OK so I am obviously doing something wrong - help? (gear assist shift)

[PanMan_3rdDan]

Hi, I have a R1200RT LE with the gear shift assist option.

My problem is that I can't seem to get it to work. I will clarify, the dealer has checked it out and said that there is nothing wrong with it, and I road tested the demonstrator and had exactly the same problem, so it must be me. I have only tried to use it when in 3rd gear or higher. When attempting to change up, below 5k rpm I can not get it to operate at all, no matter how much pressure I exert on the gear shift, it just seems to be locked in position. Above 5k I can get it to change if I use a lot of force, and the change is not a smooth change, it is quite jerky. I have tried with both a fixed throttle and whilst accelerating. Downshifts (with a completely closed throttle), and waiting for the revs to drop I have the same issue, and when I can get it to change, it is still jerky and there is no automatic "blip" of revs to match the new gear. So what am I doing wrong? Is it only supposed to work at high revs.? I have seen you tube clips where a rider has it changing up smoothly at about 4,500 rpm.

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

PS I have an 80k miles plus ST1100 which I can do clutchless gear changes on very easily.

[narcosis]

I've occasionally experienced the same problem as you when downshifting except that when it works it's pretty smooth. I've never experienced any trouble upshifting. On the few occasions I've used it, I was briskly accelerating and shifted at approximately four to five thousand rpms.

[PadG]

Make sure that you are accelerating well, then hold the throttle position steady as you shift up. You might be having problems if your riding style is somewhat gentle. This bike loves to be pushed, then hold the throttle steady as you shift up. You can hold the same throttle position and continue your upshift as the rpm rises again.

 

On down shift, I have had great success with very smooth shifting all the way down to 1st. From 6th all the way down to 3rd is very straight forward. Just make sure that the throttle is fully closed and make the shift. Below 3rd, the trick is to make sure that the rpm is very low before making the downshift. It is good for downshifting very gradually to a stop, at traffic light, say. However, if you try to shift to gain engine braking, then you will be sure to get a good jerk when changing down below 3rd!

[PanMan_3rdDan]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had time to play on my own this week end, and I think I understand it better now. On the down shifts, I have to have the throttle just slightly open from a closed position. The pressure then required on the pedal is just a tap, compared to before where it would refuse to budge on a completely closed throttle. Up shifting works providing the bike is under hard acceleration, the type that would give you bruised kidneys if you were carrying a pillion. I suppose my conception was that it would change up when on a constant throttle while travelling at a constant speed and wishing to select a higher gear.

Like when touring with pillion and luggage aboard.

 

I suppose this is how it works for everyone else?

 

Thanks John

[PODMAN]

Not my experience at all. Works great just about anytime (easy on the throttle or hard on it) 2 to 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 and back down again. I do not have to hold the throttle constant or any of that stuff. Have put 3000 miles on the bike in the last month and have used the shift assist multiple times. On downshift's you just have to close the throttle. I have used it as low as 1800 rpm's on upshift's with no problem and below that on downshift's.The system really is pretty slick and works great.

[C Wallace]

Try switching ride modes, from ROAD to RAIN and back. I had a similar problem, and the computer needed a jolt apparently. Has worked great ever since.

[PanMan_3rdDan]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had tried that after reading some other posts on this, but unfortunately that didn't make any difference. My thoughts were that it should work with a fixed constant throttle i.e. travelling at 60 mph on a motorway in 4th. say, and then want to change up to 5th. but it will not budge. If I accelerate hard and I am doing over 5K rpm then it just needs a tap and it will change gear, but I must admit it is a very jerky change, not what I would expect at all.

 

I am curious to know of other peoples experiences.

[eej1]

Up shifts from 3 up are smooth at constant throttle, downshifts work well with throttle off for all gears at lower rpms for me.

[David Langford]

same here 3 and up smooth