Ducati Monster Forum

When I first started riding about three years ago I went reverse shift. I did this because my hiking boots didn't fit under my shift lever very well, and it seemed like a practical solution to my problem. Fast forward to now and I'm considering rearsets and am thinking about switching back to regular shifting (plus I wear real boots now). I'm wondering if anyone has any input as to why or why not. I have never ridden anyone else's bike for fear of screwing up. Comments/advice? TIA

bdub

Personally, for street riding I find it more important to be able to downshift quickly than to upshift quickly (for example you come around a corner to find you are suddenly on a really steep uphill), so I prefer regular shifting.  I don't really see the benefit of reverse shifting except for at the track or if you are mostly doing freeway on-ramps.

Agreed, that's  why I posted. It's just after getting used to it I wonder if relearning is worth the trouble?

I don't think either is 'better' for the street...

it's more what you like/are used to.

I think the reverse shift definitely works better on the track.

on the street i dont find any difference in either or, EXCEPT you get a better feel for the gearbox with reverse shift since it gets rid of all that linkage. iI remeber neutral was really hard to find on regular shift, but its very crisp and clear on GP.

I think that just falls under whatever is comfy.

This makes a lot of sense. I ride standard shift on the street.

BUT reverse looks cooler  ;D

If you only ride reverse shift bikes, or can get your brain to adapt to both without screwing up, then reverse shift is probably better.

But if you've been doing it down for down and up for up for many decades it will lead to confusion.  And if you also ride dirt bikes that can't be switched, same problem.  And those two reasons are why all of my bikes use normal shifting.

Nothing like the exaggerated stomp to let your buddies know that you mean business.


If you really don't have a preference between the two, I would say to stay with what you know, because that is probably what your instincts will call on in a spur of the moment situation.   

I like having mine as reverse, less false neutrals.
Feel like a dick when I forget to tell them at the dealership when I stop in for inspection and it screws them up though.  :P

I run my monster reverse and my triumph regular. Back and forth with no problem. If I could, they would both be reverse.

so I'd stay with reverse.

This.

I noticed last weekend that Rolfo uses standard shift (Moto2 race).

I tried GP and liked it OK, but I'm too clumsy to switch back and forth.  Since most bikes are standard-shift, I stuck with that.

If you switch back to regular from reverse, you'll screw up an occasional shift for a while.  But you learn it pretty quick.  It's not a big deal.  As you've heard, plenty of people have a few bikes and run some of them with a normal shift pattern and some with reverse.  My bikes are all reverse, so when I'm riding a normal shift bike it take me a few shifts to have muscle memory take over so I can shift without thinking.

That said, I learned to ride with normal shift, rode the track with normal shift and raced with normal shift.  In panic situations, I've on a few occasions instinctively gone back to my normal shift habits.  It meant that I upshifted when I intended to downshift.  But that's only happened a coupla times. 

This is all very interesting. I'll end up keeping reverse shift on my monster. i have wanted a sport tourer and can't really justify spending the money so the question was more about what multiable bike owners did. I understand that not all transmissions can be switched as easily. Thanks for everyone's input

What the hell is reverse shift?

Normal shift goes down for first and up for 2nd through 6th.

Reverse shift goes up for first and down for 2nd through 6th.  It gives you more positive upshifts and allows you to shift to a higher gear when you're leaned over in a left turn where you wouldn't be able to get your toe under the shifter to upshift the normal way.  Most racers use a reverse shift pattern.

My only issue with reverse shift is the false neutrals when shifting down. False neautral when upshifting is not that bad, but when I downshift on a track it's to hit a corner. Freaks me out specially when I'm starting my lean, but as Scott said, you can correct as you're leaning.

I basically switched because my foot was to big. Now its a habit. Plus moving to a higher gear is just freaking awesome

I switch back and forth from bikes with and without. Rarely do I get confused...but it does happen on occasion.

I think if you are only riding a bike (or bikes) with one style shift pattern that your brain will adapt rather quickly and it will be like you never did it any other way.

Sometimes I literally think (when I am on a race pattern shift bike) "up for down, down for up." It gets my brain thinkin' that way until it just comes naturally. What is easier in my case is the fact that my race shift bikes (both Ducati 750 GTs) shift on the right hand side...I think that makes the brain conform more easily than riding one that shifts differently on the same side..??

Take it easy for the first few days and you'll do fine.

and cover the clutch. you will screw it up in a moment of adreneline.

That's strange.  On street riding I make EXACTLY as many upshifts as downshifts.  You'll have to explain how you do that.  ;)

My thoughts persactly

After I buy a new bike and I get into 6th, I just leave it there until I sell it. I think it keeps the rest of the gearbox fresh, thus increasing retail.

I only shift to 6th then I only down shift to first, so not counting neutral you can only down shift five times.