Changing gears without clutch

[tjdrz400e]

Hi Guy's,

What are your thoughts on changing gears without the clutch on the DRZ? In some tight track situations it's virtually impossible to use the clutch properly, if at all. I know that when I use to ride my YZ and CR I pretty much only used the clutch to take off and those gear boxes gave me years of trouble free use. Any ideas? ?

[gcvt]

I shift without the clutch all the time and haven't had any problems...both upshifting and downshifting.

[JoelH.]

The DRZ can take it(clutchless shifts) just as well as the YZ and CR. I forgo the clutch whenever the need arises. Bottom line for me is, any extra wear and tear on the tool is the price of getting the job done right.

[anathema]

I also shift clutchless sometimes, but out of curiosity, what situation could ever arrise where you -cant- use the clutch (not counting an autoclutch here guys ? )

[PRDRZ]

I also shift clutchless sometimes, but out of curiosity, what situation could ever arrise where you -cant- use the clutch (not counting an autoclutch here guys )

Where I'm accelerating standing up in a crazy trail, I get the notion to to grab a gear ? and I'm holding on to tight to reach the clutch

[DRZ04]

It shouldn't hurt it. Just don't jam it into gear. A slight, quick blip of the throttle makes it happen very smooth. If you jam the shifter under full throttle and try to make it happen you are asking for trouble. If you want to shift under full throttle with out backing off I would suggest you just fan the clutch lever.

[ccman60]

I always thought the clutch was for starting and stopping.

[elan666]

you should practice starting / stopping w/o a clutch. Sucks when the cable breaks on ya in the middle of no where....

[ccman60]

I know what you mean!! I also a H-D with a jock shift/no front brake combo and you have to pay watch sometimes how your riding. ?

[anathema]

Where I'm accelerating standing up in a crazy trail, I get the notion to to grab a gear ? and I'm holding on to tight to reach the clutch

Crazy...when going up a nuts uphill dont think you're supposed to hold the bars like that...too easy to flip over backwards.

Put weight on the pegs and lean forwards...I dont thikn I've ever been in a situation where i COULDNT use the clutch.

[LTA]

Hmm, and i thought the clutch was the ultimate tool for keeping an engine in the power band. I thought it was useful for lugging 3rd out of a corner to avoid shifting, more useful than the throttle for controlling wheelspin, and the only way to avoid killing the engine bumping into a rock poorly on an uphill trail section. Guess i wasted all that time learning to ride offroad with one finger on the clutch. Scalpel in the left hand, chainsaw in the right.

Sure you can shift without a clutch, but you have to at least partially unload the gears by closing the throttle. You can even put light upward pressure on the lever, then when you back off on the throttle it will pop up into the next gear when the gears unload.

So, how do you start your bike in the sand when you scrap your clutch perch in a fall, and your battery gives up the ghost? Use your cell phone to order the kicker kit? ?

[redrider320]

It shouldn't hurt it. Just don't jam it into gear. A slight, quick blip of the throttle makes it happen very smooth. If you jam the shifter under full throttle and try to make it happen you are asking for trouble. If you want to shift under full throttle with out backing off I would suggest you just fan the clutch lever.

ok so i dont have a drz400 but iv ridden a crf50 and had it full throtle and shifted from 1st to 2nd and it poped a wheely so dont ever do this

If you jam the shifter under full throttle and try to make it happen you are asking for trouble.