Should I use the clutch?

[Ian67]

When I want to "give it some", will my Rocket be happy to change up a gear with only a blip of the throttle and not pulling in the clutch?

still learning,

Ian.

 

[Mittzy]

When I want to "give it some", will my Rocket be happy to change up a gear with only a blip of the throttle and not pulling in the clutch?

still learning,

Ian.

Thats all I do!!!!! and it hasnt complained yet

 

[dbutton12]

clutch optional

Thats all I do!!!!! and it hasnt complained yet

Once you have it launched, clutch is optional....mine (and several past bikes) havnt complained either. Just my opinion tho

 

[TOMCAT]

There you go , I wouldn't dream of changing gears up or down without the clutch. Just what I've always done I guess.

 

[Maelstrom]

I did it purely by accident the other day with no problems.

 

[peter k]

When j had jap bikes the clutch was used to move off and to stop most of the time but i was a bit of a HOOLIGAN back then

 

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

Yes it can be done with these constant mesh transmissions. I think any constant mesh and just about all Japanese design bikes can do it. I've done on the Rocket. Pretty smoothly I might add. I drove 18 wheelers for 18+ years and rarely use the clutch to shift. However...I have decided as a rule of thumb not to tempt fate with the Rocket 3.

 

[warp9.9]

Personally since yours is a 07 bike if it has not had the updated second gear I would worry about the extra dogs on the cluster rounding off. Other then that it really is not bad if you do it right because you have no engine kill to release the back lash and the backlash is not released IMO it will wear rounding off the dogs and eventually start jumping out of gear. If your not racing then why not use the clutch?

 

[ponters]

These bikes are street bikes not race or drag bikes.

Can you, should you, must you, is it a good idea????

I tend to use my clutch all the time. I find the more mechanically empathetic one is to machinery the less it costs to own and more rewarding it is to use.

 

[DigitalSteve]

Owner's manual says NO

I wonder about this myself, since I always did it with my Honda, but the Rocket owners manual for my 2005, specifically states " do not shift without using the clutch".