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I'm very beginner. During my 1st two rides for learning, I couldn't apply the lesson that:

Release the throttle when up shifting.

I had this thing in my mind but at that time I could not apply the knowledge because a lot of things were going on in my mind. So I forgot to release throttle.

Note that I wasn't riding at high speeds. Also my bike is only 110 cc with 4 gears. I released the clutch very smoothly even when I didn't release throttle.

So the gear up shift process wasn't horrible, but at the same time it wasn't smooth either.

So I guess it was not smooth primarily because I didn't release throttle.

And I came to realize about this a few days ago only, while doing my next learning ride. I'm not sure it had done any damage to my engine or not so far but it runs smooth just like 1st day. I even changed oil for safety.

Now, even though I use correct method of gear up shift (i.e., releasing throttle), I still make the mistake sometimes.

So I'm just curious. I want my bike engine to stay good for maybe 5-7 years at least. Engine is most expensive part as far as I know. I guess clutch plates or gear "system" in bike isn't that expensive in entry level bikes. And they can always be replaced.

That's what I want to ask about: Does not releasing throttle while up shift wear the engine (reduce engine life) or does it only affect clutch and gear parts life?

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    Next: you will also need to learn to blip the throttle when down-shifting, for the same, but opposite reasons.
    – Tetsujin
    Feb 14, 2022 at 18:21
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    @Tetsujin yeah read/heard at many sources. Anyway I fixed my basic gear shifting mistakes. Just releasing the throttle before upshift made a huge difference. No more jerks. I can upshift / down shift better than I could do when I posted this question :D I still don't do this blip thing, but maybe I'll learn this too and feel the difference.
    – Vikas
    Feb 14, 2022 at 18:41

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As long as you don’t over-rev the engine and push it past the red line, there should be no need to worry about wear or damage to the engine. It is only the clutch that you are going to be shortening the life of.

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When you engage the clutch without easing off the throttle a bit, the engine rpm can rise rather quickly. When you then release the clutch that higher engine speed is then felt by the clutch plates as excess wear.

The correct technique, and this takes some practice but will soon become second-nature, is to simultaneously engage the clutch and ease off the throttle so that the engine speed drops to where it needs to be for the next gear. The closer you are to the target speed the smoother the shift will be and the less wear and tear will be experienced by the engine, clutch, and transmission.

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  • So engine also gets wear and tear due to not releasing throttle while upshift, not just clutch plates?
    – Vikas
    Jan 20, 2022 at 16:27

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