Posts Tagged motorcycle riding tips

Would you say there's different techniques on when to/not to use the clutch with a 2-stroke versus a 4-stroke?

Someone asked me the question above in the comments section of my last riding tips,  Shift faster without using your clutch, which made me want to write a "Quick Tips" about it.
When people first make the transition from a 2 stroke to a 4 stroke, they try to ride it just like they used to ride their old 2 stroke dirt bike, and quickly realize (hopefully) that 4 strokes are a different beast to tame and that they need to change their riding style a little bit.

So yes, there's definitively different techniques on how and when to use the clutch between a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke. When I switched from 2 strokes to 4 strokes, I had to change my clutching ways because I used to pop the clutch a lot more on a 2 stroke, and that's because you have to keep a 2 stroke in the right revs if you want maximum power.

A 4 stroke, on the other hand, has so much more torque then a 2 stroke that you can ride a gear higher in many places and you don't always need the clutch to find power. You also need to be less aggressive with a 4 stroke, or it will throw you around like a rag-doll and wear you out quick. You have to ride smoother and take advantage of the extra torque and roll the throttle more instead of popping the clutch like a mad man...! All the above is especially true if you're on a 450 4 stroke!!!

Now go out there and practice giving your clutch a break