Electronics on motorcycles are getting more and more sophisticated as the model years pass by. Electronic intervention started with the introduction of Anti lock brakes (ABS) and as years passed by, bikes became more and more adaptive to the conditions of use. Many aids like Traction Control, Power modes, Anti-wheelie, Race ABS and Slide control are now a standard in High-end Superbikes. Let's discuss the most used electronic aid on modern superbikes- The Quickshifter.
Motorcycle gear shifts always involve three of the four limbs on the body. The left hand for actuating the clutch lever, the Right hand to give Throttle input and the Left/Right leg for gear changes. Commuter motorcycles often get away with this setup as munching miles and reaching the destination is the main comcern rather than checking for top speeds and laptimes. Whereas on the track, things get serious.
Researchers prove that a normal human reflex has a lag of 80 milliseconds, with the whole three-limb coordination costing 600 milliseconds. The rider has to close the throttle, pull the clutch and upshift which takes a significant toll on the Riders and also mainly, the Laptimes. Conventional clutchless upshifts also work, but closing and opening the throttle for a split second alone costs the stopwatch 300 milliseconds and a wrong upshift might wreck the gearbox entirely due to excessive wear.
A Quickshifter is a mechanical or Electronic device, which helps in the smooth upshifting on a motorcycle sequential gearbox without the use of the clutch. This system involves the use of a sensor mounted on the gear shift linkage, judging the pressure on the lever and cutting the ignition in the combustion chambers to provide a smooth upshift without damaging the internals of the engine or the transmission.
RELATED ARTICLE: Significance Of Sophisticated Electronics On Superbikes
Modern Quickshifters also have a sensor in the gearbox which works along with the gear lever pressure sensor. These sensors send data to the Engine control unit (ECU) or a standalone module if (it's an aftermarket fit). The ECU then cuts the power for a very small time (Averaging 15 milliseconds) by discontinuing power to the ignition coil of the engine. During This momentary loss in power the upshift is achieved successfully done. This results in a Hollow "pop" sound from the bike, which is due to combustion of the extra bit of fuel accumulated in the combustion chamber while the spark is cut.
Quick shifters of some bikes work only in the upshifts, while depending on the rider to manually clutch and rev-match on downshifts. BMW developed the Auto blipping Quickshifter for its HP4 (A Racier S1000RR) and many other manufacturers followed suit. The 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2016 BMW S1000RR and the Ducati 1299 Panigale have the two-way quick shifter feature built-in.
RELATED ARTICLE: Understanding Ride-By-Wire Technology In Motorcycles
Though Quickshifters were made popular due to their use in MotoGP, it's now considered obsolete due to the advent of Seamless Shift Gearboxes which eliminate the need of cutting the power to the rear wheel.Only Suzuki used a Quickshifter mechanism in the 2015 MotoGP season, which they'll be ditching in favor of a brand new seamless shift gearbox. In a way, engineers have figured out another way to go faster around a 4 mile race track on a two wheeled firebreather!
By: Suraj
*** A Yamaha YZF R6 with a Translogic Quickshifter.
Motorcycle gear shifts always involve three of the four limbs on the body. The left hand for actuating the clutch lever, the Right hand to give Throttle input and the Left/Right leg for gear changes. Commuter motorcycles often get away with this setup as munching miles and reaching the destination is the main comcern rather than checking for top speeds and laptimes. Whereas on the track, things get serious.
*** Guy Martin on the Smith's Triumph Daytona 675R (Isle of Man TT)
Researchers prove that a normal human reflex has a lag of 80 milliseconds, with the whole three-limb coordination costing 600 milliseconds. The rider has to close the throttle, pull the clutch and upshift which takes a significant toll on the Riders and also mainly, the Laptimes. Conventional clutchless upshifts also work, but closing and opening the throttle for a split second alone costs the stopwatch 300 milliseconds and a wrong upshift might wreck the gearbox entirely due to excessive wear.
A Quickshifter is a mechanical or Electronic device, which helps in the smooth upshifting on a motorcycle sequential gearbox without the use of the clutch. This system involves the use of a sensor mounted on the gear shift linkage, judging the pressure on the lever and cutting the ignition in the combustion chambers to provide a smooth upshift without damaging the internals of the engine or the transmission.
RELATED ARTICLE: Significance Of Sophisticated Electronics On Superbikes
Modern Quickshifters also have a sensor in the gearbox which works along with the gear lever pressure sensor. These sensors send data to the Engine control unit (ECU) or a standalone module if (it's an aftermarket fit). The ECU then cuts the power for a very small time (Averaging 15 milliseconds) by discontinuing power to the ignition coil of the engine. During This momentary loss in power the upshift is achieved successfully done. This results in a Hollow "pop" sound from the bike, which is due to combustion of the extra bit of fuel accumulated in the combustion chamber while the spark is cut.
*** 2008 Ducati 1098R- The first bike to have a Quickshifter as standard equipment.
Quick shifters of some bikes work only in the upshifts, while depending on the rider to manually clutch and rev-match on downshifts. BMW developed the Auto blipping Quickshifter for its HP4 (A Racier S1000RR) and many other manufacturers followed suit. The 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2016 BMW S1000RR and the Ducati 1299 Panigale have the two-way quick shifter feature built-in.
RELATED ARTICLE: Understanding Ride-By-Wire Technology In Motorcycles
Though Quickshifters were made popular due to their use in MotoGP, it's now considered obsolete due to the advent of Seamless Shift Gearboxes which eliminate the need of cutting the power to the rear wheel.Only Suzuki used a Quickshifter mechanism in the 2015 MotoGP season, which they'll be ditching in favor of a brand new seamless shift gearbox. In a way, engineers have figured out another way to go faster around a 4 mile race track on a two wheeled firebreather!
By: Suraj