Moza Shifter and Handbrake | First impressions

[@Dustineichorn]

The car i learned how to drive stick with had the same 1st to reverse action so i learned not to push down when shifting. I guess it’s a preference. Main reason why i bought this shifter actually

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I’ve also owned cars with this pattern, but the force needed to push the lever down is too low for me. I really hope they fix it

[@rickwills3108]

I was taught never to hold the gear lever, but to cup the gear knob in the palm from the side either pushing from the right or left depending if you are changing up or down. I use my Moza shifter this way and do not select reverse in error. You might find the change difficult at first but it works for me. Good luck.

[@Alnilam1973]

Quick tip to help with your reverse issue, take the gear knob off for a few sessions, you'll stop pushing down on the shaft fairly organically and once the habit is broken whack the knob back on 😉

[@Hinjima92]

how many times a week should I whack the knob?

[@ethaneldridge8318]

I’m currently wacking the knob about 12 times per week is that too much?

[@zimble]

Best review of this stuff. Doing the video with the handbrake and shifter was a huge help too

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Glad it helped!

[@roberthooper498]

The shifter may be old stock - mine was going into reverse far too easily so it initially looked like it was going to be a big problem... Fortunately, Moza were good as gold - they simply replaced it. I had to wait a few weeeks for new stock, but the new one needs a proper solid push down to get it into reverse - not had a missed shift since. My supplier told me they changed some things from the early ones.

[@cmbaileytstc]

The foam they ship with is fantastic. Does the job, I’ve actually reapplied for spot cushioning in certain applications, and best of all I can soak it in the diesel I have for my tractors and bulldozer and then use it to easily light my wood-burning stove all winter long.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah…. Em… it’s just not very good for the environment. Most of it ends in landfill sites. I wish it was more sustainable

[@cmbaileytstc]

@@LaurenceDusoswa Right, now ponder the chain of regulatory and corporate follies that has led something which could easily be burned for a boiler fuel in its raw state if nothing else being buried instead. While you pay someone to haul it off instead of *them* paying you a small amount for the energy and resources your household garbage contains. It took a lot of societal engineering to get it this ass-backwards.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

@@cmbaileytstc I’m not sure which way is more backwards to be honest. I’m not sure what toxins and chemicals are in that foam. Rather than doing something with it, I’d prefer if it was never created/needed in the first place. Cardboard does a great job.

[@Blade5067]

calm down bro, this isnt an environmental channel. fk with people like you we will be eating bugs and your farmers in ireland will be out of a job not feeding your country... so they gave foam. big fkn deal @@LaurenceDusoswa

[@oznemur]

Shifter looks great! Too bad about it not having a sequential feature. Would've been nice.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

cheers yeah sequential would have been nice but I also like that they focused and kept costs down

[@tipilot3791]

if they increase the price by 20$ for a sequential feature id definitely consider going full moza instead of full fanatec

[@blastedcorpse271]

They just released their sequential shifter and it looks amazing, very handbrake like, but I will be adding that to my rig as well. lol. I like the separate peripherals. I am currently using the VNM shifter V2 and I LOVE IT. But I would like to give this H Pattern a whirl. I also currently am running the Handbrake from MOZA as well, and its by far the best handbrake within the price bracket. MOZA just keeps climbing to number 1, for price per quality item.

[@asawyer2872]

Great first look. Really tempted by the handbrake. The Simagic DS-8X is worth a look, hopefully you get a chance to review it soon!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Simagic have said that they have no intention to send me one at this time. I’d like to try it. I’m tempted to buy one.

[@asawyer2872]

@Laurence Dusoswa How bizarre! Any particular reason?

[@vladprakapchuk9991]

I'm a bit late, but if you're still struggling with the shifter, I believe you can just change the inputs so that the 7th slot is for reverse. Obviously not ideal since you would no longer have 7 gears, but i doubt it gets used anyway. Personally though, I haven't had any issues with the out-of-the-box setup. I learned to shift by pushing with my palm in the direction of the gear I'm selecting. So for 1st gear, my palm is on the right side of the shift knob, pushing left and up into 1st; my hand doesn't even touch the top of the knob, so there's no downward movement. I think this technique is recommended since it makes it near impossible to miss a gear in real life, so it might be best to learn it anyway.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

It's not the fact that it goes into reverse. It's the fact that the shifter doesn't go into 2nd, that's the issue. You shouldn't have to compensate how you use a piece of simulation equipment in my opinion.

[@wadecoppage5583]

I see a lot of reviewers making the same mistake. The handle position mounted down or parallel to the base isn't to make it like a standard car. It's to mount the base vertical, making the handle in the normal drift position while the base is mounted upright.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Did I make a mistake? 😅

[@cmbaileytstc]

Laurence: Try mounting the shifter backwards and remapping the gears so that current sixth is first etc, and so you have to pull instead of push into the two R/7th slots. You’re far less likely to push down on the knob with weight when pulling instead of pushing.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I thought about it but the problem would be even worse going from 3rd to 2nd

[@cmbaileytstc]

@@LaurenceDusoswa Well that being the case our other option (my Moza gear is on order) is to make a small block for the reverse slot like I did for my Amazon H pattern, which just has a 7th slot branching diagonally off from the standard six, and just move it when reverse is desired. P.S. Tell Moza to ship my bloody order already even though I’m not a KZbinr please 😁 I do not mind waiting many days to get my gear, I do mind waiting many days without an estimated date of arrival for my gear or explanation from Moza for what the unfortunate holdup is on certain items.

[@ThePigeonStoop]

I was going to go with that exact combo since I am already in the Moza Ecosystem with the R9, and pedals, but I opted to go for Heusinkveld shifter and Handbrake instead definitely getting the Sprint Pedals next.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Can’t go wrong with heusinkveld either. Great company

[@nephroghost1912]

Nice review and great price point!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Cheers!

[@joseverdejo7139]

loving my moza shifter, i have a driving force pro so i dont need a sequential function, i use my sequential as an ebrake now

[@frankderks1150]

Perhaps you can use what is now reverse as 1st gear and the 7th gear as reverse. Couple of stickers to fix the numbering on the 2nd to 7th gear... Modding with a stronger spring may also be a fix.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Nah you need 2nd to be right below 1st. I might open it up and see if I can mod it in any way. Right now it’s not usable for me for competition use

[@ScottOmatic]

How many cars are you simulating with a 7 speed manual? If a 6 or 5 speed, you could make say 7th gear reverse and remap the reverse to a duplicate first gear (or leave it blank to simulate a mis-shift that isn't catastrophic). Also, maybe someone will make a lockout mechanism like old Lamborghini's had on their gates you could flip into place.

[@ScottOmatic]

Replying to myself here.. If a 5 or 6 speed, I recommend maybe trying the dog-leg pattern that is found in manual Porsches. Put 1st gear as 2nd, and then put reverse mapped to 1st gear, keep reverse also mapped as reverse. Problem solved?

[@EpicFatLip]

You could mount the shifter backwards and use it the way the BMW 2002 turbo gearbox was. First gear was bottom left and so on... That would put reverse next to seventh

[@jsimplegroundwurq]

Hi. I'm a bit of a noob. Apologies. What did ypu use to mount the shifter and the hand brake to your sim cockpit please? I've just purchased these and can't get them both to fit on my gt omega prime lite mounting plate together. :( Thanks in advance.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I have some extra pieces of profile. You need a custom mounting solution for most rigs for your handbrake and shifter unfortunately

[@JaredPaul01]

The miss shift into reverse is quite problematic. I would map reverse to where 7th is and then map reverse as 1st along with the normal 1st gear position. But ultimately this needs a stronger reverse lock out but for the price I guess its hard to implement.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

That really wouldn’t work. Not for me anyway. I drive h pattern every day and the movement of 1st to second needs to be a straight line. It would be way too confusing to offset them all by 1

[@jamesbailey8449]

I have not had this issue but i am definitely quite light on the shifter, mine is also mounted at a similar height to yours.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

It also depends on whether you shift down to first a lot. There are very few cars/disciplines where you need to do that

[@jamesbailey8449]

@Laurence Dusoswa oh I'm a rally nut, although I do tend to drop to second and cutch kick it out of the corner. 🤣

[@FarmingLife477]

cant wait for Logitech shifter LOL :P

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hopefully they’ll make one

[@FarmingLife477]

@@LaurenceDusoswa one day *pause* one day

[@oliverf944]

after watching the shifts in the testing, my conclusion is logitech is better, i recently purchased an amazon usb shifter that looked similar to your moza. i was forever missing gears too. Im going back to logitech shifter with usb hub adaptor to run with moza wheel base. you just cant go wrong with logitech shifter. I was really hoping the moza performed well. i love the idea of connecting the peripherals into the one base for cleanliness.

[@beaudycryer3257]

I guess you could map 1st gear to both positions 1st position and reverse position…then map 7th to reverse. That sounded simpler in my head before I typed it in hahaha

[@dylanmosley3030]

Perhaps changing the elevation of the shifter would cut down or eliminate the R/1 missed shifts?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Maybe but I don’t think that’s a proper solution really.

[@Mike_Power]

Cannot get the HGP to work with AMS2. Moza customer support hasnt replied to me after 2 weeks.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

AMS2 is so finicky :( I've heard lots of stories like this

[@heelandtoeknee]

Thanks for the review Laurence, but why did you put it on the wrong side?! 😂 have a good week mate! 😊👋

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahahaha THAT’S what was wrong!

[@heelandtoeknee]

@@LaurenceDusoswa man, so good to see how you enjoyed it. 😍 When I was first time driving my SHH shifter 4 weeks ago, went full manual in AC (and haven’t been driving stick irl for 2 decades), that put a huge smile on my face. Can’t wait to go back as soon as my new wheel base arrives this week. Totally different to what I experienced with my GT3s and paddles. My footwork though… 😂 I have to learn it all over again… and I love it. 🥳

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahahaha yeah it’s a great experience. Probably not as quick as flappy paddles but that’s not really the point :)

[@heelandtoeknee]

@@LaurenceDusoswa exactly. The travel becomes the destination. Such good times for sim racers of all skill levels. 🥳

[@joseverdejo7139]

you can map reverse to 7th if its a problem

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

That doesn’t remove the physical gear to the left of 1st and 2nd though 😅

[@Traumglanz]

Pushing down on the knob is kind of a bad habit. You might want to switch to shifting more with your heel of your hand and fingers instead of pushing right with the middle of your hand.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

honestly, it's a habit but the gear shifter shouldn't be so sensitive. I wont be the only one with this issue

[@oliverf944]

What is a more recent verdict on the Moza shifter?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

yes... the reverse shift issue has improved slightly but it still exists

[@ollie_z]

are there any handbrake/sequential shifters other than the thrustmaster one under £150 or so? running a th8a but lost the sequential plate and want a handbrake anyway for drifting and rally

[@SVD229]

Can you mount the handbrake on the handbrake mount of omega gt rigs?

[@51im]

I don't think either the handbrake or shifter can connect direct to the wheel base. The rj style connection is to connect through the hub. So you can use them in pithouse software if you have a base from different manufacturer

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Ah yeah that makes sense. It’s easier for me to just hook everything up via USB and I’m not running a moza wheelbase at the moment anyways

[@hollywerner54]

no weight on the gear when you shift

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Correct. very little weight.

[@gmailcgs]

Laurence, who is your favorite Premier League team ?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Liverpool :)

[@davedeja]

Perhaps Moza can be persuaded to make a stiffer spring available to increase the pressure needed to access reverse. Maybe if a popular sim racing content creator spoke to them about the issue… hmmm, if only we knew of such a creator…

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahhaha. Yeah something definitely needs to be done

[@derodge]

For the life of me. I still don't understand an H-pattern shifter in Sim Racing? No one uses them anymore!!. I had a manual in my old 2012 Camaro SS. When you are just driving down the road. In real life, it was fun. But, Racing? A sequential shifter is so much faster. I don't even understand this supposed "immersion" for it?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

some cars have aggressive diffs especially on downshift. so rev matching and heel-toe are amazing fun and actually faster and better for keeping the car balanced. but you're right, generally sequential and paddles are so much quicker.

[@JaredPaul01]

You still use paddle shifters? get with the times buddy I only drive electric cars in sims!... Just kidding, I get where your coming from for competitive formula or GT racing but driving vintage road and rally cars with H pattern can be just as fast. but main thing is it just feels downright wrong to drive a classics H pattern race car with paddle shifters.

[@ScottOmatic]

The biggest problem is that most sims along with the hardware don't model the real workings of a manual transmission correctly, making the whole thing somewhat moot.. Not that a simplified modelling of a manual transmission still can't be an enjoyable experience. The thing closest right now is that $1000 shifter that takes data from the game that will lock you out of gear until you rev match correctly. Maybe it will all get to where it needs to be in another 20 years.

[@Cobra206]

RTFM

[@rickyross9073]

hey what game are you playing?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

This is Dirt Rally 2.0 :)

[@AdhamHossam165]

First

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

You definitely hold the title of 'FIRST' :D Thanks for the support as always

[@ConnorJ007]

What game is he playing

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Dirt Rally 2.0

[@83hd15]

meow

[@TheDoctor46vr]

Yeah i cant justify getting a Simagic handbrake when i can have this. Also i think ill get the CSL V2 over the P1000. I dont care about immersion as long as my pace is not compromised that is all that matters.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yep sensible thinking

[@phelanpritchardgaming6194]

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Actually, you were first today! Sorry @Adham hossam

[@AdhamHossam165]

@@LaurenceDusoswa darn!

[@SIMRIG412]

Negative fanatec handbrake looks more expensive than moza lol.

[@SIMRIG412]

For $250 you also get what you pay for which is cheap items. Would rather spend more to buy better sim racing gear especially if your on pc. Moza just makes low end quality gear even looks cheap