Cutchless upshifting done properly cause no extra wear and is much smoother than shifting with the clutch.

Clutchless downshift on the other hand causes tremendous wear and tear and should NEVER be done.

Clutchless upshifting tehnique:

1. Slightly load(push up) on the shift lever

2. Just so slightly close the throttle just a smidgen

3. The gear will snick into next gear

4. Return the throttle to the previous position and ride on.

If done correctly, it will snick into gear so smoothly and quietly, it will surprise you.

I pretty much clutchless upshift most of the time on all my bikes. Downshifting I use the clutch just to the friction zone. The downshift is perfectly smooth that way too.

 

Down is no different to the transmission than up, its just harder to do for the operator.

 

Clutchless shifting. I can not say that its either good or bad for the tranny. It can be done,just like FM_Thumper said.

I personally perfer to use the clutch each and every time I do a gear change, coast, brake, etc. The clutch is meant to be used and to take the grunt of the wear. In a mechanics eyes, I would perfer to replace $100 of clutch parts than $1500 in transmission (+ the $100 for the clutch after replacing the tranny).

 

Are you sure about this?

I don't remember exactly where but I have read in more than a couple of sources that clutchless downshift is bad for the tranny. I believe one of them was either Paul Dean in Cycle World or Andrew MacDonald in Rider.

Clutchless upshifts done properly, the gear snicks into next gear so effortlessly and silently. Clutchless downshifts will never yield such smooth results.

 

This is a great link, I have seen it elsewhere, just so happens to have found it on a Valkyrie site when searching for it.


A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READ FOR ALL!

http://www.f6rider.com/VRCC/tech/trans.htm

When I downshift I blip the throttle & jab the shifter--fast & clean. It downshifts fine. I do not get any engine braking--if you do or get anything other than a perfect shift you did not blip enough, blipped to much, or did not do it at the right time as the shift. It takes practice & you have to commit. It takes more concentration for me to do it than to clutch shift--thus defeating the point--but like I said I just do it for practice. You may have to ride home with a broken clutch lever or cable some day.

You are reving the engine to match the new speed of the lower gear, this eliminates the engine braking. Just like you chop the throtle to lower the engine speed to match the higher gear upshifting.

 

No Brakes, No Clutch!

 

Do you guys really use your clutch that much? I was pretty much taught the opposite when I first started riding dirt bikes 20 years ago from my brothers who were riding in pro-comps (hey, I was a little girl then). Am I doing something wrong?? Old school??

 

I use the clutch for downshifts. This bike it is about 50/50 for upshifts. On all the other bikes that I have owned I would never use it for upshifts, and yes they would happen at redline on my 636 with no problems.

 

When my clutch cable broke on my MX360, I continued to ride and it shifted fine BUT........While it was shifting, it had so much torque that it was doing damage!!! It was actually snapping spokes and chewing teeth of the sprockets. MX360's haveso much torque and power it's insane. Klx's obviously have alot less torque but I still preferr to use my clutch whenever possible.

 

I use the clutch!

Cheers!