Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

So I'm curious. It seems there is a certain percentage of riders who insist that clutch-less gerachanges are the only way to go.
I was wondering if I'm missing something. Whats the big deal about clutch-less gearchanges?
If you're racing I can understand it. A fraction of a second saved per gearchange adds up when the ultimate lap-time is king, but mind you even the racers use clutch on downshifts - well on four strokes anyway.

But for a road-bike I don't get it. Using the clutch gives smoother gearchanges, less chance of missed gears and, most importantly, causes less wear & tear on your gears.

Can someone please enlighten me

technically, if you clutchles shift properly, you're actually saving wear..

You don't drop the clutch on a bike you easy it out.. Which means you are using the spinning of the clutch, gradually getting locked into place to give you that momentum forward..

So if you clutches shift during those hard accelarations points, theoretically you saving your clutch.. As for wearing the gears.. Well I guess if you miss shift, then yes, but if you have good timing, then you can shift to your hearts content when your speed matches your rev's.. same goes for car gearboxes.

As for why.. well why not?? your never going to get it down pat if you don't try and persist with it.. I do it all the time works well for me..

gives me hand a rest changing gears all the time in traffic.. between lights. and I find it's really smooth.. maybe it's just me

I beg to differ champ, a smoother Upshift can easily be achieved by not using the clutch IF the gears are "straight cut" it does take time to develop the skill required to do so. Its better for the box/engine & drivetrainn as its less load/unload due to the closer amounts of Revs required to achieve the same result as a clutched change.
I'm sure someone like Matty or Ian could word this betterererrr. But it can n has been proven to be faster and better for such Machines.
Cheers Brett

When riding hard I always clutchless shift up the gears and use the clutch when shifting down.
When the bikes cold or I'm cruising, and thats not often, I will use the clutch to shift up...
I have a factory pro shift kit, which is a micro bearing detent arm and heavier spring, and this really helps to make faster, definate shifts.. Eliminated a lot of false neutrals I was getting too... This and a 1/4 turn throttle can make up a bit of time on the track...

I'm one for using the clutch both up and down... I do fall into the trap sometimes where I have my foot sitting on the gear level and accidentally down shift and scare the crap out of myself!

I'll give the clutchless up-shifts a go though...

There is something about minimizing the time that the rear wheel is disconnected via the clutch too...

Bike gear boxes are sequential, and made for to take it, so you aren't damaging anything. It is easy and can be very smooth with some practice. I managed quite a few good uns today, all thanks to me oiling my throttle cables...

Clutchless upchanges and downchanges are nothing to worry about. But you gotta do it right.

Upchanges are so piss easy its not really even worth discussing. I always clutchless upchange when riding hard. Just lets you focus on what you're doing and where you're going, and you always maintain drive. Very handy too when exiting corners.

Its the downchanges that take skill and have a better chance of doing damage, because they're harder to do and therefore a greater chance of fuggin it up. But, once you get the hang of it, its just as safe as a clutchless upchange. I did a fair bit of them on the old 250. Its all about taking load off the gearbox. Put pressure on the lever when decelerating (no throttle), and you'll be able to feel it just on the edge of shifting, juuust there. Give it a small, quick spasm of the wrist, as you would on a blipping clutch downchange, and she'll shift just nicely.

Hell, clutchless shifting, you basically do EXACTLY what you do whilst changing with the clutch, cept without it.

Mind you, I always clutch downchange. As i'm always going straight whilst downchanging really, so its just as easy and safer.

I'm gonna take the time to get down changes right...but yeah, you described it well kempy. It is basically a blip on the throttle as you bang down on the gear shift, momentarily increasing revs before you back off and take the load out of the system which is when you strike the gear lever.

But if you think about it like that you'll never be able to do it

Think blip-bang! Blip and bang down simultaneoulsy and you should be half way there.

on the down shift, I just picture this way..

you have pressure on the chain accelerating. back off the throttle for a fraction of a second, and the chain tension backs off, and she'll pop straight into the next gear...

exactly the same for backing off.. but pressure is on the chain in the opposite direction, and you decelerating.. tap the throttle so the pressure on the chain is backed off or a fraction of a second and she'll drop straight up into the next gear..

I find if i' dropping from 1xx i just apply the smallest amount of pressure on the throttle and just pop it down through the gears.. and just do it like 3 times with what ever interval applies to how quick I wanna slow down..


Dunno if you that makes much sense, but it's the mental picture I have when I think of not using the clutch.

well all this talk brings up an intresting point.

when i was 14 i bought a yz80 off a mate for $50. the clutch level was broken. Believe it or not thats all that was wron with it. It was cheap cos the guy wanted to buy a slab and a pack of siggies for the weekend.

Anyway, i was the 4th house built in the street so all around me was paddocks with no fencing. I rode this thing without a clutch for about 2 months and then the box just grinded and didnt do anything else. So i figured the gearbox went. I guess the damage was caused by clutchless shifting.

Why wont this happen to bikes we ride now

I know we dont ride yz80's but its still stresses on the gear coggs and shafts. Timing or not i reckon there could be a bit of damage caused by this.

mrmina wrote:when i was 14 i bought a yz80 off a mate for $50. the clutch level was broken. Believe it or not thats all that was wron with it. It was cheap cos the guy wanted to buy a slab and a pack of siggies for the weekend.

.

what a slab of crownies and a carton of dunhill

rofl..

a gearbox in an old 2 stoke trailbike prob isn't going to be the same design as a much later model road bike..

I could be wrong.. plus you were 14.. and prob the size of a 21yo riding a pee we 80.. rofl


Mina's Dad: Tell Mina to put his helmet on...
Mina's Mum (Reply): It is on...
Mina's Dad: owe so it is..

Mina, i thnk you would of done %80 of the damage stopping in gear & jump staring, another %15 slamming down gears with resulting rear Wheel lock ups & the LAST %5 ........

"Trying To Launch th' Farker"

Go on Now tell me I'm wrong ?.

Cheers Brett

I only clutchless when accelerating fast. It doesn't save you much time and I really don't think it could be doing any good. I don't find it any more smoother it's just if you want to be lazy. I use the clutch 98% of the time. My bike hates clutchless anything under 3rd gear.