...and the verdict?: I love it. :toocool:
After reading the posts from so many people who us GP-syle shifting and given how simple it is to swap the pattern on the '06, I decided to give it a try to see how it felt.
The mid-fairing doesn't quite clear the shift rod when it's reversed, but I used a Roto-Zip to cut out a small pencil-sized notch to accomodate it. It's so small, you can barely see it unless you're looking for it and the Roto-Zip worked really well and made a clean-looking cut.
Probably the weirdest thing to get used to is toeing UP from neutral to get into first gear. Once you get moving, though, kicking down to shift up through the gears is actually surprisingly easy to adjust to. And if feels GREAT!
That said, toeing up to downshift takes a bit longer to get used to. For me it was, at least. For anyone planning on trying it, it's just common sense, but I strongly recommend taking it very easy for a while after making the change. It's pretty easy to manage when you're really focusing on it, but when you start moving faster, your "muscle memory" kicks in and you'll start working the controls without thinking as much. The first time I was setting up for a fast corner and I kicked down to find fourth gear and faster free-wheeling instead of second gear and engine braking, let's just say there was some serious butt-clenching going on.
I've been using the GP-style shifting for about a week now, though - maybe 200-300 miles or so - and it's feeling a lot more natural now. I recommend at least trying it out. Just take it slow until you're comfortable with it. :yes
After reading the posts from so many people who us GP-syle shifting and given how simple it is to swap the pattern on the '06, I decided to give it a try to see how it felt.
The mid-fairing doesn't quite clear the shift rod when it's reversed, but I used a Roto-Zip to cut out a small pencil-sized notch to accomodate it. It's so small, you can barely see it unless you're looking for it and the Roto-Zip worked really well and made a clean-looking cut.
Probably the weirdest thing to get used to is toeing UP from neutral to get into first gear. Once you get moving, though, kicking down to shift up through the gears is actually surprisingly easy to adjust to. And if feels GREAT!
That said, toeing up to downshift takes a bit longer to get used to. For me it was, at least. For anyone planning on trying it, it's just common sense, but I strongly recommend taking it very easy for a while after making the change. It's pretty easy to manage when you're really focusing on it, but when you start moving faster, your "muscle memory" kicks in and you'll start working the controls without thinking as much. The first time I was setting up for a fast corner and I kicked down to find fourth gear and faster free-wheeling instead of second gear and engine braking, let's just say there was some serious butt-clenching going on.
I've been using the GP-style shifting for about a week now, though - maybe 200-300 miles or so - and it's feeling a lot more natural now. I recommend at least trying it out. Just take it slow until you're comfortable with it. :yes