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The terms auto-blipper and quick shifter are very new to bike riders because only premium segment bikes are providing these two features.The gearboxes are changing as these mechanisms make the whole process of gear changing easier. Sometimes it becomes quite confusing for the riders to change the gear while the bike runs at a high speed. If a bike provides these two features, the rider can change the gear without using the clutch. These features are now available in mostly all kinds of bikes like racing bikes, Tourers, street bikes as well as cruisers.
The initial pickup of the racing bikes must be high, so if a bike offers these two features, then the biker can move his/her bike without using the clutch. On top of these, Some superbikes are also equipped with features like wheelie-control and traction control which can save the riders from several accidents. Quickshifter and auto-Blip are the gifts of modern automobile engineering. They became very famous when the company Kawasaki launched its 2020 model of ZX 10R. Now, the main topic is, how do these two things work?
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The main mechanism of quick-shifter:
A few months back most of the premium superbike manufacturing companies provided this feature to their bikes, but now it is also used in normal bikes. The new Adventure Duke 390 from the KTM motorcycle also provides this feature in it.
This innovative technology compromises a small sensor and wire which cuts the power line for a second, helping in shifting the gear. A rod is attached to the gear-lever of the gearbox. The battery of the bike produces an ignition or a spark for a moment. When the spark is generated, the power is transformed into mechanical energy and the vehicle goes ahead. If a bike has the feature of quick shifting, a compression is made in the gear lever by the sensor and it cuts the ignition of the bike for a millisecond. A load is provided in the gearbox and it generates power thus the rider can easily upshift the gear without using the clutch lever. When the gear is changed, the spark plug is again activated and the process is done in a cycle. The rider doesn' have to reduce the throttle response, he just needs to pull the throttle and then can up-shift the gear. Usually, a rider releases the throttle and presses the clutch and after that changes the gear. If someone changes the gear by pulling the throttle, it produces a mild jerk in the bike, but the quick shifter does not produce any type of jerk while changing the gear.
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There are several types of quick shifters like track quick shifter (especially for track riding), race quick shifter( here the process of quick shifting is faster and it is for only racing purposes) and many more. This feature is more helpful when the bike is at a high rpm. The experience of the rider becomes incredible when the gear is shifted faster. New advanced quickshifter technology says that a rider can control the kill-time of the quick shifter by using a mobile app. Bikers can get this feature installed in their bikes from the aftermarkets.
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Main advantages of quick shifter:
- A rider can change the gear without using the clutch lever. It really helps the racers because changing the gear without using the clutch or pulling the throttle takes less time and increases the possibility of winning the race.
- Some companies manufacture quickshifters which can be controlled by mobile apps. The rider can customise the kill time of the quickshifter.
- If the company provides the feature of quickshifter, then riding experience will be more efficient and comfortable as it does not produce any vibration in the bike.
- It makes the initial pickup of the racing bike faster. As a result, the bike can catch a significant speed at the first and second gear.
- The rider can change the gear by pulling the throttle. Sometimes the bike can make a sound while using this feature and it denotes that the engine and gearbox are working efficiently.
- These electronic features make the bike more compact. As an example, the previous Suzuki Hayabusa was a raw bike with minimum electrical devices and also it does not provide quick shifter and auto flipper but the 2021 new Suzuki Hayabusa comes with a lot of electrical devices including auto flipper and quick shifter.
Here the rod is directly connected to the gearbox and the wire helps the mechanism to stop the ignition.
Examples of quick-shifters:
HM quick shifter, Bazzaz quick shifter, Dynojet quick shifters and many more. These three are the best quick shifters companies in the world.
Mechanism of auto-blipper:
In case of the down-shift of the gear, the term auto-blipper arises. This mechanism helps the rider to down-shift the gear without pulling the clutch. It matches the wheel rpm to the engine rpm and compared to the up-shift, it also produces a load in the gearbox of the bike. The motorcycles must be equipped with the Drive by wire technology, because it is the most essential part of the auto-blipper. This innovative technology is an example of advanced automobile engineering and advanced electronics engineers.
The auto calibration system plays the main role of controlling the kill-timing and also this process provides a dynamic fuelling cut. The throttle pedal position sensors are monitored by an auto-blipper. This can open the throttle response when the rider applies down-shift and also this technology does not produce vibration. Mechanical wear and tear is reduced by the auto blippers and it also increases the stability of the bike. One of the incredible mechanisms is when the rider down-shifts the gear, it directly connects with the clutch safety interlock switch. The OEM sensor of the bike works with a calibration.
The auto-blippers can control different sectors of the bike like throttle, brake, clutch mechanism. If the bike has a smart display, then the rider can see the sensor’s activity and also it helps the rider to understand where they have to use the mechanism.The smart sensor also gives notifications if the tire pressure is high. The rider must reduce the pressure otherwise the tire can burst and the rider will fail to downshift at the right time.
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Advantages of auto blippers:-
- The rider can downshift the gear at a high speed without pulling the clutch.
- It also provides a comfortable ride as the rider can enjoy a vibrationless down shifting.
- This mechanism is directly connected with the Throttle pedal position sensor (TPPS) which helps to interconnect the brake pedal switch and the clutch safety interlock switch.
- It will not turn off the engine power when the road is not good for riding.
Some disadvantages of quick-shifter and auto-blipper:
1. These two features cannot be used in lower end bikes( like 124.7 cc hero super splendour, 150 cc Bajaj Pulsar). Some mechanics can install the features in those bikes but the rider cannot enjoy the exact feel of the features.
2. If these two features are not pre-installed and the owner wants to install it in his/her old model bike, then it will be harmful for the bike’s engine. Sometimes bad servicing can create major difficulties with the ignition mechanism of the bike, even sometimes the clutch plate can be burned.
3. As the riders become habituated with no-clutch gear shifting, they can face several problems while riding the clutch-gear bikes.
4. These two mechanisms can only work from 4000rpm to 11000rpm, so the rider cannot use them in the traffic.Also, in case of superbikes where the rpm is very high (approximately more than 12000) these two features do not work.
This current generation is full of new technologies and science and quick-shifters and auto-blipper are the best examples of advanced engineering. Through these features, The engineers’ main target is to provide safety policies to all the racers and riders and also it is helpful for all types of bikes. Most importantly, it is said that, the Sunday rides as well as the track ride, both rides will be more comfortable as well as enjoyable only for these two features.
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