shifting quickly

[uclabiker06]

Been practicing shifting fast and boy does it make a difference.  Guess I didn't really think shifting is a skill but it is and the faster you can shift the faster the bike goes.  

Sorry if I sound retarded here but its just something I never really gave much thought.  I mean it makes such a huge difference in terms of speed....the thing is like a freaking bullet now.  I basically try to shift as fast as I can (without pulling the clutch in more than necessary and without rolling off the throttle more than necessary).  The coolest part is i think that I will get better at it!  Never thought I could make such a difference...fantastic!  I guess this is called "speed shifting"?

[Dellikose]

I've been working on shifting faster too.

It's pretty embarrassing when you don't roll off the throttle fast enough before engaging the clutch and WAHHHHHH, then shift!

Guess that means that I have to keep practicing 

[The Bearded Duc]

Been practicing shifting fast and boy does it make a difference.  Guess I didn't really think shifting is a skill but it is and the faster you can shift the faster the bike goes.  

Sorry if I sound retarded here but its just something I never really gave much thought.  I mean it makes such a huge difference in terms of speed....the thing is like a freaking bullet now.  I basically try to shift as fast as I can (without pulling the clutch in more than necessary and without rolling off the throttle more than necessary).  The coolest part is i think that I will get better at it!  Never thought I could make such a difference...fantastic!  I guess this is called "speed shifting"?

It certainly make getting up to speed a lot easier and, pardon the pun, faster.

Try clutch-less shifting, that should be a lot of fun for you too. (Disclaimer: Not really a great idea in city riding.)
Basically you want to get the rpm's up to 4-6k or higher, depending on your gearing, roll off the throttle just a bit and shift with your foot like normal. It takes a bit of practice as well but once you get it down it sure is fun.

There are a couple threads on clutch-less shifting but I'm just too lazy to look, give it a search. I think you'll be amazed at how many people do it.

And another note, most people DON'T clutch-less shift 1st and sometimes 2nd. I'm gathering its just because the rpm's climb so fast.
 

[uclabiker06]

wow, good to know duc750!  so just do it in maybe 2nd and higher gears?  Is this technique bad for the bike if you do it right? I was catching on to doing it a while back but then someone told me not to do it b/c its bad for the bike (I don't think he knew what he was talking about)

[The Bearded Duc]

wow, good to know duc750!  so just do it in maybe 2nd and higher gears?  Is this technique bad for the bike if you do it right? I was catching on to doing it a while back but then someone told me not to do it b/c its bad for the bike (I don't think he knew what he was talking about)

It's more comfortable for me to do it into 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Although there have been times when I've done it from second.

It's not bad for the bike unless you're trying to jam it into the next gear. If you're doing it correctly the bike will almost do it for you. You want to preload the shift lever just a bit with your foot, once you roll off the throttle the clutch just kind of slides into the next gear. It will only do this smoothly at higher rpm's, otherwise it's very jerky.

There isn't really any need to do this on the street, meaning there isn't any real benefit, but I suspect I'll be doing some track time in the future plus I love learning and practicing new techniques on the bike. I've been practicing brake, blip, downshift recently, this one is really intimidating but when it's right it puts a really big smile on my face!!

[thought]

From what I understand, clutchless upshift are perfectly fine, and actually a bit better for your bike at WOT.  Clutch less downshifting is where it can prematurely wear out the gearbox if done incorrectly.

[Spidey]

I've heard from a lot of folks that they don't clutchless upshift from 1-2 on the street. I guess the concern is catching a false neutral.  I do it all the time (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-11tby;  yes, my bike has 11tyb gears), and I ride in pretty hectic urban traffic.  Maybe I'm an accident-waiting-to-happen (even more so than usual), but it just doesn't seen like that big of a deal.  <shrug>
 
OP, I'm not sure if I'd call what you're doing speed shifting per se.  But you're right that the faster you shift, the more time the bike is putting down power and the faster it will go.  You may have been shifting slowly before which is why it feels like such a big deal.  On the track, it makes a really significant difference.  It can mean 500-1000 rpm or 5 mph or more at the end of a straight.  There's a reason that racers use quick shifters (which are generally attached to your shift lever and when you press the shift lever, automatically cut the throttle just enough that you can shift w/o using the clutch).  As for a the street, I'm sure it makes a difference, but I never really tried to compare.  Certainly, it'll make a different in how fast you *feel* like you're goin'.

You'll probably find that as you get faster, you can upshift w/o using the clutch.  Muscle memory will probably make you pull it in just a bit, but that might not actually be disengaging it all.  I like clutchless upshifts a lot, in that they upset the bike a lot less.  On the street, I do clutchless downshifts a lot too, but that's just a habit from track riding. 

[Greg]

I do it all the time (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-11tby;  yes, my bike has 11tyb gears),  <shrug>

Your bike is missing 10th gear  

Clutchless up shifting is great fun, and down shifting is even better but you have to match revs carefully.

[He Man]

i clutchless up shift and downshift through all the gears, downshifting is a bit different.

WHen you upshift, you let off the throttle the instant you tap it into gear and give it gas right afterwords and its almost seemless.

when you downshift, you have to downshift in the middle of the momment when you are about to give gas. if you give the gas too hard while shifting down, it will jam and shred up your gear and catch a false neutral. if you give the gas too lightly it wont go in.

i only clutchless downshift on open road where i can ride with 1 hand, for upshifting i pretty much do it everywhere.

[bikepilot]

In races I rarely use the clutch to shift (except 1-2, I still prefer it there) up or down.  On the street I almost always use the clutch. Even with proper technique its easier on the gearbox.

As for as up vs down, the dynamics inside the gearbox are the same, only reason some folks say not to clutchless downshift is squids seem to screw that up even worse than the clutchless upshift as far as I can tell. You might also induce some wheel up on decel into a corner if you make a hash of it and don't have a slipper.

Just fyi, this bit

You want to preload the shift lever just a bit with your foot, once you roll off the throttle the clutch just kind of slides into the next gear.

is mistaken, the clutch doesn't have anything to do with how the gears actually shift.  The reason you need to roll off, use a quick shifter, flick a kill button, pull in the clutch etc is to unload the engagement dogs so they can slide out of the gear they are in and be free to snap into the next one.  Using the clutch also cushions the shock load when a higher (or lower) gear is suddenly engaged.  You don't get this cushioning no matter how perfectly timed your clutchless upshift is (and you don't get it on a downshift without a slipper).  Now gearboxes can take a ton of shock loading so its not a big deal, but all else equal using the clutch is easier on the gears (actual gear teeth - done right, it makes no difference to the forks, dogs etc).

[Hellraising-vtec]

interesting. did not know about this. thanks guys

[uclabiker06]

whats even more interesting is a quick shifter... basically its like clutchless shifting except you don't even need to roll off the throttle; I want!

[Duc796canada]

Find your self a nice straight stretch away from traffic, and just short shift, quick flick off the gas and clutch in almost simultaneously as you flick the gas of shift up and clutch out. Try it at slower speeds so you are not fighting the loaded tranny of high speeds. I rode MX for years, and yes a lot of racers don't use the clutch, and there were lots of times I didn't, but most time I gave the clutch a flick to unload the tranny. This why I believe everyone should ride dirt before street.