Angie wrote on 09/24/09 at 07:35:49:My problem with listening to the engine is my bike is so quiet, if there's a good cross wind I cant hear it. From reading some of these posts, I have confirmed a suspicion I've had about myself- I shift up too early. Alot of shifting is practice, getting a feel for your bike and how it handles.
Now, as for down shifting. Here is a tip that I picked up the hard way (which is how I learn most things). When letting out the clutch when down shifting, let it out gradually. Because if you are going to fast for the gear you just shifted down to - your bike will slow down rather quickly. If you are not prepaired for that, it can freak you out.
With the clutch lever held in, give the gas a blip, then the engine & trans will be synched & not load the rear tire.
Or, just put pressure on the shifter, not trying to bend it, just light pressure, & roll off the throttle, Itll fall into the lower gear.
Or, If you are running hot, gas it, step down & itll be in a lower gear.
Clutchless shifting between 1st & 2nd, up or down, is not easy. Ive done it & IF I am playing Hotrod & really pumped on adrenaline, I can do it, but its just not worth it to me. The chances of lurching & jerking the bike hard or only partially making the shift & it popping out are just too high. All the others are so easy they require no thought,
To get started & not worry about lurching the drive around, just play around, shifting up & down, between 4th & 5th. That way the engine RPM only changes a little while the RPM on the rear wheel changes a lot, so it wont skid so easy as if you dont synchronize the tranny & engine & wheel speeds in a lower gear.
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