If you’re like a lot of riders, you use the clutch every time you shift gears. But you’ve probably heard of clutchless shifting. What is it, how does it work, and is it going to hurt your bike? We explain in this video from the MC Garage.

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If you’re like a lot of riders, you use the clutch every time you shift gears. But you’ve probably heard of clutchless shifting. Clutchless shifting is exactly what it sounds like: It means switching gears without utilizing the lever on the left bar. It’s a pretty common practice on upshifts, can work with downshifts, and, if done correctly, won’t hurt your transmission one bit. Curious to know more? We explain it all in this video from the MC Garage.

How Does Clutchless Shifting Work?
As we showed you in our how a motorcycle transmission works MC Garage, the cogs in the transmission slide along shafts to shift from one position to the next. When you’re on the gas and accelerating, the gear teeth are pushed hard against each other. The same goes when you are off the gas and decelerating with engine braking and anytime there is a load on the transmission, it’s not going to want to shift positions and move to the next gear.

How To Clutchless Shift A Motorcycle Perfectly Every Time
So, to shift gears you have to unload the transmission. Traditionally that’s done by rolling off the gas and pulling in the clutch lever. But here’s the thing, when you roll off the throttle and the instant before you start decelerating with engine braking, the transmission is unloaded. Pull the shift lever right as you roll right off the gas and it will slip into the next gear without the clutch. Of course, you need to use the clutch to get your motorcycle moving, in first gear, and when coming to a stop. But why not use it at other times?

For upshifts, it can actually be smoother and quicker to shift without the clutch and that means faster acceleration. It’s also fun and satisfying to do since it takes some technique to get it right. You can clutchless downshift too but it’s a little bit trickier. You need to blip the throttle and press down the shifter right as revs peak and it works best if you’re on the brakes since that helps match revs. Clutchless downshifting takes a lot more finesse and technique and there’s no real advantage to doing it as long as you’ve got a functional clutch lever. If you don’t however because the lever is broken or the clutch cable snapped while you’re out on a ride, you’re going to want to be familiar with clutchless shifting so you can get yourself home.

Most new or used motorcycles clutchless shift just fine, but some bikes like those with heavy flywheels or wide-ratio gearboxes don’t take kindly to the technique, so don’t feel bad if you’re struggling. Other bikes like those with high-revving engines and close-ratio gearboxes seem like they slip into the next gear with almost no effort at all. It all depends on the bike you’re riding and the revs at which you’re shifting. In general, the higher the RPM, the easier it will be.

Will Clutchless Shifting Damage Your Motorcycle?
So, the big question, is clutchless shifting going to hurt your motorcycle? Remember that video we did about wheelies where I said that wheelies that are done right aren’t going to hurt anything. The same thing applies here. If you’re using a good technique the shift should be buttery smooth and everything should be golden. But, if you’re forcing the shifter or grinding the gears you’re definitely putting undue wear on your transmission.

An easy way to learn the technique for upshifts is to preweight the shifter with your toe and then air the throttle. As soon as you roll off the gas, the shift lever is going to move and the gears are going to change. Eventually, you’ll get a feel for the timing and you’ll be able to do it without preweighting your shifter and without even thinking about it.

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