Quick Shifter System on Big Bikes: To Reverse or Not to Reverse?

We often hear bikers talk about a part with a very “Western” name on large-displacement motorcycles, that is the Quick Shifter. With many new motorcycle models, the presence or absence of this part seems to have a significant impact on the choice of motorcycle enthusiasts. So, what is a Quick Shifter, how does it work, and do we really need it on a large-displacement motorcycle? Let’s find out in the article below.

Quick Shifter on a large-displacement motorcycle

What is QuickShift/Quick Shifter?

QuickShift or Quick Shifter, as its name suggests, is a part that helps to shift gears on a large-displacement motorcycle quickly and easily. In the past, the Quick Shifter system was only available on racing bikes to make shifting gears quick, without using the clutch, reducing the time the bike loses acceleration. As a result, racers would not have to waste time shifting gears like usual to save every second on the racetrack.

Quick Shifter was born in the racetrack

With the continuous development of technology, a series of features from professional racing motorcycles have been applied to commercial motorcycles to assist the rider. For many people, the Quick Shifter is considered to prevent the rider from getting tired hands from shifting gears, while others enjoy the high-tech experience from racing bikes, and some bikers truly need the Quick Shifter to gain an advantage on the racetrack.

How does the Quick Shifter system work?

Basically, a Quick Shifter has two types: one-way and two-way assistance.

According to the basic principle, motorcycle users often have to go through the following steps to shift gears: pull the clutch, release the throttle, shift gears, then release the clutch and continue to accelerate. When the motorcycle has a Quick Shifter system, the shifting process becomes much simpler, which means the rider does not need to use the clutch and throttle. Specifically, the user only needs to hold the throttle and shift gears.

In practice, these operations are performed by bikers very quickly and accurately that many people cannot notice. However, to compete on the racetrack, the speed of shifting gears is still not enough. Therefore, the Quick Shifter was born for the racetrack and high-speed riders in particular.

The Quick Shifter has a relatively simple structure

A Quick Shifter is usually a set consisting of a gear lever with a sensor that replaces the original gear lever connecting rod to the engine block, along with an electronic device designed to connect to the motorcycle’s electrical system. This part has the ability to control and temporarily interrupt the fuel supply or ignition to create a very short load reduction for shifting gears.

When you perform a gear shift operation, the sensor detects and sends a signal to the electronic system. From there, this part will control and temporarily interrupt the engine to assist the shifting process.

Things to know about Quick Shifter

A motorcycle with a Quick Shifter does not automatically shift gears when needed, the rider still has to control the motorcycle accurately to avoid stalling, jerking, or stalling. The Quick Shifter only assists in shifting gears quickly and easily. The Quick Shifter operates smoother at higher gears and higher rpm ranges.

Is Quick Shifter really necessary?

As mentioned above, Quick Shifter is a technology born from racing bikes to make racers faster every millisecond on the racetrack. In Vietnam, with poor traffic conditions, the ability to throttle, rev the engine to high rpm, or high-speed gears is quite rare. Therefore, Quick Shifter is essentially useless given the price you have to pay for a version with or without this system. Hence, for many “riders”, spending a few million dong to have a Quick Shifter on their motorcycles seems to be just for show or to avoid tired hands.

Quick Shifter is only really necessary for true bikers

The fast shifting ability of the Quick Shifter is considered to be very effective when traveling on steep roads where the rider does not have to pay much attention to the clutch and throttle when shifting gears before and after turns. However, the charm of a large-displacement motorcycle on steep roads lies in the ability to handle skillfully, the combination of hands, feet, and the skills of the rider is the true “charm”.

However, if you are a true biker who loves speed or “revs” on many challenging roads, then the Quick Shifter is a reasonable support for your needs.

Value of Quick Shifter

Currently, Quick Shifter is a fairly common technology in the world, so its operating principle and structure have been widely disclosed. Therefore, the fast shifting system currently has many types from different manufacturers and for different types of motorcycles. As a result, the price of a Quick Shifter set on the current market varies greatly, from a few million dong to over 20 million dong.

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