Clutchless Shifting?

When OFFroading I often find it inconvienent to let go of the left grip to activate the clutch for Upshifts -
SO I just back of the throttle a little and shift.

I've done this before on other bikes with no ill effects.

Is it safe to assume this won't harm the WRR?

I seldom do it on a down shift - BUT have on occasion when I was already in way too high a gear.

I do it quite a bit offroad. Ridden most of my bikes that way, really. I usually only use the clutch for 1st gear and then power shift up, and when downshifting. Sometimes, like you have, I've had to jump on it when there isn't enough time to grab the lever.

I always have two fingers on the clutch, so "reaching for it" isn't even in the equation. Not only do I use it to shift, but am constantly feathering it to keep/gain traction and control.

Use the clutch, even if you just barely pull it in, transmissions are really expensive.

This is a topic of some debate, but I shift up quite regularly without the clutch and have never had a problem. 6500 miles on my WR and 35000 on my Strom with nary a problem.

I do sometimes downshift without using the clutch, but that is infrequently.

I don't know whether it is harmful to this bike or not. But I always use the clutch anyways; I started riding back in the day of (compared to today) low powered 125cc motocrossers, where you always had a couple of fingers on the clutch to help keep it on the pipe. So I still ride with a couple of fingers on the clutch and clutch all my shifts; just habit.

It's like a lot of other things; doesn't take long to adapt to riding with a couple of fingers on the clutch and brake, then it just becomes normal.

Just letting off the throttle enough to unload the transmission has worked well for me for a couple of decades. At a class I attended we were encouraged to upshift this way and learn to downshift with a blip of the throttle to ease the hit. I do this on all of my bikes most of the time. the 1-2 upshift on pavement is tough to get smooth, so I clutch that one. Do it smooth and you won't break stuff. If it is kicking you on the shift then you are working it too hard.

I'm not sure if it's bad to not clutch but I do just as Krabill does...

Krabill wrote:

I always have two fingers on the clutch, so "reaching for it" isn't even in the equation. Not only do I use it to shift, but am constantly feathering it to keep/gain traction and control.

Offroad I continuously keep one or two fingers on the clutch lever, just to be able to lift the front wheel when needed. So I use it most of the time. I must say it's not my primary focus on the trail.

I always use the clutch for shifting, although this is always one of the hot message board topics (like oil and chain lube).

I do know that if it's done wrong, it will make the bike start popping out of gear eventually and other fun stuff.

I, too, always have a finger over the clutch lever for shifting, locking the rear wheel, wheelies, and any other reason that you'd want or need quick clutch disengagement. :)

The shift dogs are "Back cut" slightly to keep the bike in gear so the trick is, if you do not have to force the shifter then the transmision is not "Loaded" so shifting should not be a problem, next time you are accelerating hard feel the shifter, you probably cant shift it under full power
matching load is what it's all about, Downshifting is tricky and i usually clutch on downshifts except when I'm all out of shape and need to stab it into 1st real quick

When racing I Use the clutch to start the bike and that's it. Up and down shift without the clutch all other times. Same when I'm out getting ready for a race.. On the road I don't see the need to not use it tho...

interesting! it's like playing the drums, find the right tempo and beat and use all.

The occasional clutchless shift shouldn't hurt a transmission that much. But you have to remember, that grinding you are hearing is metal on metal, never a good sound.

Try both and see which works best for you, personally I shift with my clutch in, better to err on the safe side than the losing my transmission side.

Or your front wheel from the bearings being worn out...

SheWolf wrote:

Or your front wheel from the bearings being worn out...

Hey, they still turned. And the wobble was fun >=3

I find it's really easy on the wr, just snicks in with no fuss even when I'm not that accurate. On my sv650, you had to be just perfect otherwise you would get grinding.