Shifting without the clutch

[Draxsonimy]

Do it on my Buell and every bike I own.

slight blip of the throttle and its smooth.

Most motorcycle trannys are a constant mesh
sequential shift trans.

sportbike magazine stating it causes no damage and is a learned skill

via wiki - Beyond the ease of use from a driver's standpoint, an additional benefit of sequential manual gearboxes is that use of the clutch via foot pedal or hand control can be minimized or completely obviated, with the clutch only used for starting from a complete stop.

edit: service manual img

 

[OldGeezer]

Hey Kid, you need to get yourslef a modern truck LOL Just kidding.

Thanks for the clarification, all the trucks I have driven, mostly flatbeds with up to 15Ton capacities all had syncro trannies, along with split diffs, but I've never driven highway tractors so I can't comment, good to know, thanks.

 

[onelogue]

Draxsonimy, [up] for the picture! Great reference picture that i tried finding a while back.

 

[Kid1620]

Geezer I kinda like the nonsyncronized transmission. You get comfortable with rev matching a syncronized trans. Makes it more fun to get no the brakes later and heel two down a couple the floor it coming out of the corners. Only drive like that in cars not my big truck.

 

[Lesley]

Why use the clutch? They are only for looks. Just another reason to charge more the bike. I took mine out, melted it down and made a necklace from it. Now I'm a big time MC hip hop rappah yo yo yo

 

[snrusnak]

^hehe.

This is the conversation between my parents when my father was trying to teach my mom to drive stick using his s10:

after about 15 minutes of driving:

dad - "hunny, let the clutch out easier when downshifting. You're locking up the tires every time you change gears.

mom - "you're supposed to use the clutch when you change gears !?!?!?!?"

 

[Mark XB12r]

35,000 miles and i do it all the time. 1-2 is rough, so I usually clutch it. but the rest are buttery smooth, i try to power match, and blip throttle technique. I dont do it during aggressive tight twisties thow. Just in the zone and clutch muscle memmory takes over. I would actually recomend practicing this even if you dont wish to use this method. Its good to know how to do it if you snap your clutch cable... Ask me how I know...[sad]

 

[snrusnak]

I'd only practice this on a beater POS that you don't care about....not a nice bike that you don't want to damage.

 

[OldGeezer]

Agree with you snrusnak on that [up] Cute anecdote

Nice one Lesley LMAO

Kid I agree it is more fun driving that way and I always rev match, though when driving a car I use the clutch even rev-matching. I drove F2000 a bit and the mechanics and owner would flip on me if I shifted without the clutch and anyway given how short the shift lever is in one of those (only a couple of inches long) and how short the throw is (only a couple of inches and you shift with your thumb and 2 fingers) and how fast those engines spool up & down it was way more efficient and easier to shift with the clutch.

Being able to rev-match perfectly, with or without the clutch is the real skill and challenge.

 

[Bossanova]

1. Say you're in 10th gear and you need to down shift to 9th. You'll need to push the clutch in pull it out of gear. Then release the clutch and blip the throttle. Then push the clutch in and put it in 9th gear. You have to release the clutch and rev the motor because that lower gear isn't spinning and you have to match the rpms of the motor to that gears rpm. It's the same process with up shifting but with out revving the motor. The motor speed and that gears speec have to match for it to go into whatever gear you want. That is an unsyncronized transmission

Hence the term: "Double clutching"

I up shift and down shift w/o the clutch often on my 1125 at the track. No harm, no foul..

 

[freak2180]

Tthe xb's have straight cut gears vs helical in most other modern trans be it car, truck, or bike. Helical gears are much more forgiving than straight cut...... For those shifting their XB with out the clutch you will soon figure out what others alredy know....... IT AINT WoRTH IT.

 

[Kid1620]

Yup gotta love double clutching. My favorite thing to do is explain what it is right after Vin Deseil say "granny shifting, not double clutching like you should" in the fast and the furious movie. Why the hell would he double clutch a synchronized transmission you idiot writer.


I've been driving a semi for a little over three years now with about 600,000 miles and I hardly ever touch the clutch. And every once in awhile I'll grind a gear or two. It happens to every driver no matter what they say everyone grinds a gear every now and then.

My bike is a different story if I'm in 2nd gear and gettin with it I'll shift with out the clutch and it's smooth as silk. I will not do it down shifting. From 1st to 2nd I'll use the clutch because it going past neutral and I don't want to miss 2nd.

Either way if you use the clutch cool if not cool. It's still going to were the frictions out either way.

 

[JWoody]

I clutchless shift on my CR pretty regular. But only above 6krpm in gears 4-6. Light preload on the shifter, small let up on the throttle then up the to the gear and back on the throttle. First time is a little jerky, stay smooth like any of your inputs and you'll be fine.

-J[cool]

 

[Mark XB12r]

Tthe xb's have straight cut gears vs helical in most other modern trans be it car, truck, or bike.  Helical gears are much more forgiving than straight cut...... For those shifting their XB with out the clutch you will soon figure out what others alredy know....... IT AINT WoRTH IT.

Well freak2180? I don't really know how to respond to this except to ask how soon is soon? I've had my bike for 8 years with 35k mi on it; Soooooo um ya? your response..........

 

[freak2180]

Just wait.........


I honestly dont see what all the hub bub is about shifting without the clutch other than saying you did it........YAY for you. I can shift just as fast and more reliably than trying to revmatch and hope. When Im hitting the twistys the last thing I want is a mis shift because I was trying to be cool. Use it as it was designed to be used.........

 

[1001yos]

Our bikes do not have a back torque limiting clutch (slipper clutch) as the I4 bikes do. Cluchless gear shifting on our bikes without the upgraded clutch is damaging.

http://www.erikbuellracing.com/store/models/xb12/xb-slipper-clutch.html

 

[snrusnak]

I honestly dont see what all the hub bub is about shifting without the clutch other than saying you did it........YAY for you.  I can shift just as fast and more reliably than trying to revmatch and hope.   When Im hitting the twistys the last thing I want is a mis shift because I was trying to be cool.  Use it as it was designed to be used.........

[up][up][up]

 

[Mark XB12r]

I friggin give up, soooo frustrating.... Nobody is saying its cool, nobody is saying its faster, Nobody is saying its more reliable, and there is no hope involved.

Its just a response to what all you nay-say-ers that say you cant do it, and that its damaging. Ohhhhhh you cant do it and if you do you will be sorry. This is the only reason I am responding, and the funny part is Freak, when i asked you a simple question about your very specific statement you dodge the question by your statement ^above^. The bottom line is don't make specific statements when you don't know what your talking about. Simply say; "well I would never do it because i think its damaging" that leaves you in the right.

 

[Kid1620]

On a bike I down clutchless down shift going into corners as a matter of fact I don't clutchless down shif my bike at all. The only time I don't use the clutch is on the up shifts. I've never seen any damage from nit using the clutch on my bike. On someone elses bike it might cause damage but not mine specifically.

 

[jimijeans]

I shift it fast but smoothly, not all the time mountains will eat your ass if you don't respect them.
Like Drax said a [slight] bump on most bikes to shift with the Throttle will make most shifting better. Smooth is fast most times.
I've built many bike transmissions in my days but the Harleys and the Buells are the Easiest by far. I use 1/2 Quart of 20/50 Amsoil and 1/2 Quart of AmsOil 75/90 in my Buell XB12Rs' Track or street Transmissions. Every other Service I use Redline in the Transmission. So Far no issues, other than Clutches on the Race Xb12r(2009). So Ride her safely.*Jimi