The open road, the twisty bits, a perfect rev-matched downshift… riding a motorcycle is artful bliss. Artistry that relies on readings from your instrument cluster. Checking your speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge comes naturally while you ride. And you might even consider getting an aftermarket motorcycle gear display installed. Why? Because, let’s be honest, every single rider has had a brief, frantic moment of forgetfulness: What gear am I in right now?
It usually happens when you’re navigating slow city traffic. Or worse, when you’re flat-out on the motorway and swear you have another upshift. You tap the gear lever and tap again, only to realize you’ve been searching for the non-existent “7th gear” motorcycles aren’t equipped with. That momentary lapse of focus is a distraction. Distractions are dangerous on the road.
So, here’s a common question we get asked: Do motorcycles tell you what gear you’re in? It’s not an all-bike-inclusive answer. Many modern, high-spec bikes come equipped with a gear display built into the instrument cluster. But a lot of older models and cheaper entry-level bikes don’t. That’s where an aftermarket motorcycle gear display might be a good idea.
We believe in safe and fun riding above all else. So gear indicators are a truly valuable accessory, particularly for bikes that don’t have them as standard. And, crucially, for new riders on entry-level motorcycles. Our impartial and honest guide will help you figure out what you need to ride safe and keep your focus where it belongs: on the road ahead.
Motorcycle gear display 101: What is it and how does it help?
A gear indicator is a simple digital unit to show your current gear. Typically, that’s displayed as a number (1 through 6) or ‘N’ for neutral. It stops you having to rely on short term memory, engine sound, or the tachometer to figure out what gear you’re in. So it’s faster and more convenient.
The confusion over what gear you’re in comes from the bike’s transmission. Unlike a car’s gearbox, where gear ratios are more flexible and you can sometimes skip gears, a motorcycle’s transmission is strictly sequential. This means you must go through each gear in order (1-N-2-3-4-5-6), with no skips possible.
To clear up any confusion on gearing basics 1 is the lowest gear on a motorbike. Low gears (like 1st and 2nd) have the highest torque. That makes them good for accelerating from a stop and climbing hills, but they require high engine revs per minute (RPM) at low road speeds. Conversely, high gears (like 5th and 6th) have the lowest torque but highest road speeds. That allows you to cruise efficiently on faster roads with lower RPMs.
An aftermarket motorcycle gear display translates the internal mechanical position of the gearbox into an instantly visible number. That removes any guesswork and total reliance on sound and feel alone. It’s perfect for freeing up your concentration to focus on throttle control, braking, and hazard perception—all critical elements of safe riding.
The big question: Is a gear indicator necessary?
The short answer is no, a motorcycle gear indicator isn’t strictly necessary for experienced riders. A seasoned rider who knows their bike well usually relies on the engine’s feel, sound, and the tachometer.
But, viewing it as a convenience accessory misses the point—it’s a substantial safety and convenience enhancement. It has value in specific situations:
Benefits of Gear Indicator for New Riders
When you are starting out and recently passed your test, the cognitive load while riding is extremely high. You’re juggling clutch control, braking points, road positioning, and observation. Adding a moment of doubt about your gear can be the needle that breaks your brain’s back.
- Stress Reduction: A gear indicator reduces your mental strain, letting you focus on critical skills like hazard perception and throttle control.
- Consistency: It allows newer riders to consciously check and learn the speed and RPM sweet spots for each gear. That builds muscle memory faster, creates a strong connection with your bike faster, and a firm foundation for future riding.
The Highway Hunt
Even experienced riders who don’t use the display in their day-to-day appreciate it on long, high-speed stretches. This is when the notorious situation of trying to avoid “7th gear” motorcycle syndrome comes into play.
When cruising at high speed, your brain registers your engine is humming along and the indicator instantly confirms it for you. That stops any unconscious, repeated tapping of the gear lever wasting focus and leading to excessive wear on your selector mechanisms.
Preventing Damage and Loss of Control
The indicator offers crucial safety benefits, particularly during aggressive deceleration:
- Avoiding Over-revving: Without a quick reference, misjudging the number of quick downshifts is possible when braking hard for twists and turns. An accidental selection of a much lower gear (e.g., tapping for 3rd but clicking down to 2nd or even 1st) causes a violent over-rev when the clutch is released. The massive engine-to-wheel speed mismatch can damage your bike’s valves, rods and pistons and potentially lock or chirp the rear wheel, leading to a loss of control.
- Riding New or Loaned Bikes: Gear ratios on a rental or a demo bike are completely unfamiliar, just because they’re new to you. Having an indicator shows where you are in the gear box, giving you confidence and control on an unknown machine.
Making the right choice: Selecting and installing your gear display
If you decide an aftermarket gear display is right for your motorbike, the next step is often the most intimidating: installation. It’s natural to worry about cutting into the main wiring loom or performing complex coding.
Fortunately, modern technology has made the process far quicker than you might think. Motorcycle gear indicator installation ease is a major selling point for many manufacturers. You can heave a sigh of relief, because your installation method is likely to be simple; depending on the age and technology of your bike.
Modern solution: plug-and-play
The rise of the plug-and-play gear indicator is the single biggest reason why more riders are fitting them. If your bike has a diagnostic port, installation is easy-peasy. Diagnostic ports vary widely between brands—some have 10-pin round connectors like BMW, others with rectangular 16-pin OBD II Euro-compliant ports. It’s best to check yours before purchasing a plug and play indicator display.
- How it works: You simply connect the indicator’s custom harness directly into the bike’s diagnostic port. The indicator then reads the necessary information (speed and RPM data) straight from the bike’s ECU, bypassing the need to splice wires.
- Calibration: After connecting, these units usually require a simple calibration process where you run through all the gears once (first to sixth). The unit learns the specific RPM/speed ratio for each gear and is ready to go. This process generally takes less than five minutes.
Older bikes: hard-wired options
If your bike is older (pre-fuel injection or without a diagnostic port), you’ll need a traditional hard-wired unit. While the motorcycle gear indicator installation ease is slightly lower here. You may want to ask your mechanic to do the honours, but it’s still manageable as a DIY project:
- The Wiring: These units require you to tap into the speed signal wire (usually at the speedometer) and the RPM signal wire (usually at the ignition coil or ECU).
- The Confidence Factor: While it involves handling wires, most kits come with clear, colour-coded instructions and connectors. This type of installation is a great opportunity to get familiar with your bike’s electrics and gain confidence in performing bike maintenance.
- When in doubt, watch the professionals first: Most wired gear indicator units have YouTube tutorials on how to install the displays. Read through the instructions that come with the unit, watch a tutorial and then get familiar with your bike’s electrics.
Regardless of your bike’s age, installing a gear indicator is far from the complex nightmare you may fear. With instructions, you’ll gain a valuable tool while building your mechanical confidence.
Riding smarter: feel vs. display
Using an aftermarket motorcycle gear display is great for the safety and convenience benefits, especially for new riders, but it is a tool; NOT a replacement for fundamental riding skills.
How to ride without a gear indicator
Every rider should learn to master riding without an explicit gear display. When you train with us we ensure you learn to rely on the three critical inputs:
- Engine Sound: The most immediate indicator. You’ll learn to recognize when the engine is labouring (too high a gear, needs a downshift) or screaming (too low a gear, needs an upshift).
- Feel and Vibration: You learn how the bike feels under you—the power band and the vibrations tell you if the engine is happy in its current state.
- Tachometer and Speedometer: Experienced riders use these two gauges in combination. For instance, knowing that your bike does 60 mph at 5,000 RPM means you are almost certainly in your highest gear (6th).
Mastering these skills lets you keep your focus up, maintaining excellent road craft. Glancing down too often takes your eyes off where you need to go—a big no-no for motorcycling. Your gear indicator, whether inbuilt as standard or an aftermarket installation, is a safety net and confirmation tool when the road is busy or your focus is split.
Advanced riding: clutchless shifting
Riders interested in advanced or track riding often ask: Is clutchless shifting good for a bike?
Generally, clutchless upshifts are not damaging to a modern motorcycle’s gearbox. That’s providing you momentarily back off the throttle to unload the transmission before making the shift. However, clutchless downshifts should typically only be performed on bikes equipped with quick-shifters or autoblipper systems. That’s because forcing a shift without cutting power or engine-matching RPM causes unnecessary wear and shock to your drivetrain.
Your motorcycle gear indicator plays an important role here. It’s critical for riders using quick-shifter setups on the track, where instant confirmation of their current gear is necessary for executing high-speed, clutchless shifts with perfect precision. But, we must stress, CLUTCHLESS SHIFTING IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNER RIDERS OR AS A STANDARD STREET RIDING PRACTICE AND CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT.
Your confidence, your ride
An aftermarket motorcycle gear display is a great tool for seasoned riders. It delivers peace of mind on unfamiliar roads and eliminates the distracting search for phantom “7th gears.”
For the new riders, it’s a safety enhancement that significantly reduces mental load, allowing you to build foundational skills faster and with greater confidence.
Even if you do go for the additional technology of an aftermarket addition, proper riding technique is essential. And that’s where we come in; we’re pros at equipping riders with the skills and knowledge needed for safe and fun riding for life.
Check out our advanced training courses today to perfect your throttle control and gear selection. And for more practical advice on everything from maintenance to motorcycle riding techniques, read more of our blogs!
