WHY GP shift pattern???

[hackers2r]

Switched just to try after reading this thread and I will be leaving it GP.  Just more comfortable for me. 

[somegirl]

I've tried it (on a friend's bike).  I had no problem adjusting to it, but I don't see why I would want it for street riding on my bike, unless possibly all I was doing was taking on-ramps to freeways.

There are times when I have to make a sudden downshift, for example I come around a blind corner and am suddenly facing a very steep, cambered uphill that I might not have realized was there (for SF bay area riders, think about that right-hander on Page Mill Rd).

On the other hand, I can't think of a time I've ever suddenly needed to upshift.  I can just stay in the gear I'm in if necessary, even if it's not ideal.  My bike hits the rev limiter at 85 mph in 2nd gear.

[Monsterlover]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned yet, and this pertains to those having trouble with false neutrals with standard shift. . .

Do you have the shift lever adjusted down far enough?

I've never owned a bike yet that didn't need significant adjustment to the shift lever in that direction.

Just sayin

[junior varsity]

A most convincing argument for GP pattern.

Any idea why the bikes didn't originate that way to start with ?

Dolph     

Dolph,

They used to come in all forms and variations: left side shift (which the japanese standardized across the board to get us where we are today), right side std shift, right side reverse shift, left side reverse shift.

The companies flooding the market with a standardized pattern made everyone else do the same.

Its funny to switch back to standard on a demo bike after using GP shift. I was coming out of a 1st gear turn, stomped DOWN on the shifter to go to second, and was confused when it didn't go anywhere. As I banged off the rev limiter I realized it was because this was standard shift, quick lift to second gear and the revs started climbing from the normal range again (as did the multistrada's front wheel )

[Mars696]

Sorry to bump such an old thread...but thought I might add something to what has been said here.  My husband and I currently share our Monster ( and by share I mean he rides or I ride...not one of us hanging out on the back).  This is temporary as buying two bikes right off the bat wasn't financially feasible. The Monster fits me really well and him, well, tolerably, to learn until he can move to something bigger to fit his 6'5" frame. But to make things more interesting, he's missing his left leg below the knee thanks to some unpleasantness in Afghanistan years back. He has a hard time hunting around with his prosthesis on a standard shifter, especially on smaller frame bikes like those 250s they put you on for the MSF courses. In fact, he inadvertently snapped a shifter off one of the class bikes    So many thanks and kudos to our Ducati dealer and staff who worked with us to not only find an awesome bike but to make a one-off shifter for us to both use.  It looks like one of those rocker shifters you see on big cruisers and monkey hangers and for my husband it essentially works that way. Though this is smaller and his foot can actually touch the peg and both shift points. But now he just shifts with his heel. Rear is up, Front is down. Meanwhile, I have smaller feet and am able to shift normally, so I wind up with a GP shifter. So aside from the MSF course (all of 2 days), GP is all I've ever used.  I thought the solution was ingenious and it has enabled both of us to experience proper motorcycling and I can't tell you how refreshing it was to find a shop that didn't try and shove a scooter down my husband's throat! 

I did, unfortunately, low side in a corner right after the winter holidays taking a right turn. Totally my fault. So hopefully the bike will be good to go and we are just going to need to cough up the bucks for frame sliders. Not sure about GP versus standard for racing, etc as I've never done any of that and am a long ways away from it, but I will say that GP hasn't been that hard to adjust to with the exception of inadvertently slipping into neutral when down shifting from 2nd to 1st when coming to a stop.  Not an issue till I try to start moving again!! DOH

[Monsterlover]

Sorry to bump such an old thread...but thought I might add something to what has been said here.  My husband and I currently share our Monster ( and by share I mean he rides or I ride...not one of us hanging out on the back).  This is temporary as buying two bikes right off the bat wasn't financially feasible. The Monster fits me really well and him, well, tolerably, to learn until he can move to something bigger to fit his 6'5" frame. But to make things more interesting, he's missing his left leg below the knee thanks to some unpleasantness in Afghanistan years back. He has a hard time hunting around with his prosthesis on a standard shifter, especially on smaller frame bikes like those 250s they put you on for the MSF courses. In fact, he inadvertently snapped a shifter off one of the class bikes    So many thanks and kudos to our Ducati dealer and staff who worked with us to not only find an awesome bike but to make a one-off shifter for us to both use.  It looks like one of those rocker shifters you see on big cruisers and monkey hangers and for my husband it essentially works that way. Though this is smaller and his foot can actually touch the peg and both shift points. But now he just shifts with his heel. Rear is up, Front is down. Meanwhile, I have smaller feet and am able to shift normally, so I wind up with a GP shifter. So aside from the MSF course (all of 2 days), GP is all I've ever used.  I thought the solution was ingenious and it has enabled both of us to experience proper motorcycling and I can't tell you how refreshing it was to find a shop that didn't try and shove a scooter down my husband's throat! 

I did, unfortunately, low side in a corner right after the winter holidays taking a right turn. Totally my fault. So hopefully the bike will be good to go and we are just going to need to cough up the bucks for frame sliders. Not sure about GP versus standard for racing, etc as I've never done any of that and am a long ways away from it, but I will say that GP hasn't been that hard to adjust to with the exception of inadvertently slipping into neutral when down shifting from 2nd to 1st when coming to a stop.  Not an issue till I try to start moving again!! DOH

Rock on

[memper]

GP pattern feels more aggressive to me. Plus I get to tell (like a squid) other bikers that I ride with a GP shift. 

[bdub]

i switched mine to gp when I got it... my feet were so big they wouldn't fit very well. Later on I bought the right boots and just never switched back.

[Skybarney]

Don;t know if anyone has seen this video before as it is a bit older.  It was supposedly due to a recent change to a GP shift pattern.
Well worth being careful when first making the change.



Can't seem to get the video to play on the site.  Maybe the https?

[Triple J]

That crash was due to target fixation.

Not sure how a recent switch from standard to GP would cause that. He would have been downshifting going into that corner, which is normally pushing down on the lever. Pushing down in GP shift would have made him go up a gear so wouldn't have upset the bike like that. Even if he had just switch back to standard from GP, then he would have pulled up to down shift, which on standard is also an upshift.

I think he just dumped the clutch on downshift, didn't have a slipper, then target fixated.

I've forgotten I was on a regular shift bike in an endurance race a couple times (not my bike)...went to shift up at full throttle from 2nd to 3rd (push down), and instead dropped it into 1st (without using the clutch, just blipping the throttle). That's definitely an eye opener...I probably would have flown over the handlebars if the bike didn't have a slipper and I wasn't WOT!  

I don't think either has an advantage for the street, but I like GP far better on the track. It allows for quicker, more positive upshifts. A lot of guys still prefer standard on the track though, so it's personal preference.

[memper]

I'd advise though to anyone who makes the change to put a piece of painters tape on the dash with the letters GP written on it as a reminder until it becomes second nature.

[Slide Panda]

That crash was due to target fixation.

yep. He lost traction an regained it - which spooked him, but he'd recovered and could have made it - if he hadn't fixated on the wall and gone right for it.

I'd advise though to anyone who makes the change to put a piece of painters tape on the dash with the letters GP written on it as a reminder until it becomes second nature.

One can be fancy and get decals!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GP-SHIFT-STD-SHIFT-Custom-Decal-Sticker-Reverse-Shift-/230974141537?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c721b461&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/race-shift-pattern-decals-ccs-wera-fits-all-motorcycle-/261369861129?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cdadb9409

[bdub]

I use a sticky note when I take it in for stuff.