down shifting...

[thuganomics16]

just a quick question....say i was coming up to a junction in 4th or 5th gear and i had to come to a standstill is it ok to keep the clutch in the whole time i am braking and slowing down or should i be putting the clutch in changing down, clutch out and keep repeating this untill i get to 1st? would keeping the clutch in the whole time avoid locking up the rear? and would it also greatly increase clutch wear?? thanks in advance

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

No, don't "coast" with the clutch pulled in. If it is in gear when braking, the bike is much more stable and will feel better to you. Knock down the gears one at a time and use the clutch every time.

Remember sometimes you can knock down 2 gears at a time, but make sure you do it a a low rpm-speed so the revs dont fly up once you let the clutch out again - this can make rear wheel lock.

Don't worry about clutch wear. It's like saying you shouldn't use the brakes because it would wear the pads down. Clutches last a long time and are "wear and tear" of the bike. You dont have anything to worry about there.

[Dom_]

Another point to add is that some gearboxes don't work too well at standstill. E.g. After you've rolled up to the light and are in 5th gear, sometimes it will be difficult to change down to 1st gear. I know i wouldn't be able to do it on my bike, it would just feel like the lever is not connected to anything.

[Marcg868]

Thats what mines like. Its a bastard to change down from 4th at a standstill.
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[simon1221]

I have never sat at a junction in 4th gear, never plan too.

I cannot imagine it really.

I have sometimes tried to set off and realised it is in nuetral though.
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[mchaggis]

[lurker]

dont quite understand the answers here.
if your say in 3rd or 4th gear doing fifty approaching a junction and you brake late it does absolutely no harm to the bike to kick down three or four gears in the one go with the clutch in.
as for "worrying too much" about braking, unless you're in a pants filling moment i cant imagine why youd be concerned about whats going to happen when you pull the lever.

[mchaggis]

It's not the braking, it's the making sure you steer out of the way of the cyclist who's just fallen off the pavement in front of you in the dark, or in a slightly more recent incident, making sure I've got the space to escape down the right hand side of a van when a car jams on the anchors in front of it and I'm slow to react.

The first time, I was going about 55 and I was thinking purely about steering around him. Gear changes? What are they? Yank that lever and countersteer like no-bodies business is what I did.

Sometimes I'm just too preoccupied with working out what the traffic at an upcoming junction is doing to change all the way down through the box. I stop in second or third, and then the bugger won't downshift... It's not much fun really.
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[thuganomics16]

ok mixed opinions on this topic obviously lol well thanks for everones help.....just like to add that without this forum i wouldnt know what to do, everbody is allways happy to help if i have a problem and because of this you have probably all saved me making a lot of mistakes that others, without your advice would.

cheers lads

[Zoffo]

Normally I just rest my foot on the gear lever and they click in as you slow without the clutch. Only ever use the clutch for stopping and starting. Never touch it when I'm moving.

[lurker]

Clutchless upshifting is fine but i wouldnt recommend downshifting without clutch cos youll end up damaging the gears.
Also only use clutchless changes when the revs are up a bit or you could get a bit of a crunch when below 4 or 5k.(when in traffic etc)

[Zoffo]

[mchaggis]

[Dan 4RR]

Hi.

I don't mean to Hi-Jack the thread, but I have a question of my own. I know it may seem a silly question to ask, but does anyone here forgot what gear they are in?
Or do you gradually get used the sound of the bike. If you did forgot what gear you were in, do people guess what gear they are in and hope there correct?

P.S. I don't own a geared bike. I was asking for future reference to when I get one that is.

Thanks, Bye Daniel!

[Gazdaman]

at any given speed on the XJ I had no idea what gear I was in. I could probably do a whole journey in second.

On the MZ I knew exactly what gear I was in, just because I had to have exactly the right gear for the speed otherwise it'd either scream like a mofo, or just not have ANY power.

Gaz

[Akiraprise]

I allways forget what gear I'm in, however my speedo does give me a rough idea, I allways keep it in my head - the numbers but when downshifting etc i sometimes count it as an upshift - don't ask but I get to gear 8 or something stupid then realise.

my gearbox also doesnt chuange when stationary so i just push it forwards / back abit and it works.

may not wanna downshift like that as if suddenly u can go (ie traffic lights) and u let your clutch out doing say 30 in 1st on a 50 then you'll come off, so best keep it gradual

[fuzz]

To the first point, it's best not to coast. (I used to do it all the time, probably an old habit from a push bike!) The highway code advises against it for a start, but it aids slowing down through engine braking. It's also good to load the gearbox after every gear change. Block downshifting is a good idea if you want to back it in.

Clutchless upshifting - on the NSR it doesnt like non-clutch shifts in the lower gears. From 4th-6th it's pretty smooth though.

I don't seem to forget what gear I'm in probably because I always go to 6th. I can always tell 6th gear aswell it feels different to the other gears. The gear lever seems to 'float' upwards with little effort. I still end up trying to go to 7th though if I've gone through them quite quick. "What, already!"
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[Marc_Buck]

Im constantly trying for 7th and when changing from 2nd to 1st i ALLWAYS hit neutral and end up pulling away in N and it jus going vroooooooooooooooooooooom, its bad when you go for a quick pull away and realise your in nuetral isnt it.
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[Zoffo]