| Author | Message | ||
     Wsplrll |
I wasn't sure where to post this but I am interested in your opinions. In reading Total Control by Lee Parks - he discusses shifting technique, short shifting etc... He states that (among other bikes) Harleys and "ALL Buells" do not have enough precision in the transmissions ( not including the improved 06 models I presume )to perform more advanced shifting techniques since consistency in mid turn gear changes cannot be assured. I know that many reviews - even the positive ones have issues with the transmissions on Buells. John Deere tractor etc etc. I know that low end torque being a characteristic of the v-twin that corner-turn shifting is less of an issue, but I wondered what you more advanced riders might have to say on this issue. I found other topics in this book on suspension, cornering, etc - interesting if somewhat lacking in depth. Amazon.com is a good source of many books at a discount so I thought it was worth it. | ||
| Stevenknapp |
I got a lot out of Lee's book. And prefer it to many of the standards, like Code. I'll agree, the BMW wasn't a good bike for smooth mid corner shifts either. But neither bike needed many mid corner shifts IMHO. | ||
| Henrik |
My Buell(s) are by no means smooth shifting, but when I used the S3 for track days I would occasionally shift mid-corner. Not necessarily a good idea unless you're as smooth as Reg and Jason Pridmore, but certainly doable with some practice of smooth shifting in general. The S3 was perfectly happy shifting using a "preload shifter and feather the clutch" technique both up and down. I never got comfortable with completely clutchless upshifts however. On the other hand, my SV650 is supposedly a decent shifting bike, but it ain't that smooth either. Maybe I need to buy newer bikes  Henrik | ||
| Bomber |
mid-corner shifts, if you're boogying along at 8/10s or more, are to be avoided, methinks, regardless of the bike -- your shifting technique would have to be preternaturally smooth not to upset the chassis to some degree, and that leads to imprecise cornering that said, I do shift mid-corner from time to time, and my M2 does as well, or better, than I do Old style Buell gearboxs (pre-06) aren't the smoothest things around, but it has more to do with the nut behind the triple trees than anything else | ||
| Blake |
Turn 8 at OHR, a 180o decreasing radius right hander, requires that I downshift from 3rd to 2nd. It just takes a little practice is all, smooth with the clutch while trail braking helps. |
