AE Walk Through.

[Flyguy]

I disaggree strongly! I wouldn't sit in neutral at a stop light. If you're sitting there and some cager is screeching his brakes behind you, you will not want to waste a second to shift into first, hit the gas and move fast! Other than that everything else is good. I upshudy with the finger and downshuft with the foot.

Following this logic, on your previous bike that had a manual clutch you would be sitting at a long light with the bike in gear and clutch squeeded tiring your hand and the bikes pressure plate springs. Not recommended by the manufacturers.

 

[Dale Franks]

Concur with everything Dale said with the exception of downshifting with the finger lever. Not only have I never had an issue, but I find the downshifts are smoother/quicker than the upshifts. Dale, what do you mean by the downshifts aren't "error-free"?

You flick your finger and miss, occasionally. Or you jab with your thumb and honk the horn.

On the other hand, you never miss with your foot.

 

[Cdogman]

After time... You never miss anyway... I up shift w/finger... I downshift w/thumb It is personal preference for sure bu come on... it is also just a matter of practice.... I have done two track days on my bike as well.... never missed a shift in either direction............. BTW THE yccs is an AWESOME track companion.... part slipper cluth too

 

[sierrarider]

Thank you, to everyone who provided a response to this issue. I've been considering trading in my 04' on an 08' and have been unable to decide between the A and AE. After a test ride on an 06' I was even more confused. I love them both.

You've answered most of the questions and concerns I had about going to an AE. Based on your comments about foot and bar shifting I am a bit confused.

Question: I was under the impression that in order to change between the foot shift and bar shift you had to push a selector button. Yes, No?

As far as the comments about being in neutal at a stop light goes;

I have a friend who was told in a rider safety class to always stay in 1st gear when stopped at a light. On a test ride of a BMW F800 (this person felt an FJR was too much bike for their use and I think they were right) they got distracted by very rude people in a cage. Instead of balancing the bike so they could take their left foot off the ground and shift into 1st my friend just let the clutch out. The bike started to go left into oncoming traffic and my friend bailed and dropped the bike, better then going into traffic. The point is that keeping a bike in neutral at a stop light is, in my opinion, a good practice for safe riding. Check traffic on all sides when you stop and be ready to launch on green. Note: My friend was OK and thank goodness for insurance or it would have been a very expensive test ride.

 

[Spook]

Like I said if you are at a stop light and you hear squealing tiers behind you there are no good choices.

 

[mcatrophy]

...Question: I was under the impression that in order to change between the foot shift and bar shift you had to push a selector button. Yes, No?

...

You have to select the bar shift with a button, but the foot shift is always active (never understood why MamaYamaha didn't make the hand shift always active as well, probably a lawyer thing).