Hey all. So, let a friend who has ridden motocross for years ride my 2007 KLX250s, and, well, let's just say he isn't used to riding a bike without knobby tires on it (mine have 50/50 shinko tires on it now) and spun out on the grass, resulting in a bent shift lever.

After this, he told me about how he never uses the lever anyway when he rides motocross, which I haven't done on my KLX250s (I always use the clutch lever). So, I tried shifting without it, and it definitely can be done, and somewhat smoothly if you get the rpm's right, however I am wondering if this is doing more or less harm in terms of wear and tear on the bike/clutch than if I was using the clutch lever (with the close ratio clutches on the motocross bikes, my understanding is shifting without the lever is fine, however I wasn't sure if this was the case with the KLX250s's).

Anyone know what the answer is to this?

 

You sych speed/RPM correctly and no clutch needed, and no damage.. I actually rarely use the clutch when offroad in the tight stuff.. Then again, I rarely have to shift..

 

On the road, but less so off-road, I'll shift without using the clutch. In the stuff I ride (tight, steep woods stuff), I need the clutch, often. On the street, or a gravel road, I can just clutchless shift (mostly upshifts, but sometimes downshifts as well.)

I'd suggest some 'bark busters' type hand guards - they also guard the levers pretty well. Usually you can have a pretty good drop with the hand guards without any damage to the levers (or your hands...)

 

Things I don't lend out:
- motorcycles
- RC helicopters
- my wife

 

Things I don't lend out:
- Toothbrush
- underwear
- Marchams' wife

 

Yeah, In the dirt, don't use clutch much.