One handed shift tip.

[Semi-retired]

Not sure if it's my motocross experience.......or my auto mechanics training that puts me "at one with my machine"......but I'm always surprised by the number of folks who are not aware that almost any non-automatic vehicle can be shifted from one gear to the next WITHOUT using the clutch.

 

Virtually all motocrosser transmissions are built to be abused and anyone who hopes to cross the finishline first NEVER uses the clutch to get from one gear to another. It's bang up....and bang down. Simply back off the gas........and kick it.......And it works!

 

Guess what? It also works on street bikes. Even big ones like Ventures. You just don't want to be doing it at "racing" throttle settings.

 

If you're accelerating moderately, as the 'responsible' Venture Rider that you are......you'll find that you can up-shift from 1st all the way to 5th, without pulling your left hand in once. (You WILL find it's a little easier in the 'higher' gears than in first and second.)

 

Just roll on the throttle slowly, and when you've reached 'optimal' RPM's in the gear you're in, start to put the slightest pressure on the heal/upshift portion of your gear lever as you simultaneously back off the throttle.

 

Suddenly, as an almost imperceptably "synchronous" act of god, the transmission will smoothly snick itself into the next higher gear. This happens at the exact moment your road speed, transmission speed and crank speed are in perfect "harmony".

 

It sounds tricky, but if you haven't tried it, give it a shot. After a little practice, it'll become second nature....and feel like it's the way your bike WANTS to be shifted. You can do it at all speeds providing you are not heavy handed on the throttle. (Great when you're adjusting the radio, or holding hands with Honey behind your back.)

 

When you're out on a cross country trip, with 50 miles between stops, shifting isn't such a big chore. But if you're running across town, with forty-five lights to negotiate, you can save a helluva lot of "clutching" by adopting this "one hand" gear shifting method.

 

Down-shifting doesn't really work out all that well, (unless you're amazing at double tapping the shifter and double twisting your throttle!), but with just a little bit of practice, you'll be saving a whole lotta left hand work on all those upshifts.

 

Try it. You'll like it.

 

Look ma......one hand!

Edited July 18, 2008 by Semi-retired

[Eck]

Yep, I up-shift often with out using clutch and sometimes have my coffee cup in my hand while doing it....

This same method of shifting was mentioned a while back by someone else too, but I think his posting on it was lost when the site crashed...

 

[KiteSquid]

I prefer to use my clutch than overhaul a transmission, however I do know how to down shift in case the clutch system fails, so I can safely stop the bike.

[SilvrT]

You just don't want to be doing it at "racing" throttle settings.

 

You can do it at all speeds providing you are not heavy handed on the throttle.

 

Maybe for some but I've red-lined my scoot and done the no-clutch shift a number of times...no problemo...ya just gotta make sure you have good pressure on the shifter (not so much that you'd be bending anything) and a full follow-through on the upshift. It takes a very small "backoff" on the throttle but watch out!... in some cases you'll pull the front wheel up. Soon as the shift grabs (which is almost instantaneous), roll on the throttle.... it's a rush! I've no-clutch shifted almost every bike I've owned. I do it under "normal" riding as well as when I'm "cranking it on"; however, I almost always use the clutch between 1st and 2nd.

 

 

Down-shifting doesn't really work out all that well, (unless you're amazing at double tapping the shifter and double twisting your throttle!), but with just a little bit of practice, you'll be saving a whole lotta left hand work on all those upshifts.

 

It works the opposite... as you're decelerating, put a little down pressure on the shifter, crack the throttle as though your speeding up....it downshifts... although this is a bit trickier to get the hang of, it does work and once you got it figgured out, not all that difficult to do.

 

I don't do clutch-less downshifts much at all tho on a regular basis.