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D or S Mode on DCT bikes

Default D mode 95% of the time or more.
Sometimes I'll use S mode if I'm in town as it seems to shift up and down less around 25 MPH.
Even more rare still I'll go manual due to this.
Coming from 250-500cc scooters I don't care for the bump that happens when it shifts at low speed.
 
Hi folks,

Which mode do you use more S or D mode on your NC700XD? Why? Just curious.
When coming up to a stop sign or light I flick it to sport so it down shifts when I want it to. Then take off in sport and flick to drive when I get up to cruising speed. In twisties- sport.

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My riding is mostly commuting and "D" works perfectly. I do use the 'downshift' button a lot during slowing for lights, stop signs, traffic, etc.

When I do get out in the hills and twistys, it's "S" mode for me.
>Thom
 
I’ll use S in traffic or interstate. Mostly I’m in manual mode, especially in the twisties. I like the easy shifting with the paddles. [emoji16]


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D, most of the time. I'll downshift for compression braking and flick it into M if I think it's needed to hold the lower gear.

Sometimes M when practicing tight circles and figure eights. But I'm really trying to get good at that in D mode. I'm a retired police sergeant and these exercises are important to me. Sixteen years assigned to training is hard to walk away from.

I live ten miles from Skyline Drive and ride there and the BRP all the time. So on that kind of ride it's M if I'm feeling sporty, otherwise D. I used S and found I have no need, at least so far.
 
Mine is a 750 but the difference is minimal. For sport riding on twisty backroads I use S1 with manual shifts where required, mostly downshifts. My reason for using S1 is that the box shifts up too quickly in D mode for such riding when good acceleration is required. Then if on a motorway and chilled out I will generally use D mode. I also sometimes use D mode in heavy slow moving traffic but I rarely find myself in that situation.
 
I change in and out of D and S1 depending on traffic and speeds.

If I'm just cruising on streets to work or home, not in a hurry, I keep it in D.

But if I come up on heavy traffic and have to split lanes I want to tighten things up, so will go into S1. That also gives the bike a bit of engine braking, as I will be in a lower gear than if in D mode, where it seems like if I let off the throttle the bike just cruises along in neutral until speed drops enough to mandate a downshift.
I almost never downshift in Manual mode. It's just a bit awkward for my thumb to reach that lower - button. At stops the bike downshifts itself all the way into first gear, but only at very low speeds.

I may also switch into S mode for getting onto the freeway. I don't like the D mode shifting into 6th gear too early (39 mph!?) when I'm trying to get up to speed quickly.
An alternative to switching into S mode from D would be to just go to manual mode. That way I can hold the bike in gear (usually 5th gear when getting up to speed) longer than D mode would allow.
Once I'm at freeway speed I'll switch back into what ever mode I will be needing.

I've used the other S modes, 2 and 3, but unless I were riding the Snake (Mulholland) I have never found the need to hold the bike in gear for so long.

On the first gen NC700 would its sole S mode be my S1?
 
I change in and out of D and S1 depending on traffic and speeds.

If I'm just cruising on streets to work or home, not in a hurry, I keep it in D.

But if I come up on heavy traffic and have to split lanes I want to tighten things up, so will go into S1. That also gives the bike a bit of engine braking, as I will be in a lower gear than if in D mode, where it seems like if I let off the throttle the bike just cruises along in neutral until speed drops enough to mandate a downshift.
I almost never downshift in Manual mode. It's just a bit awkward for my thumb to reach that lower - button. At stops the bike downshifts itself all the way into first gear, but only at very low speeds.

I may also switch into S mode for getting onto the freeway. I don't like the D mode shifting into 6th gear too early (39 mph!?) when I'm trying to get up to speed quickly.
An alternative to switching into S mode from D would be to just go to manual mode. That way I can hold the bike in gear (usually 5th gear when getting up to speed) longer than D mode would allow.
Once I'm at freeway speed I'll switch back into what ever mode I will be needing.

For a transmission capable of doing everything by itself, it seems like a lot of intervention is required.

The DCT is amazing, but when I ride a DCT I use manual mode all the time (never seem to be happy with the automatic shift points). It’s nice that it shifts down automatically when coming to a stop.
 
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Depends on my mood...if I want a relaxed ride D...if i want to have fun in some twisties, S
Use paddles as needed, but very seldom.
 
I find S is what I use in city stop-and-go riding, and also in hilly or varying terrain. I keep it in D for most basic riding. Last week, in my third run through the Tail of the Dragon, I found it worked best for me to use M and to keep it in 2nd gear the entire way (it never downshifted.)
 
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