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Gear shift indicator

manofsteel1

Just got it firing!
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
15
Location
Milton, Delaware
Have heard that the 2021 gear shift indicator on dash is on even as clutch is in and while you shift you see what gear you are in. My 2020 does tell me what gear I am in unless is out. Not good. Let us all know if there is a way to ugrade that
 
Someone will need to see how the new system works, but there may not be a direct upgrade path.

My understanding of the original indicator system is that it simply compares engine RPM to vehicle speed to calculate what gear the bike is in. In other words, there is no direct detection of gear selection, but rather some simple math done by the ECU to "guess" what gear the bike is in. Which is why it never worked with the clutch disengaged, which causes the math to fall apart.

If they got it working with the clutch disengaged, then I can envision a couple different ways to do that:

  • Software based: the indicator simply displays the "last known" gear selection with the clutch disengaged, which may or may not be correct if you change gears and keep the clutch disengaged. Once the clutch is re-engaged, the indicator will update as described above. This sort of solution _might_ be available to older bikes via software update.
  • Hardware based: they added physical sensors to directly detect gear selection, regardless of clutch. This would not be a simple upgrade.
IMHO, the hardware based solution seems unlikely, but we'll see.

__Jason
 
I have never owned a bike with a gear indicator or a manual car with one either. I just know by feel and rpm.
It's just like age, it doesn't matter what the numbers say, it's what you feel.


Same here. I guess these guys can't count without a calculator. I'm so old I used a slide rule in high school and college. Didn't have calculators yet that were affordable.
 
Slide ruler!?! That’s High Tech.

We had an abacus! :D

I too never understood the fascination/obsession with gear indicators. I feel that the manufacturers have cultivated a crowd of riders who couldn’t be more disconnected from their motorcycles from all of the techno crap.

Gear indicators, computer controlled suspension settings, ride by wire throttles, multiple engine management modes, super duper traction control capable of working with the bike nearly sideways, ABS 25th generation, heated grips, seats, mirrors, 500W stereos, Bluetooth, Mobile Hotspot...good god, does it never end?

Remember when all we needed was fresh tires, Brembo brakes, and a decent suspension, and that was all we needed to rip it up on the curved roads?

I said the phrase “tickle the carbs” the other day in my shop, and the 28 year old standing there, just looked at me with a dazed and confused look on his face.

LMAO.
 
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What confused him? The term "tickle the carbs", or just "carbs". It occurred to me with this post, the only vehicles I have left with "carbs" both have "ticklers". I have 4 cars (vehicles with 4 wheels) and one motorcycle that are all fuel injected. My two Norton's are now the only vehicles I own with carburetors. Remember when fuel injection was really exotic?
 
Have heard that the 2021 gear shift indicator on dash is on even as clutch is in and while you shift you see what gear you are in. My 2020 does tell me what gear I am in unless is out. Not good. Let us all know if there is a way to ugrade that

Milton, Delaware?

Well. hellooooooooooo, from Millville, DE. :hi:
 
Slide ruler!?! That’s High Tech.

We had an abacus! :D

I too never understood the fascination/obsession with gear indicators. I feel that the manufacturers have cultivated a crowd of riders who couldn’t be more disconnected from their motorcycles from all of the techno crap.

Gear indicators, computer controlled suspension settings, ride by wire throttles, multiple engine management modes, super duper traction control capable of working with the bike nearly sideways, ABS 25th generation, heated grips, seats, mirrors, 500W stereos, Bluetooth, Mobile Hotspot...good god, does it never end?

Remember when all we needed was fresh tires, Brembo brakes, and a decent suspension, and that was all we needed to rip it up on the curved roads?

I said the phrase “tickle the carbs” the other day in my shop, and the 28 year old standing there, just looked at me with a dazed and confused look on his face.

LMAO.
I agree, my Norge has ABS and heated grips. Thats it and its enough
 
Have heard that the 2021 gear shift indicator on dash is on even as clutch is in and while you shift you see what gear you are in. My 2020 does tell me what gear I am in unless is out. Not good. Let us all know if there is a way to ugrade that
I agree. If they put a gear indicator, it would be nice if it worked all the time. I have, and have had, bikes with gear indicators and they had sensors in the transmission. In this day and age, it costs almost nothing for that kind of technology, but hey, Having one that's a little finicky and not totally accurate all the time is better than none at all. I know a lot of the old school guys are chiding anyone for embracing the new technology because they want to continue to live in yesteryear (which means they probably don't own a computer or smart phone?) but a gear indicator is nice on my new V7 Centenario because it has really long legs. Fifth gear feels like I'm in high gear (only a couple hundred rpm difference) so sometimes I glance down at the gauge and realize I haven't made it all the to 6th yet. Sure you could check by trying to shift again, but the gauge reduces that little screw-up guys make all the time when they aren't sure which gear they are in (and yes, I've been riding for 55 years and unless I count the gears, sometimes I'm not sure which gear it's in because I own and ride so many different bikes that they all have a different sound and rpm for each gear and I can't memorize all of them). Bikes like my XT250 never feel like they are in high gear, so I'm always trying to shift one more time (no gear indicator).
 
My understanding is that the gear indicator is determined by comparing the speedometer reading and the motor revs. Note the indication disappears when the clutch is pulled in.

The delay is probably caused by a relatively slow computer. Yet situation does not occur with the Cali 1400 which uses the same Magneti Marelli IAW-7SM ECU. That stuffs that theory!
 
I have not been able to find a schematic or full parts catalog, but have tested my 2021 V85TT Centenario. I believe it has a physical position sensor on the transmission because I can shift it through the gears while keeping the clutch disengaged and stopped (rocking it as needed to shift) and the display shows each gear as I shift. The owner manual still states that gear position is only displayed when clutch is engaged(like people are describing for the older ones). While I like the display, I would rather have just a neutral light than a display that I could not trust—I am glad I got the 2021 instead of a 2020.
 
For me, the gear indicator on my V7 Stone 850 is most useful when I'm about to turn at an intersection. Even if I can't remember what gear I'm in, a glance at the instrument cluster lets me know how to get into 2nd gear for pulling out of the turn.
 
I would rather have just a neutral light than a display that I could not trust
The earlier ones (V7iii and before) are about 99.99% reliable, especially as I've not read about anyone having it fail. (I've allowed the 0.01% just in case.) They work exactly as advertised. My car's gear indicator also compares road speed to rpm, except that it continues to display that last verified gear whilst the clutch is disengaged and the car is still rolling. Like the Gutz it also shows no gear whilst stationary.

If all else fails, the neutral light which you would rather have is still there.

Like many others here, it's the 1st gear indicator I've ever had on a bike (or in a car for that matter), and with 58 years behind bars, and a wee bit over 1.3 million Kms so far, I don't think I've ever noticed it whilst riding. It's also the 1st bike I've ever had with FI or an ECU - I'd complain more about them than the gear indicator I don't use.

Btw, just ordered a new Mikuni TM-42 pumper carby for my 2 wheeled tractor. Something to fiddle with again:party:!
 
Just been riding my new V9 that last few days, this thread explains a lot :) !

Happier now to know it's a poor system rather than a fault.

Mat
 
Is is really a "poor system"?
It does tell you what gear you are in, if you "just need know"... and it does this without any switches contacts or wires. and that sounds like a cleaver solution to me. It provides those that want to know with an answer, and it keeps the machine SIMPLER for those that understand that less is more.
The complaint that there is no display with the clutch pulled in seems illogical to me, If the clutch is pulled in there is no need to know what gear you are in... it's all disconnected anyhow.

So if you are slowing down for a stop and you pull the clutch in, its safe to say your next shift should be down !
likewise if you are accelerating up to highway speed and you pull the clutch in, perhaps an upshift is in order !

Just my $.02
 
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Like many Geezers here I used to scoff at gear indicators. My V7III is the first scooter I've owned that has one and.......call me a nerd but I like it. When I bought my Ducati I missed the silly thing and I'll probably add one of those gizmos despite the price.
 
If you have to make an emergency stop you need to know what gear is selected so that you can change (down, probably) to select first. OK, there’s a neutral light but if the gearchange when stationary isn’t great it’s harder to know what gear is selected, especially after a potentially stressful event. It’s the only vehicle with a gear indicator that I have owned in 55 years on which the display disappears with the clutch lifted. Most of my bikes haven’t had one at all, but then most didn’t have (or need) six gears either. I also have a CBR650R, about as far removed in terms of engine “feel” as it gets from a relatively slow-revving v twin. I bet most riders do what I do on the CBR and try to select another gear when already in sixth….Arguably that bike needs a gear indicator more than the Guzzi. It has one of course; I use it a lot as engine note alone simply isn’t enough for me as it always sounds as if it’s revving a lot even when it isn’t. Gear is displayed with the clutch pulled on that.
 
Yes, the 2021 and newer V85 has a gear position switch so it shows the selected gear whether moving or not regardless of clutch engagement (as noted in earlier posts). The indication has worked flawlessly for 2 years on my Centenario. My BMW has a similar gear position indicator system that has given no trouble in over 20 years.

My comment about not wanting a display I could not trust was related to the older system that requires the clutch to be engaged and bike to be moving.
 
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