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Is it hard on my 95 Zx7 to be doing clutchless up shifting? And is clutchless upshifting bad on motorcycles in general?

Edit: To prove a point that people don't search before creating threads, I combined all the clutchless shifting threads to this one. Worth quoting for "reference" is this post:


--VeX

caboose

no, it is not hard. just let off the throttle enough to slacken the chain and it'll go into the next gear no problem.

1st to 2nd i use clutch... after that i dont always.

Mad Mike

Read Total Control by Lee Parks. He breaks it down pretty well.

Basically, its better to shift w/o the clutch under hard accel. He says to weight the shift lever, roll off, and like caboose said, the engine compression will pull it right into the next gear.

Works pretty well. Under slower riding, I give the clutch a quick pull after weighting the lever and it shifts nice and smooth for me too. Saves the tranny a bit as well.

rem_pss308

This may sound stupid.
I had a guy tell me that bikes are made so you dont have to use the clutch when shifting. Only to start from a stop.
I know about speed shifting in a car. and I know it is not good for it.
Is there any truth to this on a bike.

Jaxn

you were told wrong, use your clutch to shift

rem_pss308

That is what I was thinking. It didnt sound right.

zack4president

I know a guy who only uses his clutch when starting from a stop, and he's done it that way for years without any problems. But honestly, I don't see the point any time you save in shifting is so small that it really doesn't matter.

poncho

For me, I broke my left wrist.. ended up not using clutch for one weekend of testing and raceing, and the habit stuck..

Now I use to clutch to launch thats it.

SilverLightning

It's bad if done incorrectly, but there is a "correct" way to clutchless shift. With a clutchless shift, the synchros take the brunt of the force, but it can be minimized with proper technique to the point that theres really no big difference between it and a normal shift. Not like you're always perfectly rev matched when shifting with the clutch.

Try accelerating, get your right foot ready to shift up, then quickly roll off the throttle and click up a gear. When it's timed correctly, you'll feel it just slide into the next gear. It's all about tranny gear speeds and loading. What you want to have happen is to accelerate, pulling the collar faster. see http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm By accelerating the collar quickly and then rolling off the throttle, you're effectively unloading the transmission of the collar, get it? Initially, the engine layshaft and gears are pulling it along; when you accelerate and roll off, they pull on the collar initially, increasing rotational speed then when you roll off, the collar wants to continue spinning and is no longer being "pulled" as the gears want to slow down. You're unloading the transmission of the collar. Then you shift up and the slightly faster spinning collar slots into the next gear which is spinning faster than the first gear due to the gearing ratios.

Honestly, from the bikes I've seen, properly done upshifts don't cause damage; this is including teardowns, not just a "oh, the bike runs fine = no damage." It's fairly obvious when a clutchless upshift is done correctly vs when it's incorrect. Correctly, you will feel close to zero resistance from the transmission and you click up the shifter. If it grinds or doesn't budge or requires any force, you're doing it wrong.

But then again, everyone is entitled to their opinion and some just say they don't want to risk it. But I know people who've ridden for decades and never had problems stemming from clutchless shifting their tranny. And a racebike that only sees clutchless upshifts without problems on a teardown.

Editted: Just to clarify, I'm ONLY referring to clutchless UPshifts. Downshifts are another thing entirely. My advice, use the clutch and blip for a downshift.

SilverLightning

And food for thought about clutchless downshifts http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/fo...chless+upshift
Keith Code is the head of California Superbike School and he along with many other racers recommend clutchless all around.

Again, whether or not you clutchless shift is your choice. For me, I only clutchless upshift occasionally and never down.