New Member from South Dakota

[DMIN]

^^^I have noticed that. On my ZX9R, any gear was a highway gear. Didn't matter if I was in 2nd or 6th, if I gave it throttle it was the passing gear. This bike I noticed instantly that if you were going 40mph and 3rd full-throttle does nothing compared to 40mph full-throttle in 2nd. Every gear has its specific range on this bike, and you NEED to stick with them... Didn't get to race many people last year, so I could never tell if it ran faster if you let it hit redline, yellow line, or just shift at 5k or so... Glad to have someone else's input. Never got to race the same bike over and over to know if I was moving any faster depending on my shift point...

One question... When you say, "Bang it up the gears as you bounce off the yellow line" Do you mean with, or without clutch? Because on a I4 with a wet clutch you can pretty much just shift whenever and not even glance at the clutch lever... But beings this is a different style clutch and transmission, I figure it probably has a different method. I noticed right away when I got this bike how stiff the shifter lever was compared to all my I4's.

What is your method for shifting? Is the way I'm doing it in the video the way I should be (pull the clutch until I hit full clutch release, roll off the throttle some ((usually from Full to about half throttle when racing)) shift, and then dump the clutch)?

[Gloomshadow]

they say clutchless shifting is impossible but it isn't 100% true. if your timing is good you can knock it up right before where yellow line begins.

DO NOT let up on the gas during shifts..keep your throttle hand still in between shifts. that split second where the bike is in between gears the revs will climb a bit so when you enter the higher gear you will feel the bikes front want to jump off the ground a bit, just keep doing that each time the bike reaches yellow line.. it will be quick.. "bang..bang ..bang" you will be at 100mph before you know it... its going to feel like you are kinda power-wheelie-ing the whole time.. after a while you get so "at one" with that motor that you do stuff automatically without thinking about it...

also make sure those suspension settings are correct.... critical on a 52" wheelbase

[DMIN]

I have noticed that with the suspension on this bike as well... I have to change the setting for 1-up vs-2 up riding, otherwise it will handle like garbage... Wheelies and such can also become much harder to pull up with the settings too soft, but if they are too hard you blow fork seals daily...

I have gotten comfortable with the wheelie-ing in 1st gear, and when shifting to 2nd at high rpm, but it doesn't seem to be able to do it from a 2nd-3rd shift or higher. It loves to get speed wobbles if you shift around a corner though, which I also never noticed on my old bike (this could also be caused by badly tuned suspension). I don't remember exactly what I have mine set to... It's been almost a year since I've played with it (damn winter), but if I recall I had most of the setting cranked all the way stiff, and then backed off half a turn. I think they have about 2.5 turns from full-soft to full-stiff (Full-stiff! Ha!) if I am remembering correctly.

[DMIN]

When I said "speed wobbles around a corner" I mean when I'm leaning over, knee almost on the ground at 50 or more mph, and I shift, the front wheel will hop, and then cause the front tire to shake for a moment before re-stabilizing. I would imagine this is the "feeling of wheelie-ing" that Gloom was talking about, probably pulling my tire millimeters off the ground and causing it to lose stability. I would imagine I never had this problem with my old bike because the gears were so long, and could rev so high that I almost never had to shift during a corner, I'd just shift before or drag out the gear until after.

[DMIN]

^^^I should probably consider getting a steering damper, it may help with this problem.

[Gloomshadow]

it should not speed wobble.. you got something wrong there... set your suspension as the factory manual and take a look at your steering bearings.. I bet they are bad.. put in a set of All Balls tapered roller bearings and it will clear up... it should have rock solid handling, agile and confidence inspiring.. and radical feeling at the same time.

get on it and roll it back wards down a hill.. hit front brake and if you hear of feel a "click" they are bad

[DMIN]

I will have to look into that... I still think it may be related to torque. around a corner there is very little tire contacting the ground and if you were to shift gears at a high rpm I'm sure it could raise the wheel off the ground just enough to cause a shake as it returns to the road. It is definitely a very stable bike and the handling is amazing if I don't shift! I just think it might be the torque of the bike overwhelming the front tire.

[Gloomshadow]

check em anyway.. caged bearings made a difference in both mine... felt like a brand new bike after

[DMIN]

^^^will do. Thanks for the advice Gloom!

[cjanderson_90]

Not sure how I missed this thread. Im in Sioux Falls and have all the specialty tools if you ever need a hand. Where you from?