How a Motorcycle Transmission Works | MC GARAGE

Why is first gear down, second gear up, and neutral between them? And how does a transmission work, anyway? We break it down for you in this video from the MC Garage.
--
For most folks, the transmission is the most mysterious part of a motorcycle. It's buried as deep in the engine as you can go, and it's got so many gears! In this video from the MC Garage we not only to show you how the transmission functions, we also aim to answer some other common gearbox questions, like why do you click down into first, but then up into the rest of the gears? And why on earth is neutral between first and second? Watch the video above to find out, and if you want more straight-to-the-point technical explanation videos (like how a slipper clutch works, the difference between rightside-up and upside-down forks, and how to properly wash your helmet), click the MC Garage image below.
Full story here: www.motorcycli...
Subscribe: www.youtube.com...
Motorcyclist Shirts: teespring.com/...
Shop Products We Use: www.amazon.com...
See more from us: www.motorcyclis...

[@roythearcher]

This has to be the most simple and concise explanation of a motorcycle gearbox I have seen yet!

[@jjjmotorbike8935]

When it describes the gears as sprockets at the start what else would you expect from that point on.

[@garrymuir1442]

I have to agree. Very nicely explained.

[@robmccormick8155]

Right. Who the fuck dislikes this kinda stuff?

[@sail4life]

People who take their bikes in to have the oil changed?

[@bittechslow]

Those damn anti gearites.

[@bryanharrison3889]

As with many of your vids I already understand a motorcycle transmission, but with that said, these videos are short, to the point, and entertaining, and there's alot of things in alot of your videos I DIDN'T know. and even when I do, I still watch them, becaus they're entertaining.

[@650ib]

Excellent video Sir! I always wondered how that worked.

[@weljo2001]

Come on now....Its not like you actually work on your bikes..lol

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Gotta keep the friendly moto-mechanics busy servicing 25 superbikes. ;-)

[@observingrogue7652]

650ib Do you wonder while you're laying a Smackdown? XD

[@baikumarbehera4650]

650ib ....

[@baikumarbehera4650]

Lifted_Above .

[@debbymarshall2857]

Love watching these. As someone who didn’t grow up with bikes and now rides one, this explains a lot. Thanks for making high quality content!

[@808thump]

As a new motorcycle enthusiast, I must say your Video is visually appealing, you explained the parts in laymans terms and conditions to be wary of. Job well done!

[@habyss]

This is urban legend. Motorcycles have a squirrel running on a treadmill.

[@Earthneedsado-over177]

Motorcycles run on prayers and money.

[@Refr619]

It's the lil gremlins. 🤣

[@shmedwinardo]

Actually nowdays most bikes run on 2 squirrels 🐿 🐿 .

[@TheyCallMeStabby]

I think it’s just your brain running on squirrel and treadmill

[@naerkode]

I'm pretty sure mine came with 2 pairs of Hamsters.. and I'm not sure if it helps they don't get along too well..

[@baronburgamot243]

These videos are great. Needed to brush up as I haven't ridden for about 10 years and just picked up a '99 CBR600F and always looked after my own bikes. These videos are really helpful. Thanks guys.

[@kyokushinkuma]

Thanks for this video, rode for 9 years and never knew how the transmission really worked, hopefully a new bike on the horizon soon after a 2 year absence.

[@gonecoyote]

i feel smarter today, thank you mc garage

[@marzan6857]

I was apprehensive to watching this, but you hit it spot on. Been riding since 1970 and I will tell you there were some weird shifting patterns for different bikes. Thank goodness for the standardizing. Thanks for posting.

[@ggme4682]

I don't believe it. Short, to-the-point, clear, interesting, informative, and no background music! Hat off to you Sir. 5 star video all the way! 🌟 🌟🌟 🌟🌟

[@afletra]

as always, you guys make a really clear explanation about something that most of us think is so complicated. and you guys sprinkle it with some humor. keep on the good work guys, always waiting for the new videos from you!

[@nicks227]

your videos are so informative. I've been binge watching them for a whole week.

[@stephenlatchford9850]

Fascinating, seeing all those parts work in unison, well done for keeping it as simple an explanation as possible

[@isaiahcraig1704]

This is the best explanation of how a transmission works I've ever seen.

[@giovannilondt2852]

Love this channel I actually rebuilt my fork shocks for the first time today following this channels step by step guide. Thanks guys appreciate what you doing.

[@SawyerKnight]

fast ,simple, good info, and high production value. that intro with all the parts making MC was awesome. you need more subs and views!

[@jamesbarrick3403]

I love your videos!! 1) They are simple 2) they explain things very well 3) and pithy (that means short) 4) no presumption you need to be a comic or to "build your brand". Keep up the great work!

[@FULQUE]

MC garage people, your videos are always very informative and really well done. Thanks for your amazing experience and work. Greetings from London UK

[@davidrobins4025]

It is helpful to know the facts about a motorcycle's transmission - you've explained it clearly. Thank you.

[@ronalddaub1710]

I started working on motorcycle Transmissions when I was young and I'm glad you're showing this stuff..

[@ramsanodiya5454]

You should have done that long ago considering you are playing with it from ages

[@juliekohler4106]

Thank you for being so easy to follow on all your videos (that I’ve seen so far) and helping me understand previously mysterious subjects. You’re awesome!

[@liampalmer4370]

You have got yourself a sub mate, I'm in school for automotive but when I was learning transmissions my teacher suuuucked ( I have a new one now). Keep up these videos man please they are very helpful and I plan on watching them a lot more

[@oddguy2829]

Shift drum!. That was the missing piece in my mental schematics. Awesome!

[@SamrudhDixit]

you guys are the best for brief explanations ..

[@carlosperdomo4030]

Great video! I am from Mexico and here nobody explained me so clearly

[@MyRandomLife247]

Man I started following you with On Two Wheels, this series is almost as good as that. I learn so much!

[@azroytan5332]

MC Garage never fails to clear my doubts. I learned a lot of stuffs from this channel. Keep it up!!!

[@hebert415]

Concise and informative. Everything I'm looking for in youtube videos on riding motorcycles.

[@mistreku]

Love the garage videos, thanks for taking the time to explain bike stuff for the less knowledgeable! Much appreciated!

[@dircreate46]

Wow, this was helpful!, I was trying to figure out how to draw motorcycles, so figuring out how the transmission worked was really helpful :]

[@izismael5075]

Ari, you are excellent at explaining complex items. Thank you!

[@supermotofrank]

I concur with Ari, this IS how a transmission works. 😉 It's actually surprising just how many people are baffled, or just outright afraid of transmission work in the industry too. I was apprehensive as well, at first, but after a while you realize that all transmissions are the same in the sense that all carburetors are the same because the end result is always the same. Anyways, bravo on yet another thoughtful display of motorcycle! Cheers!!

[@syedsameer1990]

I have watched most of your videos and liked them all. your work is very appreciated. nobody can explain that simple and subjectively​. you make it simple and less technical so that everybody could understand it. and that's a great job. I am in process of sharing your videos with my mates. keep it going...!

[@unnikrishnanrajendran8991]

Bro. Your videos are simply awesome. Very easy to understand the basics of motorcycles. This video is best one. Your english accent is very good, easy to understandable for rest of the world

[@andywright5147]

Nicely explained and in such a quick video, well done MC Garage

[@trantem]

Fascinating and simple explanation. Love it! Keep up the great work, you guys are awesome.

[@CubanRider]

Ari laying down the knowledge again. Great video.

[@TimHPop776]

Simple. To the point. Excellent video!

[@Han-gh2jl]

I had been trying so hard to explain how the gearbox work for my friends, but it doesnt work. The nest time someone ask me this question, I would highly recommend your video ! Thank you.

[@Rcky6327]

Very simple and effective explanation.

[@Earthneedsado-over177]

Drive safely. Adverbs still exist. Very clear explanation, thank you.

[@ridingdutchman312]

Could you make a vid on shifting with and without using the clutch? There are so many different statements on whether clutchless shifting is or isn`t good for the gearbox. Great and informative video this was. Thanks!

[@JohnDoe19991]

Riding Dutchman You should never shift with clutch in contact because it will send power through the transmission and that force could damage the engaging gear that is slower rpm

[@kalyemovez8399]

Close throttle fast then shift w/o pressing the clutch lever & then open the throttle again... This method must be done in a blink of an eye....😇😇😇😇

[@stephenufkin6236]

Why are so many people asking about shifting without a clutch? Just use the damn clutch, thats what its there for!

[@2DclanSnipingTeam]

The sequential constant mesh gear box was designed to be upshifted without the clutch.

[@SafakSahin]

short and meaningful video. no BS. Thank you!

[@VictorBeltran1309]

Pretty nice straight forward explanation

[@Death666wish]

How about a video about clutchless up and downshifts, how it works and why you should/shouldn't do it. I mostly stick to up shifts if I'm really hammering it, but so many mixed opinions about it being bad or ok.

[@ZacharyB]

Hi, it's bad for your transmission in the long run. Because, when you use the clutch to shift, you are stopping the engine's power coursing through the transmission. So, when you don't do that, more of the power of the engine is coursing through the gears, and when you go to shift, the dogs slam into the back of the gear. This wears the gear faces and the newly meshing gear teeth down over many shifts. Gears naturally wear down anyway, but not using the clutch accelerates the wear. The reason they do this in racing is because it is a tiny bit faster than using the clutch, and it's also just easier to manage-you can think of other things, like how to get around the two guys blocking you at the end of the straight. But someone also rebuilds the transmission after every season. We don't tend to have that kind of time or money with our street bikes. In bad cases, the dogs on the back of the gears won't hold the gear faces any longer and the transmission might slip out of gear. However, one time, my clutch cable broke 30 miles from home, and I had to do this in an emergency. If you do want to do it, or have to do it, let off the power a little before you shift. This is essentially doing what pulling the clutch in does. Quickshifters work this way too, by sensing when you put pressure on the gear change lever. Then, they very briefly cut the ignition or fuel supply so that the engine loses power for the fraction of a second the transmission needs for the gear faces to de-mesh and go into the next gear.

[@midibudu]

ZacharyB is not really bad, ive been using clutchless ups for quite some time, done revisiones and its in perfect shape, on a 99 Sv650s, there is no difference between using a quickshifter and clutchless, the quickshifter just cuts the ignition for some really small time maybe less than 0.2 seconds and you can shift, for me it archived smoother ups, only using it on 2nd to 3rd and so on, not to 1st to 2nd tho, but again, personal experience may change form one to annother

[@Death666wish]

Yes, when I do it from 1st to 2nd it's quite jerky, but all the other gears up to 6th are as smooth as silk.

[@thisisbenji90]

Yeah 1st to 2nd can be really tricky. For me the main advantage of a clutchless upshift is that it upsets the bike a lot less, so if I'm really hammering it out of a corner and hit redline while I'm still a bit leaned over, then I can shift and the bike stays smooth. That's on my bike without a quickshifter, on my bike with a quickshifter, 1st to 2nd with no clutch is silky smooth.

[@midibudu]

i never do it from 1st to 2nd, you might fall in a neutral, but 2nd to 3rd and so on is much more smoother for me, and if you look from a certain point of view...a quickshitfter does the the throttle cut when you upshift, so is basicly the same, never had bad wear on my SV

[@WicakMifta]

great explanations! I'm just wondering why US use miles unit instead of kilometers?

[@anirudhkumar7477]

Beautiful yet simple explanation bruh

[@cantwheelie_rob]

52 dislikes? Really? How? Why? This is a good video. Short and simple...

[@hectorbaptista330]

Great video. Clear, useful, well written.

[@Ts_Evildroid]

Transmissions have lots of gears, who knew?? Nice well explained video!

[@1230986666]

I really love your videos. They're comprehensive and dense in information. All of them are top notch, keep up the good work!

[@stape510]

Such a simple, concise explanation. Good stuff. 👍

[@mpeugeot]

All my bikes are, 1 up, and 5 down. Thankfully reversing the shift pattern is easy to do on most bikes. It also makes so much more sense than the standard pattern, never will I go back. :)

[@whotfaskedbro6730]

I'm so happy you exist, I couldn't figure it out

[@davidkrempaszky2325]

Love your videos!!! I'm learnt so much in the past two weeks thank you!!!

[@SurenMOF1]

@Ari you explained in the best way and so far the best mechanical knowledge person on KZbin do you own a garage you could be useful for many

[@clementsebastian1977]

Very well explained bro👍😊

[@mahanthehs]

Nice explained bro With real instruments

[@TheRossicle]

This was awesome! I've never personally taken a transmission apart, so I've never really know how it works. Great vid.

[@rotherider5216]

Mystery solved. Great video. Many thanks from us in the U.K.

[@coconuciferanuts339]

Great vid as usual mate.I had to laugh at the psycho screech about the internals of the box

[@Lowlander119]

Holy crap thank you for explaining this, I finally understand!

[@Barberdan]

The first on bottom for convenience makes sense. Most my life as a dirt bike rider I always though first was at the bottom below neutral because accessing neutral by accident during a hill climb could be a disaster when you didn't realize you ran out of gears.

[@beavistown3231]

This channel diy series is amazing

[@CanadianMotoGal]

Nicely done quick overview -thank you 👍

[@mashapacreative7072]

you are a good teacher bro , good job

[@thomasgale5368]

Great explaintion! Thank you simplifying, and breaking it down. Your videos are always my Go-to! Thanks, brother!

[@HillbillyonaYZ]

Hmm, didn't know about the pattern mandate thing. Learn something new every day. :)

[@Marvelfunfaqs]

Wow, I need to open my tranny cause I can't get into 1st and neutral and everybody says Omg that's a difficult job, give it to the shop to do. Your simple explanation gave me the confidence that I can do the job. Thank a million!

[@evanepp]

Great explanation detailing the inner workings of a transmission! Thanks for the informative video!

[@kennethcuenca5009]

Newbie here , I hope that you'll make a video on how to warm up a carburated 4 stroke motorcycle , and for how long should we do it before we take a ride. Thanks

[@ocping]

Man, the people who came up with these gear systems are insane geniuses.

[@larrygonzales5983]

Straight and to the point! Awsome vid Brother 💪👍🏼

[@remotegod255]

Great explanation! Love your videos on motorcycles, helping me learn my 1981 Honda CM400 C inside and out :)

[@kiwiandyt123]

These videos are brilliant! Keep up the great work Motorcyclist Magazine!

[@192837465conconrad]

Best vid i've seen on transmission so far.

[@LukeTheDuke93]

So good...thanks for raining some knowledge on us.

[@mymajorcompanynz]

Damn impressive straightforward well paced and visually excellent education.Well done.

[@faustin289]

I used to have a small bike with the neutral below the 1st gear. This was more convenient that the current standardized bike I have now with the neutral between the 1st and 2nd gear.

[@luckyluk83]

Thanks for explaining. Well done mate.

[@marurider69]

simple and good explanation

[@INNOVVDashCam]

Learnt alot! Your explanation is excellent.

[@motardmike6383]

I actually learn something every time I watch one of these videos. Now only if my clumsy Homer Simpson fingers could follow along and participate in the maintenance aspect of motorcycling.

[@AmitDebnath09]

Informative, concise, and awesome: Love this! As a new rider, I really appreciate videos on intricate yet significant parts of a motorcycle. Keep them coming! P.S. Would also love videos on preparing for track days as well as any Vlogs of track days. =D

[@adriengahery9471]

Great video! Straight to point, short&clear. As with a lot of MC garage, btw.

[@WarwickHunter]

Excellent explanation. Thanks!

[@wexlbex]

I comment very rarely on videos, but damn your informative stuff is so good!

[@dylanspangler2304]

incredible description

[@TomvdHeuvel]

great video! A lot of italian bikes had the shifter on the right side to well into the 70's. If you werent used to that it could cause some trouble for obvious reasons :) Greetings from Holland.

[@peterwarren7388]

i actually have a bike that's right hand shift (1972 xlch). and honestly I find it feels more better, never once have i misshifted on that machine. on the contrary every time i get on a different bike i end up trying to lift the brake pedal the first two or three times, shifting on the right feels so much more natural and i wish the govt never stuck their nose in it.

[@buddyluuv69]

This has been very informative. I've recently been looking into electric bike such as the Zero S, which doesn't seem to have all that. Do a video explaining how it works and basic maintenance tips, please.

[@ronanrogers4127]

I used to have a Norton with the shift on the right side, and the shift pattern was one up and three down, with neutral between first and second as usual. The British bike industry were pretty unhappy with the changes prescribed in the US, but it’s the international standard today.

[@ericgregor2086]

Good video , short and to the point

[@williamchristopher2690]

you can be more specific and detailed about the transmission. still i cant get the full working of it! u explain it in a great way .

[@bennyng5518]

Thank you Christoph Waltz!

[@jeremykeller211]

Nicely done. In the days of antiquity, and Triumph, Norton, BSA, etc., the shift lever was located on the right side of the bike. For right handed riders (left brain to right ankle messaging) this is neurologically easier and more reliable. Many of the racing gods of the late 20th century had the shift levers transposed from left to right both for this reason and because they were used to this. I don't know if this trend continues. OAP 383 (1950 Norton Featherbed)

[@zaptowee6625]

Great video, amazing simple explanation.

[@DesertDuc]

Very concise. Great video!

[@bigmikeobama523]

on my bridgestone motorcylce you can click up or down through all the gears neutral has its own position so you can go from fourth to neutral back to first by clicking down on the shifter or vice versa by hitting it up

[@peterwarren7388]

ok you made me interested so I looked it up and man that is really both very interesting and terrifying. I suppose you could get used to your specific bike, but missing a shift and ending up in neutral or even first at speed, that's nuts.

[@timtravasos2742]

Awesome info. I never knew anything about tyrannys before this. Not so mysterious now.