Out on the Darmah a couple of days ago and when barrelling up to & through a corner, I've never thought Ooo I wonder what gear the bike is in? But having never ridden a bike which has a gear indicator I wouldn't know if they are useful or do they just solve a problem I didn't realise I had?
I think it's a problem that doesn't exist, you know what gear you need the bike to be in by the revs. Saying that I have bikes with gear indicators and I wouldn't say they are useful, but if for some reason I know the bikes in the wrong gear I can have a quick glance to confirm what my ears and backside is telling me.
I find them useful. Its right that you can mostly determine your gear by sound and revs, but sometimes youre clutch in and at tickover, or you are coasting into a roundabout or a set of lights etc and a quick glance is useful. I started my proper bike career on GS750's and they came oem on them. I like that my 1299 has this feature and its even more useful on track. Not having them isnt a showstopper, but having them is handy every now and again. Any aids that can help you are a good thing.
I reckon it's a bit like using a map then swapping to a GPS system. I grew up with bikes with just a gearchange and never thought about being in the wrong gear or needing a light for neutral. Nowadays I'm seemingly reliant on lights and numbers! It'll be interesting when I eventually get my RH-change '75 Bonnie on the road...
Half of my bikes have gear indicators and the other half don’t and I don’t really notice it when swapping between bikes so I’d say useful but definitely not needed.
I went from a multi to a monster and thought I’d miss the gear indicator (and the fuel gauge) but can’t say I miss either. I do occasionally try and change up a gear when I’m already in top but that’s just because the bike pulls so well in top (at certain revs). I dare say I’d use them if I had them though.
"That was true with the old Jap fours, but with the 999 it scarcely makes a difference. I'm more worried I'll run out of juice even sooner. Or road." On a 999 I can see it wouldn't & I dunno about old jab fours but this happened with me not so long ago on the V-Raptor whilst biffing down the motorway at er... speed. Strangely enough it was around the same time I decided to change my route into work and go via the B roads.
a definite asset for the over-60's and particularly if already cognitively challenged. Best advice is to try a bike with one for a while, it's like a "little helper" sometimes if other stuff is also challenging you during the ride. I had one on my Raptor (inherited facility from Suzuki) and remember the aid fondly.
