Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 5: Drive away
• Method 2 of 5: Up a gear
• Method 3 of 5: Downshift
• Method 4 of 5: Decelerate to a standstill
• Method 5 of 5: The inclination test
• Tips
• Warnings

Learning to shift properly with a manual gearbox takes some training, but with the right effort, anyone can learn it. To shift smoothly you need some knowledge and finesse, especially when it comes to a heavy car. Large, manual cars are a bit trickier because they have a larger engine and heavier transmission. But don't worry, with some training, anyone can learn to shift smoothly, in any car.

To step

Method 1 of 5: Drive away

1. Place the gear lever in the neutral, neutral position between first and second gear (in neutral, you can easily move the lever from left to right).
2. Start the car.
3. Fully depress your clutch pedal.
4. Now move the gear lever to first gear.
5. Slowly release the clutch and throttle a little bit until you feel the gear engage. You reach a point where you see that the front of the car rises slightly and the engine revs slightly. At this point, release the parking brake, but don't let go of the clutch completely yet.
6. Continue to release the clutch while holding down the accelerator slightly. Make sure the revs are only slightly above idle: you do this with the accelerator pedal while slowly releasing the clutch with your left foot.
7. Continue to accelerate and slowly release the clutch until the pedal has come all the way up.
8. Drive away carefully.

Method 2 of 5: Up a gear

1. Determine when you need to shift gears based on the speed. If the revs have risen outside the normal range (usually between 2500-3000rpm) it is time to shift up a gear.
   • Note: if you have to accelerate quickly or if you are driving up a slope, you normally only shift up at a higher speed than when you are driving quietly on a flat road. If you shift too early in such a case, it can be bad for the engine and there will be problems with the timing of the ignition.
2. Start shifting up by taking your foot off the accelerator and pressing the clutch. Make sure the clutch pedal is fully depressed before shifting, otherwise you could damage the gears.
3. Move the gear lever to the next gear.
4. Release the clutch and accelerate. Just like when starting off, it is important that you feel the interaction between the clutch and the throttle in order to shift smoothly. It is true that you can release the clutch faster than when driving off.
5. Place both hands on your handlebars again.
   • Why? Because only then can you control the car when you turn the corner.
   • When you change gears, you push a shift fork against a rotating ring and you push that ring against the desired gear. If you hold the gear lever, the shift fork will wear out sooner because it is held against the rotating ring with pressure.

Method 3 of 5: Downshift

1. Determine again on the basis of the speed when you need to downshift. If the speed gets too low, you feel that the engine has to put in a lot of effort, and the throttle becomes more inaccurate.
   • Normally, you downshift after you've slowed down and before turning the corner. In most cases you brake with your brake pedal before taking a corner.
   • As soon as you slow down you can downshift, you use the engine to smoothly go around the corner. Never turn around freely, because you will lose control more quickly.
2. Start downshifting by taking your foot off the accelerator and pressing the clutch. You take your foot off the gas a little earlier than you press the clutch, because otherwise the engine will make a lot more revs when pressing the clutch.
3. Fully depress the clutch pedal and then shift the gear lever into the lower gear.
4. Release the clutch slowly. Now the speed will increase. Use the accelerator to match the RPM with the gear you are in.
5. Let the clutch come up all the way.

Method 4 of 5: Decelerate to a standstill

1. Leave the car in the same gear and start braking.
2. Slow down until the engine speed is just above idle.
3. Depress the clutch pedal and move the gear lever into a lower gear. When you arrive at an intersection where you have to give way, shift into second gear and release the clutch (to rest your foot and avoid wear on the clutch plates).
4. Slowly slow down until you are almost standing still.
5. Just before you come to a stop (now you are only driving a few kilometers per hour), press the clutch to prevent the engine from stalling. If you are on a slope, apply the handbrake and release your brake pedal.

Method 5 of 5: The inclination test

1. Brake as usual until you are nearly stationary, then use the handbrake to hold the car in place. This way you prevent you from driving back down.
2. Slowly release the clutch while you accelerate a bit. So when you are ready to drive off, just start with the step we discussed in the first method.
3. As soon as you feel that the car is about to drive away, release the handbrake.
4. Now the car should move forward. You may need to practice on this for a while. Gently release the clutch and increase the throttle until the clutch is fully raised.
   • The faster you release the clutch, the less wear and tear there will be, so the goal is to get the clutch on as quickly as possible while still moving the car forward smoothly.

Tips

• Don't get too distracted by the speed, but focus on the balance between the clutch release and the accelerator pedal. Imagine that they are opposites when driving off. For example, you can think of a motor with two cylinders: when one piston moves down, the other moves up, in opposite motion. Try to copy this movement with your clutch and accelerator.
• Never roll out freely around the corner. This can be very dangerous, because if you have to accelerate a bit you will have to put the car in gear first, and that takes time.
• In many cases, such as when approaching a pedestrian crossing or intersection, it is smart to brake and downshift to second gear.
• If you are going to speed up or down, try to choose the timing point where there are potholes or bumps in the road. These kinds of irregularities can be transferred to the engine and make driving less smooth. Generally, you'll ride smoother over uneven terrain when you let go of the accelerator.
• The transition between accelerating and slowing down is much rougher with a manual gearbox than with an automatic transmission. The gears transmit pressure in one direction (drive slower), this pressure must be reversed when you go faster. An automatic gearbox does this much more smoothly by using a so-called visco clutch.
• You can drive smoothly almost entirely with your clutch pedal. If you let the clutch come up slowly, you can shift much smoother.
• In smaller cars it is much easier to shift smoothly than large cars because the flywheels are much smaller and the clutches less stiff.
• If you stand still for a long time, it is better to put the car in neutral and let go of the clutch. This prevents a tired leg and wear on your clutch.

Warnings

• Try the techniques in this article in a safe place where there are no other cars and pedestrians. An empty parking lot is a convenient place to practice.
• It has been said that you can save fuel when driving down a slope in neutral. This is a fable and can be very dangerous.
• Follow the traffic rules at all times.