When do you clutch shift?

[ScottRNelson]

By keeping in gear at a light, you might avoid a rear ender... which costs A LOT more than a clutch pack right? 

I've heard this argument about leaving it in gear for a quick escape, over and over on various motorcycle forums, and I just don't buy the argument.

If you're paying attention to what's going on behind you, as soon as you think you might need to make a getaway, it only takes half a second to shift back into first gear.  You'll still be judging the potential threat by the time you're back in gear and ready to go.

I leave my bike in gear at stops when I think I might have to make a quick getaway.  I leave it in neutral at all other times.  So it stays in gear at stop signs, stays in gear when I "lane share" to the front at traffic lights, and on a few other occasions when I think I won't be in neutral long.  At all other stops I shift into neutral and relax until I see the light turn yellow for traffic going the other direction, then I shift into first and prepare to take off, after verifying that there aren't any yellow or red light runners coming the other way.

If you're not paying attention enough to shift back into first when necessary, what makes you think you'll be able to suddenly accelerate out of harms way without getting hit by other traffic?

[somegirl]

I've never seen a convincing argument for how shifting without the clutch can make you a safer or better street rider.

I agree with you and yuu, I don't think there is a strong argument.  It just saves me time sometimes when doing quick passes, but I don't really need to do it.

If you're not comfy with it... then don't do it.  Doesn't do any harm right      There's way more important skills to have over clutchless up shifts

+1

I've heard that coasting with the clutch pulled is a good way to wear it out prematurely.

As far as I have heard, this is much more of a concern on cars.

[mstevens]

I'm not trying to be a jerk, honestly.

Did you mean using the clutch to shift when giving the engine a break, or when braking using the engine?

[FireInTheHole]

Engine breaking...downshift and letting off clutch slow.  No jerk assumed.

[mstevens]

Engine breaking...downshift and letting off clutch slow.  No jerk assumed.

Ah - engine braking. This is one of the areas in which spelling really does make a difference. "Braking" and "breaking" have very different meanings, and engines can both break and brake. They can even take a break. Hence my confusion.

[ute]

i use it to get going and the 1-2 shift theen only for downshifting ...let the slipper work

[FireInTheHole]

Ah - engine braking. This is one of the areas in which spelling really does make a difference. "Braking" and "breaking" have very different meanings, and engines can both break and brake. They can even take a break. Hence my confusion.

The First time I misspelled, the second time I was trying to be funny   

[Moronic]

Okay, here is another question since most of us rack most of our miles on the road...

I've heard that coasting with the clutch pulled is a good way to wear it out prematurely.  I'm not talking about the times you would normal need power to the wheel in order to keep your suspension engaged but rather, rolling up to stop lights/signs, stop and go traffic, and low speed traffic maneuvering.  Do you stress about keeping it in gear or dropping to neutral?  Is there any reason to?

IIRC, a rod acts on a bearing to disengage the clutch. The bearing only operates when the clutch is disengaged (i.e. lever pulled in). It allows the clutch to spin while the rod acts on it against the clutch-spring pressure. It is not really meant to do a lot of work, so could wear early if used for long stops. OTOH, probably not a big deal to replace, and these days likely way overbuilt anyway.

But I too select neutral after stopping.

[Ducatista]

I was having a bit of a... uhhhh... technical problem on my track tool.  I had to go most of the second day without using my clutch.  It sucked A LOT.  Downshifting from the main straight to set up for a low speed hairpin is not fun when you're worrying about the amount of engine braking, matching RPMs on a bike with no tach, and worrying about not getting @$$packed for being on an SV and rolling off all the way out at the 6 marker.

A quick shifter basically works by sensing when you push down the shift lever (for GP shift) for an upshift and it momentarily cuts the throttle to give you the blip to complete the shift without using the clutch. 

[bluemoco]

Being able to shift w/o the clutch can be a handy skill to have in your riding repertoire.  (even if you're not good at it)

I've known riders who have 'limped' their bikes home after a spill -- their clutch levers broke off...

[ODrides]

I'm dumb, so I voted for the wrong question... I CLUTCHLESS shift when fast upshifting.  Sometimes I'll downshift clutchless, but lately I've been using less engine breaking in attempts to improve my gas mileage.

[Bizzarrini]

I'm dumb, so I voted for the wrong question... I CLUTCHLESS shift when fast upshifting.  Sometimes I'll downshift clutchless, but lately I've been using less engine breaking in attempts to improve my gas mileage.

How do you improve mileage by using less engine braking? I thought the fuel consumption when engine braking was almost zero, while using the clutch and keeping the engine at idle still uses fuel. Or are you doing something else?

[Ducatista]

Being able to shift w/o the clutch can be a handy skill to have in your riding repertoire.  (even if you're not good at it)

I've known riders who have 'limped' their bikes home after a spill -- their clutch levers broke off...

It's just a little extra exciting if you have to stop and start again.  You can always make the bike conk out and not have it be so violent by putting it into 5th or so, but it takes some extra skeeeel and some huevos of steel to be able to hit that start button knowing you're in first.     I had a buddy limp his bike home after his clutch slave piston seal decided to take a poop.  He had no clutch fluid left at all.  He's not vertically gifted and this was a Multistroodle. 

[somegirl]

I realized that the reason I like clutchless upshifting for quick passes is that my hand is too small to reach both the clutch and the turn signal at the same time, I can only do one or the other.

[ODrides]

How do you improve mileage by using less engine braking? I thought the fuel consumption when engine braking was almost zero, while using the clutch and keeping the engine at idle still uses fuel. Or are you doing something else?

Higher revs = more gas burnt.  Clutch in and brake while at idle = less gas burnt than revving down through the gears.  Granted, it's probaby minimal, but I'm the guy who walks around in a dark house to keep from "wasting energy" on lights.  ha!  That riding technique is only used when I'm putting around town, mind you, not during a more spirited ride.