I am going to participate in some drag races in a couple of weeks and so I want to learn how to powershift. I hear it really helps during drag races. I also hear it is bad for your engine though. But I am not going to always powershift so I don't think it will get ruined. So how do I powershift?

 

is your 400 stock? when i still had my 400ex i would start in second during drag races that helped alot but i also had a modded bike that helped me pull hard in second off the line tho. what kind of other wheelers are you racing? and as far as dragging i just run it hard through the gears i have never really heard of powershifting unless it is just regular agressive shifting.

 

Yea my 400ex is full stock. Except for the exhaust. I have a FMF Power4 exhaust. Doesn't really make much of a difference. I'm probably going to be racing some stock blasters and raptors. Powershifting is supposedly when you run shift through the gears really quick without using the clutch.

 

you will most likely get the raptors off the line. i used to on mine but they have more top end. do you weigh less than your opponents? i just beat a 700 raptor on my 450r stock to stock and i weigh 80 pounds more! it was about a 500 foot race. my brother rides my old 04 400ex now with a fmf full exhaust, k@n filter, down one tooth on the front sprocket, and 450r front shocks. he keeps up with me in first gear then my r roars away from him.

 

i usually use my clutch. i would recommend taking it out and take a few practice runs trying different techiniques and see whats best for you. you will at least win in a long distance endurance race. it a honda! and you own one tough bike in my opinion.

 

when i ride my motorcycle and i dont use the clutch you have to do it pretty quick or it wont go in, but i have a RPM gauge so i kind of know what RPMs let me shift it easy. really if you are fast with a clutch it is not much difference.

 

There's 2 methods that I know of. One is to let off the gas, shift (no clutch), then back on the gas. It takes practice to shift at the correct time when the RPM's are at the right place to mesh the gears without the clutch. It's really not too hard though. It's in the timimg. The other method which my nephew uses and swears by, is to not let off the gas. Just pull the clutch in, shift, then let the clutch out. The engine will rev up when you pull the clutch in. that's ok. Just shift and let the clutch back out quick enough so that the engine doesn't rev too high. The trick is to have a little pressure on the shift lever and when you pull the clutch in, your foot will move the lever to the next gear automatically when the clutch is pulled in. Both of these methods happen very, very quickly.

 

Did you rejet properly??? Adding a aftermarket exhaust should make a HUGE difference.

 

Basically power-shifting is just leaving the gas pinned the entire time and just pulling the clutch quick and snapping up the next gear.....

On the new 450s, and of course MX dirt bikes, you don't need the clutch at all.....they are designed to up-shift while the engine is wide open the entire time.

On the 400ex, and z400 alike, you cannot do a true power-shift, so you need to pull in the clutch if you are going to shift under power. Otherwise you need to back off the gas before you click up.

In either scenario, be careful as it takes practice. Improper technique and you can do damage to the engine, trans, and clutch.