The Anatomy of Healthy Cars: A Service and Repair Blog

Learn How To Shift Gears on Your Dirt Bike to Prevent Clutch Repairs

by Brittany Marshall

If you have purchased a dirt bike, you need to ensure that you know how to shift gears. This is because incorrect shifting of the gears can lead to the premature wear and tear of the clutch mechanism. This in turn results in unnecessary clutch repairs, which could prove to be expensive over time. Therefore, it would be prudent to practice shifting gears on your dirt bike before you can start riding it on a regular basis.

Pick a practice location

The first thing that you will need to do is find a flat area that you can start practicing how to shift the gears on the dirt bike. Preferably, this should be a grassy area so that your falls are cushioned in case that happens. You should now get all your safety gear ready and wear them. Ensure that you have a helmet on as well as a pair of gloves that will afford you some more grip on the dirt bike.

Locate the clutch of your dirt bike

The first step after climbing on the bike would be to pull the clutch. This is located on handlebar on your left. Kick start the dirt bike's engine but ensure that you are still holding the clutch in place. If you let go of the clutch while you are starting the engine of the dirt bike, the engine will stall.

Put the dirt bike into gear

The next step would be to put your left foot on the gearshift. This is located close to the motorcycle's foot peg. Push the gear all the way down so that it can get into first gear. At the same time, make sure you are slowly turning the throttle while you are simultaneously letting go of the clutch under your left hand. The dirt bike should start rolling at this juncture and once you start picking up some speed you can let go of the clutch completely.

Switch into a different gear

After gaining momentum to a point where the dirt bike is coasting, pull on the clutch. You should then pull the gearshift up with your toes to engage it second gear. After doing this, release the clutch. You can increase your momentum by turning the throttle located on the right handle bar. Continue this process of pulling on the clutch while pushing the gear up with your foot until you have reached the desired gear. You can go all the way to the top if you feel so inclined and if you are safe. Once you have reached optimum speed and would like to slow down, you should repeat the process but in reverse. This means instead of pulling the gear up, you should push it down until you have reached your desired speed or slowed down altogether.

Should your clutch need repairing, though, talk to a professional.

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