Shifting Gears - Honda VTX1300C VTX 2004 Owner's Manual

Shifting Gears

shifting pattern
Your motorcycle has five forward gears in
a one-down, four-up shift pattern which is
coordinated with a cable-operated clutch
system.
Learning when to shift gears comes with
experience. Keep the following tips in
mind:
42
Basic Operation & Riding
As a general rule, shift while moving in
a straight line.
Close the throttle and pull the clutch
lever in completely before shifting.
Improper shifting may damage the
engine, transmission, and drive train.
Learn to recognize the engagement
point as you release the clutch lever. It
is at this point the transmission of
power to the rear wheel resumes.
Upshift to a higher gear or reduce
throttle before engine rpm (speed) gets
too high. Learn the relationship between
engine sound and the normal shifting
points.
Downshift to a lower gear before you
feel the engine laboring (lugging) at
low rpm.