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Requesting Downshifting Tips


bloodninja420

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Ive been riding for a couple of months at this point and feel pretty good about most of the fundamentals. But there is one skill that just isnt gelling:

Breaking while simultaneously downshifting and blipping the throttle.

Most of the time Im just not smooth and the suspension ends up bouncing rather than achieving a smooth deceleration.

A video of some pros going through this sequence in slow motion would be a big help, to get a feel for a good rhythm. any youtube links?

In lieu of that, any tips to get this dialed in?

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I don't throttle match when downshifting, If I'm simultaneously braking and engine braking I'll just slip the clutch to release rather than dumping it for smoothness or if not engine braking just hold the clutch and snap down the gears as I decelerate. (as I hit 50, I hold the clutch and drop to 3rd, hit 30, drop to 2nd just so I'm in the optimum gear when I'm ready to let out the clutch to speed up again)

 

this may or may not work for your riding style.

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when i took the ohio motorcycle course they totally stressed on friction zone. If you drive manual car the clutch use is totally different. you downshift you need to control the clutch so you feel the bike going into gear as u use the  thottle to match the rpm's. if your breaking and downshifting you need to share the breaking power of the break pads with the friction zone on the clutch. best way to practice is to downshift every gear all the time even when you know your stopping no matter what. like a stop sign. remember thw friction zone is the key to smooth slowing and turning

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Braking and 'blipping' is tricky stuff, at first. Sort of like chewing gum and jerking off at the same time. If you're not careful, the wrong thing gets bit. :eek:

 

 

this guy hit the nail on the head...:lol:

 

It just takes practice. My bike will not downshift smooth unless I do RPM match.

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I learned to rev match over 10 years ago, and albeit a natural habit now....I'm still not perfect at it. Mainly got used to gripping the throttle with just my ring finger and pinky so my index and middle fingers were free to use the brake. Try it without braking to get used to the throttle work in rev matching, but focus on gripping with just your ring and pinky only when you practice....then start trying to brake LIGHTLY while doing it. You dont want to jump into trying it and stab the brakes, your nuts will never forgive you after that tank smooshin'

Just break down the steps before collectively throwing it all together. Thats how I learned. Hit some back roads where there's no traffic.

Can't say enough about taking in some trackdays to really help your body correlate the motions too

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It also.depends on hand size I have tiny hands so I use my longest fingers for the brake I.e. my index and middle while using my pinky and ring for the throttle. But most of the time I just let the motor do the work like I do in my car but that depends on the needed amount of deceleration

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You are using only 2 fingers on the clutch & on the brake aren't you? Remember to slide your fingers over the brake lever while blipping the throttle. Practice, practice, practice. Why would you need to be braking & downshifting at the same on the street?

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Remember to slide your fingers over the brake lever while blipping the throttle.

After reading Tpoppa's article yesterday I started doing this and the sliding made all the difference. Seems obvious in hindsight.

Why do it on the street? I dunno, I always heel-toed in my car when I owned a manual so it just feels night.

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After reading Tpoppa's article yesterday I started doing this and the sliding made all the difference. Seems obvious in hindsight.

Why do it on the street? I dunno, I always heel-toed in my car when I owned a manual so it just feels night.

If you've always heel toed in your car you have obviously never driven a mechanical clutched vehicle
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No not hung up on it mechanical clutches use a rod to actuate the clutch its harder to press than a hydro clutch. Its just a whole different feel.

My car clutch uses a cable... and I got a stage 2 clutch kit on it...

 

My bike uses a hydraulic

Edited by magley64
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I've never seen a car with a clutch cable what do you drive?

drive train is a 68 VW Beetle, but it's a glass buggy.

112.jpg

 

I'm planning on converting it to hydraulic, it's a $180 kit, and I'm tired of breaking clutch cables. The stage 2 is much stiffer than stock, and the cable just can't handle it for more than a few months. 3 times I've had to drive it home without the clutch. On the bright side I've gotten pretty good at it.

Edited by magley64
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