Shifting Gears - Honda VTX1300T 2009 Owner's Manual

Shifting Gears

TOE
shifting pattern
Your motorcycle has five forward gears
which is coordinated with a cable-operated
clutch system.
To shift to 1st gear (from neutral), or to
shift down (5th-1st gear), press the shift
lever with your toe. To shift up from 1st
gear (2nd-5th gear), press the shift lever
with your heel.
Learning when to shift gears comes with
experience. Keep the following tips in
mind:
48
Basic Operation & Riding
HEEL
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.