Turbosneeze Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 I've read all over this forum about pre-loading before you shift. Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean and how is it done? I need step by step instructions Link to comment
skinny_tom (aka boney) Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 The idea is to put pressure on the shifter before you pull the clutch, so that when the engine is disengaged the transmission slips to the next gear without delay. Faster shifts, less missed shifts, and smoother. Link to comment
philbytx Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Hello Yuji, As you are upshifting, say from second to third, you apply a very slight upward pressure on the gear shift with your foot, just before you pull back the clutch lever. You should feel some pressure against your toe when you reach the right point of travel. As you then pull back the clutch lever you continue to lift your toe through into the next gear to complete shift. With a small amount of practice, you will have much smoother gear shifts..... Link to comment
SWB Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 If you haven't already seen this, this "FAQ" link may help. It's almost like clutchless shifting. Traditional shifting (as with a Japanese bike) calls for fully retracting the clutch, making a very deliberate shifting action, matching the engine speed roughly with the transmission to wheel differential (or chain) speed, and slowly disengaging the clutch. Pulling in the clutch early, releasing it early (i.e. popping the clutch), releasing it too late (burning the clutch), or a mismatch in engine and drive speed (lugging or high-reving) can all cause damage to the tranmission or clutch. Shifting a Beemer's transmission is just about the opposite technique. The first action is to press the shifter to the point of resistance (kind of like when you set up a digital camera with autofocus, and press the "snap" button to focus, before you press harder to take the picture.) Then you clutch fairly quickly. As soon as the clutch is 1/3 to 1/2 depressed, the transmission drops into gear, and you release the clutch very quickly. It makes for very quick, quiet shifting. It doesn't damage either the (dry) clutch or the Getrag transmission. And, don't forget to pre-load while shifting down, as well as up. See "R1100 transmissions - Getrag factory visit". The information is dated, but still pretty interesting. Someone on this forum traveling to Europe should make another visit to Getrag and "update" this information. (Marty Hill, are you listening?? ) Link to comment
Ken H. Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Everyone has pretty well summed it up already. As soon as the clutch is 1/3 to 1/2 depressed, the transmission drops into gear, and you release the clutch very quickly.Yes this is key. Don't 'pull' the clutch lever in at all. Just 'fan' it. Barely a movement of the lever into the friction zone at all. Just enough for the pre-loaded shift lever to smoothly slide into the next gear. While the technique needed to be learned is different than many other wet clutch bikes, with practice you can be a smooth at shifting and considerably faster at it with the BMW dry clutch. Link to comment
philbytx Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Thanks guys, Fanning...that was the word It is sometimes easier to demonstrate than to describe Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 I'll add one more point to this. Not all the emphasis should be on your left foot and left hand. The throttle plays an important part here. Try not to back off the throttle too much between gears, it greatly smooths both up and down shifts. The BMW comes with a very light flywheel/crank assembly and if you back off the throttle too far, the revs will drop below the matching RPM for the next gear and exacerbate the shifting problem. Link to comment
Ken H. Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Try not to back off the throttle too much between gears, it greatly smooths both up and down shifts. Good point Ed. But let's not get into 'blipping' today. My head hurts everytime that subject comes up. Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 No blips here. Move along folks, nothing to see. Link to comment
philbytx Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Blipping..Yeah! That's the word..... Blipping and downshifting, double-declutching..... Yeah!!! ! Anyone near this poor guy.... Link to comment
SWB Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Blipping..Yeah! That's the word..... Blipping and downshifting, double-declutching..... Yeah!!! ! Anyone near this poor guy.... Naw.. but by the time you ride out to California, Florida, or Missouri so we can help you, ya ought to be pretty good at that shifting thingy. Link to comment
Huzband Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 WOW! Pre-loading,blipping,double-clutching,fanning,I can hardly wait to try all this on the way home today. Should be great fun! Link to comment
DEF Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Egads...this poor fella is gonna die trying to shift according to the information contained herein. My advice?........just add some moly to your transmission oil and forget all the mumbo-jumbo about mathching RPMs, blipping, etc. I shift when I want to, at the RPM I want to and with most any throttle setting....and, I NEVER blip. Blipping the throttle does nothing to match gear speed to engine speed with the clutch disengaged....they are NOT connected when the clutch is pulled in as they are in a constant mesh gearbox (most other bikes with integral engine/transmisions except Moto Guzzi) hence, blipping does nothing. Link to comment
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