So i ride a 98 f3 with 40k miles, with 105 hp to the wheel. I cant tell if im just bad when power shifting or if my clutch is going out again. I can romp on the throttle at any speed and any rpm and never feel like anything is slipping, just speed and wheelies. But when i power shift every once in i hear what sounds like slippage but never feel a loss in accelerating. Dont always happen though... New honda oil. Clutch adjusted to spec. Slip or not letting the clutch out fast enough?
Thanks for the help!

 

My guess would not be letting clutch out. If I'm hammerin on it I got 1 finger on the clutch lever and I'm just giving it a quick tap as I hit the next gear, if your using a few fingers or grabbing a full hand of clutch when power shifting can have a tendancy to hold it just a little to much on release and ride it, makin it feel like slippage. jmo

 

Should i just switch up my style to, pre load the shifter and blip the throttle or just try tapping the clutch?

 

Try em both and see which one you like best, if I'm like really really gettin after it, for whatever reason, I'll clutchless shift just put pressure on the shifter blip the throttle and the next gear slides right in, I don't do it a lot. Can't imagine it being all that great for the bike.

 

its actually not as bad as you think. These newer bikes are designed to be able to do that, if your clutch is slipping you'll see your RPM's raise then drop, and raise again when your on the throttle and on it hard after shifting...

 

THIS




its faster and smoother when done correctly

 

it's actually not bad for the bike at all when done correctly.


if done incorrectly - that's a different story... you can bend shift forks, mess up drum, etc.

 

Oh ok i hear ya, when I do it it's smooth as butter but I remember readin the manual when I got the bike and it said always pull the clutch lever before shifting in big letters, but there's no jerking when I do it just smooth almost constant power expect for the quick throttle blip

 

ya, i understand how on the front side, it sounds like it's bad for the bike. but when you look at the design of the way these trannies work - the only way they shift is by taking the load off of the cogs. when you pull the clutch in, all you're doing is taking the load off of the transmission gears. when you're on the throttle and blip it - the load is taken off, the transmission shifts. it's the exact same thing as a quickshifter. the only difference is - instead of you blipping the throttle, the ignition gets cut temporarily to take the load of the gears. it's "safer" because it's based upon your shifter lever - so your timing is always spot on. but essentially, its all the exact same process.


it's not to say the clutch is worthless. i know that you can downshift the exact same way - but i'm not really that great at it for some reason. and to get the bike in gear in the first place at a stop - you need a clutch. to start the bike to roll, you need a clutch - and a clutch can give you more control while braking and going into corners.

i have clutchless shifted all the bikes i have. i know how to do it correctly. and i have had zero problems. and when you consider that the oil is shared between the clutch and motor, and the friction plates wear when they create the friction - less stuff gets into the oil when you clutchless upshift using those friction plates.



here's some stuff on it

Clutchless Shifting - Sport Rider Magazine Online

Riding skills: clutchless upshifts - | Motorcycle Riding Advice | Motorbike Riding Tips

Riding Technique Vs. Motorcycle Technology | Code Break - Motorcyclist Magazine

 

So it ended up being bad riding style on my part. Both ways, as stated above, work well for me. However, ive grown fond of the clutchless style.

One finger on the clutch lever and just a blip of clutch and throttle, i no longer feel the "slipping" sensation.

But everything just feels better when I clutchless shift. Its more of that silky smooth feeling.