Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

I'm looking for some advise on whether changing gears without a clutch does more harm than good.

I really only ever do this when on a track, but when street riding, I do use the clutch to shift up and down.

When changing down gears, given my bike has a slipper clutch, how does this affect my riding.....

There really is no problem as long as you get the timing right. I often don't use my clutch on the road once I'm past 2nd gear. Same going down but I always use it from 2nd to 1st. If you get the timing right you can still rev on the downchange without the clutch. I'm not a mechanic but as far as I know its not harmful to the gears etc. The track is a bit different and also depends on how you set up for slower corners that you come into from high speed and also the bike you are on.

I do use the clutch from first to second and sometimes both going up and coming down, or when I'm going slow into roundabouts etc. I'm just conscious of locking up the rear wheel when changing down without the clutch

I always use the clutch since being told by others on here that if you dont do it perfectly then selector forks etc can be worn prematurely or at worst a new gearbox. The more serious at the track use quickshifters for a reason. For me a missed shift isnt worth the cost of a gearbox or clutch and the poofteenth of a second for a quickshifter doesnt matter

Most always dont use the clutch for upchanges past second gear mind you I have had over 27 years of practice, yes slipper clutch makes you lazy bit I have noticed lately that the dirt bike don't like lazy

"poofteenth of a second " ........is that imperial or metric ?

kaneg wrote:"poofteenth of a second " ........is that imperial or metric ?

Across the flats, but with a metric pitch.

I'll use the clutch, but basically with as little lever pull as possible. Slight preload on the gear lever then start to pull in the clutch. As soon as the gear snicks in release the clutch. I think it's from riding with a pillion and making the changes as smooth as possible to avoid concussion and/or kidney damage.. Or having a bike with the gearbox from a Massey Ferguson tractor

good timing + backing off throttle/blip and its a seamless smooth transition.

All the above.
I do use the clutch on the road, slight pull, not all the way in, works fine.
On the track, once out of 1st gear, no clutch on upchanges, little clutch on down changes, each to their own i think, as long as it not making horrible noises all will be fine i think.
My worst problem is with a slipper clutch, i got into a bad habit of arriving at a corner, say turn 4 at PI or crash corner at broady, clutch slighty in, then bang it straight down to 1st or 2nd, depending on where u are of course,then just let it out all together, and let the slipper clutch do its thing!! bad habit i kno!! but ive had zero problems with clutch and gearbox so far, touch wood!!

I always use my clutch, but when I take off fast, I don't use it when accelerating hard because I don't want to let go of the handle bars

I usually use the clutch going to second on my old bike. Honda CBR 929RR.
After that, if I felt like letting loose a little.... i simply got the revs up, throttled off and then flicked it up a gear.

Worked well for me and I didnt seem to see any issues with the gear box after 40,000k's. A good idea to use the clutch if you can though

z1000-bike wrote: I don't use it when accelerating hard because I don't want to let go of the handle bars

I like that riding style

I have been told by a few mechanics that you really should use a slight amount of clutch on up shifts and also your clutch lever should have a bit of free play to stop the plates slipping at hi revs.

I never used to use it but found after one gearbox rebuild that you probably should. In saying that I don't Always.

Just get enough to unload the box alittle which also a gentler transition onthe dogs in your box.

I think macca's got the idea and fit one of those HM shifter's.
Looking into that, just might add some more bling and get one!!

I use my clutch sometimes without even changing gears just to get a bit of practice in. In second gear pull in the clutch, give it a rev and drop the clutch. Mind you, when the front wheel is in the air I change up gears without the clutch, so it all evens out in the end.