thanks for the input. I personally use the clutch.

 

thats what its there for....

 

Dirtbike and ATV transmissions are called "constant mesh". This means that the gears are always touching each other. When you shift you slide the gear to another gear and the "dogs" on the side of the gears contact holes in the side of that gear.

With this type of transmission there is no reason to use the clutch to shift once your moving. just let off the gas, shift and get back on the gas. Downshifting you should "blip" the throttle as you down shift.

 

chris is exactly right, the constant mesh transmission is designed to shift without the clutch. Nobody who races any off road bike shifts with the clutch, nobody who wins anyway.

Hernandez, the last thing you will "mess up" by not using your clutch...is your clutch. If anything, you're saving it.

 

I've been lurking around here for a while but this is my first post. I have been a proffesional mechanic for 25 years. I raced motocross for ten years and have been riding bikes and 4 wheelers off and on since then. I do not use a clutch other than starting and when needed out of turns for maximum acceleration. I have never seen a transmission damaged from shifting without the clutch. With all atv/motorcycle manual transmissions that I know of, being constant mesh, when shifting you do not actually engage a gear into another gear or engage a synchronizer together like you do in a vehicle. you are simply sliding one gear on the shaft to lock or unlock dogs on the side of the gears. The ratios on most transmissions are close enough that the shaft/gear speed differential is fairly low. The slots the dogs engage into are large enough, coupled with the relatively low difference of speed between the dogs that each gear will lock up fine with or without the clutch. If you want to minimize the stress on the shift forks, momentary let off on the throttle while upshifting, this unloads the power train and accomplishes the same thing as pulling in the clutch.

 

Hey thats what I said.

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really good info guys. I think I will stop using my clutch except for starting in first.

 

Assuming all your gears are perfect to begin with, cause if one has a chip you will most likely ruin the gear by not using the clutch.

 

Sounds kind of funny "if one has a chip, you will ruin it." Isn't it ruined already? It's like saying if your tire has a leak it will go flat.

Bottom line is: You do not need the clutch while shifting and your bike will be fine.

 

My oppinion is to use the clucth, it is to hard on the transmisison if you do not use it. The only time you should not use it is when you are racing.