No problem on the gears. The 1-2 shift is a little long and you can stick in N pretty easy. Clutch 1-2, clutchless the rest (i even shift customers bikes like this as I get tired and dont enjoy pulling the lever endlessly). Downshifting on pavement should be done with clutch ( i rev match all the time) unless you are at a very low rpm (vtr shifts easily down at 1500rpm). Dirt you can jam it down into gear. (shifter karts can take some serious abuse, pound away).

 

+1

 

FWIW, in the early 80's on the 900F and 1100F, Honda didn't recommend it. Said it would bend the shifting forks. My riding buddy was the shop foreman at the local Honda dealership and he got some service bulletins yapping about it. Ugh, maybe. Never the less, since then I always use the clutch.

 

What I was taught growing up racing dirtbikes upshift with or with out clutch down shift always clutch.

 

hmm, I must be a naughty boy... I use the karate kick while riding dirt for downshifts. Clutch is there for starts and decoration. whoops.

 

Do you guys have weak left hands or something?

In my opinion, the clutch is there for a reason...unless you're racing, and then you could use an electric shifter that cuts the ignition for an instant, thus preventing damage to any transmission parts.

And how do you match rpm's while downshifting without the clutch?

 

Yeah, clutchless upshifts are fine if done right. Downshifts need the clutch. On dirt its a bit different, bike is half the wieght & tires slide. Racing you always do it this way.

 

20 some years ago I boiled the fluid in my clutch slave cylinder while commuting home on the freeway on a hot day and lane splitting at low speed on my '86 CB700SC Nighthawk. I was able to up and downshift, but I wouldn't want to make a habit of it on the street. I changed the fluid with DOT 4 when I got home, after it cooled down.

Also, going back to the mid '60, I would drive a VW across town to get a new clutch cable when mine broke. I did this several other times, including with friend's cars, for up to 20 miles including stoplights (lots of stares when starting off by cranking the starter in 2nd). It does wear the syncros on an automotive transmission though.

 

Weak hand from carpal tunnel from j/k

On dirt, I dont worry so much about rev matching, on pavement i do. For shifter karts, no worries.