Newbie here ...........Speedy RS 2019..........learning curve on the Quick Shifter was a painful journey.. But it's been fine the last 8 months or so. Mostly I think the issues were down to not being rev'd high enough and not using decisive enough foot action............Expert reckons these QS' are wrecking gearboxes when used in low RPM changes. Id love hear anyones else's thoughts and experiences with similar issues.

I've long been of the opinion that quick shifters really have no place on street bikes that are ridden by people who ride modestly and mostly at a laid back pace. Lots of riders don't get the fact that they are designed and developed to enable quick shifts, hence the name. They should only be used when you're riding enthusiastically and fast and looking to go as quick as possible. So many use them as lazy shifters, something that negates the need for use of the clutch which they most definitely are not. Heck, I'm even starting to hear them referred to as auto-shifters! It doesn't help that dealer sales people are telling, mostly inexperienced riders, that "it's got a quick shifter, you don't need to use the clutch once you're moving". Entirely the wrong approach. It doesn't surprise me we're starting to see more and more gearbox problems as your expert has noted.

 

You’re right, don’t have to be caining the motor to get use out of a quick shifter. They give butter smooth shifts at 2500 rpm as they do at 11,000.
Assume you don’t have one installed since you’re claiming people using them are lazy.
I suggest they help save clutch wear if you take advantage of the QS. It’s like anything that serves a purpose. Handy at times, or don’t use it, up to you.
I see zero issues with a QS causing transmission issues. I’ve got over 20,000 miles on mine and it’s been flawless.

 

I agree about the Pirellis. At least mine lasted 7k (km) before I replaced them with Michelin Road 6. Just replaced the current pair of Road 6 after 24k and 16k respectively, about 50% more than Road 5.
I have the up/down QS on my 2020 Speedy RS (the 2016 one was up only). I agree with Terry, I don’t need it, but it’s a bit of fun, ordered with, I think, the last new 1050 RS sold in Australia. I use it occasionally for upshifts, rarely down. I hardly ever accelerate very rapidly through the gears. For me, after a few modifications, the RS is a touring bike. I learned that for a clean downshift especially, you do need a decisive prod on the shift lever. I sometimes use it when lazily going down through the gears approaching a corner, but not to get engine braking at higher revs, and not into first gear.
Anyway, after 32000km my gearbox is fine. If your use of QS is damaging your gearbox, wouldn’t your “mechanical sympathy” tell you somehow, with missed shifts, dropping out of gear or some sort of untoward crunching, grating, clunking noise, especially entering/leaving 4th gear, and not just at 4krpm? Do you know if your bike has logged any fault codes? Any metal in your drained oil?
IanB

PS Another thought, you MAY be able to insert a bore scope through the drain plug hole and get a look at the gearbox (esp 4th gear), look for broken dogs, incomplete engagement etc, and at the sump to see if any metal is lying around.
As a first step it beats open heart surgery on the gearbox.

 

Another thought, worth knowing by QS users anyway. My bike came back from its first service at the dealer. It will not see a dealer again while I own it. Gentle QS upshifts were OK, but downshifts were not nice, the engine wasn’t blipping. I found in the panel that bike setup/TSA shift assist was disabled. Possibly the dealer disconnected the battery. I’m not sure if that resets settings to default. It hasn’t done that since in 2 years.

 

Sounds like another case of broken rear wheel pins.