Shifting Gears - Honda 1999 Shadow Aero VT1100C3 Owner's Manual

Shifting Gears
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shifting pattern
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Your motorcycle has five forward gears in
a one-down, four-up shift pattern which is
coordinated with a cable-operated clutch
system.
To shift down, press the shift lever with
your toe. To shift up, lift the shift lever
with your toe. With the heel-and-toe
shifter, you can also shift to a higher gear
by pressing the shift lever down with your
heel.
Learning when to shift gears comes with
experience. Keep the following tips in
mind:
40
Basic Operation & Riding
• As a general rule, shift while moving in
a straight line.
• Close the throttle and pull the clutch
lever in completely before shifting.
Improper shifting may damage the
engine, transmission, and drive train.
• Learn to recognize the engagement
point as you release the clutch lever. It
is at this point the transmission of
power to the rear wheel resumes.
• Upshift to a higher gear or reduce
throttle before engine rpm (speed) gets
too high. Learn the relationship between
engine sound and the normal shifting
points.
• Downshift to a lower gear before you
feel the engine laboring (lugging) at
low rpm.