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On lessons i cant remember if i was told to pull in clutch when upshifting iv found my bike perfures it if i dont and read of internet that you dont have to as iv a wet clutch and would i be doing damage by using it to change up as its slipping it ant as smooth as just not using it any comments apprecated.
this is a long drawing out topic that is always popping up in mx forums and everyone has there opinions, but personally I don't think it does any harm and have never damaged a gearbox by shifting without clutch, but I generally use the clutch if I am plodding along and shift without if I am riding at speeds.
i've always gone on the theory that it has a clutch for changing gears for a reason. if its there then why not use it? thats how its been designed
Theres an art to clutchless riding and it makes it very smooth (Going up or down through the gears)if you get the revs just right but I prefer the feel of using the clutch. Also as matthews677 says, its there for a reason.
I use clutchless upshifts from 2nd onwards under certian conditions.
Trying it between 1st and 2nd I found generally lands you in neutral. Down shifting, there is a serious risk of bending selectors so I don't bother. As a rule I use it when I'm accelerating up to speed. You just need to practice the timing and pressures.
The only time I ever shifted without using the clutch is when my cable snapped on my RS125 in rush hour traffic coming through Swindon.
Not much fun.
I'm also with matthews677, its there for a reason.
I only do it if I am high up the rev range and accelerating hard, otherwise I use the clutch. Just make sure you roll off the throttle ever so slightly when you do it is the only thing I would say, rather than just putting pressure on the gear lever!
I have looked into it online and there is a tonne of stuff out there for and against, so much so its hard to find any actual conclusive details one way or another.
At the end of the day also, its how quickshifters work, which are now available from BMW, Triumph, Yamaha, Honda any many others on factory bikes as standard in some cases. All the quickshifter does is interupt the ignition for a split second when you up shift and allows a clutchless gear change. It uses a sensor on the gear lever to cut the throttle, thus means you can keep your hand pinned back.
So basically if the big companies use them in racing and now on road bikes I am sure doing it manually is no different or less safe. These bikes I am sure have slipper clutches (like my R6 does) so not sure how it would work on a standard non-slip clutch.
Having said the above, I am no expert and am happy to be proved wrong.
I normally do use the clutch and there are no ill effects on my pan European with 93k on the clock.
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