Trying to teach my boy to shift

Tdubb

Member
Feb 26, 2010
17
0
My boys ready to move up to his 65, but I'm having a hard time teaching him to shift. Well he's got no problems shifting up, but he wont down shift. I think he's scared of the lower gears because of the powerband.

Oh, and I guess I should tell you, I put a clutchless shift kit in it thinking that would make it easyer, but I'm not so sure. I think you have less control of the powerband with out the clutch, which makes 1st and 2nd a little scary. It even surprised me the first couple of times.

I tried looking for a you tube vide or something, but I didn't find anything that would relate to a 7 year old kid. Any ideas, or tips?
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Nothing will make you realize the value/need for downshifting like having a long straight where you get up to 3rd or 4th followed by a tight turn where you really need to shift down to 1st or 2nd. After they stall the bike a time or two trying to come out of the turn in 4th they will realize. Of course, that autoclutch may allow them to stil make it in 4th.

Take the autoclutch out and throw it in the deepest lake you can find. They are the debil!
 

Tdubb

Member
Feb 26, 2010
17
0
High Lord Gomer said:
Of course, that autoclutch may allow them to stil make it in 4th.

Take the autoclutch out and throw it in the deepest lake you can find. They are the debil!

He can take off from a stop in 5th......I think your right, I need to take a trip to the lake.
 

HondaBrat

Member
Jan 2, 2002
62
1
When me and my brother were kids my dad would stand in the yard and give us hand signals when to shift. We had a 1974 Honda MR50 3 spd. He would stick one finger up and other hand stick his thumb up, but it didn't have the power like a ktm 65. Good luck he will get sooner or later and realize how much fun that clutch is.
 

HondaBrat

Member
Jan 2, 2002
62
1
you can put a big washer in the exhaust with a smaller hole in the middle of it to help out, or even one of those bolt on flywheel weights. Hope this helps cause my 8 yr old boy is wanting a kx,rm or ktm 65. He is on a 99 XR70
 

WoodsRider

Sponsoring Member<BR>Club Moderator
Damn Yankees
Oct 13, 1999
2,812
0
My boy has the same problem on his XR75. He upshifts just fine but forgets to downshift unless I'm standing there telling him to shift. He ends up bogging the motor and loading up the cylinder. Got so bad yesterday I put him back on the CRF50 where he did the same thing. I've tried and tried, but can't make him listen to the motor.
 
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