I shift without the clutch sometimes the advantage is I don't have to put me had back on the bar to pull the lever and as someone said it's my bike . been doing it for many years learned as soon as I learned to drive. once had a friend bet me I couldn't down shift my old ford into 1st gear at 35 without the clutch / he lost..

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I've been riding metrics since the late 60s and have never used a clutch except to start. Was taught that way and have never experienced a problem. The few Harleys I've ridden seemed perfectly content with clutchless shifting. This thread seems so bizarre to me. I never knew anyone used a clutch to shift. With a smooth coordination between throttle hand and shifting foot it's almost like an automatic trans. Come to think of it, when I hear the Harley's rolling through the gears (a beautiful sound) I do notice an unusually long pause between gears. I've seen threads like this posted in the newbie forums of metric sites but was surprised to find it here.I don't mean to come to the Harley forum and sound like a smartass, cause I don't intend it that way. I love Harley's and am trying to nut up enough to drop the big pile of cash for a Street Glide........................Cmack

 

I use my clutch most of the time. But, I don't wear chaps and only wave at girls on Sportsters.
[sm=icon_rofl.gif][sm=icon_rofl.gif][sm=icon_rofl.gif]


Watch it cwilks...........We'll get Mason-Dixon on yer azz.

 

Whats a clutch?

I have a EFM auto clutch,,,, I never use clutch to up or down shift.
I also have a MPS autoshift and air shifter...
Heck all I do is wack the throttle and go........

 

Hey lets calm down now. "We all got respect for the truckers here" the ones that clutch as well as the ones that don't. If ya see a heritage softail in the road in front of that big rig I really don't care how you swap gears just don't run over my A@@. This thread was do you cluch on your bike. How dis we get to the big rig???

 

As usual several people lost their way

 

I used to shift clutchless sometimes on all my Jap bikes. I have done it a couple of times on the Sportster and the gearbox seems happy as long as the transmission/drivetrain is "off load" with the throttle backed-off briefly. However the common concensus seems to be that it's not necessary on a Harley especially the way I ride these days (laid back taking it easy).

 

maybe the next generation HD will come
without clutch

 

On the Ultra , I always use a clutch , on my semi's (have my own authority) , only to start & stop , longest owned truck was for 8 years , NEVER put a clutch or tranny in it for the 885,000 miles I owned it , then again great maint meant never taking heads off either , biggest thing I ever did was the air compressor when it tossed a rod , everything else was reg maint.

 

Back to original point. Yes you can shift your HD without damage to the tranny IF you hit the shift points correctly. Not sure if that is the case with never models and the conical (sp?) cut gears).. Some manufactures encourge shifting without a clutch (i.e BWM). My thoughts on that are, the clutch is there for a reason..so use it. Also it is much cheeper qnd easier to replace a chutch then to rebuild a tranny.

On the other hand, it's a good idea to learn how to do it. Ever break a clutch cable? I sure have and other then starting the bike in first gear (and being 4 blocks from home) made it possible for me to avoid a tow charge. (or pushing it home.)

Its a good thing to know how to do but I would not make it a common practice.