American Motorcycle News

Motorcycle quick shifter – why you should use it

As someone who has recently gotten into bikes, you might not know wat a quick shifter is.

A lack of knowledge about motorcycle quickshifters

Even if you know what most of the parts on your bike are and what they do, a motorcycle quickshifter is something that people often add to their bikes after buying them.

Therefore, that does beg the question, what is a quick shifter and how does it work. Well, in this guide you will learn everything there is to know about a motorcycle quick shifter and how you can install it with ease.

What is a quick shifter and how does it help Shifting gears?

A quick shifter is a device that you can add to your motorcycle, which will allow you to shift gears smoothly without having to rely on the clutch lever.

Motorcycle quick shifters can significantly enhance motorcycle performance, and are even a staple for racing motorcycles or race bikes.

Why do so many racing motorcycles shift gears with a quick shifter

One of the biggest advantages that come with quick shifters is that a rider can change gears without having to first pull the clutch lever.

Changing gears with a clutchless upshift can become seamless, and generally makes it much simpler and easier to move to the next gear.

Not having to fiddle with the shift lever

It is why so many riders enjoy using quick shifters instead of a traditional clutch lever when changing gear.

The best thing about simply pressing the shift lever without having to fiddle with the clutch is that you can maintain engine speed, giving them an edge over most manual transmissions.

What does a quick shifter do?

As mentioned earlier, a quick shifter helps a motorcycle rider easily shift gears without having to bother with a lever.

These are incredibly useful to have on your bike, since one of the biggest motorcycle quick shifter pros is that it can keep your throttle position open for much longer, which can help you stay near the optimal powerband.

Costant power to the rear wheel

Therefore, the rear wheel rarely ever stops accelerating following a gear change. And even if you don’t have a very fast riding style, you can still take advantage of these quick shifters.

Motorcycle quickshifters generally offer significantly better performance than a clutch. They can instead use a mechanical switch that can help shift gears in the motorcycle’s gearbox without relying on your shift rod.

Quick shifter vs Gear lever

A quick shifter makes shifting gears much easier, since you no longer have to worry about using a gear lever. Instead, you can just push a switch put pressure on the lever to shift your gears.

The most obvious advantage

The most obvious advantage that motorcycle quickshifters have over their gear lever counterparts in terms of overall performance, is that they allow the throttle to stay open for much longer.

With the throttle opening for a much longer time, you can easily improve your riding experience and keep your bike forward. With improved acceleration, power is always going to the wheels.

Where quick shifters become especially useful

Quick shifters are very helpful in cutting around corners or accelerating fast. They can also be generally useful when you increase speed during clutchless upshifts to overtake another car.

It also helps that, compared to a clutch, shifting gears with a quick sifter doesn’t affect the life of your clutch. So whether street riders are trying to get an advantage over their competition or people just want a more comfortable riding experience, a quick shifter might be just what you need.

How can you install a motorcycle quick shifter

When the engine revs and you shift into a new gear, your rpm reduces drastically, since you first have to pull the lever and then change gears.

However, when using quick shifters, you don’t have to bother with a shift lever and can instead keep your bike moving with even the push of a button.

So with that in mind, here is a proper guide on how you can install a quick shifter or a bi directional quickshifter.

Remove gas tanks and seat

The first step to installing a quick shifter into your gas tank is by first taking off the seat of your bike and then following up with the fuel tank.

Once you remove the gas tank and the seat, you can get access to the engine, which is where all of the real magic starts to happen.

Find the shift rod

The next step to installing quick shifters is finding the shift rod and removing the retaining nut. The retaining nut is what secures the shift rod, so you want to remove that next.

Slide the quick shifter on the shift rod

After you find this rod and take the screw out, you need to insert the quick shifter there and make sure you align it properly to make sure there are no sudden issues. When you put the rod back in place, bring in the nut and tighten it again.

Put the seat and gas tank back

Finally, after you’re done adding the quick shifter to your rod with your rear wheel locking, you can put your bike back together.

First put the gas tank and then the seat

First place the gas tank on your bike again, followed by your seat. And with this simple movement, you have added a quick shifter on your bike.

Now, you can easily enjoy easier shifting along with much faster acceleration.

Should you switch to an hm quickshifter

One of the most common questions that motorcycle riders have is if they should get a quick shifter as well. The important thing to understand about a quick shifter vs a manual transmission is that it really does come down to personal preference.

Plenty still prefer manual over quick shifters

There are plenty of people who race, and yet they still choose to ride manual instead of getting quick shifters. And if you don’t find yourself in races, then it really is a matter of convenience.

If you want to get a quick shifter, the only real benefit that you get from it is that you have a slightly smoother riding experience. Other than that, there is no other reason to get it.