Do you always use your clutch?

[Ixion]

Almost always use the clutch. Except when I forget, or things are real hectic. Didn't always off road. I'd be more worried about the primary chain snapping in clutchless changes than the gearbox, and the habit's stuck

[hXc]

Always use it changing down. Occasionally I use it when changing up but I get sore a sore hand 'cause the XR got a stiff clutch handle.

[myvice]

Depends on the mood, the car makes funny sounds when I get it wrong tho, bikes a bit more forgiving...

[danb]

Hmm, I really would not want to try at the moment. As for the future who knows..

[Coyote]

Changing down without the clutch is a piece of piss, and done properly it does no damage to your 'box.

This is why I've been to worried to do it. How do you shift down without the clutch properly?

[onearmedbandit]

All you need to do is reduce the load on the gearbox by rolling off the throttle and applying downward pressure on the gear lever, almost letting the engine 'freewheel', ie neutral throttle. If you have a steady throttle wrist, and correct timing (which you soon learn) the change is as smooth as using a clutch, but a lot quicker and IMO less disrupting to your line as you peel in for a bend. The odd time I'll blip the throttle to match the engine speed with road speed during the change if I feel it's necessary.

Something I learnt when I first started driving was how easy clutchless changes are in a car, both up and down. For up changes all you have to do is come off the throttle, and gently change up without the clutch. Still you have to have your timing right or engine speed will drop too much. Changing down however was the most fun, although probably a bit hard on the box due to the method used, but I never broke any. Anyway, say you're in forth on a normal H pattern 'box. Plant boot, let the revs start to rise a bit, then while holding down the throttle, firmly and quickly change down to third. The timing between gears is crucial, as this is the period in which the revs rise to match the road speed, however in any of my cars I tried it in it was very easy.

The car method should not be used in comparison to the bike method, both are completely different. I maintain that I have never had any gearbox problems with any vehicle I have owned, other than a Skyline turbo autotragic letting go.

[zadok]

I have found the gearbox on the 1000GTR a dream after the NTV650 (clunky; always used clutch).
Now I can change up smoothly without the clutch, but still use a bit of light clutch with a blip of acceleration on down shift.

[Motu]

I always gotta laugh when we have a customer ring up with a broken clutch cable,to them it's undrivable,but they are easy to bring in,starting ingear on the key and clutchless shifting.Had to bring in a Landrover once,it had an overdrive and I used that as it was a dog box and easy to change.

[gixxer rider]

Didn't have much choice last week,I noticed my clutch cable was on it's way out so had to conserve it as much as possible with clutchless shifting (and hope it didn't snap at a red light/intersection etc) but all fixed now so back in action again.