Downshifting Poll

[HD]

This is purely a thread just for the poll as I want to see the techniques used coming up to a corner. Not a traffic light or a junction where you are stopping but where you have to brake and go down at least a gear.

Thanks!

EDIT: Thought I put in an option for other but clearly I didn't fill it out properly. If you do none of the above please post a comment below and don't tick any of the boxes.
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Rusty '02 Vito Camper + CBR600F3

[Nai]

Depends entirely on the corner and speed if I am honest... Not a very good poll answer

[HD]

[T0MMY]

I said option 2. Option 1 is fine generally but a throttle blip is obvously better for your transmission, reduces the weight shift and chance of locking the back wheel and of course, most importantly, sounds cool

Option 3...do you mean you're only reengaging the clutch as you start to apply a little throttle through the corner, i.e. once you're off the brakes and already starting to lean as that sounds like you're going to unbalance the bike pretty badly and give yourself a lot to think about in a short space of time.

[binge]

The only time I use the clutch is when I pull away, or stop.




Ben

[HD]

[Glenben92]

He who doth downshift without blipping ye olde throttle, shall face being hanged in front of the villagers!

In my eyes, downshifting without an appropriately measured out blip (depending on rate of deceleration) is just as bad as upshifting without letting off the throttle. 'tis the same principle; rev matching, clutch forgiving, smoothening out, better control.
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[whitedevil]

Free wheeling round corners is idiotic. You should brake as you approach the corner an select the right gear and line and then give slight acceleration as you take the corner to settle the bike. As you pass the apex you can then get on the gas as you straighten up.

[HD]

[Ben.]

free wheeling round corners means you have no engine braking to slow you down if you go in to hot, and you tend to speed up when you free wheel round corners.

You should have a neutral throttle mid corner, not accelerating but throttle should not be closed. This avoids the jerk when you want to get on the gas coming out of a corner whilst still lent over.

I blip but thats because i spend 90% of my biking life on a race track where it is needed, and thus becomes habit. However if your bike has a slipper clutch or quick shifter then you dont really need to blip.

Blipping helps avoid rear wheel lock up. On a track when the rear wheel is only skipping along the floor under heavy braking it is easy for it to lock up, also you are very high in the rev range. On the road you rarely brake that hard and are rarely that high in the rev range. It still helps but its not as vital on the road.
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follow my racing season
Race bike - R6
Road bike - sv650

[hmmmnz]

none of the above,


grab clutch , blip throttle as i change down, release clutch before revs drop
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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Dunno. Don't so much blip the throttle as slowly increase it as the clutch is let out. If I lose a few MPH in the process I'm not going to commit seppuku over it.
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[The Tot]

I voted 2, then I re-read it, and realised, that's not what I do. Mine is similar to Hmmmnz. The motion is pretty fluid and is done in a matter of split seconds that it now blurs and has become subconscious.

I make sure that I release the clutch after every blip so that I know what the engine and back end are doing in terms of drivability through and out of the corner... such that I'll be at about 5-7k where the bike is stable in its powerband on a smooth constant throttle. Also more importantly keeps the bike stable going into braking since the back wheel is less inclined to hop.

Going in too high a gear will make you run wide of have to push it at a much tighter lean angle. Too low, you risk unsettling the bike and chopping throttle mid corner. It's the only way for me to tell which gear to go in when going on a spirited ride on unfamiliar road. Then once that's all sorted, it's body and bike positioning BEFORE i go into a corner.

Not meaning to slag the power rangers (because I am indeed one)... a lot of things I saw on the road in the corners was a combination of the above paragraph which made for some very hairy moments - brake lights going on mid corner... running wide etc, but that's another subject entirely.

So blip as you shift is for me... unless you have a slipper clutch and quickshifter!
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[stinkwheel]

Close throttle then open throttle for most corners. Usually sorted out which gear I want a fair bit before.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Suntan Sid]

2 Smoke
If I’m out on the 250 NSR, I’ll be on the brakes a lot.
Approaching a good bend, I’ll be hard on the brakes, and down shifting to keep the motor spinning.
Once into the corner, I’ll be slipping the clutch, a lot, and keeping the revs up,
Once I’ve hit the apex it’ll be full throttle, if I’ve dropped out of the powerband there will have to be more clutch slip until I hit it, then its clutch out and away we go.

IL4
Got to say if I’m out on the CBR6, unless I’m in hooligan mode, I very rarely use the brakes with any great force.
If it’s a road I know, I will be matching revs and using engine braking to slow down.
I will be using the clutch and throttle blipping to match the revs before I tip it into the corner. Once into the bend I’ll be feathering the throttle up to the apex, once I’ve hit the apex I’ll get, smoothly, on the power to exit the corner.

Big Single
Leave it in fourth!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[FBSF]

[Kickstart]

[supZ]

[supZ]

[HD]

Hmmmmmmmnz, TOT and supZ, that is what I meant by the second option.

Keith, I know. I don't do it just saying people do.

And supZ, I generally mean junction where you just brake and go, not stop if you get me. Hard to explain...
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Rusty '02 Vito Camper + CBR600F3

[CarlosCBR]

Blip the throttle on down changes if im caning it or racing friends, if im just cruising i change down one at a time. So usually its blipping.
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[Jim Mc]

It depends how fast you're going into the corner, the only reason you blip is to bring the engine speed upto the speed of the rear wheel to prevent it locking up. As when you shift down, you obviously need higher rpm's to get the equivolent road speed.

If you're riding smoothly, using proper clutch control you shouldn't need to blip.

[Kickstart]

[HD]

[Paxovasa]

I sometimes do clutchless downshifts, but usually I blip the throttle just before releasing the clutch. I change down one gear at a time.
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