Clutchless Shifting

Polock posted a link to a website that has numerous articles about riding techniques. While reading through them, I came upon one that I've been doing for quite some time now. It reminded me that I was going to throw a poll up here to see how many other riders do the same.

Here's the quote from the article that reminded me:

So, how many of you always use the clutch? Sometimes use the clutch? And almost never use the clutch?

Bonus questions: if you're one that doesn't use the clutch to upshift, do you also downshift without it? And, if so, do you find you ride with just one hand a lot? Answer below.

 

sometimes. i cant get a smooth shift when downshifting without the clutch, especially in the lower gears so i do use the clutch for downshifting.

 

Downshifting is a bit tricky, for sure. I've found that if you put pressure on the shifter then blip the throttle a little, it'll pop into gear fairly easy. Not always smooth, but so far it works the best.

 

I used to drive an 18 wheeler (16) yrs and the only time I used the clutch was to start and stop. But a bike? I will try it and get back to you on this.

 

I do mostly clutched shifting. It seems that there would be far less wear on the mechanicals. I mean, think about it would you rather be pushed hard on the shoulder or punched in the shoulder. Also it puts unnecessary strain on the shift forks trying to pull a gear out when there is still pressure between the bearing surfaces of the gear teeth. Sure, if you are perfectly matched for revs and the bike is coasting under no load either accell or decell then sure it might be the same but how often is that going to be the case?

 

Considering the UNGAWDLY hassle involved in getting to the tranny if you break a cog, I would use the clutch. Racebike, different story, but resurrected 20+ year-old classic street bike? Clutch is much easier to fix...

 

I'm with you BigFitz, MUCH easier to replace a clutch than broken tranny parts.

 

Yeah, but do you realize how fast you can scream through the gears without using the clutch? I personally think Yamaha did an excellent job when designing this transmission. Upshifting shouldn't be a big deal for this gearbox.

 

Where I ride if you SCREAN through the gears on my 750 you will get a high speed driving award.

 

You can upshift without using the clutch but downshifting is an entirely different story. Ever ride with a broken clutch cable?? Waddle Waddle Waddle, Ok I am going fast enough to put it into either first or second. Gear changes from 2nd to third are easy but downshifting always felt like I was trying to slam it in gear. Finding neutral was a crapshoot at best.. Now when I was racing my 550 I used the clutch, Never seemed to slow me down even tho the guy that I was racing against most of the timedidnt use the clutch on upshifts. We were on the same engine and never seemed to pull me becuase of a shift. LOL it usually came to who can out draft who on the last lap or who was getting tired first (usually me). But dam could I get away on the starts!!!

Sean

 

when i am racing i will tap the clutch so i can hold the throttle pegged

 

I have only done the clutchless when I had a cable brake or in my pickup when the slave cylinder went ad. Other than that nope it doesn't take that much effort to pull the lever in and IMO save wear on the bike. I would much rather pull the basket and pop in plates than replace a gear, or shift fork on these bikes.

 

2nd gear gets me well into Performance Award territory. I wear a hi-viz dorksuit and a bright yellow helmet - I don't need MORE attention from the po-po by 'screaming through the gears' any faster than I do with a 10th of a second burned by clutching.

If I need that extra time, something has gone horribly wrong.

 

Helical gears will easily and automatically engage with each other IF THEIR ROTATIONAL SPEEDS ARE THE SAME. The purpose of synchronizer rings or their equivalent is merely to slow the speed of the two gears that are about to be engaged to the same rotational speed....once that is accomplished, shifter lever pressure is enough to cause the gears to engage (regardless of what the differing sizes of the two gears are).

This is why vehicles with unsynchronized gears....such as the truck that grimreaper used to drive.....can be successfully shifted all day long without the use of a clutch. It's also why you hear the engne speed being "blipped" right before a gear change.......the gear on the OUTPUT SHAFT is turning at a speed that is determined via the road speed of the vehicle (since it is being directly turned via mechanical connection to the rear wheels). The gear that you are trying to manipulate into engagement is mechanically engaged to the INPUT SHAFT, and by "blipping" the throttle slightly, you are able to manipulate that gear's speed through a range of rotational speed. If you are also putting even slight pressure on the gear shifter engagement mechanism at the same time, as soon as the manipulated gear reaches the same rotational speed as the output shaft gear, you get instant engagement.

The use of a clutch....which disengages the entire input shaft and associated gears from a direct, forced rotational speed connection that is the same as the engine speed.....merely allows the synchronizers to slow down the input gear more precisely and more quickly.

The exact same process can be accomplished by keeping the clutch engaged, and varying the speed of the engine (gently blipping the throttle) and the gears don't know the difference.............

 

EXACTLY!

 

Hmm..I'll have to try that this weekend and see how it goes.

 

hmm okay so after reading this yesterday of course I had to at least try it out... actually it it is pretty darn smooth when you get the throttle and R's in the right spot. So now I guess I may pickup another habit if I get lazy or just don't feel the need to pull in the lever...

 

a lot of drag racers will install an ignition cutout that has a pressure sensitive switch on the shifter....you can hold it wide open and just keep pulling up into the next gear. when you start pulling up it trips the switch that will momentarily cut spark just long enough to stumble the engine and get into the next gear, i havent heard of any premature tranny issues from anyone who uses a cutout. i was halfway thinking of putting one on my quad and trying it out.

CHECK IT OUT

 

Like grimreaper, I drive big trucks, and only use a clutch when coming to or leaving a stop. On the bike, though, I always use the clutch. Except when I forget.

 

There's no trouble.
Trouble.
Asking for trouble ... and, ...
Begging for trouble!

I think "Clutchless Shifting" these XJ-Bikes would be:

Begging for it!
Unless the guy behind me has a firearm and is closing the distance to put me within range ... I'm using the Clutch to make the shifts.