I just recently bought an f3 and am new to sport bikes. My friend who has a ninja said someone told him when he shifts up through his gears to just barely pull in the clutch about 1/8 of an inch and the gear should just click in smoothly and that's the best way to shift gears. I am pretty decent on the bike and can shift fine i am just wondering if there is a proper way to shift up or down. I dont want to be adding any extra wear to the bike than i need to be.

Also, he told me he likes to downshift down into neutral when rolling up to a stoplight and just use the brakes. This makes sense to me as downshifting can make the clutch wear out faster rather than just putting it in neutral and coasting to a stopusing the brakes. Im sure new brakes are much cheaper than a new clutch. My dad also told me this about 10 years ago when teaching me to drive stick shift that he likes to put it in neutral and brake to a stop rather than downshift b/c a new clutch installation is close to a G and brakes are only like 30 bucks.

What is everyone's opinion about shifting and stopping?Is anything bad for the bike/clutch/brakes etc.

 

I personally only shift like that (little or no clutch) when im really getting on it. For regular use I use my clutch as intended. As for braking, probably a good idea, but keep in mind that bike rotors are pricey, but not as bad as a clutch job.

 

just wanna be careful because you less control of the bike when coasting like that. but i do the often too.

 

Eh, I barely pull in the clutch when I shift, it's probably not even disengaged all the way... might be considered kind of a hybrid to clutchless upshifting. Oh, and I do also clutchless upshift all the time. As for downshifting, if you don't rev match then you'll stress the clutch. Just make sure to give a nice blip and be smooth and the clutch will be fine. The shift should be FAST.

When i'm coming to stop, if i'm just rolling up I'll either use engine braking and only brake right at the end, or come up kinda hard and just downshift all the way down to 2nd or 1st without braking, then brake at the end, or i'll pull the clutch in and just use the brakes to stop. I only really coast in neutral when traffic is heavy and there's really nowhere to go.

 

theres no right and wrong way personal preference .whatever works for you , i never heard no one burning out a clutch downshifting ,

 

you also have to be weary of people coming up behind you. if a car is coming up too fast and you have the bike in neutral, you might not have enough time to put it in gear and get out of the way. just somethin to think about.

 

i personally never use the clutch when i am upshifting...only out of first gear. i use it to downshift thats basically it. as you can see from everyone elses posts its basically up to you and whatever style fits you best.

 

ya dont worry about clutch wear just learn how to blip the throttle when you downshift. ask your friend with the ninja if ya dont know how.

 

While at the same time brake lights can be helpful to do their intended job (IM SLOWING DOWN!!!!!)

 

that IS indeed what brake lights are for. but sometimes, you have the dumbasses that don't pay attention to those lights. rather be safe than sorry as the old addage goes.