Clutch in 2nd Gear | GTAMotorcycle.com

Clutch in 2nd Gear

ScorpionT16

Well-known member
Recently while commuting, I've been in alot of start/stop traffic and rather than keep shifting from 1st to 2nd, then back down. I just clutch out from 2nd gear, it's pretty easy to do I find, would this be bad for the transmission over time?
 
Depends on the bike, if it is torquey then probably no issue but some of the 600/1000 SS will hate it. Clutch problems to follow!
 
What bike? You obviously slip the clutch a little (or a lot) more starting in 2nd.

Personally, when riding or driving in heavy traffic, I try to pick a gear and not change it or use the clutch unless traffic conditions change. Try and proceed at the average speed of the traffic and your should never have to accelerate or brake much. Obviously if the average speed is less than 10 km/h, I need to use the clutch but at that point I never need 2nd.

If you need to keep clutching to go slower than 2nd allows, just leave it in 1st.
 
1st is a pain in stop and go
but if you're actually coming to complete stop
then starting off in second, it's going to need some clutch slippage
if the bike is moving at all, you're probably fine
but from a stop, repeatedly? you will wear the clutch prematurely
 
Depends on the bike, if it is torquey then probably no issue but some of the 600/1000 SS will hate it. Clutch problems to follow!

A tale of two bikes:
-Yamaha Radian, sometimes I would start in second gear and not even notice (bike shifted fine, I just wasn't very experienced yet)
-Triumph T595, first gear was so tall I would keep trying to downshift out of it. Idle travelling speed was ridiculous, it was somewhere between 20 and 40 kph. Stop and go was a nightmare
 
Ah thanks for the replies and clarifying. The Bike is a 2016 Honda CB500X, the clutch is like butter compared to other bikes I've been on. I had a 05' SV650N before, that had a much heavier clutch, starting in 2nd was possible, but a bog, my hand was always sore after a day in traffic.

I'll just follow the advise of keeping a steady speed and following distance, however I go from Spadina/Dundas to Mississauga everyday, I avoid rush hour (commute 11am and 7-8pm) Though it's Toronto, and rush hour is... every. single. hour. Bumper to Bumper. I don't want to strain the clutch, esp since the engine is new and still breaking in, so will keep 1st the start off.
 
Recently while commuting, I've been in alot of start/stop traffic and rather than keep shifting from 1st to 2nd, then back down. I just clutch out from 2nd gear, it's pretty easy to do I find, would this be bad for the transmission over time?

I just try to keep a bit of a gap in front of me and roll as slow as I can in 2nd gear.
 
For me, it's not a case of damaging the bike, it's being safe. At Spadina/Dundas, there are plenty of last second obstacles. ;)

Being able to accelerate quickly is as important as being able to brake quickly in keeping yourself safe. If you get caught in a non-optimal gear, one's ability to escape is severely impacted. This can be exacerbated by the choice of bike.

From a standstill, one could rev it up and drop the clutch smartly in 2nd if required but that lost time could be crucial in an emergency situation with a vehicle bearing down on you. All of that assumes you periodically practice taking off quickly in 2nd so it becomes, and remains, an intrinsic skill in your arsenal. Imagine stalling when trying to take off in 2nd in a panic situation? Not good.
 
You should see what I do to a Honda clutch on my Trials bikes, although the Honda/Montesa does have a hydraulic lever control and separate engine/transmission oil system which is really cool, the clutch is practically bulletproof to abuse. If Honda put anything close to that in your bike you're good to go.

... ever done a slow race
 
If you don't mind changing clutches more often than normal, I see no issue.

If it's such a pain to stop and go to neutral or first gear, maybe a scooter or a car would be a better choice
 
@mudmojo, some good points! I do still go to parking lots and practice emergency situations, and did so with 2nd gear, on the SV, too risky, the CB500, basically feels like first and sometimes I can't tell from feel, just knowledge of the fact how many times I actually shifted.

@Trials, those hydraulic clutches are amazing, tried one at a dealer a few weeks back, wow...

@ Low rider I don't plan on any clutch changes, why I asked to be sure. It's no pain to stop and go from first, I'm just working on being smoother with controls and more efficient, and now know first gear is more efficient. I do have a car as well, Id just rather be on a bike :D
 
not easy to do in the GTA
but try to leave more distance to car in front
so when they slow you can roll for a bit
by the time you get there they might be going again
so no need to clutch or shift or stop

unfortunately there will undoubtedly be some buttheads fill that space though
 
Generally speaking you should aim to take off from 1st gear. That puts the least strain and wear on the **clutch** as you are slipping the clutch a lot more. Clutches last a long time and doing so in 2nd on occasion (and even third gear ) if your bike can handle it isn't the end of the world.

You also have a greater chance of stalling by starting in higher gears and has been mentioned properly you don't have as much initial acceleration.

Ultimately you should practice shifting up and down through all the gears so much that it becomes second nature and you don't even think about it. (If you do it properly matching your revs your clutch isn't really doing anything apart from the slippage when moving from a standstill.)

..Tom
 
Tactic 2: Leave yourself more of a space buffer so you don’t need to come to a dead stop as often.

Watch the tractor trailers - we will leave a buffer and crawl along as slow as possible to avoid stopping dead in stop and go traffic.

And yes, I know it’s not always possible, and yes, I know sometimes too big a buffer and a car will jam itself in, but there’s a happy medium. A lot of drivers and riders alike feel the need to be pasted to the bumper of the car in front of them which negates the ability to regulate your speed and avoid a complete stop however.
 

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