1st, 2nd, 3rd, are close ratio so you will have head snapping response but when you get to 4th and up, more for cruising and open road so unless you are upper rpm band, will not respond as quickly.
I'll take post #5 for $200, Alex.
The closer I get to top gear, the closer I match a 1 to 1 ratio with the crank. 1st is to leave from a dead stop. 2nd is an all around gear for low speed work an partial mid. At this point I am more concerned about my engine pluses being smooth in the gear selection dept. I want to avoid those that knock, or cause a lugging action that occurs at too high of a gear, too low of an rpm.
If you want to practice select my gear to rpm, the foot shifting down is entering a plush engagement at an ever so slight change of rpm. The incorrect gear select is when the downshift occurs, the rpm ramps up so fast, the bike slows down just as fast... Can you see/hear that happening?
The upshift is exactly the same. It has to match a plush engagement and the engine has yet to buck, drop it's nose, buck your arms straight, then no, you are not in control of the gearbox to throttle to smooth engine apply. As corny as it sounds, you have to be 'at one with' the engine/trans/smooth/apply.
As long as the engine is smooth at any rpm and you apply throttle, no hez, no lag, no buck, you clucking, clogging, cog in a gearbox you. I can't believe it shifts like butter.