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How in the world does one shifts gears with the Assist gadget?

WEthead there are two key takeaways with Gear Shift Assist pro:

1) don't use in the 1-2 or 2-3 shifts - too much torque is being applied at lower speeds.
ONLY use in 3rd to 4th , 4th to 5th, and 5th to 6th

2) RPM MUST be higher than 3000 RPM. I don't like to use it unless I'm gonna be accellerating HARD like when "merging with authority" onto the interstate or having fun on a wide open back road.

Then I get to third and while keeping throttle STEADY (not while letting off at all, and not while still twisting it open) just kick it up a gear after over 4,000

Also I'd avoid it when heavily loaded with a weeks worth of supplies AND a passenger DAMHIKT

It really does work great - but just 3rd gear and above for upshifting.

Now DOWNSHIFTING is nice and I'll downshift all the way to 1st with throttle 100% closed and NOT MOVING IT AT ALL, I think adding braking helps smooth it out as well.

If ya don't follow guidlines above you're probably best having the dealer show you on a dyno, just just shift with clutch.
BTW, a replacement of a transmission on a 2016 R1200 GSA is about $8500 - just sayin'........
 
eplerd said:
WEthead there are two key takeaways with Gear Shift Assist pro:

1) don't use in the 1-2 or 2-3 shifts - too much torque is being applied at lower speeds.
ONLY use in 3rd to 4th , 4th to 5th, and 5th to 6th

2) RPM MUST be higher than 3000 RPM. I don't like to use it unless I'm gonna be accellerating HARD like when "merging with authority" onto the interstate or having fun on a wide open back road.

Then I get to third and while keeping throttle STEADY (not while letting off at all, and not while still twisting it open) just kick it up a gear after over 4,000

Also I'd avoid it when heavily loaded with a weeks worth of supplies AND a passenger DAMHIKT

It really does work great - but just 3rd gear and above for upshifting.

Now DOWNSHIFTING is nice and I'll downshift all the way to 1st with throttle 100% closed and NOT MOVING IT AT ALL, I think adding braking helps smooth it out as well.

If ya don't follow guidlines above you're probably best having the dealer show you on a dyno, just just shift with clutch.
BTW, a replacement of a transmission on a 2016 R1200 GSA is about $8500 - just sayin'........
Click to expand...

This is the proper way on the boxer engine. The shift assist just doesn't work well in the lower gears (1-2, sometimes 3) above that it's great. It takes a firm toe, you can't baby it, that only confuses things.
I've found downshifting you need to be applying the brakes pretty firmly, because the ECU will "auto-blip" the throttle on the downshift. If your just coasting, the "blip" of the throttle will cause the bike to jump forward slightly.
For what it's worth, the shift-assist seems to be much smoother on bikes like the K1600. I would assume this is because these bikes have much less flywheel affect. (or is it effect? I always get those confused :dunno)
 
eplerd said:
Now DOWNSHIFTING is nice and I'll downshift all the way to 1st with throttle 100% closed and NOT MOVING IT AT ALL, I think adding braking helps smooth it out as well.
Click to expand...

I find that if I roll all the way off the throttle it is difficult to downshift. If I roll all the way off and then a very small amount back on, it pops right into the lower gear.

Ken
 
If you look at the gear indicator in the righthand corner of the TFT, it will let you know when to shift to the next gear. There will be an arrow that appears on top of the gear indicator. Then, looking at your rpms, you will know what rpm the "machine" likes to shift into the next gear. Always, with the throttle open of course. This is what helped me anyways.
 
Have a '17 with shift assist and I gather it's not meant to be used for "normal" puttering around town and accelerating. When you are rapidly accelerating, or decelerating, it works like a charm, very little "bucking" or "clunking." Key is kick into the next gear firmly while at high RPM and STILL accelerating. First experienced this option on the RR back in 09 so it clearly has its roots in the sport bike world.
 
tommyboyz said:
If you look at the gear indicator in the righthand corner of the TFT, it will let you know when to shift to the next gear. There will be an arrow that appears on top of the gear indicator. Then, looking at your rpms, you will know what rpm the "machine" likes to shift into the next gear. Always, with the throttle open of course. This is what helped me anyways.
Click to expand...

That's the shift point for the best fuel economy. Most of us have that shut off.
 
ExGMan said:
FWIW, I've got almost 40K miles on a 2015 RT with Shift Assistant Pro. My bike is not smooth going up from 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 using the technique of opening the throttle some. 3 to 4, 4 to 5 and 5 to 6 are great. Closed throttle on downshift is the way to go. My RT is always smooth with those.
Click to expand...

I find the same on my RS, but I don't use the shift assist to downshift at all. Rarely use it on the up shift but it works fine once I'm in 3rd moving up through the gears when I do.
 
I enjoyed the videos. So, how do I get my 2013 R1200R to shoot flames out of the exhaust when I upshift? Asking for a friend.

Doug
 
83014 said:
I enjoyed the videos. So, how do I get my 2013 R1200R to shoot flames out of the exhaust when I upshift? Asking for a friend.

Doug
Click to expand...

1) Power Commander set very rich; 2) weld a mount in the muffler so you can mount a spark plug in the exhaust stream; 3) wire it to a coil and a switch on the handlebar
 
83014 said:
I enjoyed the videos. So, how do I get my 2013 R1200R to shoot flames out of the exhaust when I upshift? Asking for a friend.

Doug
Click to expand...

take the muffler and the headers out and just let it rev to the limiter everytime you shift
 
Y'all keep missing the finer points:
The catalytic converter and baffles in the muffler will contain the flame, so they gotta go.
Kill the ignition for a moment or two while still injecting fuel into the intake. (computer bypass may be req'd)
Turn the ignition back on, and Blam! :burnout
 
This might contradict what some others have said, but I find the up shifts 3-4-5-6 really smooth when I keep the throttle constant until I shift, but roll off the throttle slightly just as I’m shifting. As others have said, shifting for me 1-2-3 are not smooth with the shift assist.
 
Same here

88bmwjeff said:
This might contradict what some others have said, but I find the up shifts 3-4-5-6 really smooth when I keep the throttle constant until I shift, but roll off the throttle slightly just as I’m shifting. As others have said, shifting for me 1-2-3 are not smooth with the shift assist.
Click to expand...

The key to smooth shifting is to find that sweet spot when the engine has plateaued at the previous gear. Hold your throttle acceleration, just as the engine catches up with that throttle input, shift. That smooth shift is out there waiting for the patient rider to find it. K1600’s are like electric bikes, clicks into gear like an automatic.
 
rangerreece said:
The key to smooth shifting is to find that sweet spot when the engine has plateaued at the previous gear. Hold your throttle acceleration, just as the engine catches up with that throttle input, shift. That smooth shift is out there waiting for the patient rider to find it. K1600’s are like electric bikes, clicks into gear like an automatic.
Click to expand...

If you've ever ridden on the back of Reg Pridmore's motorcycle you know what that feels like. :nod
 
I have a '16 R1200RT with the Shift Assist. As my dealer's service manager explained it, the Shift Asssit technology came from race bikes, and it works best when you are giving the bike a bit of stick. It was not recomended not to use it from 1 into 2, or from 2 down to 1.

To Change Up..... While accelerating and with the engine is strongly increasing in RPM, contine to hold the throttle open, and firmly kick up a gear without adjusting your throttle setting.
To Change Down ...... Close the throttle, and with the throttle closed, firmly and quickly kick down a gear. It will automatically "blip" the throttle and give a beautiful smooth downshift.
 
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