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Gear changes with or without clutch
mad dad - 27/9/06 at 05:32 PM

As new to bike engines i've heard various stories on use of clutch - so..no clutch when going up from 1st to 6th but use the clutch when coming back down the box - is this the best/only way?? this is on a blade engined car - Cheers

Hellfire - 27/9/06 at 06:20 PM

As the increase in weight on a bike engined car (BEC) I would advocate using clutch on change downs 6,5,4,3,2. Obviousl use clutch when starting and engaging first but otherwise just back off slightly whilst using alittle pressure to engage the next gear up.

Avoid engine braking - your car is a lot heavier than a bike and as such blip the throttle when changing down to balance revs against speed.

With a little practise it almost becomes second nature.

Steve

smart51 - 27/9/06 at 06:42 PM

When changng up at a steady speed, my car is a bit jerky unless using the clutch. Putting on a bit of power then shifting smooths out clutchless upshifts.

David Jenkins - 27/9/06 at 06:58 PM

Here are a few clues - it's for a racing box, but the principles are the same:

LINKY

[Edited on 27/9/06 by David Jenkins]

chrisf - 27/9/06 at 07:09 PM

You guys go clutchless from 1st to 2nd as well? No pops into neutral?

--Chris

ReMan - 27/9/06 at 08:43 PM

I find that 1-2-3 need a bit of clutch, but 3-4-5-6 fine without, just a bit of back off,
though the more of the rev range you use the easier it gets.

Simon - 27/9/06 at 08:53 PM

Never used to use clutch, up or down, apart from pulling away.

Get away with it in the car quite a lot too

ATB

Simon

mad dad - 28/9/06 at 07:07 AM

Thanks for the info - best go out and try some gear changes.......................good excuse to go out anyway Cheers.

NS Dev - 28/9/06 at 08:20 AM

broke the clutch cable in my XR4x4 the other day and managed to drive it 12 miles at rush hour with no clutch.............took planning at each junction though!!!!

Coose - 28/9/06 at 08:29 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CaLviNx
HI

Being a biker, of old, I personally only use the clutch to take off with from a standing start, then forget about the clutch, and just change gear by balancing the engine speed to the engine revs to get a clean change either up or down.


Down as well? You rough-arsed bugger!

MikeRJ - 28/9/06 at 09:59 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
Avoid engine braking - your car is a lot heavier than a bike


Whats the issue with engine braking on BECs? Too easy to over-rev engine?

Coose - 28/9/06 at 10:14 AM

Nah, You don't get anything like the engine braking that you would with a VX. I don't find it an issue as I've spent the last umpteen years racing two-stroke road race and hillclimb bikes (mmmmm..... '94 TZ250......).

You just need to ensure that you have decent brakes and you can then bang down the box to your hearts delight! But this is why I ALWAYS use the clutch on downchanges - I control engine speed as I'm changing down so that I don't over-rev it - in a similar sense to not locking up the wheels on downchanges on something with serious engine braking (I hillclimb a '72 Yamaha XS650 also, and have raced several four stroke single supermotos)!