How Do Motorcycle Transmissions Work?

Your motorcycle is a complex machine, built from over a hundred years of innovation, fine-tuning, and improvement. And nowhere is that truer than in the transmission. The gears in your bike have seen its fair share of redesigns over the decade, all in an attempt to give you the best possible performance. 

So what exactly is going on down there? That’s what Barnes Harley-Davidson is here to help you figure out. We’ve provided some basic information on your motorcycle’s transmission below, but we can also answer any questions you might still have when you visit our motorcycle dealership. You’ll find us in Langley, Victoria, and Kamloops, British Columbia, so stop by today!

What is Sequential Manual Transmission?

Alright, first things first, we need to get some important terminology defined. Your motorcycle comes with something called a sequential manual transmission. If you have any manual automobile experience, then you know on most cars, you can pick whatever gear you want to shift into. This allows you to jump around and shift from third to fifth gear without a problem. 

The sequential transmission in your motorcycle means you’ll need to shift up in numerical order. You’ll start in first gear, then go to second and third and so on and so forth. Likewise, if you need to downshift, you have to do so in order. 

Don’t worry about accidentally skipping a gear and throwing off the flow. It’s not possible! Your Harley-Davidson® motorcycle comes with a foot pedal that gives you two shifting options: up and down. That’s it. There’s no option to skip around like there is in a car.

Something else you’ll want to keep in mind is that the shifting order is actually first to neutral and then onto second, as opposed to first to second. This will come in handy later.

Fun fact: Some race cars also come with sequential transmissions as it improves acceleration. 

Smooth Shifting Tips

Again, let’s start with the basics. As we mentioned, your gear shift lever is down by your feet, probably on the left side. Your clutch is going to be up by your handlebars, again probably on the left side. Finally, the throttle is located on the right side of your handlebars. 

The basic motorcycle shifting process is squeeze the clutch, shift gears, roll the throttle, release the clutch (gradually, not suddenly), accelerate. If you need to shift up, you’ll slip your foot under the gear shift lever and lift it up toward you. Thus, shifting down will require you put your foot on top of the lever and tap downward, toward the ground. One click means one gear shift.

Practice Until You Think You’ve Got It, Then Practice Some More

No one can read about how to use a manual transmission and then instantly nail it. You have to practice over and over again. Even if you’ve ridden motorcycles before and know how to handle a sequential transmission, if you’ve recently purchased a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, or any motorcycle for that matter, the ins and outs might be a little different. No matter if your motorcycle is hand-made or built in an assembly line factory, all models will run just a little bit different. 

Find a big, empty parking lot to hone your skills, and then find low-traffic times of the day to figure out how to handle faster speeds in a safer environment. If you find you’re still struggling, especially if you’re a first-time rider, we highly recommend you sign up for a motorcycle riding course. There are plenty nearby and they offer instructional classes with trained educators, as well as time and space to practice riding under the supervision of an experienced motorcycle owner.

Transmission Maintenance

You might also be wondering how to work on your transmission in the comfort of your garage. This one’s a little trickier. If you have lots of experience fixing your own bike, even at the transmission level, then more power to you. However, if you’re new to riding, we highly recommend you bring in your bike for professional help if you need to upgrade or fix parts of your transmission. There are a lot of expensive parts and mistakes can be costly. 

If you find yourself in need of a trusted Harley-Davidson service department, then contact Barnes Harley-Davidson. We have dealerships in Langley, Victoria, and Kamloops, British Columbia, proudly serving all riding enthusiasts.