I was reading in one of my new motorcycle magazines that on four strokes you don't have to use the clutch to shift, that racers don't use it and usually only to as a tactical advantage. Would this be true for our bikes too or would it wear anything out by not using the clutch while shifting?

 

I wouldn't recommend shifting unless you are going slow and you time it with getting off the throttle. I do it occasionally, but it just happens when it seems like the right thing to do. Tight trails where you are really trying to hang on seems to be the most common with me.

 

Some say it's a little bit hard on the tranny. IMO, I think it is a non-issue as far as wear goes. I use it to start and stop, or when I need to feather for power when climbing. Otherwise I usually don't touch the clutch. I also have a '97 Honda XR650L that I have been shifting like that for 10 years and 28,000+ miles, including doing it at full throttle frequently. The last time I had the cases split was after nine years of this "abuse", and all the gears and sliders looked perfect.

 

i always use the clutch. up and down. i see no advantage in not using it. you most likely will never hurt the motor not using it BUT there is aCHANCE you will. i like to error on the side of caution so i use it.

 

It is beneficial to not use the clutch when braking into a corner and gearing down at the same time because pulling the clutch interrupts the engine back pressure braking making it harder to finesse the rear brake. But other than that, I don't see much benefit of not clutching when shifting. I'd say just don't do it when the transmission is under heavy load, i.e., accelerating.

 

You do not have to use the clutch on any constant mesh motorcycle transmission up or down regualrdless of how many strokes it has. If you do it correctly there is no difference in wear, if you do it wrong there is.

That said, I personally usually clutch all the time, just out of habit. I will upshift without the clutch if I am using my hand to block the sur or am screwing with my helmet or jacklet or something & I also do downshifts just for practice on occation.

Just match RPM from input shaft to output shaft & you will be fine. Cut the throttle just enough when upshifting,blip the throttle just enough when downshifting. Be quick, get it done, no time for indecicivness.

 

I agree, you don't have to use the clutch.

However, I use the clutch when shifting (up or down) > 95% of the time -- mostly due to habit. But in knowing that I don't have to use the clutch, I'll not use it when convenient not to do so.

BTW, you can get away with not using the clutch with some automobile transmissions too.

 

I had a friend who raced (drag bracket raced) and he preffered not to use the clutch in his standards (grocery getters)..he claimed this extended the life of the manual trannies by not wearing the clutch out (I assume pressure plate/and bearing)..I twice had to drive our 1984 accord home after the clutch cable broke on my mom, I could up shift but didn't have the touch for the downshift..I just shut it off at the stop signs and started it in gear..nowadays the clutch pedal switch won't let u do that

 

i dont know but i had a yamaha 3 wheeler that didnt have a clutch and my friend had a 4wheeler he didnt have one either i think it was a timberwolf, i use mine

 

Usually those little 4wheelers without clutch LEVERS have CVT transmisions, which are just clutches that are activated whenever there's load applied to the flywheel.

I usually use it, but that's just out of habbit. Sometimes I click the bike up and down without it while on the street, but i'm usually just getting bored.

I usually use it offroad too, unless i'm in a situation where I know I shoudln't. IE, dieing out on a steep hillclimb, and don't want to fumble with the clutch lever, or comming around the corner full tilt.

Even if you don't rev-match all that well offroad when you do it, I don't think it'll harm your tranny too much, as the dirt will have some give to it and just roost up instead of loading up your gearbox.