Shifting without clutch?

CBH · Nov 19, 2010

Just curious as to how often you shift without touching the clutch lever? A friend of mine seldom uses the clutch when he is going up through the gears. He says it doesn't hurt a thing. I have done it from time to time..but I most often use the clutch. What's your opinion?

joedrum · Nov 19, 2010

there thirty yr old bike with no parts access to speak of ....iuse the clutch :mrgreen:

CBH · Nov 19, 2010

I forgot to mention...the friend of mine that shifts without the clutch...well... he rides a Harley!

Flinx · Nov 19, 2010

At the moment I use my clutch for most shifts.
On the other bikes I used to ride, except for first gear the clutch was sorta optional after I got used to the bike.
If memory serves me right the trick is to ease into the next gear, DON'T try an force it or bad things happen.

Fairly sure Bubbahyde was there the day I power shifted a Yamaha Seca from second into first too early by mistake (you can stop laughing now Bubba).

AApple · Nov 19, 2010

A buddy of mine that used to ride pro for Yamaha once told me that the upshifts could be done just fine without a clutch. A little pressure on the shifter, and when the engine rpms got to where it needed to be, it would pop right into the next gear...no muss, no fuss. It does actually work, but I don't think I'd wanna do it on my 'Wing...that thing is heavy enough, it could cause a problem.

Tory · Nov 19, 2010

I very seldomly use the clutch when upshifting my wing.Ive had no issues and it shifts very smoothly with out the clutch.Just a tad of pressure and it clicks right in when I back off the throttle.Very smooth.
I do however use it when down shifting.

FYI I dont generally use the clutch in my car either.

Omega Man · Nov 19, 2010

This thread makes my hEAD HURT.

~O~

dan filipi · Nov 19, 2010

I've never been able to shift without the clutch smoothly on mine so I always use the clutch.

kirkwilson · Nov 19, 2010

Absolutely can be done with no damage to engine or tranny- I used to drive semi's and I had a clutch go out on me in Florida and I drove back to my shop in Pittsburgh. Only a couple of problems- if you absolutely have to stop, make sure you're headed downhill. To start, put it in first gear and start the engine- the starter will get you going and after that it's just like the previous poster said- just pop the tranny out of gear and gently hold the shifter against the gear you want to go into, and when the revs match, it slides in slicker than spit. The only problem I had running from Florida to Pgh were the toll booths on the WV turnpike- I got her down into 1st and crawled up to the tollbooth and kind of tossed my money out to the boothworker (? whatever they are called) and kept on going.
I had a Saab 99 and I could drive it miles and miles without using the clutch- just to see if I could. Believe me, if you do it right with just a little pressure on the stick the tranny will just slide into the next gear if the rev's match. If you do it wrong you get all kinds of aweful noises-
Still, there is a reason for a clutch and I agree with Dan- Use it if you got one!
PS- You would not believe how far a vehicle can be driven in first gear running on the starter motor- hey, wait a minute, did I invent the first electric vehicle???

kirkwilson · Nov 19, 2010

Looking back at my previous post I'd like to make it clear that the clutch didn't go out on the semi- it was the clutch linkage- I could push on the clutch pedal and there was no resistance- nada. So the cluth itself was ok or else I wouldn't have been able to move.

lew1701 · Nov 19, 2010

Any vehicle with an unsynchronized transmission (which includes motorcycles) can be shifted through the gears without the use of the clutch if you know what you are doing. This is commonly refered to as "floating gears" and is very common when driving tractor/trailers. It is even encouraged by many trucking companys because it saves wear on the clutch. It is a simple matter of matching the engine rpm's to the minimum gear rpm for upshifting to the next gear or maximum gear rpm for downshifting to the next lower gear. Man, this sounds really confusing when I type it but very easy when actually doing it. :smilie_happy:

sledge · Nov 20, 2010

I have done it many times , but most of the time on my Goldwing I use the clutch , because I don't run it hard enough to speed shift most of the time.... since we're talking about shifting , has anybody noticed that ONLY Honda bikes have a small Neutral between 4th and 5th gear ??? I have had 4 or 5 old K Model CB750 honda's back some years ago...they all had the same thing , and so does my Goldwing. like for coming Down out of the mountains , I can half click down out of 5th into a small neutral , and let the bike Idle with the clutch out , and just coast , and when it's time to put it back in gear I just Upshift a half click and I'm back in 5th. ... but I have owned Yamaha's , Suzuki's , and Kaw's ... none of them ever had that spot where you can get between 5th & 4th . . . . anybody ever notice that , or use it ??? ohhhhhhhh one more thing , there is no netural light comes on or anything with this small netural . and it's really not a Half Click , more like a 1/4 , but I assure you It's There .

mike in idaho · Nov 20, 2010

Kinda hard to float gears in a bike transmission, think I'll use the clutch.

dan filipi · Nov 20, 2010

I've gotten in between 4th and 5th MANY times without wanting it.
What happens is usually under a load (worst time) but not every time it'll pop out of forth unless I hold up on the shifter. The resulting pop out is a hard LOUD grind. I think there's a problem with a shifter fork and now probably that gear from all the grinding.

sledge · Nov 20, 2010

well I can find it about anytime I want ,and goes right in with no problem , no grinding , nothing , and I have said to a couple of riding friends , it's strange that Only a Honda has this .

slabghost · Nov 20, 2010

Yep accidently found the second neutral a few months back. Never used it intentionally.

Flinx · Nov 21, 2010

sledge":x02wiqgo said:
I have done it many times , but most of the time on my Goldwing I use the clutch , because I don't run it hard enough to speed shift most of the time.... since we're talking about shifting , has anybody noticed that ONLY Honda bikes have a small Neutral between 4th and 5th gear ??? I have had 4 or 5 old K Model CB750 honda's back some years ago...they all had the same thing , and so does my Goldwing. like for coming Down out of the mountains , I can half click down out of 5th into a small neutral , and let the bike Idle with the clutch out , and just coast , and when it's time to put it back in gear I just Upshift a half click and I'm back in 5th. ... but I have owned Yamaha's , Suzuki's , and Kaw's ... none of them ever had that spot where you can get between 5th & 4th . . . . anybody ever notice that , or use it ??? ohhhhhhhh one more thing , there is no netural light comes on or anything with this small netural . and it's really not a Half Click , more like a 1/4 , but I assure you It's There .

Just for the record CB350, CB550 and a V45 Sabre had this as well, I forget what years they were offhand but I think the Sabre was either a 83 or 84. Havn't found it on my GW yet but then I really havn't tried either.

detdrbuzzard · Nov 21, 2010

kirkwilson":1kp9ivhx said:
Looking back at my previous post I'd like to make it clear that the clutch didn't go out on the semi- it was the clutch linkage- I could push on the clutch pedal and there was no resistance- nada. So the cluth itself was ok or else I wouldn't have been able to move.

i use to work for a company name tom macheri & sons. it was run by sam macheri. sam would give you two weeks ( semi drivers ) to learn to shift wothout using the clutch and if you couldn't do it you got fired. i learned to drive a semi while working there and had to learn how to double clutch when i got another job :grin: as for the wings and all my other bikes i always use the clutch cause i think it would be too easy to bend a shift fork if i messed up and i'm getting good at messing up :grin:

kirkwilson · Nov 21, 2010

'Any vehicle with an unsynchronized transmission (which includes motorcycles) can be shifted through the gears without the use of the clutch if you know what you are doing. This is commonly refered to as "floating gears" and is very common when driving tractor/trailers. It is even encouraged by many trucking companys because it saves wear on the clutch. It is a simple matter of matching the engine rpm's to the minimum gear rpm for upshifting to the next gear or maximum gear rpm for downshifting to the next lower gear. Man, this sounds really confusing when I type it but very easy when actually doing it.

Yeah- what he said- it's easy- but also what joedrum said- 30 yr-old bike- limited parts- I use the clutch!

kirkwilson · Nov 21, 2010

All this talk about shifting trucks without using the clutch- About 4-5 months back I ran out of gas in my motel parking lot. I was parked at the back of the lot and there was a tanker truck getting ready to pull out- I bummed a ride down the road to the gas station. Anyway, this tractor/trailor had an AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION! Blew my mind- It's been since about '84 since I drove a rig but I had no idea they have autos now....

Shifting without clutch?

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