babyhog wrote on 12/29/09 at 09:27:45:I have never shifted without the clutch. I'm a-skeeered to. Doesn't "seem" like it would be good for the bike.
Tell me more...
Ive shifted standards w/o the clutch for decades. Learning gave me the opportunity to make a few sounds with a tranny they werent really meant to make, but I never saw any negative results. Them gears in there is Hard Stuff. Lots of racket can be made w/o making a mark. On a vehicle w/ a neutral between gears, its easier to learn, since the shifter can be held in neutral while the gas is used to synchronize the engine RPM to the driveline in the gear you want it in. You know the engine is running at lower rpm at 30 MPH in 4th than in 3rd, so, to get it into 4th, from 3rd w/o lurching it, the throttle has to close some. Also, if there is a load on the transmission, either from slowing or accelerating, the shifter wont easily move the tranny internals, so, throttle must be operated in a manner to unload the tranny & shift. You can try to downshift(d/shift) by putting light pressure on the shifter & closing the throttle quickly. Itll fall right in. Try 5th to 4th at 40 ish MPH. That will raise the RPM as soon as you do it, but since the RPM difference between 4th & 5th are minimal, it wont lurch or slide the rear tire. Strange as it seems, these d/shifts work even as the gas is being shut off, I also give it a slight Goose just as soon as the shifter drops, to kill the lurch.But, while you work to learn, Id suggest staying with 4th & 5th for practice, because as the Rowboat says, the higher gears are easier to work with. I dont do 1st to 2nd, up or down, anymore. Ive done it & I can do it, its just too hard to do right & when its not right, its hard on the equipment.