boots and sometimes when I switch boots I'll get one. Like everyone else said, shift with authority, with whatever method you choose and you and the bike will become one.
 
I've never done it except for a 1/2 dozen times by accident.Seems like it'd take a lot of practice to "apply gentle upward pressure" when you're hunched over the tank/fightin' a wheelie/engine screamin'-tryin' to hit your 11,500 shift point while momentarily rollin' off the throttle,etc. with any consistency.I've always just used the old keep it wide open/power shift while momentarily grabbin' the clutch(which keeps your revs up)and still only takes a split second.My next investment would be another co2 shift kit like I had on my turbo bike,just keep it wide open and hit the button(that thing rocked!).:laugh:
 
I have no problem clutch less shifting but I don't keep upward pressure on it. When I blip the throttle, I also shift up. I have heard a couple people say that its bad for stock forks. I have good timing and have never had a problem doing it like this.
 
This has been a common problem on the gen2 when they are new.
Lots of post on it. My gen2, and several other new one I rode did it.
Hard to get in and out of neutral, pull clutch or ease it out while putting slight pressure on the shifter(don't be aggressive or abusive with it).
It just seems to be the transmission breaking in, parts wearing to fit each other smoothly.
Practice smooth shifts as you get used to the bike and don't worry about it.
It should correct itself.
 
It doesn't seem to matter if you use upward pressure or not, as long as there isn't engine braking or throttle, it will just slip into the next gear. I think the upward pressure just means it moves immediately when it can, limiting the pause between shifts to the bare minimum.

I tried it this morning, and it seemed to work well. Only issue I had was 1-2, 2-3 upshifts. The bike shifted but kind of lunged forward. I wasn't going WOT. Higher gears seem to take it a lot smoother.
 
thirty years riding on the street
03 Busa 40,000 miles
clutchless up shifts
clutchless down shifts
any speed
any RPM
every bike I've ever owned
never a problem
nada
zip
zilch
the truth?
ill timed ham fisted clutched full throttle shift 2nd gear = round engagement dogs

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

cheers
ken
 
I use the clutch all of the time and the busa shifts fine for me nice smooth gearbox IMO my goldwing on the orther hand shifts like a tractor you have to be foreful with it :thumbsup:
 
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