I installed a B&M short shifter about a month ago now and because i couldnt get any dual ben here in aussie land so i was forced to go with a straight one... Now dont get me wrong, this one i have now is as good as a dual bend cos i got what i paid for and its doing the job very well but as you said the gears 1,3,5 seem to go up further than me which is not a big deal but what can you do...

Also it did make the gear stick a little bit shorter by notice and how it works is that the pivot ball to the bottom of the stick is longer than the stock which makes the shorter throws!!!!

I suggest you get one from ebay for a cheap price and see how you go with them and then decide if you want a dual bend or straight which i should've done from the start but i just got what i got now!!!