Brakes or Gears?

[ish765]

Which do you use (or think is best) for slowing down at junctions ect. And why?
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RXS100 On the Road.

[D O G]

Both, it allows me to stop if I need to.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Personally I prefer to use BRAKES rather than BREAKS, but there you are.

Seriously though a combination of the two. If you're just using one or the other it's poor riding IMO.

If I HAD to use only one then it would be the brakes are they are infinately adjustable and offer far more control than gears alone.
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My Flickr

[Kickstart]

Hi

Mainly engine braking / gears for pulling up to junctions, just using the brakes for finer / final control (or making up for making an error). That said you cannot really slow to a halt using engine braking alone, especially going down hill.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[tafflade]

On my Aprilia I use engine braking a hell of a lot because it is so damn effective for normal A road riding, I can arrive at a corner at the right speed in the right gear to power through and accelerate away.

On th BMW it is so damn heavy the engine braking isn't as effective and the brakes are so damn good I tend to use them a lot more.

So its a combo of both really but to use engine braking means you have to be looking into the distance to read the road and plan what you are going to do before you start doing it.

[ish765]

[ish765]

I have been using gears mostly, but I wonder about the effect on the engine?, and the fact that people may not think I’m slowing down ?
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RXS100 On the Road.

[Graprilia]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[Kickstart]

Hi

With "gears" you are not slowing down that quickly (in inverted commas as much of the time I suspect you are just using the engine braking without changing down), but you can always pull the brakes lightly to illuminate the brake light if you want.

Stamping it down gears is probably not going to do the gearbox any good, but do it smoothly and blip the throttle and it should be fine. Possibly some extra wear on the clutch plates but I can't say I would worry about that.

Fuel wise which is better will depend on the actual engine. Using engine braking on a carbed engine means you will still be drawing in fuel which is doing nothing, and pulling in far more than if you pulled the clutch and let the revs drop to idle. With some injected engines they will cut the fuel supply when the throttle is closed at revs above idle, hence with these you would actually use more fuel by dipping the clutch and letting the revs drop to idle. Again though the difference would be tiny.

There is the argument that brake pads are cheaper than gearboxes, but the counter to that is that a new front end is a hell of a lot more than brake pads if you have cooked your brakes by the time you need to use them in anger.

All that said, I think some people have mentioned that going down the gear as you slow down to use engine braking is now frowned on in the driving test.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Blue_SV650S]

Both, do people really coast (have the clutch in) when slowing down?

I'd say - unless you have a particularly odd riding style - people either use BOTH or just engine braking ...


Personally, I'm too impatient to rely on engine braking alone!!
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Walloper]

I stop for nothing.....

Mostly engine braking.
Brakes for parking and to prevent piling into some moron who never saw me.

It really depends on size of engine and piston configuration.
The big I have has seriously useable engine braking but my multi cylinder Jap bikes had not much.
May be due to design and reducing friction loads to minimum or sumat.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Kal]

Surprised at the two strokes using engine braking, I wouldn't have thought they were that effective.

Depending on the situation, in my ideal world I will see the obstruction far enough ahead that I can just change down through the box and apply my brakes in the last few yards to come to a gentle rest.

Things are usually far from ideal so I usually tap the back to light up the brake and then change down, using the brakes if coming in a little quickly.
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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

[supZ]

[R6jonny]

Brakes for slowing down, then pick the gear you want to be in...
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Honda NSR125 - Yamaha R6 - Ducati 748 - Suzuki GSXR750K6/GSXR1000K7/GSXR750K8 - Ducati 848 - Honda SP1 - Triumph Daytona 675
"simply because she is a female and is thus her actions largely make no sense whatsoever by default"

[ish765]

Thanks people. I guess I’ll develop my own way. I have been using the front break to show the light, just because I ‘m in the habit. I guess it should be the rear, though it’s rarely enough to actually feel it.

I imagine with time I could get used to wheel braking and selecting the right gear, at the moment I still feel I don’t know what it’s going to do when I let the clutch out. But it would mean I could start slowing later.

But using the gears does keep the revs sweet, seems good for my 2 stroke.
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RXS100 On the Road.

[Peirre oBollox]

[The Tot]

Engine braking from quite a long way away then use the brakes to fine tune the rate of deceleration. Dead stop at a junction; left foot down, right foot on brake. I like a smooth stop using engine braking.

You can say that using the brakes also puts wear and tear on the pads and disks .

When i'm going for a blast, I hardly ever use my brakes and usually modulate my speed with the appropriate gears. Back brake often comes on to stabilise the bike mid corner.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[ajb]

This thread has interestingly made me think about the way I ride.

I'm trying to imagine what I do when slowing down, and I cant for the life of me remember how I change down gear under braking, I dont think I do That must involve some ninja throttle tweak whilst applying the front brake.


I usually try to let off the throttle well in advance and pick a gear then use the brakes to come to a stop/move off again.
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CBR125R '05 > CB500 '00 > CBR600F '99

[OssY]

I like to use engine breaking when i am slowing down at a junction that i know i have got a chance of just continuing at. But generally use both..

[iooi]

[deanoet]

Depends how close the tool behind me is.

Normally just use the engine to slow me down, if there is a car 2 inches from my wheel i use brakes just so they see the lights
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CBT Passed 18th July 2007 : Previous Bikes> CG125 : Current Bike> Hornet 600 : PASSED DAS 30th Oct 2007
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[Gashead Harry]

I tend to hold the clutch in and brake going down the gears as I slow down.
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98' Honda CG125W --- 03' Yamaha DT50SM (Gone!) --- 05' (55) Suzuki GS500 K5

[lukamon]

actually, it does make a difference. shutting the throttle ob a high revving engine with a carb creates hugely more suction through the tiny opening the bike ides on, sucking more fuel.

on injected engines the ecu (usually) cuts the fuel supply on the overrun, and my ford engine hangs the revs up at 1.5k to reduce wear on the clutch (if you're useless at changing gear) while its above 6mph, o if you coast with the clutch in it actually wastes quite a bit of fuel.
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killa wrote: Im an ass man myself

[The Original Muzza]

I use my feet, flintstones style. Failing that I just resort to a brick wall.

Seriously though downshift for engine breaking, then brakes when needed.
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Current Bikes: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (2020)
Former Bikes: Honda MSX125 (2014), BMW Funduro (1996), Honda VT500 (1983), Yamaha FZR250 (1989), Suzuki GZ125 Marauder(2005),:Triumph TT600 (2002) (stolen)
From then on, I and the bicycle feelings deeper.