Quickshifter vs Clutchless Upshift: Is a Quickshifter Worth it?

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A motorcycle quickshifter is designed to make upshifting quicker and simpler. However, compared to a clutchless upshift there isn't an awful lot of perceptible difference. In this video we talk about these two options and which one is 'best'.

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[Kim_Miller]

I've had countless bikes over more than 50 years of riding and my two current bikes have quickshifters that operate both up and down. The difference when riding quickly along a winding mountain road is magic, but even in traffic or touring they are worth having. I liken them to a microwave oven. Nobody needed one in those early days but everyone appreciates it in their kitchen.

[LockieNZ]

Quickshifter over clutchless any day of the week. The ignition cut it does is far more precise than what we're capable of. Less loss of crank momentum. Less slow down in intake and exhaust velocity. Throttle bodies are still open at the optimal position. That's why the power feels so strong when you kick it up a gear with a quickshifter.

[DSGB]

Clutchless blipping on your own is kinda satisfying too though

[SRVET-S]

I've always ridden the older style bikes with no electronics, no tcs, wheelie control, abs or quickshifter and got accustomed to upshifting with no clutch and blipping while downshifting and never really gave it much thought about a quickshifter until I only recently tried one out on a friend's bike. It makes riding a whole lot easier and 1 less thing for you to thing to think about so you can focus on riding. Ever since i tried a quickshifter out im sold on them

[thegriffisace]

quick shifter best thing since sliced bread

[airdoctor]

On those smaller straights were you need that extra gear to get that extra 5-10 km/h before trail braking into the corner, a quick shifter helps massively. So instead of focusing on upshifting and then quickly downshifting, you only focus on downshifting. Yes it has an effect on lap times and consistency of those lap times and is definitely a big advantage.

[motorcyclerider]

I have ridden a bike with a quickshifter and agree it is pretty cool and even more so on track, but I mainly ride on the road and find it more enjoyable and engaging (pardon the pun) to use clutchless changes. To me clutchless changes require more skill and timing and some riders cannot manage it correctly. For those of you thinking come on move with the times you could be right! Slightly different subject, my car happens to have an automatic gearbox and I love it but I certainly wouldn't want that on my motorcycle as that too takes away some of the involvement! But would riders go for that too if it was trendy to have on a motorcycle!

[dhall]

got a "shift assist pro" on my bmw, handles up and down. its freakin awesome

[nomdeploom]

Been clutchless up shifting fine for 50k miles until I tried your step 1. Now I don't have 5th. Thanks for that.

[kingt.hawkings]

I've done clutchless upshifts and downshift throughout my whole riding experience and it's takes a bit of practice at first or you could really mess up the gears especially when downshifting...I found that if you "slightly" keep the revs up when downshifting and towards the end of the blip just push down works every time.
I found out how to do this many decades ago when I had a broken clutch cable and I had to get the bike home..

[nealeburgess]

I tried a quickshifter on my friend's R6 at Jerez. Really great, and easy to use. However, I can't help feeling its a bit brutal for the gearbox. If a clutch cable broke I would be more than happy to do clutchless changes at modest speeds, but I just like to look after my bikes a bit. At the level I ride at, (nearly 50 years on the road, but only 5 days on track, all at Jerez) I am happy to use the clutch. Thanks for all your tips. Can't wait to get back on the track!

[michaellovell]

I have never used a quickshifter and I don't shift without the clutch, but I've only been riding 4 years, and am not a racer. It sure made me smile when I got the hang of "blipping" on harder downshifts, though. I'm not sure I would get that sort of satisfaction out of a quickshifter, but I'm sure that will diminish in time as the novelty wears off and it becomes a more routine chore. I would be interested in eventually trying a quickshifter. Thanks for the vid.

[cohall]

Very informative and much better description than a different YouTuber video that I just watched.

[Александар.П]

ANNITORI QS PRO quickshifter, love it, can't imagine having a bike without one ever since I got it.

[FOXRR]

Well I bought a new bike without one in 2022 just because it is a great bike, and zero rider aids. I've personally never rode a motorcycle with one. I'm sure they are nice and convenient on the road and a necessity for racing where 10th or hundreds of a second determine winner and 2nd, but since I'm not a professional racer I view it as one additional thing that could fail or break. GSXR 750Z is a great all around street and track bike. I love it!!

[Waltorious_Garage]

Auto blippers work only on modern bikes with ride by wire throttles where a solenoid operates the intake butterflies, the blippers sends a signal to the solenoid when you down shift and the blippers module is already set to blip the rpm as needed

[burgundypoint]

I like the clutch. It's fun and makes you feel like you are really operating the machine through knowledge and skill, although I can see quickshifters being better for competitive racing.

[bikerboi]

I find a auto blipper for the downshifts far more useful than a quickshifter for the ups.

[thegriffisace]

I've been riding for 40 years track and road I love it more than my family?? I have a Tuono v4r the quick shifter is the best thing that has ever been added to a motorcycle. Pity it hasn't got a blipper

[michaelminster]

I love the quick shifter. I ride a cruiser, XV950R Yamaha, I don’t need one, some people I mention this to can’t understand why I have one. Well added to the easy breath air filter and race type exhaust can, also a fuel management system, it actually feels moor responsive than when it was all standard. So it’s not faster, it doesn’t handle any better, but is the ride more enjoyable, yes! And that’s what’s worth all this fuss!