Are gearboxes in the engine a race gear selection 1 up 5 down that's only changed by the linkage rods from the rear sets 1 down 5 up if so why is it changed ?
Because when you are accelerating and changing up gear, it's preferable to keep your weight on the pegs for control purposes. Hence pushing the gear lever down change gear up. I think this was your question. :Watching:
The drum is invariably different on a race gearbox and is often Ergal but it does not affect the way the gears change in the box, it is only for lightness and would not last as long if used on a road bike. The gears are no doubt hardened and rumbled as well, it depends on who is setting the bike up and what is required. As to gearchange method that is down to linkage\quickshifter setup and anyone using the bike for racing will probably go for the race gearchange setting.
Race pattern is usually "down for up" because when you are cranked over at the limit you can't get your foot under the lever so wouldn't be able to hook a higher gear on the exit.
Some gearboxes are close ratio boxes that are fitted to the 748 -9** range, as per the list below. Using an ergal gearbox drum would definitely see it not lasting that long on the road. As far as I have found out, apart from using different primary gears most people that used to race Ducati's would use a stock gear cluster and then alter the sprockets and or the primary drive gears. There is also the ride height settings to consider and again sometimes an alternative gearing but the same ratio\s was used in order to avoid upsetting the ride height. Some of the early 748 racers did appear to be nothing more than tuned road bikes, as can be seen in this 1997 World Supersport Photo of Paolo Casoli.
Before the mid-1970s most bikes had a "first-up" gearchange pattern, and also had the gearlever on the right. This changed over to the first-down/gearlever-on-left arrangement which became standard on road bikes in the 70s. I must say I strongly preferred the old system, but needs must and everyone had to adapt including yours truly. Racers set up the gearchange to suit their own special requirement, as always. Ian Hutchinson, for example, uses a right-side first-up pattern, I believe.
I have a NOVA race gearbox with race shift pattern in my 1098R. I bought it like this and the quickshifter fitted only works with the race shift pattern. All my other bikes have a traditional shift pattern, but you get used to it very quickly and I've never 'went the wrong way' so to speak. The gearing is a nightmare in traffic, having to ride the clutch much below 30mph, hence why I don't use it in traffic A larger rear sprocket would probably sort it, but I like the gearing when on the run.
From experience I have found that roadshift works best on the road and race shift works best on track. The hardest part for me was knocking it into neutral comfortably when using race shift on the road. It didn't work for me because of having to stop and find neutral at times. On track finding neutral isn't an issue as you only need it when stopping or pulling off track to a standstill.
I m doing ok with Race patten I fitted a HM Plant quick shifter which I think helps so no clutch up the box (once into 2nd) and only clutch down the box gotta say love the quick shifter
Yeah, I'm in 1st all the time in traffic, which isn't so bad at 30mph, much lower and I have to start riding the clutch.
Spot on, very close ratios. TBH, it's wasted on a 1098R as it has massive torque through the rev range and will pull your arms out of their sockets at most revs. But once you get over 70ish, it feels very good.
Hmmm, doesn't start to feel really good until after the legal limit - sounds a bit worrying... Sounds like a case for keeping the close ratios but dropping the gearing to me.
It's so long since that my recollection is somewhat blurred but I'm surprised that you say most bikes were one up three down. I seem to remember that some bikes were indeed one up three down but none that I actually owned. I thought the unit Triumph I had and the Metisse with a BSA Gold Star gearbox were both one down and the Bultacos and the T160 but that was late 70s and probably left change.
As far as I know, my 1098R has a standard R box in it however, I too have to ride the clutch often in town. Mini roundabouts sub 30mph are a real pain as it just doesn't go slow enough to negotiate them without brakes/clutch! Otherwise...what Rob said.
I have no plans to @Sev The NOVA box is a great piece of kit. Nova - Ducati-916-955-996-998-999-1098-1198-Race-Motorcycle-Gearbox Here are the differences in ratios between the NOVA race box and the standard box. As you can see, the NOVA ratios are a lot closer through the range. 1st is very tall, somewhere between 1st and 2nd on the standard box, hence why it can be juddery at very low speed needing use of the clutch for smooth progress.
Taken from the NOVA website. The Ducati information was gained in a similar way. Maybe there are other factors at play rather than a simple division calculation. More than likely it's a mis print as the calcualtions for other gears work out fine. Should it be 16-32 as it's a 2:1 ratio Anyhoo, 1st is taller.
Tut...shoddy calculations. That's why it's always good to "show your working" as you will then get a mark for your method! (Maths O Level 1977)
