How do you change gears?

[alexdecker]

So was driving recently, and I started wondering what's good for these old bikes. Usually, when I drive a car, I keep the revs fairly low. But on my bike, I do actually like to rev a little higher before I change gears.

Does anyone know what's actually best for these bikes? To shift gears when you reach around 4, 5 or 6.000 RPM? Also, when you do shift gear, do you rev up a little bit before releasing the clutch?

[deltarider]

The higher the rpm, the smoother the changing of gears. After 43 years of owning my bike, the gear changing informs me on a couple of things, like when it is time to adjust the drive chain and when there's a minor electrical issue intermittently causing misfires.

[Oddjob]

Rev up? only on the down shift, stops the rear wheel stepping out.

Upshifts around 7000 when I was trashing about, most times just as it touched the red band.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I believe that bike gearboxes mostly change sequentially so double declutching to match the speed of the gear hub & clutches does not work.
Only thing I can think of is to try and match the drop in engine speed  by slightly prolonging the time the clutch lever is held in.

I might be talking crap here - in my youth I never bothered with operating the clutch lever I just stamped on the lever.

[Oddjob]

I learnt to drive using the double declutching method, it's so ingrained that even now I do it. It's not for the clutch at all Ted, it's so the 2 gear shafts come into synchronisation, the one connected to the drive wheels is going at a different speed to the other and the gears will graunch if you try and select gear until the 2 speeds match, eventually they came up with synchromesh gears where a small ring inside the gear stopped the gear allowing it to engage at any speed. On a bike on the downshift you need to make the mainshaft match the countershaft speed and the easiest way is to blip the throttle and change gear just when you judge the speeds are close to each other, when the clutch is released the sudden speed change in the countershaft then doesn't lock the rear wheel up or make it skip sideways.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I learnt to drive using the double declutching method, it's so ingrained that even now I do it. It's not for the clutch at all Ted, it's so the 2 gear shafts come into synchronisation, the one connected to the drive wheels is going at a different speed to the other and the gears will graunch if you try and select gear until the 2 speeds match, eventually they came up with synchromesh gears where a small ring inside the gear stopped the gear allowing it to engage at any speed. On a bike on the downshift you need to make the mainshaft match the countershaft speed and the easiest way is to blip the throttle and change gear just when you judge the speeds are close to each other, when the clutch is released the sudden speed change in the countershaft then doesn't lock the rear wheel up or make it skip sideways.

Hey Ken I've driven early Beetles with a full crash gearbox - no synchromesh iirc in any gear never mind about just first gear on early pudding stick Minis.

[Laverdaroo]

If it was a Beetle it was refered to as 'Synchromash' Ted

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Or Syncrocrash.

[Oddjob]

I learnt to double declutch on a Leyland PD1 double decker bus, gearstick was a yard long, 3/4” solid steel bar with a solid steel snooker ball on the top, to get from 1st to 2nd on a hill start we did what we called a snatch, you pulled back on the gearstick so hard it started to bend, then you released the accelerator whilst dipping the clutch at the same time and the gear lever would suddenly shoot back and the gears would engage so fast they didn’t have time to complain about it. My left leg was highly muscled from the really heavy clutch the buses had at that time. No power anything, vacuum brakes not air, even the windscreen wiper was air operated. There are some pics for sale on eBay we me driving and some with me as a conductor.

[davidcumbria]

A variation on blipping the throttle for downchanges is ‘constant speed downchanges’  where instead of conventionally closing the throttle before declutching you simply maintain the same throttle position throughout the gear change. If done smoothly , pulling in the clutch and downshifting simultaneously then releasing the clutch smartly all that happens is a change in engine note and the bike stays at the same speed so no harsh engine braking effect. In combination with good use of acceleration sense this allows for smooth riding and a reduction in using the brakes. If you haven’t tried it give it a go and be pleasantly surprised at how easy and satisfying it is.

[Laverdaroo]

I learnt to double declutch on a Leyland PD1 double decker bus, gearstick was a yard long, 3/4” solid steel bar with a solid steel snooker ball on the top, to get from 1st to 2nd on a hill start we did what we called a snatch, you pulled back on the gearstick so hard it started to bend, then you released the accelerator whilst dipping the clutch at the same time and the gear lever would suddenly shoot back and the gears would engage so fast they didn’t have time to complain about it. My left leg was highly muscled from the really heavy clutch the buses had at that time. No power anything, vacuum brakes not air, even the windscreen wiper was air operated. There are some pics for sale on eBay we me driving and some with me as a conductor.

Blakey

 

[K2-K6]

I learnt to double declutch on a Leyland PD1 double decker bus, gearstick was a yard long, 3/4” solid steel bar with a solid steel snooker ball on the top, to get from 1st to 2nd on a hill start we did what we called a snatch, you pulled back on the gearstick so hard it started to bend, then you released the accelerator whilst dipping the clutch at the same time and the gear lever would suddenly shoot back and the gears would engage so fast they didn’t have time to complain about it. My left leg was highly muscled from the really heavy clutch the buses had at that time. No power anything, vacuum brakes not air, even the windscreen wiper was air operated. There are some pics for sale on eBay we me driving and some with me as a conductor.

Blakey

 

  

[Oddjob]

It was Butler (Reg Varney) who drove the bus, Blakey was the inspector. At least get it right when you're insulting me 

[taysidedragon]

On most modern bikes you can change up without using the clutch. Just closing the throttle briefly takes the pressure off the gears, the revs drop slightly and the gear change slots in. After getting used to doing this for years on modern bikes I  tried it on my 400f and it does it beautifully,  except for 1st to 2nd through neutral position. Not a problem because I rarely go below 2nd when on the move.

Changing down is "normal" using the clutch and a blip of throttle to match revs. Clutch and chain adjustment has to be correct for smooth changes.

[Laverdaroo]

It was Butler (Reg Varney) who drove the bus, Blakey was the inspector. At least get it right when you're insulting me 

Yeah I know but when you said conductor I had a mental image of the guy who played the conductor in the films etc and thought, I wonder if Ken’s got teeth like that?

Couldn’t remember his name but I remembered Blakey’s. Thought it would raise an answer anyway


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