downshifting and engine braking

[c-m]

The brakes on the GPZ are not the best in the world but do a fair job.

The engine braking on the other hand can be quite harsh and when I'm messing about decelerating quickly down hill the back wheel often locks for a second.

I've heard people mention blipping the throttle.

Can someone explain that in a bit of detail please?
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Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

[brucelivi]

As you go to change down a gear pull the clutch in and rev the bike . Dont be shy about it but dont over do it. This will pick up the engine revs then you can change down gear and it wont be so harsh or lock up the back wheel. It takes a bit to get used to it but like everything else it will become 2nd nature. Hope this helps .

[deliriousthun...]

it should be quite easy when you understand the concept..

when you shift into a lower gear, you need more revs to maintain the same speed.. so...

when you are downshifting and you have the clutch held in, you 'blip' the throttle..

that means you raise the revs, so that when you let the clutch out and the new gear engages, your engine speed matches your real speed..

that way when you let the clutch out again you don't get sudden and harsh engine braking and you avoid locking the rear wheel..

basically I think the best way to think of it is that you're always trying to match your engine speed (for whichever gear you're in) to your real speed..

makes for a much smoother ride

hope that helps
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Tom

[colin1]

you are basically doing manually what the clutch will do for you.

After you change gear, the clutch reconnects the engine to the wheels. If their speeds are slightly out of step with each other, its not smooth. On changing down, if you rev a little higher before you reconnect the engine, it will be smoother. At first you wont get it quite right but you will get the hang of it.

Once you start doing it, after a while it becomes automatic, you dont think about it.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[UrbanRacer]

you may find it helps to a fake a cough when you blip the throttle. sounds stupid i know but i've been told a few folk do it when trying to get used to blipping the throttle

[Kal]

I've never gotten my head around blippping the throttle, instead I feather the clutch which does the same job a different way.
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[veeeffarr]

Do you guys blip as in twist and let go really quickly? Or twist, hold, engage gear, and then release?

It's much smoother twisting and letting go quickly, and then changing as revs come down, but I've found it's even smoother still if you hold the revs, and once the gears engaged, then close the throttle.

T

[UrbanRacer]

Clutch in>Select lower gear>blip throttle>as the revs begin to settle release the clutch lever.

blip the throttle = a small and quick increase in revs, the amount of time you will open the throttle should be m/secs

[Reevo8]

Its very easy to do once you have a feel for the bike, if we are talking very high rev downchange rev more. lower revs less revs, try and subconciously match the clutch in revs with the revs in that gear at your current road speed.

It becomes second nature soon enough! Very helpful with pillions aswell as there is nout worse than pillions crushing your gonads as you downchange for a roundabout.

[c-m]

Practised today on the way to and from work.

worked a treat thanks.
____________________
Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

[colin1]

ahh its nice when bcf does something useful
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[brucelivi]

Well done mate .Now you have that done change up a gear without the clutch. Or do you do that already       

[psimpson]

[Kal]

If you get it wrong then yes you'll destroy the teeth on the gears.

imo it's like hanging off the bike like a demented monkey - Racers do it because it gives them a fraction of a second and they need it but it's not something that helps with day to day riding in the real world.
____________________
Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[psimpson]