5 Simple Steps to Shift Gears on Your Motorcycle

One of the most important processes of motorcycle riding is gear shifting. Although gear shifting may seem quite challenging at first, it is actually a very simple process. However, the method of gear shifting can vary depending on the motorcycle. For your convenience, today we will explain gear shifting for both manual and semi-automatic transmissions. In both cases, you will learn all about motorcycle gear shifting through 5 easy steps.

Gear Shifting in Manual Transmission

As the name suggests, in this transmission system, the rider has to manually upshift or downshift the motorcycle gears.

1. Get acquainted with the Clutch, Throttle, and Gear Shifter.

The clutch is usually located in front of the left handgrip. Torque is transferred from the engine to the transmission via the clutch. The throttle is on the right handgrip. Rolling the throttle increases the engine's RPM, which prevents engine stalling. The gear shifter is a bar in front of the left foot pedal. It is used to shift from one gear to another. You can practice these:

• First, pull the clutch lever, then slowly release it.
• To increase the motorcycle's speed, roll the throttle backward.
• To decrease the motorcycle's speed, roll the throttle forward.
• Place your foot on the gear shifter and press it once; this will put the motorcycle into first gear. Pressing the gear shifter downwards shifts the motorcycle to lower gears.
• To go to a higher gear, pull the gear shifter upwards with your foot. The gear pattern of manual motorcycles is usually one down and 4 or 5 up.

2. Start the Motorbike.

First, pull the clutch and then press the start button to start the motorbike. If you see a green "N" light on the meter console, you will know that you are in neutral gear.

3. Shift into First Gear.

Now you need to do three things simultaneously - first, roll the throttle forward and hold it, pull the clutch, and press the gear shifter down once. Now slowly release the throttle and clutch; the motorcycle will start moving very slowly. Then, release a little more throttle and fully release the clutch.

Do not hastily release the entire clutch at once. As the motorcycle starts moving slowly, gradually release the throttle and clutch along with it.

4. Shift to Subsequent Gears.

When you have gained enough speed to shift to subsequent gears, slowly roll the throttle backward and gradually pull the clutch. Then, place your foot under the gear shifter and pull it upwards. By pulling the gear shifter upwards each time, you can go to the next gear one by one.

Once you become experienced, you won't need to pull the clutch anymore. You can go to subsequent gears simply by rolling the throttle backward and pressing the gear shifter upwards. This will allow you to shift gears faster and extend the lifespan of your clutch plate.

• If you are in first gear, press the shifter halfway and release it; you will go into neutral.
• If nothing happens after pulling the clutch and throttle, you are already in neutral gear. To shift gears, pull your clutch and lift the shifter upwards.
• If you miss a gear, there's nothing to fear. Your bike will not be damaged as long as you match the throttle and gear position.

5. Motorcycle Gear Downshift.

Slowly release the throttle and pull the clutch. Press the gear shifter down once and release it. Gradually match the position of the clutch and throttle with your current speed. By pressing the shifter downwards and matching the throttle and clutch positions in this way, you can go to lower gears.

Gear Shifting in Semi-Automatic Transmission

In semi-automatic transmissions, some tasks are done automatically, but the rider has to do the rest themselves.

1. Get acquainted with the Controls.

In this transmission, you only need to use the throttle and the gear shifter. In semi-automatic transmissions, the clutch and gear shifter are integrated, so both can be controlled by just controlling the shifter.

2. Start the Bike.

After starting the bike, you now need to bring it to neutral.

3. Shift into First Gear.

Now you need to pull the throttle and press the shifter downwards once. Each time you start the bike, pressing the shifter downwards once will give you first gear. To go to subsequent gears, you need to press the shifter upwards once for each gear.

4. Shift to Subsequent Gears.

After getting into first gear, give throttle to the engine and press the shifter upwards. Each press will take you to the next higher gear.

5. Motorcycle Gear Downshift.

To shift to lower gears, you just need to press the shifter downwards once for each gear. After the bike stops, remember to bring it to neutral.

Conclusion

Motorcycle gear shifting is quite a basic task. However, after learning to ride a bike, many people face some difficulty understanding and remembering gear shifting. We hope that by following the steps shown in this blog, you will now be able to shift gears quite easily. However, when learning gear shifting, definitely do not forget to wear safety gear.