The gear shifts are detected by the FlatShifter shift rod which is fitted in place of the existing gear shift rod. This senses the force and direction applied to the gear lever and passes a signal back to the control unit every time the gear lever is operated.

When the gear lever is operated in the upshift direction the shift rod sends a signal to the control unit when a pre-set amount of force has been applied to the gear lever. The control unit momentarily "kills" the engine by disconnecting the ignition coils, removing the torque from the gearbox and allowing the gears to move, giving a virtually instant gear shift. The control unit then re-connects the supply to the ignition coils allowing the engine to run again. The kill time is typically around 60ms but may be adjusted on the control unit. The control unit also has a 250ms lockout time immediately after the kill time to prevent multiple triggering caused by bumpy road surfaces or friction in the gear linkage. Shifts can be made smoothly and quickly at part or full throttle.

By operating the gear lever in the downshifting direction, the patented throttle blip system allows a smooth downshift to be made at all speeds without the need for a slipper clutch. The downshift actuator spindle replaces the original engine idle adjuster screw, and provides a precise throttle-blip of the correct level to ensure a smooth downshift. The system has a built-in inhibitor which helps prevent rear wheel locking or engine damage caused by shifting down at too high engine speed.

The control unit also provides a visual LED indication of gearshift and an audible bleep to help speed up the initial installation, setting up and testing of the system.

FlatShifter Pro provides fast upshift and downshift.

FlatShifter Club provides fast upshift only.