Quiz

Jeandr · Dec 3, 2009

What is this :?: On what motorcycle was it used on :?: What was the name :?:

Jean

chris plant · Dec 3, 2009

hi jean,that looks like the slickshift device on pre unit triumphs?

Jeandr · Dec 3, 2009

chris plant said:
hi jean,that looks like the slickshift device on pre unit triumphs?

I guess it was too easy to fool the experts

it is indeed a Slickshift and from what I was told it was only used one year. For some unknown reason, Triumph discontinued this on all its bikes.

The Slickshift (I guess the trademark has expired a long time ago) allowed changing gears without the clutch, just press the pedal up or down and the ramp would release the clutch. The clutch lever was only used for starting from a dead start, another good idea probably killed by the Ralf Naders of those days.

Jean

L.A.B. · Dec 3, 2009

Jeandr said:
it is indeed a Slickshift and from what I was told it was only used one year. For some unknown reason, Triumph discontinued this on all its bikes.

I believe the Slickshift device was introduced during 1958 or '59, and was still available up to '61, but it was not very popular, so was discontinued after '61.

Jeandr · Dec 3, 2009

Here is a better image. I was told by my friend it was only available in 1956, but his memory may be going so...

Jean

L.A.B. · Dec 3, 2009

Jeandr said:
I was told by my friend it was only available in 1956, but his memory may be going so...

http://www.ianchadwick.com/motorcycles/ ... ime03.html

1958

"Slick Shift" gearbox introduced for 500 and 650 models, offers semi-automatic transmission, but motorcyclists dislike it and many were retrofitted with traditional shifters.

1962
The Thunderbird loses its "Slickshift" transmission and gets comprehensive redesign including unit construction.

http://www.sump-publishing.co.uk/triump ... %20100.htm

In 1958, the unpopular and shortlived slickshift gearbox, which linked the movement of the gear lever to the clutch release mechanism, was introduced (and was discontinued when the unit construction models appeared).

grandpaul · Dec 3, 2009

They were banned in AMA racing. See the book "Triumph, a Century of Passion and Power"; in the section talking about the slickshift, my friend Howard "Shotgun" Winchester is mentioned, and he's the reason it was banned (he still continued to win without it).

gtsun · Dec 4, 2009

Do some modern race bikes have something like this? I was watching a race recently & the camera was showing good views of the riders hands and he was deffinately shifting without the clutch.

swooshdave · Dec 4, 2009

gtsun said:
Do some modern race bikes have something like this? I was watching a race recently & the camera was showing good views of the riders hands and he was deffinately shifting without the clutch.

Yes, but they are electric solenoids, I believe.

grandpaul · Dec 4, 2009

Many racers shift clutchless for most of a race, except on take-off and when stopping in the pits.

There are also pneumatic shifter kits, widely used on drag race bikes.

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Jeandr

chris plant

Jeandr

L.A.B.

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Jeandr

L.A.B.

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grandpaul

gtsun

swooshdave

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