MO Tested: Healtech Quick Shifter Easy Review - Update

Evans Brasfield
by Evans Brasfield

Improved sensitivity plus Android and iOS compatibility

Almost two years ago, I reviewed the Healtech Quick Shifter Easy and finished my review with the following sentence: “The HealTech Quick Shifter Easy lives up to its name, and it will bring a smile to your face as you run through the gears, hearing the exhaust note seamlessly change as you snick through the gears.” Well, in the world of electronics, two years is a long time.

So, when I learned from Blue Monkey Motorsports that the QSE’s control unit and sensor had been updated, I ordered one up and paid with my own dang money. No review unit request; that’s how excited I was. The update did not disappoint.

MO Tested: HealTech Quick Shifter Easy

Since the only changes are to the control unit and the sensor, read my previous review about the installation and what comes with the kit. For this upgrade, I just bolted on the new sensor and plugged in the new control unit. So, what’s changed? The sensor has been made more durable while increasing sensitivity. The cone-shaped washers are no longer required. Since my R6 pulls the shift rod, I still need to bolt the sensor to the shift arm on the shift shaft. Some fine-tuning of the bolt’s tension was required, which I’ll get to in a minute.

These are the two screens you’ll see the most. On the left, the startup screen that shows the current system status. On the right, where you’ll select what changes you want to make.

The iQSE update paired up immediately with my iPhone 6, and when I opened the iQS easy app, I was surprised to find a setup wizard. The setup requires less than two minutes – which is a good thing. Since my R6 pulls on the shift rod, rather than pushing, the forces it generates are much lower. Consequently, I had to make adjustments to the pinch bolt to raise sensor value. While I was never able to consistently reach the 40% threshold recommended, I was able to get the sensor to read above 35% pretty regularly. Setting the sensor threshold to 30% made my shifts like butter, for the most part. After a call to Blue Monkey Motorsport’s tech support, I plan fiddle with it some more because, occasionally, if I accidentally preload the shifter prior to initiating my shift, I will sometimes miss a shift. No biggie. I’m not racing, just track riding. Still, this is giving me a fun project to play with on my personal bike.

ere’s where you’ll be doing most software adjustments. The pressure-sensor value is generated with your toe on the shifter. The threshold is how you adjust the iQSE’s sensitivity. Easy peasy.

When I previously tested the Quick Shifter Easy, the only way to adjust it was via an Android app. Since I’m an iOS user, I had to borrow a friend’s phone for setup. If you’re an iOS user who sat on the fence because of this, there’s no need to wait any longer. You won’t regret getting the QSE now that there’s an iOS app. Android users should know that the app has the same feature set as shown in the photos here.

Blue Monkey Motorsports is the sole Healtech distributor and handles the U.S. distribution for the iQSE, selling it for $320. The folks at Blue Monkey take Healtech products seriously and can talk you through any installation issues you may encounter. Check the product compatibility listing on the iQSE product page to see if your bike is included. After spending two days on the track thrashing the iQSE, I recommend it even more highly than the previous version.

Evans Brasfield
Evans Brasfield

Like most of the best happenings in his life, Evans stumbled into his motojournalism career. While on his way to a planned life in academia, he applied for a job at a motorcycle magazine, thinking he’d get the opportunity to write some freelance articles. Instead, he was offered a full-time job in which he discovered he could actually get paid to ride other people’s motorcycles – and he’s never looked back. Over the 25 years he’s been in the motorcycle industry, Evans has written two books, 101 Sportbike Performance Projects and How to Modify Your Metric Cruiser, and has ridden just about every production motorcycle manufactured. Evans has a deep love of motorcycles and believes they are a force for good in the world.

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