How to Shift a Rotary Gear Transmission?

[VanJuniper]

The neutral position N of a rotary gear transmission is located between 1st gear and 5th gear. You can directly shift from 5th gear to neutral by pressing down, then move into 1st gear. In contrast, the neutral position of an international standard transmission is between 1st gear and 2nd gear. To shift into neutral, you can either gently pull up slightly from 1st gear or lightly press down from 2nd gear. The same operation applies when downshifting during deceleration, which means gradually shifting down as you slow down.

[ElizaMarie]

The shifting pattern on a rotary gear motorcycle works like this: Press down for 1st gear, lift up to 2nd gear, lift again to 3rd gear, and once more to 4th gear. At this point, lifting once more will shift to neutral. From neutral, pressing down again returns to 1st gear, completing a circular cycle. When starting, hold the brake and ignite in neutral. For a smooth start, directly shift to 1st gear. Beginners should especially develop the habit of finding neutral when parking; otherwise, the bike might lurch upon the next start. When shifting gears, avoid being too forceful—just lightly tap the gear lever with your foot to find the rhythmic click sensation.

[JudeRose]

I've been riding motorcycles for over a decade, and for the rotary gear shift, I just remember the mantra 'step down for 1st, lift up for 2nd, 3rd, 4th'. Before starting off each time, I gently probe the position with my left toe – if the lever feels loose, that's neutral. The key points are starting and stopping: to start, shift directly from neutral to 1st gear with an upward lift and give it throttle to go; before stopping, gently lift up repeatedly until the dashboard shows N, indicating you're in neutral. On rainy days, rubber shoes tend to slip, so you have to use the side of the shoe for better leverage. When shifting gears, pull the clutch all the way in, and keep the RPM below 3000 for the smoothest shift. I remember when I first started learning, I'd often rev the engine in neutral – thinking back now, that was pretty dangerous.

[OAxel]

The design of the sequential gear shift is particularly simple, involving just two actions: pressing down and lifting up. Press down for 1st gear, lift up for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears, and lifting past 4th returns to neutral. The key detail is that you must pull in the clutch when shifting, and the lift should be light and crisp. Many beginners struggle with finding neutral. Here's a little trick: when in 4th gear, half-pull the clutch and lightly lift halfway; feeling the spring rebound means you've engaged neutral. It's recommended to practice gear switching in the garage often to build muscle memory, which is far more practical than the slalom test during the driving exam.