1 tip to make your motorcycle shifts quicker & smoother

This week we look at a simple tip to make your motorcycle shift smoother and quicker. Have you ever heard someone say their motorcycle had a clunky transmission? It may not be the transmission it may be how you are shifting through the gears.
Ways to show your support of MCrider:
- Support MCrider and get the Field Guide: www.MCrider.com/support
- Support on KZbin: / @mcrider Once you sign up please email at the address provided and request access to the Field Guide / Forums
- Amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/mcrider (all purchases made from this link help support MCrider, bookmark it and make all your Amazon purchases from here. :) )
- Revzilla: www.MCrider.com/revzilla (make all Revzilla purchases using this link to show your support)
- Make a one-time contribution to MCrider: www.paypal.me/supportmcrider
MCrider Merchandise:
t-shirts: teespring.com/stores/mcrider
Hats: www.MCrider.com/hat
Learn more about the MCrider Field Guide: www.MCrider.com/fg
MCrider offers free motorcycle safety training in a weekly video that helps you gain more control of your motorcycle and improve your strategy on the street.
Website: www.MCrider.com
Facebook: / mcriderskills
Twitter: / mcriderskills
Thanks for watching,
Kevin

[@MCrider]

If you are a new rider or a rider who wants to continue to grow (That should be all of us ;) ) and you are not a Member at MCrider you are missing out on the best part of MCrider. Go to www.MCrider.com/Member and get access to the Forums and Field Guide. - The Forum is an active, friendly place where riders share riding tips, ideas, travel photos, and show off their new motorcycles. Riders and instructors from all over the world are active on the forums and ready to share in the adventure with you. - The Field Guide is a section of the forums that have very specific training exercises that you can work on in any open parking lot to develop your riding skills. In addition to these resources, you can discuss every MCrider video, suggest future training videos, read and share gear reviews, and more. By becoming a member you help support MCrider and keep the weekly videos coming but you also get access to a world of riders who share tips and techniques to help us all enjoy the ride and increase our skills. www.MCrider.com/Member

[@germangomez9440]

I own a XSR900 and when Im shifting up i can hear a "Clunk"; is this normal? anything to worry about? Hope you can help me

[@bikedawg]

Wow--beginner here---one of the best tips ever--thank you very much!!! 💜💙💚💛🧡❤

[@rebeloutlaw6445]

9

[@tovarasulsecretargeneral2822]

3 days ago i went down for my first time trying to switch lanes. i didnt see him, he was in my blind spot tho i turned my head. went down, lost consciousness , big bad bruise on my right knee but still alive. watching the video and seying Kevin stoping at the end asking the guy if he is alright i remember that another rider stopped and asked me the same. feel so good when you see other riders caringabout you. cheers !

[@cebrady]

I was two years into riding and took a left turn in sundown at a yellow light at normal speed and missed a patch of wet leaves bunched in the middle of the intersection - didn't even react to it (which is the best way to handle it) but it was so thick and wet that my rear wheel slid out and I coasted sideways (thank you denim) into the railroad tracks 30 feet ahead of me. Outside of an adrenaline rush, I was ok, but within 2 minutes a good old boy with a pickup pulled over (a rider himself), helped lift my bike into the back, and we left it at his house until I could come get it the next day. This is one hell of a community!

[@johncoe6304]

@@cebrady so, yellow light at sundown, def. picked up a little more speed than if u had stopped. Not judging I promise. Then, maybe because of your extra speed trying to get out of the way of the intersection, you didnt throttle off and just coast thru the leaves..power to the rear wheel caused the spin. Man, just going around my gf car in my driveway, I pull over in the yard w out throttling off, it spun, scared me. My bike is 700 pds, 1312cc. Whew! Glad ur ok brother

[@johncoe6304]

General, man glad ur fine.. I always try to avoid freeways , for that reason, and others. I gotta 700 pd bike too. 1312 cc, made for the interstate. But great backroads are always available. I try not to ever ride in a hurry. Not judging at all. I know there are dangers and obstacles any and every where we ride on 2 gyroscopes. Animals, deer etc, idk. I just prefer cruising around at 40-45 mph... Of course I'll turn it up on occasion on the freeway or boulevard. But mainly just to get to my next backroad. Lol. Ride safe bro

[@cebrady]

@@johncoe6304 My dude, your judgement is warranted and it's correct. I think every single piece of the breakdown you said is right. It's made me a better rider now - You don't rush though situations you don't have total control over (like this one). Ride safe!

[@Splicer16]

This video literally transformed my shifting. I’m still a new rider (6 months in) and found myself inconsistent with smooth shifting and it was eroding my self confidence. After practicing this technique today, I was blown away! The shifts are butter smooth now! At one point, I had to check my gauge cluster to see if it shifted because of how smooth it was. Thanks for the insanely helpful information!

[@DrKlitamortus]

I read this is bad for the transmission

[@hollandbamboo764]

Hey Kevin, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. Before I even got on a bike i would watch your videos over and over! You are the best!

[@champ2013]

New to riding this clip made my riding so much better!!! Awesome channel!

[@owencoopersfx]

I do this already but never really thought about it. It’s great that you can analyze and explain these processes! I have friends interested in riding and want to help them learn so hearing you explain things like this is great. Thanks!

[@FarkyDave]

Thanks for the video, Kevin. I'm gonna try this technique today.

[@ccarroll3129]

Lol, like the new ending to the clip! Thanks for the tip. For sure will give this a try, looking forward to it.

[@bradfordlyman4791]

Very helpful as always. Well delivered and explained. I’m a new rider and this exactly what I needed to practice smooth shifts.

[@jwoo7741]

Very high quality video. Many camera angles and very nice editing. The content is great + the editing and narration make it outstanding.

[@radar2116]

Nice! I'm going to do this system my next ride. Appreciate the energy you put into your channel.

[@ColorfulCarpet]

Newish rider, just got my 2016 Yamaha, watched this video and man I cannot stress how helpful it was. Thanks so much for the great tips! Excited to sub and watch the rest of your vids

[@cebrady]

Hey Kev - Thanks for this video. I'm on a 42 year old BMW Airhead which definitely has a 'feel' to how you shift on it. I've read enough on how people are pre-loading and half-shifting, but your video made it visually clear how this can work across many different types of motorcycles. Safe rides to you, thanks for your insight and experience, and I hope you a good one!

[@vtx_bluestigma8391]

Hey Kevin. Thank you for the info on this video. I’ve been using the preloading the shifter tip and wow man! What a difference it’s made on the smoothness of the transmission shifting on my bike and love the fact that this also, as a bonus, took care of the annoyingly embarrassing false neutral rev-bomb. Thanks again man. I really appreciate it.

[@philspaces7213]

great Vid! i use this all the time, it will feel strange at first but it will become second nature after a few rides

[@TheInterloafer]

Very cool. I have never tried this but I will now. Thank you Kevin. I love the on-the-road multi-cam view. It's very helpful.

[@johnnewton1540]

Great camera positioning and your simple explanation once again makes it crystal clear, even for the novice.

[@thomasaureli7545]

Well spoken. Technique works exactly as explained. Thank you for the tip .

[@Skunk72]

Dude, I have learned a lot from your videos.... This is by far the coolest thing I have learned. Thank you so much! Tried it out today while I was filming my motovlog.. Worked great, just need to keep doing it so muscle memory will take over!

[@mrpalaces]

Thank you, this seems very important for when you're going up a steep hill and don't want to loose momentum/RPMs

[@rodmilli]

Brilliant, learning so much. Thank you. Love the extra clip at the end.

[@954Lacko]

I have tried this technique over the weekend and it works! Huge difference!!!!! Thank you!!!!

[@blackbushido]

EXCELLENT AND VERY INFORMATIVE VIDEO, THANK YOU!! I’m singed up to be notified but I’ll be joining soon!! Thanks again!!

[@cwojcortiz]

Absolute genius! Saw the video and went right out and tried it and what a difference. I'm a relatively new rider, so thank you so much for your outstanding content Kevin. I need all the strategies I could use for riding in the Northern Virginia/DC area. It's a mad house over here.

[@tonyhades90]

Can’t believe I’ve been watching so many videos and didn’t subscribe,just did! Love your videos how clear you explain,if there is a perfect motorcycle channel on KZbin it’s definitely this one….man you are amazing

[@ronancarrillo2235]

Kevin, thanks for all the informative tips! I'm a 2nd season rider and moved up from a street 750 into a 2019 Street Bob. It is much more clunky on the shifting. I'm still learning a lot about the does and don'ts of riding. This video is helpful to me. I didn't realize that you dont need to hold in the clutch all the way in order to shift gears. I'm definitely going to try this the next time I'm on the Bob. Thanks again!

[@johnpeters2788]

Thank you for caring about new riders. I like learning from your great videos. And thank you for all of your personal time and $ invested here!

[@varoescal]

Hi Kevin, excellent video and information! I'll start using this technique today!

[@cleverman86]

Thanks for the great video! I tried this technique yesterday and it made my shifting much smoother and faster. Definitely a safety tip.

[@debbymarshall2857]

Tried this out on my way in to work this morning and by gum, it works! Makes it easier to shift with a lot less effort. Thanks for the great content! :)

[@SalPilotMD]

Trying to get back into riding after over 20 years. This is a great video, very well done with the stop-action detail that I've never seen in other training videos. I'll be back here often, thank you. Also thank you for full safety gear (I'm a trauma doc!).

[@stefanomanzoni7157]

Hey Kevin, I'm a new rider and had difficulty with shifting smoothly. After watching your video, my shifting has improved immensely. I still need more practice, on every aspect of riding as you remind us every week. Love your videos, so helpful, you're doing a great service. I will subscribe to your channel. Thank you so much.

[@kenstrugnell2669]

Great video. I watched this and I couldn't wait to try this preloading technique. It works great. No more losing some speed with gear changes. I was happy with the smooth changes and better acceleration. I subscribed because of this video and I will be watching many more. Thanks for sharing your videos!

[@johnsnider575]

Watched video this morning, then headed out for a few hours on the bike. What a difference! So much smoother..Thanks, Kevin!

[@RobertBardos]

Good tip I didn’t know about preloading the shift lever. Also lols at the ending. You’re the man Kevin.

[@koa808kane]

Great information. Tried it and it's smooth easy shifting. Thanks bro🤙🏽

[@bogdanipbv1989]

I found this by myself and even if it is not always working but 90% of the times is very efective! Thank you for the videos you make!

[@paulwilliams5973]

Hi, Mike.....Remo here just got back on a bike after 35+ years really appreciate everything you put out on these videos. Really helps me get back into the swing of things. All the techniques I go out and practice. Cheers.

[@sleepyrasta14820]

I'm new to motorbikes and still getting used to shifting so this video was helpful. I like how you split the screen to show your hands and foot to show exactly what you are doing while riding. I have subscribed.

[@groverdome]

I picked this tip up from you quite a while back, made everything WAY smoother on the road. Thank you for that. Sean from Ireland. Cheers lad.

[@Rick-xe8dm]

Just got home. Great tip for smoother shift. Works like a charm. Thank you!

[@0661mike]

Your technique just changed my riding experience. I been shifting the hard way for over 16 years. Thank you sharing this technique.

[@matb9027]

Did this for the first time this weekend...worked a treat, thank you 🙏

[@NewYorkCityonTwoWheels]

Great video, and really good camera angles. Thank you!

[@akbarhussain1767]

Hi there Ken,thank you so much for that tip on shifting, I'm in my 2nd year this July with riding motorcycles & I'm ready for putting this shifting technique into practice, thanks again friend & Happy Riding 🙂🙂🙂

[@KingJamesKingChaos]

Saw this video 30 mins ago and just tried it now... Wow. Thanks for this info. Much, much smoother shifting. You got yourself a new subscriber 👍🏼

[@rafaelrodriguezmesa]

Nice useful tip. I enjoy a lot knowledge and experience you share with us. Thank you Kevin.

[@ezzo222]

I only passed my CBT the other week, been getting to grips with the bike and noticed how clunky my shifting was. I watched this video earlier and just got back from a VERY enjoyable ride. My shifting was miles better! So smooth!! I am super happy with the ride today and have this video to thank. God bless this man!! Thank you!

[@AO1YinYang]

the split screen really added to your verbal instruction on the pre-load and clutch and throttle, well done, it really helped explaining it.. thank you for a great video, once again i learnt something new, this pre-load, i will try it first time i ride again, currently raining this week..i'm a cager in a car this week haha. see you all on the road.

[@matthewsalvador9783]

Tucker Latham in my opinion it’s cuz others aren’t devoted as much as he is.

[@nicholasjeffrey]

Tried this today and it’s a beautiful thing. Thank you sir!

[@unclelucas2389]

You are an angel. From a scooter user newly transitioned to an xsr 900, you can imagine how much this helped me.

[@Johny40Se7en]

I can relate to the doing it more with the up shifting. Thanks for showing it at the different angles too it helps. I never thought about trying it down shifting. Something else to practise. You're always learning on a bike like they say.

[@focusmicro]

Love that stopping to check fellow rider is good and safe! respect!

[@dlopez7535]

Wow such great tips, thank you . I am about to get my first motorcycle but I've been going through all of your videos first. Sone 3 times over. I feel well educated thank you.

[@RJMStraya]

This has helped me go from clumsy gear changes to being very smooth! I'm a fast learner but this wasn't c something I'd have thought of as a new 52yr old rider. Thankyou so much!!

[@theilusionblue]

Hands down the best channel of its type on KZbin. I just started riding this year at age 40. With the help of this channel a MSF class and 4000 Riding miles under my belt I'm already group riding and have joined a M/M. Thank you brother.

[@lydoel]

I learned this last year, makes so much difference. I was at first a little dissapointed with the clunkyness of my xsr700 gearbox. With this method, it’s completely smooth and silent. Its kind of a mix between a regular shift and a clutchless shift :)

[@aeromaton]

Back to riding after a 10 year hiatus. Watching vids to refresh my memory. You have the best MC videos on KZbin.

[@goten3965]

george t he does make great Minecraft content

[@FLATearthGARY]

I learn something new every day. My Yamaha Road Star Silverado is super smooth compared to my older Honda Ace was but I’m betting this technique will make it even better! Thank you for all of your efforts!

[@Sparks690]

Big help..I just got my bike the other day an am still learning to shift smooth on my 05 ninja ex250f. Thanks and ride safe yall.

[@barrybell121]

I have been using your advice for two weeks now and I am so much smoother with gear changes. London riding is so much safer and enjoyable with this technique. Thanks Kevin, your education has helped me enormously for my first year riding.

[@markfairbanks6601]

Oh my gosh, new rider here, watched this last night and applied it today. Man what a difference, smooth as butter. Thank you sir.

[@ndprichardson]

After 20 years of riding and with a fussy Yamaha gearbox, this has transformed my ride! Thank you, always learning!

[@haroldwiser2641]

Good tip, I hope to remember it the next time I ride! Thanks! 👍

[@deangregory5160]

Thanks Kevin, just passed my test and now I’m learning some great stuff from your forum.

[@flyingdog1498]

Passed the Motorcycle test in 1965 and knew this then.

[@higherfordkid1625]

Good advice there, I have used this technique on my old BMW boxer which are known for their clunky gear change. Makes a big difference.

[@surosh10s]

Thank you for sharing this tip.. I've been riding my bike since February and I'm always looking for ways to improve my shifting game, especially when I'm on busy roads with traffic behind me. You know how it is, sometimes going from first to second gear can take a bit longer, and that can be a real pain when you're trying to pick up the pace with a bunch of cars behind you. Discovered this trick ( preloading), I gotta say, it's been a game-changer! So yeah, just wanted to say thanks for the tip!

[@markwhatley9955]

I learn something every time I come here. Thanks Kevin.

[@timschjei3917]

Just tried it today, it feels like you're using an automatic transmission, awesome video.

[@peterssemaganda3526]

Hv watched many of these clutch reviews but so far this has been my best I’m switching to manual motorcycles thank you Kevin

[@fahadal-askar281]

I just tried as new rider (3 weeks in) and it made so much difference, thank you

[@pietaszek]

@McRider thanks for the tip great video. I will try that next time I get on the road 👍

[@eddie71691]

This is such an amazing video. I'm a new rider (2018 Kawasaki Vulcan S) and since I mostly drive in the city it was driving me crazy the amount of time it took to shift. Not to mention the inconstancy on not being smooth while shifting. Now I can shift smoother, faster and have way more confidence. Thank you!!!

[@scottgingras9828]

Mark. I watched this today on my break at work and tried the shifting technique on my 2014 Road King on the way home. WOW, what a difference in how smooth shifting up is. But I need work on the downshifting! lol. (whiplash). Great videos. Keep them coming.

[@Thearmiktz]

Mc rider, I wanted to thank you for all your videos, because in my country we don't have a good motorcycle school. I studied your videos for almost 2 years till I got the opportunity to buy a motorcycle and learned how to have a better control. I only had driven a motorcycle once or twice since I learned the basics with the motorcycles at work because I had to park them in their respective place at the end of the day. Now I bought a little 200cc motorcycle and I can tell you that your videos have saved me a bunch of times in the saddle, México isn't a great place for motorcycles, we have no respect at the back of the wheel, and a great majority of the people here have cars so I had to modify some of your tips for being more visible taking in account your recommendations. Now I got more than a yeah of new experiences, new people I've met, new fun moments, and more, all thanks to your videos. Ive consider being a patron but the money is scarce at the moment, so at least I can give you my thanks in this comment for the moment. Have a blessed day my friend.

[@seanlittle3006]

Thanks Kevin, Another great Video and riding tip , I will work on it when I ride with a group Saturday morning. My Yamaha FJR1300 does shift easily as you stated about your Yamaha transmission.

[@hacksaw4966]

What a great tip! I recently got a used 2015 R1200RT and could not seem to get smooth shifts, and was blaming the bike. This takes a bit of finesse, but the shifts are so much cleaner. I recently rode some new Triumph models and was quite impressed how nice the shifting was, even before I saw this. But this really helps on my BMW. Gonna pass this along to the folks in our small riding group from work. Thanks!!

[@rkhairajani1]

OMG! That really works! Been riding British singles and twins for over twenty years now. The shifts were never this smooth. Thanks a ton! Regards, Rajesh.

[@juliochingaling5824]

Thank you Kevin,excellent video. Ride safe brother.

[@HOTDOG401]

Thanks for the tip...Ill try it out immediately. This is probably the little thing I was missing.

[@lakshanperera3774]

I wasn't aware about this trick and now that I started doing this it helped me to shift through gears a lot more smoothly thank you.

[@c.jordanadventures1240]

I have to say that I’ve ridden for a number of years trying to hone the speed and efficiency of my shifts but once I saw your preload technique that was the icing on the cake! I ride a 2012 BMW R1200GS Adventure. So it isn’t equipped with the quick shifter like the newer GS’s. But with this technique and some practice it is entirely possible to shift just as quickly and efficiently as with the aid of the quick shifter. Thanks so much Kevin! Ride safe out there🤙

[@n8vnoob523]

I married into a Harley family and naturally started rising shortly after. I didn’t ride prior and although my in laws are very passive riders and give great advice there was never much drills that I practiced after getting my endorsement. (My responsibility not theirs) It wasn’t until I stumbled upon your channel that I was inspired to practice on my road king at slower speeds and practice maneuvers even in an empty lot. So thank you for coming out with these videos and explain in the manner you do. I appreciate you.

[@A44setti]

Hello Kevin I’m a knew rider and Patreon supporter. I bought a used Harley Davidson low rider, I rode it enough to feel Ike the bike was to small for me. So I traded it for a 2016 Road Glide. This bike is heavy and dropped it the first day at the gas pumps. Very embarrassing! Thanks to your videos Ive gotten a lot better and gained more confidence with practice in a parking lot as you suggested at slow speed turns and stopping. Thanks Kevin glad I found your channel and all the great info! Tony

[@buddmcstudd6994]

Very simple concept, cant wait to get out and try it!

[@iamceino]

Thanks a whole lot. I'm a beginner with my new Motorcycle. I'll be using this technique for smoother shifting. Great video.

[@josefarwell6854]

Thanks for your videos! After 25 years of not riding I decided to ride again. Kids are older now and the wife and I want to cruise New England maybe Cananda. In the beginning of the year I purchased a dr350se and just recently bought a 05 VTX1300c. Definitely will need to get use to the cruiser. Thank you again for your videos.

[@aaronmarkham5791]

Going from a big twin to a street triple for daily commute I've been struggling and pulling my hair out trying to shift this bike smooth.....YOU SIR HAVE SOLVED MY PROBLEM. This works absolutely amazing thank you sir for the tip

[@OrmTourist]

Wow! Incredible, cheers man! This has made a huge difference!

[@travisbrisard4853]

New rider here. Thank you for the videos they help a lot.

[@geckoboy49]

I'm surprised so many motorcyclists don't know this trick already; I've done this all my life. Only for upshifts tho as you can gauge the toe pressure on the boot top, but not so much with the sole

[@Bonesnoff04]

Heel -toe shifter makes this tricky in boots. Lots of premature shifts

[@jimmycohan6990]

Not fully depressing the clutch will it damage the engine or the clutch?

[@ethand5672]

@@jimmycohan6990 probably not. motorcycle clutches are wet ie. bathed in oil. They don't burn up like car clutches

[@TheDude13]

@@jimmycohan6990 Nope. Half the time I don't even use the clutch, using this technique.

[@davemiller1007]

While I’m practicing emergency braking, slow speed clutch control, and proper cornering technique, I will look forward to trying this smooth gear shifting...thanks again, really makes riding an even more interesting evolution, and safer!!

[@bruceliggett8036]

Thanks so much, Mr. Kevin! I tried your method of shifting and it works great! No more clunky shifting!

[@MCrider]

Awesome, thanks for sharing.

[@dirkgarner]

Thanks Kevin. I thought it was my bike making it so difficult to shift. Tried the preloading and just like you said - it shifts as smooth as butter.

[@deansolistino]

I tried this today and worked great! I’m a new rider so this video helped

[@mariosselfie8994]

I used this tip and it really works. As a new rider myself i'd sometimes try to put it in second gear and by accident put it in neutral or my gears shifts would not be smooth. I followed the tip on preloading the shift change and it helped. Thanks a lot. Liked

[@deonpalmer8758]

I just started riding and I’m in love bought my first bike not to long ago (maybe 4 months) and honestly when I got it it was a piece of s*** still kinda a piece of $*** but I built it and it runs now! Needless to say Ive broken down multiple times and I’m just happy at the decision I’ve made and I can’t wait for it to warm up outside. Can’t explain the joy and freedom of the ride and I have so much respect for all you vets out there that have been doing it for years! Salute and ride safe!

[@stanza77]

This is an awesome tutorial. I just recently discovered this myself two days ago. By tucking my toe just underneath the shifter and moving my foot inwards towards the transmission I was able to shift smoother and yes it's quicker

[@jasonbriles]

Great video and great camera angles!

[@emantabrizi8218]

Thank you for this video. I have a 2019 Honda CB650R, and shifting from 1st to 2nd and then 2nd to 3rd has been anything but smooth. I'm looking forward to trying this technique in the morning.