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General => Bike Chat => Topic started by: Kiwifruit on Friday, 20 June 2025, 07:28 PM

Title: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Friday, 20 June 2025, 07:28 PM
A daft question....
Does anyone not dip the clutch when changing gear on a 14 ?
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: grog on Friday, 20 June 2025, 08:18 PM
Just from habit, yes Col. Just how ive always done. Probably not needed but way i do it.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: seth on Friday, 20 June 2025, 08:49 PM
Going up is OK but I tend to go down using the cluch  :cheers:
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Eric GSX1400K3 on Friday, 20 June 2025, 09:29 PM
Always, as in i always use the clutch up or down shifts.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Tally on Friday, 20 June 2025, 10:16 PM
1st to 2nd I use clutch , the rest I don't, changing down clutch always.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: GSXKING on Friday, 20 June 2025, 10:24 PM
No  :salute:
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Hooli on Saturday, 21 June 2025, 04:18 AM
Clutch? who needs no stinking clutch?!

I never did above 2nd up or down. I found it was smoother & faster, deffo can't damage the box as some claim as I never had the K2 2nd gear issue.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Pommeroy on Saturday, 21 June 2025, 04:46 AM
Always use clutch.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Saturday, 21 June 2025, 06:48 AM
Thanks guys. I have always used the clutch except on my motocross bikes. Just thought I'd try without recently and found it not to my liking.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Mick_J on Saturday, 21 June 2025, 05:45 PM
Don't use the clutch going up the box and sometimes coming down as well on any of my bikes.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: grog on Saturday, 21 June 2025, 07:10 PM
Try riding an old bike, example B34 BSA without clutch, even worse, old hand change Harley.Just not possible.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Hooli on Saturday, 21 June 2025, 07:31 PM
Oddly though I always rode my Bonnie clutchless, it'd fall out of 3rd everytime if you clutched. Worked fine clutchless & again I found it was smoother which probably says something about me being hamfisted.

I always clutch the HD though, only 1/2" or so of lever travel but just enough to unload things so it's smooth. Again a full declutch isn't as smooth for me.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Tony Nitrous on Sunday, 22 June 2025, 06:32 AM
I use the clutch out of habit, some bikes need it more than others and I just do it out of habit.

Busa has a 2 way quickshifter and I use the clutch a lot less, rarely ever use it accelerating.  Not the same thing though, full throttle up shifts are quite different to being able to change up clutchless.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: KiwiCol on Sunday, 22 June 2025, 06:55 AM
"Not the same thing though, full throttle up shifts are quite different to being able to change up clutchless."

Yep, agreed Tony.    IMO, full throttle upshifts have a waaaay bigger grin factor . . . :devil:
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Tony Nitrous on Sunday, 22 June 2025, 12:06 PM
Quote from: KiwiCol on Sunday, 22 June  2025, 06:55 AM"Not the same thing though, full throttle up shifts are quite different to being able to change up clutchless."

Yep, agreed Tony.    IMO, full throttle upshifts have a waaaay bigger grin factor . . . :devil:

One of the guys I raced with in the UK had his quickshifter wired into an air shifter and a shift light so at something like 10,000 rpm it just changed up on its own. He also used a 2-step launch control similar to what new bikes have.  You just sat on the start line holding full throttle, launched with the clutch and did the full quarter mile with the bike changing up on its own. 

He already had a double skinned exhaust that stuck out a fair way before turning back (that had been filled with lead as they had banned additional weights).

We were looking at running a nitrous system to come in and out with a shift light as a fire signal, but they redid a lot of the rule book for some reason.


I use the 2-step launch on my Busa with the quickshifter. I sit at the lights with the engine loaded up but hesitating, launched and just tap the gears up without ever shutting the throttle.  It's very silly, completely unnecessary but always makes me smile!
Funny though, most folk are actually quicker at the drag strip without the 2- step, most factory systems give you consistent hard launches every time, but a good rider on his A-game will beat it as it won't allow for super aggressive launches.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: T 24 on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 03:53 PM
I have once rebuild that weak gearbox (2nd gear),even I used the clutch.
And now I'm extra careful with using clutch, even I have  under cut gears (5°) and Busas heavy duty parts in gearbox.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: T 24 on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 04:08 PM
Quote from: T 24 on Tuesday, 24 June  2025, 03:53 PMI have once rebuild that weak gearbox (2nd gear),even I used the clutch.
And now I'm extra careful with using clutch, even I have  under cut gears (5°) and Busas heavy duty parts in gearbox.
It's a bit different thing if you use a Quick shifter, it will cut your ignition for millisecond(?) while you are shifting,
But then you should not use more than 4.5° undercut...
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: Kiwifruit on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 05:40 PM
[quote author=Hooli link=msg=112362

I always clutch the HD though, only 1/2" or so of lever travel but just enough to unload things so it's smooth. Again a full declutch isn't as smooth for me.
[/quote]
 

Pretty much sums up how I use the clutch  :onya:
I think the slower I'm going the more clutch I use.
Title: Re: Clutch less gear changes.
Post by: grog on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 06:11 PM
Agree,i always clutch but hardly touch it, just habit, I doubt it breaks connection much at all. Ill take notice and report back.