Clutchless upchanging

[zephyrgirl]

OK, been clutchless up changing for a couple of months now, and it feels so slick & comfy, but.........is it doing my bike any damage?

The first few times I did it, I admit, it wasn't so great, but now it is very easy and the bike feels better than when I clutch it in. My gear changes are much quicker and smoother.

Apart from making me lazy, what are the pro's and con's?

Also, throttle blipping on downchange, I do it but apart from sounding good I cannot feel the bike being any smoother, what do I need to do?

Thanks.
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Fly away on my Zephyr?
I bloody wish.

[G]

On a fairly lowly powered bike like yours the blibbing won't make as much difference... on a sports bike on track I've had the back jumping all over the place from not doing this, which can make turning a little unstable.

If you get it right it should reduce gear and clutch wear; because it moves at the right point, the gears snick in when they /should/ rather than being forced together, abit without load, as they are with the clutch.

[jonboy]

It's still a big engine though - would've though that would make more difference than power on the downchanges, as the engine braking would still be just a strong.

[proximity]

Whats blipping
I clutchless up change too sometimes so is it ok? Im on a 125.
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2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Jrod]

When really pushing it I use clutchless shifting.

[Rob W]

Why not try clutchless downchanging?

Had to do that once on my TS50 when it got knocked over and broke off the clutch lever, luckily I was only about half a mile from home, but believe me it wasn't fun trying to get that home.

[mr.z]

As has been said before it depends allot on the bike..

CG125
Up: no problem
Down: will do but not great

cx500
Up: silky smoth
Down: carefully done no problem

ta
Up: not bad
down: not bad


they all go up and down without clutch but unless done at the right revs in the right way then it don't feel like much good is being done.... some are just easyer than others...


The reason for bliping is so that when changeing down...

a- the engine speed difference is minimal, going from 9k to 3k in a 1/4 second will not be good... engine stress is less when the revs are bliped up to meet the lower gear.

b- if the engine speed difference is too great the speed of the wheel will be too, either way arorund its bad news, high powered bikes really need bliping on downchanges in corners, you get slipper clutches to help prevent the wheel spining out and chucking the rider off on a downchange.


The bottom line is that if your not 100% sure, clutch plates and brake pads are allot cheeper than gearbox rebuilds.

Bliping and geting a downchange just right sounds cool though with a decent can is reason enough to do it
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[jonboy]

I was always told clutchless downchanges shags yer box, and whenver i've tried it, it has not sounded good. Plus there's go to be a reason GP and WSB guys use the clutch on the way down.

[proximity]

So i guess blipping is like revving the engine before you change down?
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2004 Aprilia Tuono

[jonboy]

yep, just a quick twist of the throttle as the clutch disengages, brings up the revs before the next gear down slots in. Sounds ace