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geeza · 06-28-2003, 04:56 PM

GOING UP

Shifting without the clutch will result in minimal drive loss. If speed is your issue, this is what you need. However, most people are insufficiently sensitive/skillful to time this action correctly. Therefore we have the clutch.

Listen to old ladies revving the tits off an engine as they slowly blend that clutch in. Listen to any racing driver and he will be going through them almost quicker than you can distinguish.

Whether you're on a bike or a car, you will find that if you try to shift faster and faster, you are actually using less and less clutch. Eventually you're probably only tapping it. At that point you're almost ready to walk on the rice paper.

On a motorcycle clutchless shifting is essential in racing or during long wheelies. Disengage the drive during a wheelie to change gear and you'll be popping the front tyre before you know it as the bike sinks like an anvil.

Shifting without the clutch is faster, smoother, and does not actually wear it out.... ...if you can do it properly.

GOING DOWN
Here you have the problem of matching the engine speed with the speed at which the wheels are turning / the road is going past.

Obviously if you're in fifth and you want to drop it to third, you are going to have to speed the engine up a hell of a lot before you ram 3rd home. If you do shove it in, and it actually goes in, you'll experience that massive deceleration and a huge amount of noise as the wheels and engine try to figure it out (engine speeding up, wheels tending to lock up).

So you have to match the engine RPM, by double de-clutching (dip, neutral, rev, next gear) or rev pairing (dip, rev, gear).

Without rev pairing on a motorcycle with a lot of engine braking from big cylinders (like a V twin harley, Ducati etc) you will lock the back wheel up if you just smash it down, and it will be hopping around behind you. You will lose control. You better fether that clutch quickly to regain composure. As you fether it, you are effectively allowing wheels and engine to negotiate and reach a compromise.

06-28-2003, 04:56 PM	#19 (permalink)
geeza Crazy	GOING UP Shifting without the clutch will result in minimal drive loss. If speed is your issue, this is what you need. However, most people are insufficiently sensitive/skillful to time this action correctly. Therefore we have the clutch. Listen to old ladies revving the tits off an engine as they slowly blend that clutch in. Listen to any racing driver and he will be going through them almost quicker than you can distinguish. Whether you're on a bike or a car, you will find that if you try to shift faster and faster, you are actually using less and less clutch. Eventually you're probably only tapping it. At that point you're almost ready to walk on the rice paper. On a motorcycle clutchless shifting is essential in racing or during long wheelies. Disengage the drive during a wheelie to change gear and you'll be popping the front tyre before you know it as the bike sinks like an anvil. Shifting without the clutch is faster, smoother, and does not actually wear it out.... ...if you can do it properly. GOING DOWN Here you have the problem of matching the engine speed with the speed at which the wheels are turning / the road is going past. Obviously if you're in fifth and you want to drop it to third, you are going to have to speed the engine up a hell of a lot before you ram 3rd home. If you do shove it in, and it actually goes in, you'll experience that massive deceleration and a huge amount of noise as the wheels and engine try to figure it out (engine speeding up, wheels tending to lock up). So you have to match the engine RPM, by double de-clutching (dip, neutral, rev, next gear) or rev pairing (dip, rev, gear). Without rev pairing on a motorcycle with a lot of engine braking from big cylinders (like a V twin harley, Ducati etc) you will lock the back wheel up if you just smash it down, and it will be hopping around behind you. You will lose control. You better fether that clutch quickly to regain composure. As you fether it, you are effectively allowing wheels and engine to negotiate and reach a compromise.