I am new to manual clutches, so here is my question. Before I got my Warrior, I rode my friends stock Banshee, and he saw me shifting without using the clutch and wasn't too happy. My other buddy who races and has a 250r and a Banshee says you don't have to use the clutch to shift, he only uses it to start off and to keep his RPM's up in the turns while racing. So my question is, should the clutch always be used for shifting, or doesn't it matter?? I assume you should use it, but sometimes I forget to while riding my Warrior, will this harm anything in the long run, the tranny never grinds or anything when shifting without the clutch, it goes right into the next gear fine, even when downshifting w/o the clucth. Any comments or suggestions??

 

Whenever I ride manual clutches I only use them to start out and when I want to coast. Other than that I just shift without it, I don't think it hurts anything majorly. Maybe after years of shifting without it some might wear down but I don't know for sure.

 

I can't see where upshifting without the clutch would pose a problem after you get going. As for downshifting, I wouldn't suggest it. Using gears to slow down is never a good idea on any 4 wheeler unless maybe you ARE using the clutch. If you just don't like using the clutch, you can get it tightened so you barely have to pull it at all.

 

I think its ok, just ok, to shift when you aren't really gassing it. If you are really under power I would suggest the clutch, hell I would suggest the clutch all the time, otherwise they wouldnt have put it there, right? Right

 

So far I've been doing the opposite, using the cluch when cruising around, but not when I am really on it and trying to pick up speed. It seems I can go faster(get up to speed faster) if I don't use the clutch, it shifts faster and there isn't as much time wasted pulling in the clutch. Otherwise I ussually use it, but there are times like where I go over the best and biggest jump I have, but as soon as I land I have to brake and downshift and turn quick left or I will wind up in a fence, times like this I simply can't pull in the clutch to downshift as I am holding on while in the air and trying to break at the same time. Any other comments??

 

I think using the clutch gets me up to speed faster. You say u waste time pulling in the clutch, just pull it in quick and dont let off the throttle. You have to shift at the same time u pull in the clutch and do it really quick so u dont waste time. but thats just the way i ride and i beat a 400ex on a motocross track this morning.

 

I seem to be getting beter using the clutch, but sometimes I can't or just forget, I don't think I'm hurting anything, but maybe. Any other thoughts anyone?

 

i look at it as when the engine wants to change tio a higher gear then you can shift without the clutch becuase it naturaly wants to shift but down shifting i always use the clutch becuase it can be hard on them if you are using the gears to hold you back also known as engine breaking you will eventually know when and when not to use the clutch.