Clutch-less downshifting.

[Waylander]

I`m not technically gifted enough to figure out how but couldn`t you somehow integrate your clutch switch with your gear lever?Maybe even get something rigged-up like the old "heel and toe" gear levers so your heel operates the clutch while your toes operates the gears,that way with a bit of practice you could still do clutchless up-changes if you wanted to.I`m not sure about clutchless downchanges,sounds like a good way to lock your back wheel up if you get it wrong plus I`d have thought all kinds of strains on your transmission.

Someone may have suggested this but I wanted to get it out before I forgot.
If you are ok with some heavy mods to your bike it should be posible to attach the heel-toe shifter mentioned above to activate the clutch no matter wich way you go. would require a pully set up though I think . no idea how you would be able to hold the cutch in on it to rev it up ready for wheelies or fast accel. Maybe keep your thumb clutch active aswell.

[That Guy]

Just read this - a slipper clutch; as found on race bikes, some ducatis etc, would help reduce any stress on the gear box by 'backwards' slipping on the downchange. Also you could fit an ignition cut out - race bikes have this for clutchless shifting - the moment the gear lever is engaged the ignition is momentarily cut (above a certain rev amount) to 'unload' the gearbox and allow the next gear to be selected with little effort.

[cliffy]

a slipper type clutch would probably be the way to go, from what i'm told their pretty good.
I have also seen a set up for some motards whereby they have a thumb operated lever on the throttle side ...... now I can't actually remember whether it was a brake or clutch lever but at the time i thought "hey cool".
but i can't remember the website i saw it on but it was one i came across when i had don a search under motards or supermotards and i think they were a specialist supplier in the UK you could do a search for them if you liked(maybe a wild goose chase i know) but i will also see if i can find them again because if you saw the setup you may be able to hi-jack and or modify to suit. :spudwhat:

[TwoSeven]

The Triumph Slickshift,Jawa had it on several bikes and the Nzeta,and of course the Honda stepthroughs,I'm sure I've ridden other bikes with a gearlever/clutch combo but can't remember offhand.It'd be kinda hard to do it to a modern bike,it'd have to be external with cables...but not impossible,I'm sure someone has done/could do it.Lots of cars get set up for disabled drivers,various ways it's done to suit various disabilities - maybe a talk to the guys who do the conversions.

I see no problem with clutchless downshifting,it's done with dirt bikes all the time and I often do it on road bikes,it's just a matter of getting it right everytime.Bikes have a dog gearbox,same as crash boxes on trucks - I often drove without a clutch in the older slow reving slow shifting trucks,in fact some you couldn't even use the clutch...on the old Atkinson you could use the clutch for reverse and 1st,then the gearlever was in the middle of your leg,there was no way to use the clutch.

Might I suggest that your trying to do too much stuff that doesnt actually need to be done.

It sounds like to me you are over-braking, then gunning it up too fast again for the next bit.

I'd suggest that you try doing the circuit without using the brakes at all and just one or two gears - at first you'll go slow, but it will force you to take the right lines and work the throttle correctly.

I have a little game in that you go round your fave circuit at a comfortable pace. Every time you use the brakes (front or back) you score one point.

The object is score no points at a pace you are happy with. Once you achieve that, then you can think about using the brakes.

[bugjuice]

I reckon this is what you need. Mentioned a couple of times before, this is the clutchless system. I basically replaces the need for a clutch, but I'm guessing you'll still need a clutch to move from a standing start.

yeah, ok, this is for a kawa, but I'm sure it's for any bike..

[cliffy]

i'm pretty sure it was a thumb brake now, like doohan used in 92 at assen apparently (when he broke his ankle etc) but if you could mobify/make a thumb or finger operated hydraulic master cylinder(and there are plenty of small comp ones on the net) you may be able to run a small lever insideand slightly below, or above your brake lever (assuming that you may only use one or two fingers for braking anyway) and operate it with the spare fingers??or thumb??..........man i'd like to be involved with helpin you out on this, my head is spinning with ....maybe he could...or maybe this or that would work.

[onearmedbandit]

Wow, another thread revived! All things are sorted now, got the clutchless downshifting sorted like its second nature. Sure sometimes I am hard on the brakes entering the odd corner, its all good as I like the feeling of the bike squirming underneath me and the chucking her on her ear and gassing up hard. And sometimes I prefer to ride smoother, and its probably just as fast, maybe even faster it just depends on my mood and who I'm riding with.

Now the next mission is to work out how to clutch-up second gear wheelies. I can power her up in 1st and go through the box, but I'd love to be able to bring her up in 2nd as they're easier to regulate. Flicking the clutch however requires me to release my grasp on the throttle momentarily and thats not a good situation to be in when attempting a mono.