Suzuki debuts seamless shift gearbox

Rennie Scaysbrook | January 14, 2016

No times were released from Malaysia but Vinales has reportedly already seen improved speed with the new gearbox.

Ecstar Suzuki has debuted their seamless shift gearbox at a private test at Sepang in Malaysia in the hands of team rider Maverick Vinales.

Suzuki was the last of the major manufacturers to bring the gearbox technology to the racetrack, which reduces the traditional ‘thud’ associated with gearshifts by engaging the next gear with the current ratio still in use. The advantage is smoother acceleration and a more stable chassis. The test also saw Suzuki test out the standardized ECU that will debut across all teams in MotoGP this season.

“We had a very interesting test in Sepang, with the seamless gearbox that we spent some time waiting for during the season,” Ecstar Suzuki team manager Divide Brivio told British publication, MCN. “Now it’s ready, and although we only had Viñales as (Aleix) Espargaro was injured, the feeling from it was very positive, and we can see a big improvement, a big help, from his performances.

“We’ve continued to get more experience with the Michelin tires, as well as testing for the first time with the 2016 unified software. We still have a lot to do with it – a lot to learn – and we need to find the right parameters and adjustments. But we’ve started now, and we’ve already got some very good data for our engineers to work on over the winter break.”