Clutchless gearchange benefit

I (when the weather is better) was clutchless up shifting, but found it easier from3 upwards i.e. i could get it mega smooth!

As for down shifting (Baph i presume you have a curvy from reading other threads) I have done it and i know what u mean about engine braking and I think its just as easy but the bike and all correponding parts need to be running at the same speed and the really wierd thing is i can feel when it is right to do! The bike is sailing along nicly and click down the gear it goes

Its weird, but a nice feeling when you get it right and i am glad that some quoted sid squid desciption about it! that makes me feel better about doing as i was worried about messing the gear box up. Even though mechancial i knew that if the rear wheel and the chain and engine where all running the same speed it would be fine.

Just dont force it

Good thread!

Duck-man, the only part I have to disagree with, is that I ride a curvy.

Check out my signature! K6

Glad I'm not the only one that can feel when it's the right time to nick the gears. My excuse is that I do a crap load of miles, every day, so I hope I know my bike pretty well by now.

I've also tried for a few days now, to change down WITH the clutch, at the same point before the corner (pretty much) as I was doing without it. Also running around corners a gear lower than I was doing. The only thing I can say is that it doesn't feel quite as happy WITH the clutch, as it does WITHOUT.

Each to their own, and as I said above, ride safe folks

I'm not sure about all this clutchless malarky. I tried it and and yes, it is silky smooth going up the box. But then changes with the clutch can be done smooth and quick too. Not tried it going down the box as I also heard it's a no no. I fail to see what real advantage it has on the road other than being able to change gear one handed. At my local tyre shop I always hear the IAM guys harping on about how they can clutchless change like it makes them uber-riders.....like yeah, whatever.

Maybe I'm sad but it DOES make you feel like you are more at one with ya bike, as though you are listening to its rhythm baby, and with it, dude !

Weird thing is I could never do it on my new K5 SV. Well, it would go in but boy did it sound painful. On most other bikes I've ridden though (old and new) it seemed to work better. But then I swear my SV was haunted or something! Ah, well each to their own, if it makes you feel good do it.

well.......going up i never use the clutch really, occasionally in traffic, but not really, as for down i have never tried it, and dont think i will, i have hurd more against it than for it!
and any way when it goes to the on-board camera during moto gp, or superbike, sometimes you can see there left hand, fingers stay firmly wrapped around the grip when going up, and always use the clutch on the downs, now correct me if i'm wrong but beating that they are some of the best riders in the world, and that they are all trying to go faster than each other, if they are not using the clutch on the down shifts then can there really be any/many benefits???

Felt faster/nicer to me, but then, my riding didn't start at the motoGP/superbike level :P

As has been said above, the other advantage is that I'd be comfortable riding my bike with a broken clutch. In motoGP/Superbike, they'd probably just pull over & end their race. As I would on a track without a clutch

Originally Posted by TSM

You could also try half clutching. Just while on the power, blip the clutch in as you change gear. Its a 50/50 compramise, still very fast changes.

I tend to do this now, smoother, fast enough, and IMO more mechanically sympathetic (even if some will disagree).


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[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Jimmy2Feet

and any way when it goes to the on-board camera during moto gp, or superbike, sometimes you can see there left hand, fingers stay firmly wrapped around the grip when going up, and always use the clutch on the downs, now correct me if i'm wrong but beating that they are some of the best riders in the world, and that they are all trying to go faster than each other, if they are not using the clutch on the down shifts then can there really be any/many benefits???

As previously mentioned, a clutchless down change is at the very least is mechanically unsympathetic, but the important thing is that there is absolutely no benefit whatsoever, the only reason for learning how is the circumstance when you find yourself with an inoperable clutch, cable broken for instance.
Race bikes very often have a device called a 'Quickshifter', this is an electrical sensor linked to the gear lever itself, when pressure is applied to the lever to change gear, it activates an ignition device which very briefly cuts the spark, unloading the gearbox and allowing the gear to be changed, in essence it does the same thing as rolling out the throttle does to make a clutchless change, however it can be adjusted such that the drive is cut only, and consistently so, for the briefest possible moment such that the drive is interrupted for the least possible period, only any use for a race bike, irrelevant for a road bike.

I went through a phase of clutchless upshifting a year or so back. I just wanted to learn to do it. Since I now can, I don't really bother anymore unless I'm really in a rush (like when something is coming the other way v. quick once I'm commited to an overtake) and then, it's not something I consciously do. I've never seen the point of clutchless down shifting, other than as a "get home" maneuver in the event of a clutch cable snapping. When you get it wrong it's quite nasty, particulary when slowing down for a roundabout.