Do you use your clutch?

[Stevieb038]

I'm no expert on this but I always shift 3rd upwards without the clutch. I blip the throtle very quickly and it justs pops into gear. I dont feel any mechanical wear what so ever so I sure there is no stress on the gears doing this else I would feel it. When you get this right its so smooth and very quick....

 

[banjoboy]

I use mine; I dun paid fer it, so'z now I'ma gonna use it. And like it damn it! :BLAA:

 

[greg]

it can be quite fun doing clutchless upshifts..

2nd gear up to the red line, bang it into 3rd, same again, into 4th, bang bang to cruise along in 6th

been trying to make it more of a habbit so that i don't use the clutch on the track

 

[red_rock_beetle]

since reading this, i now dont clutch on the upshift, its smoother for me. alwaays on the downshift tho

 

[vincentmoy]

So, just out of curiosity, at what RPM do you guys clutch-less shift at?

 

[nivag]

it can be quite fun doing clutchless upshifts..

2nd gear up to the red line, bang it into 3rd, same again, into 4th, bang bang to cruise along in 6th

been trying to make it more of a habbit so that i don't use the clutch on the track

2nd to 3rd off the redline is brilliant, the bike just continues to accelerate hard :thumbup:

 

[Piotrek]

Clutchless gear changing, gear shifting or upshifting. - YouTube

 

[visions]

Clutches are cheaper than gearboxes

 

[irish190]

So, just out of curiosity, at what RPM do you guys clutch-less shift at?

You can up and downshift clutchless at ''almost'' any RPM with a bike. Although there is an ''idea'' range when it should be done. When done properly ''little pressure on the shifter, ease off the throttle-upshift, blip the throttle-downshift, you can actually feel the gearbox ''pull'' itself into gear. That feeling alone should tell you that its perfectly fine to do it (without getting into complicated mechanical discussions). I've been clutchless shifting, up and down, for years with no problem at all (wish that made me Valentino Rossi). It feels so natural to me that its almost absurd not to do it. I belive that it helps you to get ''in tune'' with your bike, as it really is a ''feel'' thing. BTW for any who say whats a clutch for anyway? It's for starting and stopping, LOL. Just IMO, short of saving your clutch, doesn't hurt either way.

HAHA, sorry for all the '' ''.

 

[iSteve]

Even though you may not be pulling in the clutch the clutch will still slip. We have fairly close ratio gearboxes but the moment the gear is change there still is a change in ratios and something has to give and the weakest point is the clutch, for good reason. You will also notice as the clutch gets more worn out the transitions between gears get even smoother.

 

[Poot]

Mostly out of habit, but I clutch it every time. I also have a standard Subaru Impreza, so that is the main reason why I have the habit.

I am one of those people that if I drive a car that doesn't have it I am always slamming my left foot on the floor looking for the clutch when starting the car, or coming to an abrupt stop.

 

[killernoodle]

I don't use it to clutch up or down if it's not necessary. This includes the 1-2 and 2-1 shifts. I only use it when I know it will be smoother to use the clutch.

40k miles on the transmission and it shifts and clutches great still.

 

[Mudkipz137]

When I first read this thread title my expression was

I didn't know people rode around on a daily basis not using their clutch on street bikes! I used to ride dirt, and very aggressively at that, and I began skipping the clutch but I always felt uneasy about my gearbox after doing it for a while. I've never shifted my fazer without the clutch, granted I've put less than 1500 miles on it since buying it, so no telling what the guy before me did but.... Oh well.

Sorry boss, I understand about dropping rpm's and easing it.... but truth is just driving around I'm not in a race so no need to 'speed shift' as I've heard it referred to.

My gearbox is clunky as hell and that's just how Yamaha made it, no need to make it worse

Mud

 

[SweaterDude]

How many people use their clutch to change up if their moving on good roads. I don't, I just dip the accelerator and change up. I would use the clutch if I’m in town or riding slowly and always use it for changing down regardless of speed.
I'm no racer or anything but when you get used to it you can have real smooth gear changes.:Sport:

If I were to not use it, it would be for downshifting. I always use the clutch for an upshift. On the dirt, I rarely use the clutch and almost never for downshifting (exception being when I get stuck and need to stop and shift down to first so not to stall.) But on the street I baby my tranny.

 

[Grainbelt]

Clutch cable broke last night while out on a ride. Only stalled it once! Pretty hard to find neutral while approaching a stoplight, without a clutch.

Then leaving a light it is paddle paddle paddle snick vroom!

People probably thought I had a really screwed up moped.

 

[kawkx500]

i only use it between 1st and 2nd .. 2nd through 6th is all clutchless. However i always use it between every gear when i downshift.

 

[foxbass]

Yup, that'll be me too.
Always clutch with downshift as its almost impossible to judge the revs correctly and it whips the chain something fierce.
Pulling away, clutch 1st to 2nd then clutchless thereafter, smooth as silk if done right. No trick, just REALLY barely dip throttle and snick it in. Less of a dip more like rolling off the engine loading a fraction - a little less than you might when using the clutch. That plus not snapping the throttle back open. Keep it smooth.
Thats the idea.

 

[ewink5]

Best practice and habit is to use clutch all the time when changing gears. This is particularly important when down shifting. Having intimate reflex conditioning experience with your clutch is probably the most important aspect of motorcycle riding.

 

[Ssky0078]

If you want to be a pro, buy what the pro's buy, LOL

Dynojet Power Commander III USB / EX Quick Shifter Linear Sensor from SportbikeTrackGear.com

 

[2old2ride]

Back in the Day we called it "floating gears". Gears are cut to mesh, the clutch just takes up the shock of the shift. It damps flex from the gear assembly also. The gear shaft is always spinning. So are the gears on it. So floating the gear is just a matter of matching the spin speeds. Go on Youtube and look at an open gear box. Or open your own.
The mechanical shock of changing gears HAS to go somewhere. Egual and opposite reaction and all that stuff. Most of it is taken up by the clutch assembly. So if you 'blow the float' all that energy has to go somewhere. Gears, shafts, chain, tire, whatever.
Tore up an old Honda 900 doing that. No big loss. it handeled like a milk truck being driven by a drunken cow. Parted it out.
AS far as advice, as our 'cousins' would say, "Do what you bloody well want". Understand that you are increasing the wear and tear on a whole bunch of parts. Especially your if that machine spinning at 14,000 RPM's between your legs decides to explosivly disassemble itself. Never heard of it happening but there is a first time for everything.
For the shifter question, we used what we called "rockers" back in the day. It was just a shift lever long enough to be attached in the center so you could step down on the back to get the front to go up and shift gears. Or you could step down on the front to go down the gears. That was back before they standardised shifting. Brit bikes had the shifter on the right side back then. Not sure if that is what you are talking about.