As TVS has announced a manual transmission bike without clutch, we thought we will try and explain the phenomenon “clutchless gear shifting”. This is done in a conventional geared bike like the Pulsar or the Unicorn or the Splendor and so on.
However clutchless gear shifting is not a every drive endeavor. It was invented on the racing tracks by racers to save precious seconds while changing gears during a race. It can be done without damaging the gearbox only after you have mastered it.
The procedures for both up shift and down shift are given below:
Up shift: when u reach the peak rpm of the currently engaged gear, put a little pressure on the gear shift pedal to preload it, now turn down the throttle for a moment, the drive automatically slips in to the higher gear. Now you have up shifted without touching the clutch lever.
Down shift: when you decelerate, give the gearshift pedal a little pressure to change down (preloading), and turn up the throttle for a quick second and you would have shifted down gear.
Do not try this in normal road unless you have mastered it, I cannot stress this more. It is a very dangerous trick because if you get it wrong, the balance of the bike will be lost and cost serious damage to you and the bike. Practice it in a open ground before you go street.
Here is a video on How to do the following stunts by Uncle Tiff Needell of Fifth Gear fame.I have punched in the step-by-step procedure, just in case Tiff was too swift.
1. 180 degree handbrake turn + front drive
1. Built up speed in 1st gear
2. Turn the steering wheel sharply to the right
3. Pull the handbrake (Now the rear wheels will lock and the car will spin)
4. Depress the clutch to stall the engine
5. Release the handbrake
6. Accelerate away
2. 90 degree handbrake turn around a corner
1. approach the turn in 2nd gear
2. Just before the turn pull and release the handbrake in one quick moment (this will slide the car)
3. control the slide by turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction ( this is called opposite lock)
4. Depress the accelerator pedal and straighten out the steering
3. 180 degree turn + reverse drive + 180 degree turn + front drive
1. Build up speed in 1st gear
2. turn the steering wheel to the right
3. pull the handbrake (Now the rear wheels will lock and the car will spin)
4. change to reverse gear
5. build up speed in reverse gear
6. turn the steering wheel to the right (this will spin the car around)
7. during the spin depress the brake pedal to lock the front wheels
8. shift to first gear and accelerate away
4. Power slide a corner with out using handbrake
1. Approach the corner in 3rd gear
2. turn the steering wheel in the wrong way then quickly the right way (this is called Scandinavian flick, this unsettles the balance and lets the tail of the car slide out)
3. Depress the throttle pedal and straighten out the car and drive off to glory.
