How does Motorcycle Gear Shift Work?

Undoubtedly motorbike gear is the only component that helps you to move your motorbike ahead. Now the question is, how does the motorbike gear shift work? 

Gears are important mechanisms that are kept together using teeth, and they are used to transmit rotary motion from a shaft to the next. They allow you to increase the speed of the working mechanics and increase their force.

Also, how you should change gears and what frequency you should change the motorbike gears. 

No worries! In this article, we’re going to share all information with you about motorbike gear working. 

How Does Your Motorbike Gear Shift Work? 

Gears wheels are powerful instruments that are kept together utilizing teeth, and they are being used to send rotating movement from a shaft to the following. They permit you to speed up the functioning mechanics and increment their power. 

These gear wheels keep your motor at a rotational speed. Subsequently, the motor can make a useful measure of force. As your motor turns quicker, it will devour more fuel and produce more force. These gear wheels are equipped for turning up to a most extreme speed. 

At the point when you change the gear, you put the motor at its lower end speed. Then, at that point, you speed up again to arrive at the following higher piece and continue to do it until the most extreme vehicle speed limit is reached.

What if Your Motorbike Doesn’t Have Gears? 

So far, you have learned the importance and how motorbike gears work. But have you thought about what happens if your motorbike doesn’t have gears? 

Well, gears are in every vehicle. But, the automatic ones don’t make you shift gears manually. It automatically shifts following the speed.

If these gears weren’t there, your engine wouldn’t have been able to generate the required force. Think about it as if your bike starts right from its peak engine speed as soon as you twist the throttle. 

That would be pretty cool, but that would create unnecessary force, resulting in engine damage.

It’s “0-60 mph” at a whole new level! You would lose control, and none of us would begin riding straight on the track. Your engine needs to be rotating with the right amount of torque, which is not possible without gears.

How Should You Change Gears? 

Changing gears is pretty simple. Isn’t it? But for a beginner, it can be challenging, especially when it’s your first time.

No worries, in this section, we will give you two popular methods through which you can learn to change gears effectively. 

Method 1 for Manual Motorbikes: 

Become familiar with motorbike parts: 

The first step in method 1 is to become familiar with motorbike parts, and it’s the most crucial too. 

There’s a leaver called a clutch on your left hand, which you need to press whenever changing gears. On the right-hand side, the lever is called the front brake. 

While the shifter on your left foot is the gear shifter through which you can change gears according to your needs. 

Changing Gears: 

So far, you have learned about the motorbike parts, and now it’s time to execute all your learning and changing gears. 

While changing gears, you need to press the clutch. And then, you should press the gear shifter to change gears. Don’t forget to increase race with the throttle while leaving the clutch lever in synchronization. 

Always remember increasing the speed should match the lever leaving timing; otherwise, your motorbike could stall. 

Most of the time, pressing the gear shifter downwards would cause a lowering of the gear. Except in the case if your motorbike is in neutral mode as pressing the shifter downwards would cause an increase in gear. 

Pressing the gear shifter downwards: 

Fifth gear → fourth gear → third gear → second gear → neutral →first gear. 

Pressing the gear shifter Upwards: 

First gear → neutral gear → second gear → third gear → fourth gear → fifth gear. 

Starting the Motorbike: 

After learning how to change gears, now it’s prime time for you to know how to start the motorbike. 

When starting the motorbike, you should bring the motorbike on the Neutral mode, which you can see in your digital speedometer by N light. Beginners make the same mistake repeatedly by pressing the self start without bringing their motorbikes in the Neutral gear. 

Shift the First Gear: 

Now comes the primary step in which you need to shift the gear. When shifting the gear from neutral to first, you need to press the gear shifter downwards. 

While pressing the gear shifter, you need to press the clutch, and then you would need to give a race to your motorbike.

Always remember to give a race to your motorbike slowly while leaving the clutch simultaneously. Leaving the clutch too fast would cause your motorbike to stall. 

Uplift the Motorbike gears: 

Till now, you successfully reached the first gear. Now you would need to uplift the motorbike gears.

You will have to apply the same method as mentioned above. Don’t be rushed, and never leave the clutch too rapidly than a motorbike throttle. 

Down lift the Motorbike gears: 

You successfully learned ways through which you can uplift your motorbike gears. Now it’s prime time for you to learn ways through which you can down lift your motorbike gears. 

For down lifting the motorbike gears, you should press the motorbike gear shifter downwards. 

The rest of the process is the same as mentioned above. 

Method 2 for Auto-transmission Motorcycles: 

Auto or semi-transmission motorbikes are also called clutchless motorbikes in which you aren’t required to press the clutch while changing the gear. 

While pressing the gear shifter, the motorbike automatically does the clutch work, which you should do otherwise. 

The semi-auto transmission gear system is relatively easy to use and best for beginners. Also, the semi-automatic transmission avoids all possibilities of motorbike stalling, thus giving you smooth riding always. 

Become familiar with motorbike parts: 

The first step in method 1 is to become familiar with motorbike parts, and it’s the most crucial too. 

There’s a leaver called a clutch on your left hand, which you need to press whenever changing gears. On the right hand, the lever is called the front brake. 

While the shifter on your left foot is the gear shifter through which you can change gears according to your needs. 

Start the Motorbike: 

Fortunately enough, in the semi-transmission motorbike, you don’t have to press the clutch before starting your motorbike. 

But you will have to make your motorbike in neutral mode before pressing self-start. 

Shift the First Gear: 

Now comes the foremost step in which you need to shift the gear. When shifting the gear from neutral to first, you need to press the gear shifter downwards. 

While pressing the gear shifter, you don’t need to press the clutch, and then you would need to give a race to your motorbike.

Uplift the Motorbike gears: 

Till now, you successfully reached the first gear. Now you would need to uplift the motorbike gears.

You will have to apply the same method as mentioned above. 

Down lift the Motorbike gears: 

You successfully learned ways through which you can uplift your motorbike gears. Now it’s prime time for you to learn ways through which you can down lift your motorbike gears. 

For down lifting the motorbike gears, you should press the motorbike gear shifter downwards. 

The rest of the process is the same as mentioned above. 

What Happens if You Ride a Motorcycle in the Wrong Gear?

Whether you like it or not, being in the right gear is critical for your engine’s overall health. Driving it in the wrong gears too much, your engine will experience unnecessary wear and tear.

An engine must rotate around 2000 to 4000 revolutions per minute for optimal performance. For keeping the RPM in this range, you have to alter the gear ratio right between the tires and engine depending upon the speed of the turning wheel.

Just think about starting pedaling in high gears when standing still on a bike. Getting to move the bike will become very difficult for you, and you will have to put in a lot of energy for that. It will be a lot easier to start in a lower gear. Your motorbike engine works the same way.

But as you start going faster and shift the gear, there will be less stress until the highest point in that portion reaches, and you have to shift the gear again.

You have to be in the right gear to match the torque and the engine’s rotation. Going at a higher speed with a lower gear is impossible because the engine’s machines don’t work that way. 

So, you will have to downshift, or the engine will bring the speed down after a lot of exertion. This results in too much load on the engine, and wear and tear are inevitable.

When you are riding in a higher gear, and the speed is low, you will notice your engine begins to struggle. It’s not getting enough torque for the revolutions.

 It’s working hard to match them. So, this is not the right position for the engine to be in as well. This is precisely why driving in the wrong gear is damaging for your engine.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Final Verdict: 

How does the motorbike gear shift work? Gears are important mechanisms that are kept together using teeth, and they are used to transmit rotary motion from a shaft to the next. 

They allow you to increase the speed of the working mechanics and increase their force.

These gear wheels keep your motor at a rotational speed. Subsequently, the motor can make a useful measure of force. As your motor turns quicker, it will devour more fuel and produce more force. These gear wheels are equipped for turning up to a most extreme speed. 

We’ve also mentioned above some best ways through which you can shift gear effectively without any damage.