How a Motorcycle Transmission Works! (Animation)

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This animation explains the basic principles of sequential manual transmissions as they are often used in motorcycles. For this animation a 5-speed gearbox is explained.
Contents
1) Basic components (shift forks, gear shift drum, pins, gears)
2) Using the gear shifter and the claw arm (gear shifter assembly)
3) Shift forks and their cam follower pins
4) Input und output gears
5) Shifting different gears
6) Upshifting without using the clutch

[@KarnKaul]

I have been searching for this (motorbike transmission) for three years now, and have never found anything anywhere near as elegantly explained as here. Bravo!

[@91722854]

who invented this glorious design, just got mind-blown, not by physics of blackholes, but by imagination, creativity, innovative minds of mechanical engineers!

[@TroyaE117]

+Justin Chan Great design, Justin. Very clever indeed, invented by we mechanical engineers.

[@Shah_creates]

My mind was blown too. Very clever.

[@lionofjudea4146]

Well said Justin... Imagine when they first discovered how to make a gear work at a 90* angle, turning horizontal work into vertical work! I imagine, that set off a firestorm of thought about how many different ways they could get gears to do work..... ? Just a guess. :--)

[@robertbrandywine]

I've read the guy who invented the automatic bottling machine worked on it for about 20 years.

[@frankh.3849]

It's an evolution not a revelation

[@karthick86c]

Well done man. Today's students have it easy to understand things with excellent you tube animation such as yours. I had to bang my head for years with automotive technology books to understand things on my own.

[@ronniefrown1]

many many many compliments to this video. great blessings to whoever created and narrated.

[@av8dr]

This is the best explanation of how a gear box works. Thanks.

[@parkrndl]

this is BRILLIANT. I've always had a pretty good idea of how manual transmissions in cars worked, since they had one for us to take apart and experiment with in high school auto shop, but I couldn't visualize how "1 down, 5 up" got you through the gears of a motorcycle transmission. Makes a lot more sense now.

[@RoboTekno]

Finally a nice animation video. Thanks so much for explaining this ;D

[@dsp4392]

Excellent, clear animation, detailed explanations, and properly epic music. TIL

[@MoxieMarlier]

Best video on the subject, thank you so much!

[@christhjian9923]

Stunning animations. Keep this up. If anything you could explain some parts even a bit longer but nevertheless - amazing videos you have created. Thanks a lot!

[@Kcducttaper1]

Very nice animation! Good work!

[@jnaveen3400]

Wow man just brilliant...better than all the videos i watched before

[@geoffroybrabant-vincent9526]

Thanks for all your videos man.. really helps!!

[@vaishnavalappatt5476]

Extremely well presented

[@GASDirt]

Thank u sir for ur animated vidoeo which made me understood how does the engine works in a proper manner we all are here to support u

[@dariasinabela5173]

wow...wow......fully satisfied with all video u make,very educated

[@How2Desmo]

Really well explained. Thanks!

[@mariusm5187]

great video as always

[@690ADV]

That was a cool video liked it a lot, keep them coming

[@eod9910]

I love these videos.

[@mauriciodr8023]

EXCELENT WORK!

[@finster101]

Excellent animation and explanation.

[@690ADV]

great video, well edited.

[@wuzihuzi]

Fantastic video!

[@chriskarampa]

You are amazing dude

[@zoefox2455]

Your videos are wonderful, thank you!

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

Zoe Fox Thank you very much for your great comment :)

[@Loki666Mega]

You are just a great man, thanks

[@hikkusubei]

Your videos are simply awesome!

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

Thanks alot!

[@BM350Z]

And finally I got it....somehow ☺. Thank you 👍

[@steveHoweisno1]

Great video! Can you give more info about how the dog-clutches can engage without synchros? From the animation, it appears to be designed so that the adjacent gears are already approx synchronized with their respective dog-clutch. So for example if you are in 3rd gear, 2nd and fourth are rotating at the almost the same rate as their respective dog-clutch. If so, this is an amazing design and I am impressed!

[@vladimirvladimirovichputin1352]

Very nice explanation

[@ivan868]

Very nice explanation, thanks.

[@fero___3005]

i can't understand bro help me....??

[@SadamFlu]

Damn it, I still don't get it. I'll have to watch the other manual gearbox video again.

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

Hmm, ok :)

[@swayingGrass]

Took me a few minutes looking at 1:56 to get (some) of the points, and more minutes to get all the trick of every single gear (except reverse of course xD) :v Who ever invent this must be a genius.... *my brain get busted*

[@michaelfloresca4151]

Awesome, I already get it sound and clear.. 😊 thank you for uploading this video..

[@criticalmass527]

this is excellent

[@yusuffarooque7673]

Thomas Schwenke .................please upload more videos on mechanical related stuff ........your videos are incredibly elegant and amazing !

[@user-js2ob4th3t]

всё очень понятно! thank you , fellow!

[@An.Individual]

would love a video on the seamless gearbox like the ones used in MotoGP (Honda Yamaha) and I think F1

[@muthuramalingamp7647]

Just keep loving No one cares kiddo !

[@oherroprease207]

That was awesome

[@3niknicholson]

Thank you. Good clear video. A really small complaint is the music. I know it's not loud but I have attention problems and find it distracting. But thanks again.

[@LFSPharaoh]

I still don't understand how this transmission can shift without causing damage

[@michaellay7164]

Henry Hazlitt seriously, how does it do it without stopping everything? Ive watched a dozen of these things and they all show it puainsg like that when switching gears, which is obviousl not happening.

[@darewinder]

+Peter Ivanac which is why you wait after pulling in the clutch :)

[@darewinder]

+Peter Ivanac hmm so youre sayin even if you wait the clutch still turns the transmission input shaft? i pull in the clutch wait couple of seconds and roll the bike forward with my foot the shift down.. it doesnt bang at all

[@darewinder]

+Peter Ivanac you mean the input shaft? the output shaft is connected to the chain and rear tire so it has to be stopped or am i missing something

[@robertbrandywine]

But the free-spinning gears would be turning at some random speed right, almost certainly different from the speed of the shaft and the gear attached to it. So when the dog gear teeth move against the gear, they won't at first (maybe) go into the opposite recess. They'll hit the raised portion and then as the recess moves opposite, they will be pressed into the recess by the fork pressure.

[@Michaelwilliams-cp5qp]

Love it!!

[@remenden]

Awesome! Thank you very much! If you can, can you figure in the automatic clutch and reverse gear in with it of how it works; like on an old Honda ATV??

[@janbojarski004425]

It's interesting how many similarities in the power units of motorbikes and f1 there are

[@prakashmayyak9916]

Very good .

[@AbhishekSingh-em1nc]

Very good

[@billybobbubbawubba9457]

Subscribed!

[@mikicoal]

Great animation. I'm trying to work out how the gears engage if the dog gear protrusions are not precisely lined up with the indentations in the free gear. My guess is that with the exception of first gear when taking off from standstill, either the dog or the free gear will be driven by the wheels, while the other will effectively be free-spinning, so the protrusions just slide until they fit. If that's the case, then how does first gear work?

[@ganigarcia1044]

I hope you put numbers on the gears and colorized the fix and free gear with different colors. This will greatly enhance the learning experience.

[@maxrider2887]

My question is if i set a close ratio racing gear box. My top speed increase or decrease?

[@stephaneisen]

It took me some time to understand it. Some points I needed to realize in order to get it: 1. There are five pairs of two gear wheels which belong together and shifting the movable gear wheels along the axis does not disengage them with the gear wheel that is its designated counterpart. (so the shifting of a gear wheel on axis A does not does not connect or disconnect it with other gear wheels on axis B, it is always the same combination ) 2. The two interacting gear wheels on the right are not actually part of the gear box. 3. all the 5 pairs of gear wheels are engaged at all times. 4. the radius of one gear wheel plus the radius of its counterpart together is the distance of the input to the output axis and the ratio of the two radiuses is different for the five pairs and the two axis don`t move 5. one of the two gear wheels that belong together is fixed to its axis and the other one is free to spin on the other axis 6. shifting gears means disconnecting a free-spinning gear wheel from a fixed one to shift out of this gear and for the gear you want to shift into, connecting the free-spinning gear of the pair you want to switch to to a fixed one.

[@ninjakat8922]

I have a 2010 Aprilia Shiver 750 which are notorious (according to forums) for having many false neutrals. I do experience at least one of them per ride and they're quite worrying, especially in downshifts when riding aggressively. I have played around with the lever to find the position it suits me more and I also try to be as heavy footed as possible. These two combined helped a lot but the issue still stands. In the Aprilia forum some dudes say that different springs in the gearbox vanish the issue, what are those springs they talk about and where are they located?

[@RISCy27]

Again a fantastic and easy to understand video. Thanks a lot for creating and sharing these! Please keep them coming (especially looking forward to the dog clutch video ;-)) The only thing... please work on your pronounciation. Your accent strangely somehow doesn't sound German but somewhat forced to sound different.

[@ak67382]

Awesome

[@10babiscar]

would it be possible to have a direct drive (six speed) by having the top right dog clutch shift to the right?

[@joearnette2781]

Could you please explain further why it is necessary to use the clutch for first and second gear, but not for third through fifth gears?

[@RAOtakiespmsr1522]

Nice

[@mrthomaslaux1]

Hey man, important question: How to stop without clutch on freeway? Say i have enough room and the cable snaps. Turn off and let roll in 5.th gear to a stop or shift down slowly to N and then turn off? (Cruiser) im looking for least transmission damage solution.

[@Ramoa111]

l finally got it!!

[@mid1chosen]

I can't understand how neutral is achieved if the first gears from the right on both shafts are always connected to each other and they both are also fixed to their corresponding shafts.this means both shafts will move at speed a/c to these two gears and any other gear will be broken if engaged.Plz somebody explain

[@shaegrover9516]

Most motorcycles don’t have that weird hook thing to switch gears. Most of them have a a star shaped lobe where when shifting a spring loaded detent will roll around the lobe and fall into the lowest points. Those are the gear locations. There is one lobe with a flat style top instead of a star point. That is neutral and is in between first and second gear. The flat spot allows you to lightly shift and get stuck unbeaten the gears on purpose. Side note. If you have false neutrals you are getting stuck on the point of a lobe.

[@nguyenthuongthuong]

I have to watch this 3 times to fully understand it

[@Ben7Seven]

Nice video thx!! I have a question though, how come that the teeth on the sides (dock clutches) of the shifting sprockets exactly engage with the recesses of the free wheelling gears when shifting while they spin rapidly with different speeds? How come you dont need something like a synchronizer ring as in a manual car transmission to match their speeds to connect them?

[@JointedSpagel]

From what I've gathered they don't need synchros due to the fact the dog clut h has so little teeth on it that grinding isn't a serious issue due to gaps being so big that the gear just slips into place. That mixed with the fact r this is sequential means they are often spinning at similar speeds to one another. This is just what I read from a little googling tho so I'm sure I'm missing some other bits of how it works but I hope this helps

[@motorsquad4902]

I have learned more in this video than in school

[@IW2MXP]

Your videos are simply amazing. Please, satisfy my curiosity: how long does it take to make a similar video?

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

Hi, great to hear that. It will take about 20 hours of work to prepare a video like this.

[@AFearGuerrero]

Thomas, would you be so kind as to share gears specifications, as number of teeth, pitch or diameter? Thanks

[@stustix9764]

can you make a video on how tractor trailer transmissions work? like non-synchronous transmissions?

[@connerhoffman2886]

Please tell me why part of your animation shows, the drive power coming in on input shaft, going through 1 set of gears, through the output shaft, through another set of gears, and out the "other side" of the input shaft

[@ZzspartazZ]

How do the dog clutches always engage? Surely they could be out of sync at some point and then when you try to bring them together the ridges will hit the ridges they won't engage, does something cause them to slide on if this happens?

[@RegulerShowTV]

Exactly what I was wondering

[@matocarina]

The shaft will rotate a little bit more until it engages,so it takes a just little bit longer

[@DoogenBurns]

Often times the dogs do butt up against each other but the change in ratio allows the dogs to be spinning at different speeds, so it usually only happens momentarily. It can happen when you're stopped too so you'll have to move your car/bike a bit or let out the clutch a blonde one while selecting first to pop it into gear. Just as well, In transmissions that use dogs like this, the engineers usually allow a ton of space between the dog teeth so that they don't have to be perfectly in phase every time you need to shift

[@kx65fast]

good explanation. this actually happens to me when i dont shift all the way into first before coming to a light or stop sign, just like you said. i just let the clutch out just a tiny bit and it usually pops into first just fine.. i thought there was an issue with my gear box"until I learned that motorcycle gearboxes are basicly a mini "dog box"

[@indra-fu1ew]

XGX787 Here is the answer kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2TSfoCNar1_aKM

[@waz00z]

Excellent explanation.. so the gears fixed to the shaft are on splines right? so if the teeth break they can be removed and replaced?

[@victorrenevaldiviasoto9728]

Nice work! Have you tought of making an animation of CVT?

[@motte009]

Could you do a video about seamles gearboxes?

[@dirtygarageguy]

Surely it abit cunfusing having 6 gear sets for a 5 speed gearbox?

[@garydavies4869]

Found your explanation far more informative

[@dirtygarageguy]

+Gary Davies Thanks very much - matt

[@MThomasBboy]

How many dog clutch pairs do you see?

[@emmanuelvazquez5036]

The last one is just an extra relationship that will be present in all the other 5 gear ratios. Probably they do that so the gears dont had that much of stresses... or something like that. At least thats why conventional manual transmissions have three axis, and not two.

[@andrei642]

the 6 th gearing is just for multiplicating the final torque.The three axis manual transmission is found on vehicle with rear axle traction. and the 2 axle gearbox(the simplest and the cheapest one) is for front axle traction.And both have a permanent gearing.

[@saenau8667]

Hello I have a question on what are the benefits of the transmission design shown here versus the one show in this link Sequential Gearbox - Explained

[@Fredmfk2005]

nice

[@MartinUnited97]

This means i can do clutchless shifting when upshifting with my motorcycle by turning off the throttle? And what is the method for downshifting? Blipping the throttle? I have heard these methods many times before but now I want the evidence to check if it harms the gearbox or not, if it doesn't maybe i should learn how to do it this way.

[@ralphyung7141]

+Martin Notland Yes, you can do clutchless shifting with a sequential gearbox providing you know how to do it. You can have a look on cornering bible. BTW, one of the easy way to do a smooth clutchless up shifting is slightly lifting your foot against the shifter, as soon as you cut off the throttle, the shifter will going up one gear almost immediate. Then you release the the shifter for another gear and back on the throttle right away. I personally only use the clutch when riding at low speed in the traffic and downshifting.

[@TroyaE117]

+Martin Notland Martin, use your clutch. Your gearbox will appreciate it and will last longer. Every time you try a clutchless change and get it wrong, those dogs get a crash load and they get a hard time. use the clutch. Take it easy, friend.

[@MartinUnited97]

TroyaE117 No worries, got a car hehe. Sold that bike in September mate.

[@guigui78340]

TroyaE117 i'm pretty you are not talking about sequential gearbox because these do absolutly not appreciate the use of the clutch since the wheels speed sync the engine speed for smooth shift. they literaly have been design to work that way literaly. but i have to say on the video design since the input shaft and the output shaft are both on the main shaft and are conected to the countershaft with fix gears thus the rear wheel always make the gearbox spin, but then your engine would be out of sync with the gearbox. most motorcycles use the countershaft has the output shaft so the gearbox go out of sync every time you open the clutch because there are no fix gears conecting the two(fix gear against free gear). and i should add that the dogs don't bang since you know now there are syncronized and any strain is absorb by the flywheel damper springs anyway and if they do bang it's you not the bike. sorry that was a bit of a rant here. #clutchlessismycrusade

[@mikizaur90]

Good job ! I put this film on FB in Poland so you can make now 35k sub from my country 😎😎

[@manmeetlamba536]

why they are moving the fixed gear in animation to connect through dog clutch

[@jeenatsatvilkar2230]

by how much angle does that lever rotate to shift one gear

[@cplsyx]

Great video, but I would have liked a bit more explanation on how the dog clutches engage smoothly; as from the diagram it looks like that would be quite difficult!

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

Ok, great, thanks for your feedback.

[@voss194]

CplSyx, the recess that the dogs fit into is more of a long groove, as opposed to perfectly matched hole. The gear is powered when the dog falls into the groove, slides along, and then comes in contact with the end of the groove. The groove gives the dog enough time to fall into the slot then slide to the end of the groove to get into position to then start moving the gear. If each dog was matched to perfectly machined hole, the gear would most likely be spinning to quickly and the dog would be able to skip over the hole. Its hard to put into words but hopefully this helps a bit.

[@cplsyx]

voss194 That helps loads, thanks for taking the time to explain!

[@csDiablo1]

@@voss194 Yeah, but isn't the impact on hit when engaging the dog very destructive? Especially at high rpm when gear change is being initiated?

[@prandomable]

both A/T and M/T will have a countershaft correct?

[@suleymany146]

where occur clunk sound when shifting ?

[@keshavejat]

which software do you use to create animations like this? apreciable work

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

Keshave Jat Carrara 8 Pro

[@AVERYhornyMrDinosaur]

thank you! so now i know i can float safely and not burn syncros, cuz it seems as though they all aint got none.

[@rebel9838]

I couldn't watch the video I'm about to go to sleep and I read the comments during the ads and I was so confused and then became terrified that if I watch the video I would stay awake for days trying to figure it out in my head

[@CaptainJacksIsland]

Arrows pointing to what you're talking about, slowing the animation, and a more detailed breakdown would help. I just see bottom middle things moving left and right, but everything is always spinning. It doesn't look like a gear has been changed to me. Also, maybe don't un-highlight the gears. Makes it easier to remember their purpose when color coded. That and labels. You're talking about 2nd gear, 3rd gear and I have no idea which is which until they move, but by the time they move and I'm able to think about what you said, you've moved onto the next thing, so I'm having to pause this thing and backtrack.

[@djay9795]

Why you put those stuffs on Mars?

[@ThomasSchwenke-knowledge]

+Z Jay On Mars?

[@djay9795]

Thomas Schwenke just talking about land are of animation.

[@dvddvd8719]

+Z Jay all motorcycle gearboxes are from mars. Thats why:)

[@austinbahl6611]

Manuals are from Mars, autos are from Venus.

[@somaaa5554]

+Thomas Schwenke which program do you use for animating?

[@mrPauljacob]

wow genius

[@Rojas86]

The input and output shaft are the same according to the video and that is not possible. The video is right but you can not engage two different gear ratios at the same time, they would have different speeds that would split the axle in two halfs. Am I wrong?

[@chazzon4769]

+David Rojas Blanco. The output shaft is mounted concentrically within the input shaft. So if you imagine the end of the input shaft as a tube, the output shaft is a separate entity mounted within it and is free to rotate. Almost like a shaft rotating within a fixed element bearing.

[@noblelife2553]

i agree.. the direction of the broken line is confusing... from output shaft to 1st gear combination to input shaft then to other gear combination back to the output shaft... it does not make sense.

[@RegulerShowTV]

At 1:38 He explains exactly what you're wondering. He said that the output shaft spins freely inside the hollow input shaft and that they can both spin independently of each other. They look connected when indeed they are not.

[@uncopino]

yes you’re wrong xD

[@vishnudon24]

Damn! mechanical engineers at its best ROYAL MECH

[@sayujraphael]

Vishnu Saseendran malayali aano?

[@mulukenkalsa7137]

It is nice tanks

[@phillipmcintosh6489]

This is the first time I've heard of a motorcycle transmission where the input and output are both on the same axis like that of a manual gearbox in a car. That's not to say they don't exist but just that I've never heard of it. All motorcycle transmissions I've ever seen always have the ouput coming from the secondary shaft. Can anyone tell me which motorcycles have the above as I'm curious? Harley maybe? Great video by the way.

[@mdbuehler]

Honda CB77 / CB72 and the others in that range from the 1960s are like this. First time I've seen it either, rebuilding one right now :)

[@ichbinpardeep]

Thanks for explanation. I still did not understand

[@copper426]

Would you say it's normal for Honda crossrunner to clunk into gears

[@ksr2513]

But is it easy to break if you stall sometimes?

[@musaameril7067]

Sir what is the problem if it is hard to shift in 3rd gear??? Thank you

[@kestrel16c32]

Sometimes it's just a mechanical issue that doesn't have anything to do with the gearbox. I recommend disassembling your gear lever, cleaning/oiling the components and putting it back in.

[@gt7500]

I apologize! What you are saying is correct. I had a hard time following through the video. The path of power was what concerned me, but it is correct! Sorry.

[@streetDAOC]

I don’t have to clutch in from 2nd to 3rd???

[@ChiliFrog]

But how do you know which gear you're on?

[@ratchawutsuprom6921]

i want it . can u teach me ?

[@thetheorist2191]

What music is used in this video