[exmortis]

I'm wondering if anyone has talked to a dealer or tech about the difficult shifting on the predator?

Admittedly, I don't have much experience riding thumpers, but I've never seen a tranny that required you to back off the throttle for so long to get it to click into the next gear. It works fine with the clutch, but who uses the clutch to shift when drag-racing?

Anyway, I'm curious to see if anyone else has noticed this, or if it is just part of owning a 4-stroke.

-Thanks

 

[j_man]

I've noticed within this forum and others that this has been an issue to alot of people who like to drag race. I drag race all the time and I always use the clutch. I know alot don't, but I can back off, clutch it and nail it again with no problems. I guess my deal is that I'm a little more conservative than others. They put a clutch on them for a reason, therefore I use it. Someone else maybe able to answer your question better, but if you get used to clutching it quickly then you shouldn't have any problem.

 

[rupedawg]

Without actually owning or ever riding a Predator, I really can't relate to this. But I CAN say that J_Man is right, the clutch is there for a reason. If it ever gets easier to power shift it, it's only because you're wearing out your clutch plates. For the sake of longevity of your Pred, I would master clutching rather than power shifting....unless, of course you have the money to replace clutches every year or so. There's nothing wrong with babying your machine...

 

[exmortis]

That's really surprising. I've had a Kawasaki dirtbike for 4 years and have never used the clutch to shift while rolling, and I've never had a problem with it.
I would have thought the opposite would be true: That the more you use the clutch, the faster it wears out.
I will try clutching when shifting, since I have to anyway.... Gonna take some getting used to though.

 

[j_man]

Exmortis....I too used to race a KX250 and didn't use the clutch a whole lot except out of the hole and down shifting to first gear to get a good run out of the turn. But I tend to be a little more careful with this bike than I was 10 years ago on my KX. You will get used to it with practice. Now I can pop the front end up and ride a wheelie through 3rd gear clutching it the whole time. It just takes practice. Good Luck.

 

[mdepdawg]

Hey Rupedawg, I love your signature man. Thats almost as good as the other one I saw about Rosie Odonel

 

[rupedawg]

LMAO, thanks m-dawg!

 

[pleasure4qt]

My drag racing results last summer where always alittle faster when I used the clutch opposed to not using it on my modded Honda 400ex.