Shift light on a road bike.... Why?
Discussion
Yesterday I realised, after an embarrassing length of time, I have a standard GSXR fitment shift light... It's quite cool in that you can set the rpm, then three warnings at 1000,500, or 250 rpm increments as you approach it. You can set to an intense flashing when you reach this point which presumably is designed to keep epileptic riders off the road.
But, as much as I enjoy discovering a gadget, I don't understand if there's any point to this on the road, and why you would need to vary the RPM even on the track?
The peak torque/power/whatever, will surely vary per gear and this system only allows one limit from 7,000-~13,000rpm, regardless of gear. So it really won't help very much in terms of optimum changes.
So I thought, b
ks, I'll just set it for the limiter, but now realise on the road I will basically never see this outside possibly 2nd/3rd gear, an extremely small amount of the time, as this typically translates to "I don't have time to look at my fking dash" road speeds.
Something solely for the track then? I take it even there it just serves as a warning you're approaching the limiter?
If it's just for the track, why on Earth would you set it for 7,000rpm?
Am I missing something?
Cheers.
But, as much as I enjoy discovering a gadget, I don't understand if there's any point to this on the road, and why you would need to vary the RPM even on the track?
The peak torque/power/whatever, will surely vary per gear and this system only allows one limit from 7,000-~13,000rpm, regardless of gear. So it really won't help very much in terms of optimum changes.
So I thought, b
ks, I'll just set it for the limiter, but now realise on the road I will basically never see this outside possibly 2nd/3rd gear, an extremely small amount of the time, as this typically translates to "I don't have time to look at my fking dash" road speeds.Something solely for the track then? I take it even there it just serves as a warning you're approaching the limiter?
If it's just for the track, why on Earth would you set it for 7,000rpm?
Am I missing something?
Cheers.
does power vary based what gear you are in? I'm a complete knuckle dragger when it comes to anything mechanical but i would have thought the gears just help transfer the power to the wheel(s) via the final drive chain.
Certainly in cars my power band always appears to be in the same rev range?
Certainly in cars my power band always appears to be in the same rev range?
My street triple has something similar, it just looks cool I guess, I like it. Mine is set to light up as I near the limiter, at night it can be quite dazzling once it's flashing and obviously the sound is a fair clue as to where you are on the rev range anyway. Who doesn't like disco lights though, it just adds to the fun as you wind the bike up.
MDUBZ said:
does power vary based what gear you are in? I'm a complete knuckle dragger when it comes to anything mechanical but i would have thought the gears just help transfer the power to the wheel(s) via the final drive chain.
Certainly in cars my power band always appears to be in the same rev range?
I thought it did, but happy to be proven wrong. It certainly would make the light more useful.Certainly in cars my power band always appears to be in the same rev range?
I always just had them down as a marketing gimmick, designed to appeal to contenders in road-based Traffic Light Grand Prix. It facilitates a great tale in the pub later on.
As Clarkson once said about adjustable flappy paddle gearboxes "these kind of things appeal to drivers who have a gearchange strategy for their commute to work"
As Clarkson once said about adjustable flappy paddle gearboxes "these kind of things appeal to drivers who have a gearchange strategy for their commute to work"
My gsxr track bike has one. I set it to flash not stay on. Honestly I never notice it but watch the videos back and see it flashing. Bike redlines at 15k I've set it to 14.5k I think
Road bike redlines at 12k and I've set at 11.4k. I find that one much more useful on road for some reason and see it more often but it flashes bright red. See it very clear at night!
Again you can feel without the light when it's starting to run out of puff even before it hits the limiter
That's just my personal opinion and input on this
Road bike redlines at 12k and I've set at 11.4k. I find that one much more useful on road for some reason and see it more often but it flashes bright red. See it very clear at night!
Again you can feel without the light when it's starting to run out of puff even before it hits the limiter
That's just my personal opinion and input on this
My Speed triple has it - bar of blue leds surrounding the rev counter, rather pointless on the public road. For the track I guess it could be useful. I have mine set high so it only starts to light as the red line approaches.. I can see some value in it on a 1050 triple because they don't rev that high ( just sub 10k revs) and really sound like they should actually rev higher - but piston speed and the laws of physics can't be broken and espcially its set lowish for engine longevity 
Almost every other bike has had a rev counter and that generally works just fine for me on the public road.
Triumph do use them set low for running in - I guess for that they could be useful which reminds me....
My Aprilia Falco had a shift light (same RSV mille engine) - I was reminded each and every time the poxy understrength charging system caused the electrics/clocks to freak out in the winter because it reset the shift light back to the running in revs.
Almost every other bike has had a rev counter and that generally works just fine for me on the public road.
Triumph do use them set low for running in - I guess for that they could be useful which reminds me....
My Aprilia Falco had a shift light (same RSV mille engine) - I was reminded each and every time the poxy understrength charging system caused the electrics/clocks to freak out in the winter because it reset the shift light back to the running in revs.
Prof Prolapse said:
The peak torque/power/whatever, will surely vary per gear and this system only allows one limit from 7,000-~13,000rpm, regardless of gear. So it really won't help very much in terms of optimum changes.
Peak power is always at the same revs. I think you may be recalling where some manufacturers retard the timing in the lower gears to soften the power delivery. Which is easily removed. A variable shift light per gear would be mad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebyno9ZKC_s
Otherwise too much revs will you know.. make you look like an idiot.
Otherwise too much revs will you know.. make you look like an idiot.
trickywoo said:
Peak power is always at the same revs. I think you may be recalling where some manufacturers retard the timing in the lower gears to soften the power delivery. Which is easily removed. A variable shift light per gear would be mad.
I've only a basic grasp of this, but would have thought we're talking about maintaining peak torque and obviously it will vary depending on your gear (but usually be at redline).I don't understand all of this, but I agree with what I do understand;
http://glennmessersmith.com/shiftpt.html
You get shift lights per gear, examples;
http://www.speedhut.com/about-shiftlights.html
Venom said:
sjtscott said:
My Speed triple has it - bar of blue leds surrounding the rev counter, rather pointless on the public road.
I've fiddled with mine so that they give me an indication as to whether I'm in licence-losing speed territory. Otherwise, agreed, absolutely pointless.Combined with the also pointless-on-road-bike quickshifter it is fun to go up through the gears, changing when all the lights come on like an F1 car...
I set mine as high as possible as it kept making me jump, flashing when you've forgotten about it.
It was set low by BMW when running in but being sensible wasn't used as a change up point because whole point of running in was to vary revs & load - can just imagine a new owner going flat out until the light came on in every gear (in fact dealer did have one owner who ran the bike in on a dual carriage way with the light on for sometime, until another light came on!).
It was set low by BMW when running in but being sensible wasn't used as a change up point because whole point of running in was to vary revs & load - can just imagine a new owner going flat out until the light came on in every gear (in fact dealer did have one owner who ran the bike in on a dual carriage way with the light on for sometime, until another light came on!).
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