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Hexhead shifting from 2nd to 1st

wnankervis

New member
To aviod the "clunk" from down shifting from 2nd to 1st, not coming to a stop, but rather down shifting to 1st for a 1st gear turn, what is the preferred technique?
 
Shift quickly, almost in one motion, pulling the clutch and mashing the shifter almost simultaneously. At least that's what I do.
 
With my old British sports cars with non-synchromesh first gear, I just blipped the throttle in neutral with the clutch out, then clutch in and drop into first. If you match revs right it works fine. Seems to work the same for my oilhead. Haven't tried it on the new hexhead.
 
Technically if you pull the clutch, press the shift lever down slightly into N (neutral), then let out the clutch and rev up the engine to the proper rpm that would be required for your present speed in first gear, then pull in the clutch, quickly shift down from neutral to first gear before the gear stops spinning (no clunk will occur because the gear and shaft are moving at exactly the same speed). Then make sure the engine is reving at the required speed for your present speed in first gear, then let out the clutch and you would have a perfect shift from second to first.

That is what truck drivers do all day long to avoid that grinding of gears. (double clutching).

In reality that would be very difficult to do on a bike and get it right.

If I am slowing down with the clutch pulled, and going too slow for second gear, I wait till I am going as slow as traffic will let me, then press down into first gear and put up with the clunk. If I am still coasting about 10 mph or faster I leave it in second gear and pull away slowly (not lugging the engine) until I get the revs up to 3K then give it the gas.

Hope not too technical..........
 
I do as Funride does. I rarely take any corner that requires me to go lower than 2d gear. I also will just lightly pull away in 2d gear if it's above 15 mph. 2d pulls well and you are up above 3 k quickly (about 30 mph). 2d is about 1 to 1, that is, 15 mph is 1500 RPM, 40 mph is 4000 RPM, etc. If you MUST go so slow as to require shifting to 1st, I just do it at around 10 mph and I don't get any clunk at that point. But again, I rarely ever need to downshift to 1st. Even when stopping at a light, I drop her into 1st right about the time I come to a stop.
 
That is what truck drivers do all day long to avoid that grinding of gears. (double clutching).

Thread hijack... No they don't. Or at least that wasn't the way I was trained. In my training the clutch was only used for stopping and starting. All other shifts were done clutchless. Yes, that involves matching engine speed to tranny speed which is extra fun when just learning how as often by the time you got it matched the truck had slowed down so much you needed to downshift 3 gears and try again. :doh

My very short stint at playing truck driver was almost 30 years ago. Perhaps things have changed.

Back to motorcycles....

My GS shifts into first very quietly at about 3 MPH. If I have to shift into first at other speeds I put up with the clunk. I'm sure that this has to do more with my (lack of) technique than the bike.
 
If I have to shift down into first from ten or fifteen miles an hour such as pulling a steep hill with passenger and luggage in traffic, I feather the clutch and give it some throttle and it seems to slip right into first without clunk or problem.
 
#1 Clutchless..A Question

Thread hijack... No they don't. Or at least that wasn't the way I was trained. In my training the clutch was only used for stopping and starting. All other shifts were done clutchless. Yes, that involves matching engine speed to tranny speed which is extra fun when just learning how as often by the time you got it matched the truck had slowed down so much you needed to downshift 3 gears and try again. :doh

My very short stint at playing truck driver was almost 30 years ago. Perhaps things have changed.

Back to motorcycles....

My GS shifts into first very quietly at about 3 MPH. If I have to shift into first at other speeds I put up with the clunk. I'm sure that this has to do more with my (lack of) technique than the bike.

I too go clutchless when downshifting while standing..usually from 3 to 2 but sometimes from 2 to 1..usually on a steep grade and always off road...I do it because I need to drop the gear right now to either keep momentum or slow down on compression...

Used to drive cars in 50's this way, blip throttle drop a gear without clutch...and that was with shifter on column or on floor boards..

Question: Will shifting without clutch damage a BMW trans anymore than anyother manual trans?

Thanks..
 
Hmmmm, Not sure about the shifting with out a clutch on the bike. I would not do that.

Years ago had a friend with a Harley who did that all summer. By the end of the season his tranny went belly-up.

Lots of car racers do it. But, I am sure they replace a lot of trannys.
 
Understood..

Hmmmm, Not sure about the shifting with out a clutch on the bike. I would not do that.

Years ago had a friend with a Harley who did that all summer. By the end of the season his tranny went belly-up.

Lots of car racers do it. But, I am sure they replace a lot of trannys.

I only drop gears without a clutch and then only when I get "caught out [my error in not anticipating sooner the need to drop a gear] " while riding off road on a steep loose surface that requires a quick down shift while standing...most of my shifting is done with the clutch..

Just wondered if the trans in BMWs was tolerant of clutchless shifts...my '78 KTM GS6 [dirt only bike] was always shifted without the clutch with no adverse effects..
 
I can't really say that I've given it much thought. In part its because I rarely go so slow in turns as to need 1st gear. Its also because, for me anyway, shifting is more about feel than technique. I'll shift from 2nd to 1st when turning into a driveway or perhaps a parking lot, but that's about it. The only time I do it consistantly is turning into my home's sharply uphill driveway.

Here's what I do at my driveway. I'm on my street, a cul-de-sac, at 20 MPH or less so I'm never out of 2nd gear (I've shifted down from 3rd to get on my street). After about 100 yards I approach my driveway. I release the throttle to let the engine brake slow me down as I approach the driveway. As I get to the driveway, a left turn, I pull the clutch, downshift, turn the throttle for more revs, release the clutch, and turn uphill at the same time. The whole thing is done about 3/4 of the way into the turn. I guess it clunks a bit, I don't really know. Anyway, I stay in 1st until parked in my garage.

Actually, I'm a little embarrassed to say that I've never thought about it.:blush I just do it.
 
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