Shifting Question

[mivaldes]

As I spend time on my new Trail (going up and down my dead end 0.75 mile street), I've got a question to ask--

When I downshift, if I just “shift” (tap the lever and then let it go) I can make the wheel “chirp”. If I click the lever down, but then bring it back up easy, it is more like a manual in a car. Is that hurting the clutch at all or is it designed to just be “let go” after pushing it down? I can almost get it to mimic the clutch of a manual car doing it that way. The downward "click" is shifting the gear, and then feathering it up makes it smooth.

Does that make sense what I'm asking?

 

[m in sc]

when i taught my wife to ride her supercub, i gave her a good rule of thumb in regards to downshifting... . down shift to 3rd at 30 mph or lower. down shift to 2nd at 20 mph or lower. and 1st at 10 mph or slower. will help develop a good habit. hurt clutch? not really but not easy on it or the transmission. a steady but quick movement on the shifter is good as well. also, i shut the throttle down for a split second before shifting up or down. my .02

 

[Grandpa]

Smooth is the way to go. There is a secondary clutch for a reason. If you are “chirping the rear wheel, you are not being smooth with your gear shifts. Unless you are “riding the clutch”, you are not damaging anything.

 

[Msfitoy]

Stepping on the gear lever half way down puts it in neutral position, similar to disengaging a manual clutch. When I used to ride a manual, I'd disengage the clutch while slowing with brakes and simultaneously blip the throttle to rev-match before shifting and re-engaging the clutch...yes, right hand braking while twisting the throttle. You can do the same with the CT by half way shifting down the lever. With practice, I can down shift without any skidding or jerking. Confusing I know...that's a whole lot of moves in a split second to execute.

 

[mivaldes]

Stepping on the gear lever half way down puts it in neutral position, similar to disengaging a manual clutch. When I used to ride a manual, I'd disengage the clutch while slowing with brakes and simultaneously blip the throttle to rev-match before shifting and re-engaging the clutch...yes, right hand braking while twisting the throttle. You can do the same with the CT by half way shifting down the lever. With practice, I can down shift without any skidding or jerking. Confusing I know...that's a whole lot of moves in a split second to execute.

So if I "half shift" by holding the lever down, I'm in neutral?

 

[dmonkey]

No, not in neutral in terms of the transmission, but instead the gear shift actuator is holding the shift/gear change clutch (not the centrifugal one) in a disengaged position.

 

[Msfitoy]

No, not in neutral in terms of the transmission, but instead the gear shift actuator is holding the shift/gear change clutch (not the centrifugal one) in a disengaged position.

View attachment 2075

Correct...disengaged, not neutral...

 

[m in sc]

yeah half shifts = you are just slipping the big clutch is all, which has its place.