Real dumb 200X question

[Jim mac]

Okay I really hate to admit it, but they say the only dumb question is the one thats not asked. so
I picked up what turns out to be a 83 200X got the missing parts and drove it around the alley. heres the question. do you need to use the clutch to shift or once you get going can you shift without the clutch? I have a 125m and had a couple of 200s and 110s 185s etc. So this is kind of a dumb question but figured I'd ask. thanks Jim

[team-red-rider]

mhm it depends really when i ride clutch i like 75% use no clutch and it seems to be ok but idk

[Mike_Ham_250R]

I never ever shifted with the clutch and I have had no problems with any of my machines.

[deathman53]

I always shift w/o the cluth, cluth is for starts and the slip every now and then. On my 2 strokes I rarely use the cluth for much other than starts and slipping.

[random-strike]

i always use the clutch, its there for a reason right?

[Mike_Ham_250R]

i always use the clutch, its there for a reason right?
Yeah, for pulling out and stopping.. :lol:

[Louis Mielke]

Kinda depends on your riding style. People look at me sometimes when I'm riding and say stuff like that poor clutch, or why do you keep missing gears?

In realilty I'm not missing gears I'm just keeping it wound up and I like to use the clutch alot when I'm riding. Its all preference. They may say stuff when I'm sitting still but when I'm climbing a crazy hill or throwin my bike around through the woods they don't have too much to say.

Its all in how you ride/ how often you replace a clutch. lol

[ATC-Eric]

With my clutch, its all about finding the right RPM to slip that gear in without a pop.

If you do it right, I have found it shouldnt be a problem.

[Levithan]

If i had a clutch, id use it! Whenever my 200x is fixed, im gonna be riding that! You really figure out how slow an auto clutch is after a while!

[Rex Karz]

Shifting without a clutch will cause more wear over time.

[Jim mac]

I just don't want to tear anything up. if its less wear and tear on the gears I have no problem using the clutch. JIm

[Fox250R]

I use the clutch all the time..At anytime i got 2 fingers on my clutch lever..We ride different bikes but it really doesnt matter..IF your shifting use it...

[250r'en +TCB]

hahaha oh man, This is called "flat shifting", Truck drivers do only this, just use the clutch to get rolling....

I only use mr R's clutch to get rolling or when I'm coasting in the rough woods trails.... I would recomending use the clutch to begin with, especially in an ally hahaha Flat shifting is fine as long as you do it right, done wrong you can screw things up in a hurry....

[slothminx]

It takes barely anymore effort to pull the clutch while shifting, so why not use it for peace of mind? I ride almost the whole time with the clutch, unless im trying to scratch an itch when its shift time:lol:

[wizzard]

If I remember correctly, the manual says "never shift with out using the clutch". Of course it's been a while since I had mine.

[Dirtcrasher]

I use the clutch most of the time. But, if I'm trying to power out of a turn and I'm at an awkward position or I'm racing standing up, I don't use it.

[edog]

Always use the cluth.

DON"T BE LAZY..save your clutch.

Is it good to use engine breaking to slow down on a two stroke?

[NINJA]

I always use my clutch, upshifting or downshifting. I've been into way to many motors that have excess tranny wear or bent forks because of not using the clutch. Besides, it's much cheaper to replace clutch disks. As far as using engine braking to slow down on a two stroke. I personally try not to. People can disagree with me if they want but I don't think the engine gets enough lubrication if you do this. Think about it, the engine is suddenly spinning at high rpm but is only drawing fuel from the idle circuit of the carb, hence not much oil. I don't know, maybe I'm paranoid.

[blue27]

I do not always use the clutch BUT... you should. I will recommend that you use the clutch when down shifting (I do) and to let off the gas when upshifting so you are not "speedshifting". It could bend a shift fork.

[Dirtcrasher]

Ya know what?? I am yet to find a bent shift fork..... All I ever find is worn or rounded lugs/dogs on the gears and the shift mechanism on the drum gets rounded also in beat motors. I do "think" that letting off the gas when upshifting is a good thing and about the same thing a clutch does.


EDIT - I CANNOT do a long distance wheelie if I use the clutch, I have to upshift clutchless......

[seddon]

it is called speed shifting it is easy to go up in gears but it is harder to down shift how u do a long as wheelie with out droping the front

[Tri-Z Pilot]

Always use the cluth.

DON"T BE LAZY..save your clutch.

Is it good to use engine breaking to slow down on a two stroke?

It aint gonna hurt your clutch, it's gonna put the wear directly on your tranny. The reasons truckers do thid is because most rigs run an unsynchronized trans, meaning you haven to double clutch to get your gears to spin appropriatly to mesh.

[ATC-Eric]

Revmatching. I dont use clutch on my bikes unless im puttin.


You dont have time to clutch in a race.

[factoryX]

this is stupid, if there is a cluch on a bike it is supposed to be used, if there is a clutch in a car you use it, imagine driving a car that has a clutch and not using it...

[factoryX]

and the reason they don't have to use the clutch in a race is that they don't care and they can replace the motor after each race....

[Dirtcrasher]

[QUOTE=factoryX;549140]this is stupid, if there is a cluch on a bike it is supposed to be used, if there is a clutch in a car you use it, imagine driving a car that has a clutch and not using it...[/QUOTE

No, it's not stupid.....

Yes, factory racers get free parts so they beat the snot out of everything to win a race.

You cannot compare an automobile to a motorcycle transmission. The engagement and locking mechanism are completely different. Most auto trannies have helical cut gears with synchros which is nothing like an ATC or MX tranny.

I will agree that using the clutch will lessen the wear on some transmission parts but I do not believe it is an absolute essential when shifting. However, you need to let off the gas a bit when shifting to avoid binding. All your really doing is allowing the gears to relax a bit so they can mesh with the mating adjacent gear, thats all folks....

To each his own.... But, lets race? You use your clutch and I won't. I can go so much faster without using the clutch and I probably use it 50% or less of the time. I've been riding for 25 years and I have never stripped a gear or bent a shifting fork and have ridden the same way since I learned to ride. Or in the case of a long distance wheelie, if you pull in the clutch you lose the drive from the engine and the front end drops. Then most people overcompensate and give it too much gas to get it back up again. I yank it up in 2nd, back off a bit and run through the gears without the clutch.

The only damage I have found was on machines I didn't ruin myself. That damage was from power shifting (not letting off the gas) or popping out of gear because a thrust washer was missing or something wasn't assembled correctly.

[PaTriker]

Why would'nt you use it?

[ATC-Eric]

I dont use it unless Im starting or stopping, or going real slow. It wont break the bike if you rev match- this is where you let off the gas to where you match the next gear, you wont hear a CLANK if you do it right. You dont just throw it into the next gear.


Like I said, If Im just cruizing, or taking it easy, I clutch. If Im ALL out gettin it on, I rev match. My tranny looks just fine. And to hear these guys that have been riding and racing for years without issue, I am confident I will not change my riding style.

[toyvette81]

of course you should use the clutch, just like anything that comes manual, car,truck,motorcycle, or w/e its there to shift with..
now lots of people do it with no clutch but thats mainly for drag racing, if you dont clutch, it its a guarantee that it will wear the components out faster, and thats on any trans. there is a magic point on anything though where it falls right into gear with no problems or stress but its impossible to hit that certian rpm everytime.

[motoman110]

i race, and race hard. ive ran alot of machines and never had one problem from a trans from not using a clutch. i mean i still use it alot of the times but somtimes i just dont. im not jamming the gears or anything just getting the rpm's right and pop it into gear. atc's and bikes such as race models like a 250r or crf 450r have better trany's that can stand that abuse better. im not saying its good but its not the end of the world and i have never ever had a problem with it. i dont see why people think its so bad to not use the clutch all the time?

[factoryX]

WHY would there be a clutch in the first place!!!! this is dumbest thing I have yet to read...