The AE may shift faster, but it will NEVER get off the line faster than a regular manual. All the rags agree - the AE is a net slower bike.
-BD
Actually the AE does shift quite quickly, and I am not convinced the slower time is caused by the launch. The problem is that the clutch reengagement speed at WFO is way too slow. I feel certain that this is where the lost 1/4 mile time is going. You can hear the motor rev as the clutch slowly reengages. I dont know if the programming will be changed in the future, but I suspect the problem may be that there is a maximum speed that the electric motor doing the work can reengage at. Being the proud owner of an AE :heart: I guarantee you I can outshift it in a dragrace without even trying hard. If you want to see fast shifting try riding something with an air shifter, or even with an electronic cutout that allows you to shift while holding the bike WFO. Instanfreakintaneous.
Roy
I have little doubt that the off the line is slower on the AE. Once moving... I have been toying with making mine shift better by riding it different. In fact I did it this morning a little different and have found the following.
At normal (for me) leaving a light, I shift bout 4500 or less RPM (this is city driving) I just twitch ever so slightly my throttle closed, just the briefest instant before I hit the paddle. It shifts and engages so fast I challenge anyone to do it faster. With practice (and I am practicing) there is no perceivable movement in the bike
When leaving or accelerating harder (even to near or at redline) I still have to twitch the throttle ever so slightly, but a tad sooner and slightly more. Then once again the shift is instant and so is the clutch reengaging. Smooth as a baby but back on the gas no suspension movement at all. Both situations also depend on getting back on the gas instantly and just so to avoid nose dive as well
Now, I am not an expert with this bike. I only have 1200 or so miles in it but it can be done and I have to "spend a great deal of my 10.00 of attention) to do it. That is why I am practicing.
This does however bring up some thoughts for me for improving the bike.
Since all of the riding changes I am making involve twitching the throttle I think they could write a better algorithm for the computer taking into consideration the tings I have to think about while trying to make this motion second nature. I think they have sacrificed precision in less than optimum programming and made op for it with conservative clutch programming for slipping.
There may be many reasons for this based in testing that I am not aware of so this is a novices view but my 2cents none the less
My AE will never be able to compete with an experienced rider on a clutched bike. But for me, my bike is fast enough and I love it, no one has passed me yet. I wanna go faster, I will buy a different bike that is more capable in that area.