I was wondering if the tactic of speed shifting, basically acclerating through the gears without backing off the throttle, is harmful to a KDX tranny. Its a common ploy used in racing MX and hare scrambles. I would reserve its use to those rare instances when I plan venturing to a vet track or racing friends along the fire roads.

Just tap the clutch when you shift and you won't have to worry.

my '89 has always been speed shifted...no problems yet

the kdx tranny is your regular constant mesh type. Speed shifting should have no ill effect until that one time you miss the shift and hear it GRIIIINDDDD. As long as you are good at it, it shouldn't cause a problem. My fingers are always on the clutch anyway, so I almost always use it.

I know this makes me older than Methuselah, but I recall reading an article by Gunnar Lindstrom in Dirt Bike somewhere around 1974 or so on shifting. Basically, he said you never touch the clutch on an upshift, just WFO but you back off the throttle for a split second just as you shift, which helps the gears slide into position. Really just enough to unload the pressure on the face of the gears and then back on the gas.

i only use the clutch for starting out or feathering for power and some downshifts when the engine is loaded

Thanks all. BTW, check out the latest issue of Dirt Rider for a small write up on the KDX; They site the bike's merits and deem a good value today

Which month is the KDX article in? I could not find it.

That would be my definition of power shifting.
Shifting quickly, while using the clutch; I call speed shifting.

Shifting without backing off the throttle AND not using the clutch is nearly impossible with constant-mesh gearboxes.

Will power shifting hurt the gearbox? It won't do it any good, but you probably won't experience failure because you do it(properly).

Mud

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