Standard vs. GP shift... help me decide

[GixerJockey]

Short and sweet...


My track bike came to me already set up GP shift. I have run it this way at the track with good results. I understand the reasons and the benefits to running it GP style shifting.


My street bike is set up Stand shift.


For some reason, i have resisted switching the street bike over to GP. I don't honestly know why.

Discuss... and hopefully help me make the decision on the street bike once and for all...

[BCT748]

How about whichever you feel more comfortable with?

[GixerJockey]

How about whichever you feel more comfortable with?

Comfortable either way. I'm looking for the benefits or downfalls of each. And whether or not it matters if I run two different shift styles on two different bikes.

[BCT748]

Comfortable either way. I'm looking for the benefits or downfalls of each. And whether or not it matters if I run two different shift styles on two different bikes.

The only real benefit to having GP on the street that I can see is if someone tries to steal it while you are on it. They won't be getting away very fast when they try to take off in 6th.

[Omahastylin16]

i dont see a whole lot of benefits for street use

[akira700]

I have switched over. Once you get used to it I see no
reason not to do it for both. The only draw back for me is that now
my rear sets are 1" up and 1" back. But since I'm short this is
a good thing.

[viva_brasil]

i'd say standard makes more sense for street because you downshift consecutively more often on the street (if you're cruising in 4th or 5th and come to an abrupt stop) and clicking down is easier to do repetitively than clicking up (at least for me). I think it would put more strain on your leg to be constantly clicking up especially in traffic and street situations.

well... now that I think about it- clicking up isn't that bad- I actually kinda like the way it feels. So I guess whatever feels better?

[RandyO]

one advantage is that not so many riders will want to try out your bike

many times I offerd people to test my SV, but they declined when I let them know it was GP shift

I kinda prefered it, and I have a local increasing radius left hander that shift up a gear while still leaned over, with standard shift I run out of revs and can't get my toe under the shifter

[Mr. Kurtz]

On the street, I'd rather be able to slam the shift lever down to drop a gear quickly in an emergency situation.

On the track, there are so many other things that could help to improve my times that I'm willing to acknowledge that GP shift would hold no benefit to me.

[Fitz]

I'm in a similar boat to you in that the race bike I purchased (SV650) came setup for GP shift and my street bike (kawi zx6r) was standard shift.

I want shifting to be one of those things that's automatic. I don't want to have to think about what bike I'm on and what direction I need to be shifting whether I'm getting stuffed into another lane by a soccer mom or upshifting coming out of the bowl.

Changing the race bike to standard shift would limit shifting coming out of the bowl at Loudon. I changed the kawi over to GP shift. Yes it took some getting used to on the street. And yes I mis-key'd a shift yesterday on the way to Souhegan Valley Motorsports... (back to that automatice reaction thing) but I'm sure It'll become second nature the more I ride with it.

Fitz

[Tricky Mike]

If you plan on keeping the track bike GP shift I'd make your streetbike GP shift too... For the consistency if nothing else.
I switched between the motard (standard shift) and the GSX-R (GP) at the last Tony's and found myself wishing they were both the same, but to be honest, it wasn't a big deal switching back and forth. I've been running GP shift on the street for over a year now with no extra "pucker" during "oh shit" moments. I've been trying to come up with some ideas for converting the motard to GP... maybe over the winter...

[Brian675]

The only real benefit to having GP on the street that I can see is if someone tries to steal it while you are on it. They won't be getting away very fast when they try to take off in 6th.

I wouldn't want someone to steal my bike but it would be funny to see this happen.

[Evil_Weasel]

doesn't matter. go with what you are comfy with. i'd just make sure both my bikes were set up the same.

as far as cost/benifits...at our pace it doesn't matter all that much. hell not even all Moto GP riders use GP shift.

[Jayspeed]

I vote GP for the consistancy too. I'd have a hard time riding one bike one way then riding the other one, the other way. I went GP and nevah looked back.

[Doc]

i'd say standard makes more sense for street because you downshift consecutively more often on the street (if you're cruising in 4th or 5th and come to an abrupt stop) and clicking down is easier to do repetitively than clicking up (at least for me). I think it would put more strain on your leg to be constantly clicking up especially in traffic and street situations.

well... now that I think about it- clicking up isn't that bad- I actually kinda like the way it feels. So I guess whatever feels better?

That is a VERY good point.

I switched for the street but I haven't ridden enough to make up my mind.

It is a pain in the ass switching to my dirtbike or pitbike which are standard shift.

It does cut down on the number of people wanting to take my bike for a spin.

"Hey can i take it for a spin?"
"Sure, it is GP shift."
"Oh... nevermind then"

[TTD]

I ride pretty mellow on the street, so standard pattern makes more sense to me.

When I get on the track, GP is the only thing that makes sense. When your head is down, step down. Head up, lift up.

The track is all about repeatability... doing the same thing lap after lap... so your shift pattern isn't a big deal. You know ahead of time if you're going up or down a gear.

On the street, surprises happen.

So, dirt and street I do normal shift. Track is GP shift. The only time I have a problem is when I'm on the track on a normal shift bike... that is the only time I have to "think" about my shifts.

[imkindafkedup]

as mentioned in an emergency situation on the street that may be an abrupt stop and go, stepping down on both sides for a down shift and rear brake will be a lot easier accomplished then one up and one down. If lets say someone blows a red light in front of you and you have to stop hard with cars behind you, I would want to accelerate very quickly once the car has passed to prevent getting slammed from behind. WIth standard your already in first and can get up on the gas, as with gp style you may be searching for that number one gear and BOOM.

[Evil_Weasel]

"Hey can i take it for a spin?"
"Sure, it is GP shift."
"Oh... nevermind then"

it's not like it's that hard. i went straight from racing a standard shift buell to a gp shift nsr the next month. i missed one or two shifts in my first practices but by the first race i had it all sorted out.

Noel, i suppose alot depends on bike as well. you probably won't find alot of need shift a 184 HP gixxer 1k while at full lean. where as something like say a 125 (i know it's like comparing apples and potatos) you may need to shift 3 times while cranked over exiting a long sweeper. other bikes would probably fall somwhere in between.

[TTD]

For what it's worth, I rarely find the need to shift while leaned over.

GP shift makes sense to me on the track because the times I want to go fast I'm doing smaller, easier movements. When you're in a full tuck, it is much easier to step down than pick up... and the chances of missing a shift are less.

[LuvDog]

I went GP shift in my bikes, just because I got new rearsets for the Duc and the were only GP.

Otherwise... do whatever you're comfortable with.

[seth399]

I haven't really thought about switching mine cuz I ride mx as well which is 1down/5up so I figure staying the same as I've always been works fine. In addition, i kind of agree with the post about clicking down quick to get out of trouble...Ive had to do that before and def. wouldn't have been as quick clicking up instead. But ya, in general whatever is comfortable, if you have a track bike setup gp then it will make a lot more sense to do it than my situation.