Do you "power shift" or clutch it? Up & Down

How many MC riders on this forum shift through the gears without using the clutch? I have heard that it causes transmission damage but I have never had any problems with any bikes, atv, cars, or trucks and I have power shifted all of them. No clutch or trans failure.....have I just been lucky or do many of you do this? I only use the clutch to go from 1st to 2nd and sometimes when I downshift.

For a streetbike you should just man up and use the clutch. Yes, bikes will shift clutchless. But when you do it the gears don't transfer cleanly. Worth the risk on a race bike when every second counts, but what's the gain on the street?

I just use the clutch. I'm not sure, but I would guess that more wear will occur to the transmission clunking it into gear.

I've heard that it doesn't hurt a wet clutch much (which most bikes have), but I still make it a habit of shifting with clutch because of safety reasons, though I still shift without occasionally.

I used to shift without a clutch when I raced dirt bikes but even then it was only when raceing. It just seems to me that its not that hard to pull that one little lever. Man up and use the clutch dude.

Mostly WITH clutch but I have from time to time shifted without.

For a streetbike you should just man up and use the clutch. Yes, bikes will shift clutchless. But when you do it the gears don't transfer cleanly. Worth the risk on a race bike when every second counts, but what's the gain on the street?


I wasn't avoiding the clutch out of laziness.... I just figured it would save wear on the clutch cable, springs, clutch pack, etc. I guess a transmission would be more expensive than a new clutch assembly or cable. I learned to ride a bike "power shifting" but I can see where a streetbikes (cruiser) transmission wasn't built with that in mind. Thanks for the input.

I always use the clutch. Just the way I learned.

Clutches are designed to be used and with care they should last for years.
Used to do clutchless changes when racing but boxes where designed for it road boxes are not and you may end up bending a dog (selector arm)

I use the clutch, but when I was suffering with my wrist I did do clutchless gear changes while I rested my wrist.