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Gear Indicator

2K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  JIS 
#1 ·
Do other people become fixated on the gear number indicator? On past bikes with no indicator I always (almost always) knew what gear I was in and relied more on the tachometer. Now I'm lazier and don't keep a mental note as often. Now with the gear indicator, I look at that a lot more and then look over at the RPMs. In the mountains, I've noticed it has become a bad habit because it takes more eyes-off-the-road time than before. I also used to listen to the bike more. On the other hand, I do like it for down-shifting because I have a better idea of how to blip the throttle. While I would never want to go back to a bike without one, I wonder if it has been a help or hindrance. Thoughts?
 
#3 ·
Indicator fixation

Popeye said:
Do other people become fixated on the gear number indicator?
I don't know about "fixated" exactly, but I do notice myself looking at it pretty often. My last bike didn't have one, and I never had an issue -- you're right, who cares what the gear number is as long as the RPMs are right?

But I admit that when I make a ... spirited merge onto the freeway I sometimes end up riding in 4th for a while before I remember to slow down and finish shifting up to 6th. The GT will sure get up there in low gears, won't it? :teeth
 
#6 ·
i think i forget what gear i am in now a little more, whereas before i wouldn't. i check it every once in a while to make sure i'm in gear or first gear. prior to having one, i never relied on a gear indicator. i think it makes life a little easier.
 
#7 ·
For me the answer's simple. On much smaller capacity bikes, you always know which gear you're in because your always using the engine much harder. But on the K1200GT, you have so much torque that it is quite easy to be unaware of the gear. I recall recently overtaking a car (raidly) and was really surprised to see that I was in 6th. Because of this, the gear indicator is beneficial. However, am I fixated by it? No. Bit would I miss it; certainly !
 
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