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Clutchless upshifting


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Did Yamaha purposely make it easier to make clutches upshifting? I find it seamless and enjoy the benefit. Downshifting definitely requires using the clutch. Anyone else use/like this "feature"?

Everything is simple, Nothing is easy

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Did Yamaha purposely make it easier to make clutches upshifting? I find it seamless and enjoy the benefit. Downshifting definitely requires using the clutch. Anyone else use/like this "feature"?
 
I have tried many times and am physically unable to do so, the lever doesn't budge until I use the clutch. 
 
I shift my YZ250 dirt bike effortlessly w/o the clutch, especially downshifting.
 
 

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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Did Yamaha purposely make it easier to make clutches upshifting? I find it seamless and enjoy the benefit. Downshifting definitely requires using the clutch. Anyone else use/like this "feature"?
 
I have tried many times and am physically unable to do so, the lever doesn't budge until I use the clutch. 
 
I shift my YZ250 dirt bike effortlessly w/o the clutch, especially downshifting.
 

 
You probably just have to slightly back off on the throttle. The dogs on the gears will most likely be back cut. Most mxers don’t bother with the lower hp/weight ratio.
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I think that bikes without quickshift you need to drop revs slightly and apply slight upward pressure to the gear pedal to upshift without the clutch. This worked well on my old FZ1.  With the QS I have found that you need to maintain the revs for a smooth upshift. If you you drop the revs its very clunky!
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Did Yamaha purposely make it easier to make clutches upshifting? I find it seamless and enjoy the benefit. Downshifting definitely requires using the clutch. Anyone else use/like this "feature"?
The FJ transmission is really sweet and shifts beautifully. And, unlike many bikes, will always find neutral. 
I use clutchless shifts a lot when I am touring and down on the tank on long rides. Very convenient.  Just roll off the throttle ever so slightly and pop the shifter up.
 
Around town and at higher RPMs I usually double-shift using the clutch since the ratios are so close.
 
I have not had a re-flash, but wonder if that might impede clutchless shifting as it changes throttle roll on/off characteristics.
 
cb
1968 Triumph Bonneville 650
1971 Norton Commando Roadster
2002 Harley 1200 Sportster
2003 Honda ST 1300
2016 FJ 09
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I've done clutchless shifting on the FJ and every bike I've owned since the early 2000's.  I twitch the throttle and shift simultaneously.  A tiny fraction of a pull on the clutch lever can make it smoother.
 
 
I don't do it often.  No need to rush most of the time.
 
 

https://ridemsta.com/oh-tmr/  Riding makes me happy. "Do it or don't do it - you'll regret both." - Soren Kierkegaard

2015 FJ-09, 60k miles, Hord Power ECU, K-Tech suspension, MC Cruise

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Clutchless upshifted a couple dozen different bikes over many years of riding including the FJ-09 on every ride. Surprised it still comes up as a topic. Don't take it from me: https://www.sportrider.com/clutchless-shifting-riding-skills-series
 
Not mentioned in the article: for us geezers with arthritis can make long days of twisty riding a bit less painful. Clutchless downshifting is possible as well but requires a bit more practice and finesse.
 
 
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Always have shifted "up" without the clutch about 99.9% of the time. Only in traffic, or when I'm about to stop I might use the clutch, or downshifting when cold or coming to a stop.
 
It's pretty normal to "slip" the clutch to move the gears around while shifting into neutral at a long stop light for example too, if the transmission does not just click into neutral easy too.
 
Dog style transmissions like these really don't wear out, and you can limit wear by shifting faster, rather than slower. (The dogs will engage faster, thus, limiting any chipped metal when they engage, it's not like a syncro mesh transmission, where cones slip together to try and match the speeds of the gears before they engage, the dogs just "bang" into place, and the gears are going the same speed pretty much instantly. The slower you engage them, the more they are going to "wear" at the metal edges of the "dog" that is designed to engage together, and match the speeds of the gears when you shift. Same with going up, or down. The faster you shift, the less wear you are going to get.)
 
I've driven straight cut gear boxes on large trucks/buses, and you double clutch to match gear speeds, and most large diesel engines are setup about 1000 rpm per shift. So if you just shift every 1000 rpm, you go up or down in gears, and can do it all without ever touching the clutch when you get to know the vehicle/truck/bus. Again, use the clutch to stop and go, but other than that? Double clutching is really NOT using the clutch at all, just matching the engine speed to vehicle speed, and "feeling" the gears as they come together, and then "snick" into place up and down the RPM/Speed range for that vehicle.
 
A Crown school bus I used to drive, had a 4 speed transmission, and a lay down sideways in-line 4 diesel. Tons of fun to drive when you got used to a particular bus, the only time I touched the clutch was to stop or go. IIRC, it had a clutch "brake" that would stop the gear rack from spinning so you could engage first gear or reverse, if you had been sitting at a light with it in neutral. But even then, you'd get used to the bus, and just partially push in the clutch, stay out of the brake part, and as the gear rack stopped spinning, it would snick into first or reverse just fine, no brake needed. (The brake was a wear item, so the mechanics would complain if you wore it out too fast.)
 
I've ridden my motorcycles the same way, but don't really worry about downshifting as much, but going up is easy, just back off the throttle, snick into the next gear, and back on the gas again! Down takes more skill/practice, and can be annoying if you are on slick/dusty roads, as the rear wheel will tend to chirp and skid due to engine braking. (My 2015 does not have the slipper clutch of course that would ease that problem.) It's not really a problem however! :) I like being able to slow down that way sometimes.
 
It's too easy to drop two gears, hold in the clutch till you want to "chirp" the rear tire, then let out the clutch, allowing it to brake you some, slide the rear tire some, and then power back on and nail the apex of the corner and power away. Sort of hard to do that with a slipper clutch, but I'm sure it's much less drama, and wear on the chain/gears/bike?
 
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