Is this a good thing to do? I usually let go of the throttle when I'm by myself, but at times with a passenger, just to maintain a smooth shift, I'll keep the throttle open shift, and release the clutch.

The bike will shift very smoothly without any jerking at all.

Should I do this? Or stop immediately?

 

this sounds like power shifting where the rpms shoot up between shifts and the clutch has to slip like a **** as the flywheel slows down to the new gearing. its going to shorten the life of the clutch obviously.

 

It sounds like it, however I don't rev up the throttle at all, I just keep it at the same point. I shift quick and the rpm's don't increase at all. Even if I shift slowly, the rpm's doing go up.

 

Shift fast using the clutch. Thats why the clutch is there so use it. You will always have smoother shifts if you do it fast. Thats the way the bike was built to be shifted. FAST !!!

 

I was asking about the throttle though, obviously you use the clutch.

 

Actually sometimes when going up aggresively I go ahead and preload a little clutch and upshift "clutchless". After teardown of about 6k miles on an oem clutch generall rated good for about 15k I didn't see any evidence of uneven or over spec wear. Keep in mind this isn't straight shifting w/o touching the clutch lever. As for keeping the throttle cracked, its fine. It will put a little more load on the clutch being that w/o dropping rpm during upshifts it has a larger difference between engine and gear speed to compensate for. As long as you're smooth I don't see anything terrible w/ that either. You'll know when its not smooth or its a little too much to ask frmo the clutch. You can feel it struggling a little before it reaches the slipping point. Actually, thinking about it now I think I may leave it cracked when I'm riding aggresively. Course I always ***** it w/ a ***** on the back.

 

Nicely put!

Thanks for the info though.

 

So, you are using the clutch but holding the throttle wide open? That will hurt your cultch as you are slipping it under max rpm and under high load!

Learn to change by dipping the throttle, or better still learn to match the power and use the clutch. Can't think why you would do this with a pillion?

 

i dont think he's holding the throttle wide open. anyhow the clutch is probly seeing more abuse from other circumstances than when he's riding 2 up and trying to be Rico Suave

 

Yeah, I'm not holding it wide open. Let's say I'm in 2nd gear accelerating lightly. The throttle is twisted a certain amount. When I shift into 3rd, I don't move the throttle at all, I hit the clutch real quick and shift, and that's it. The rpm's stay constant and then I can accelerate some more until the next gear.

Am I explaining this okay? Is this okay to do? I don't feel any strain on the clutch at all.

 

Either way you'll know in a couple months

 

a smooth shift is a good shift. you are not hurting anything.