Quickshifter-equipped vehicle control unit and quickshifter-equipped motorcycle

A quickshifter-equipped motorcycle comprising:

• an engine configured as an internal combustion engine serving as a power source for travel of the motorcycle;
• a shift operation member configured to receive a shift operation performed by a rider;
• a gear transmission connected to the engine and configured to select one speed change gear pair from a plurality of speed change gear pairs in response to the shift operation and shift from one gear position to another gear position;
• a shift operation sensor configured to detect the shift operation;
• a main clutch disposed between the engine and the gear transmission;
• a clutch actuator configured to actuate the main clutch;
• and
• a control unit comprising an engine speed calculator configured to calculate an engine speed and a shift controller configured to operate in a quick shift mode and in a normal shift mode, the quick shift mode being a mode in which upon detection of the shift operation, the shift controller adjusts an output of the engine while keeping the main clutch in an engaged state, the normal shift mode being a mode in which upon detection of the shift operation, the shift controller controls the clutch actuator to bring the main clutch into a disengaged state, wherein
• the shift controller selects the quick shift mode when the engine speed is higher than a predetermined rotational speed threshold, and
• the shift controller selects the normal shift mode when the engine speed is lower than the rotational speed threshold.

A method for controlling a quickshifter-equipped vehicle including an engine configured as an internal combustion engine serving as a power source for travel of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving a shift operation performed by a rider;
• selecting, via a gear transmission connected to the engine, one speed change gear pair from a plurality of speed change gear pairs in response to receiving the shift operation, and shifting from one gear position to another gear position;
• detecting the shift operation;
• calculating an engine speed;
• upon detection of the shift operation, operating in a quick shift mode in which an output of the engine is adjusted while keeping a main clutch, which is disposed between the engine and the gear transmission, in an engaged state;
• and
• upon detection of the shift operation, operating in a normal shift mode in which a clutch actuator is controlled to bring the main clutch into a disengaged state, wherein
• the quick shift mode is selected when the engine speed is higher than a predetermined rotational speed threshold, and
• the normal shift mode is selected when the engine speed is lower than the rotational speed threshold.