[Guest]

Has anyone done this to an R1? If you have did you buy an expensive flip kit or do it yourself. I am looking at buying an R1 as a street bike and I really, really enjoy the race pattern shifting but don't want to buy a $300 flip kit either. Any help or ideas would be great.

 

[TeeTee]

Don't know if it's possible but at it's simplest you can just take off the lever on the shift shaft of the engine and turn it 180. Then lengthen the connecting rod to compensate.

Things that may not let this work. One, something gets in the way of the parts. Two, the connecting rod may not be long enough. Not much you can do about the first but if the second is the problem a search of some other model bikes should turn up a rod and ball ends that are longer.

 

[vrecksler]

That is the kind of question you should be asking at one of the many R1 boards out there. I know they make the GP shift kit for the 929, so I am assuming it is available for your bike as well.

 

[Miteorite]

what is a race style shift pattern?
-d

 

[Guest]

Not owning the bike yet I haven't been able to take a close look at the set up - but I know the shift rod goes through the frame and doesn't allow the shift lever to just be flipped over like on a GSXR.
I haven't actually searched for an R1 board yet, I was hoping someone on this board may have done this.
Race pattern is exactly what I said in subject line, you flick your shifter up for first (instead of down) and down for second thru sixth.

 

[Miteorite]

you flick your shifter up for first (instead of down) and down for second thru sixth.

does that provide any additional benefits? as opposed to regular shifting (just curious)?

 

[vrecksler]

Well, if you think about it is much easier to apply force pushing down compared to pulling up, so I am guessing it improves the speed and quality of the up-shifts.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah, what he said.
The faster, better shifting is basically the only benefit. For me it was just more natural once I tried it on the race bike. Now I can't quite imagine going back to normal shifting.

 

[Miteorite]

gotcha, thanks

are "race" bikes that much different from "normal" bikes?
i thought the only difference was no license plate & turn signals?
perhaps "racing" fairings..

 

[Guest]

first time i heard about this mod.. but it sounds interesting... itll be weird if ur race bike has this and ur street bike is "normal"... it would be real confusing if u regularly ride both bikes.... hahahaha

 

[Guest]

What you described is I guess what you would call a basic race bike - from what I have seen. The bike I bought was never intended to be a street bike so absolutely everything that could be stripped off was - the whole wiring harness was removed from my bike. All in the name of light weight! I have seen guys that ride their bikes to the track and strip off the headlights, tape up the brake lights and have race farings and call that good. And of course there is all the safety wiring you have to do, but that is why I bought a bike already set up for racing....all that is done already and I am kind of a lazy bastard.

 

[Lugan]

Something to consider with a reverse shifting pattern is that when you're in a "brush with death" situation on the road, your subconcious will take over, and you may find yourself shifting the opposite of what you want. If that's what you've learned, then power to you, otherwise give it some thought before changing it.

 

[gordopolis]

I'm with Lugan on this one. Think about it: when braking and downshifting, both feet are pressing down, following your forward weight transfer. Your body likes that symmetry and gets accustomed to it.

Then again, it's a neat little experiment to try. Hopefully it is as simple as flipping the shift rod.

I've heard that racers use this reversed "GP shifting" cuz if they use the "regular" pattern it can be difficult to get their toe under the shift lever when they are leaned way over in a left hand turn. They want maximum clearance.

 

[Guest]

The whole symetry thing doesn't really apply when you don't use both feet. I almost learned the hard way that panic braking with the back brake does not work for me. I only use the rear brake to tighten my line in a corner and that's it. I have tried panic stop practice runs with the rear brake and without - I like it way better without.
Besides the rear brake doesn't do much for you when the rear tire is not touching the ground.