I don't seem to have trouble with any of the 1-2-3-4-5 or 5-4-3-2-1 shifts. My old 5-speed fels much the same in those gears, so I'm fine there.

But I *do* find myself concentrating a little on the shifts that involve 6th.

I'm still getting used to the fact that I even *have* a 6th, and that one feels alien to me. And it almost feels like that shift is a bit diagonal back and to the right compared to what I'm expecting. If I don't think of 6th gear as something of a 'back and to the right' motion, I end up in 4th when I'm looking for it.

And shifting into reverse is still something I'm trying to master. It's way out to the right and just feels unnatural.

 

IMO this shift is cake, I just put pressure straight back with a slight left angle to it and it goes into 4th every time...if by some chance I missed 4th I'd hit 6th instead, no big deal.

For the Reverse gear I cup the shifter nob in my palm push down, far right and back and it goes in smooth as silk. If you are not cupping your palm over the shifter for this and simply gripping it and trying to hit Reverse you end up not getting enough downward pressure on it.

- J

 

 

 

What he said.

 

I think there's too much fuss out of something so simple.

Talking about a 5th to 3rd shift would be more interesting...

 

I take my right elbow and slam it into gear without using the clutch. Sometimes I can only get it to go so far, stupid piece of crap, then I grab the hammer and start beating on it until it goes in.

 

I think you've got the answer already. But just smoothly pull it back, and it'll drop into forth. You have to pull against the spring to get it into 2nd. 3rd and 4th are easy this way, since the gear shift centers here. You have to push it over to get from 5th to 6th. So just pull back *smoothly* and you're there.

 

i do the 3rd to 4th, 5th to 6th, and 5th to 4th shifts all the same.

backhanded, with thumb pointing down; palm on top leftish portion of knob.

 

MOMO "anatomic" shift knob.

Extra feedback to let you know where center is and to not pull "across" into second.

It has helped cut down the 1-2 grind by giving a little extra leverage when that shift gets finicky.