Riceburner
Well-known member
Scrubbing a lot of speed off quickly and the best gear to be in at the lower speed is a couple down from where you were at a higher speed.
Downshifting, uncertain which gear I am in
- Thread starter zheka130
- Start date
Scrubbing a lot of speed off quickly and the best gear to be in at the lower speed is a couple down from where you were at a higher speed.
yodude
Banned
but not unusual for noobs to go there, they grab brakes, drop speed then wtf gear is right next?? or how do i then get the right one for the new lower speed, which could be substantial
at some point with more experience, the basics then blend in, it all becomes mostly automatic & by feel/sounds, without even thinking about it much,
like combining any braking and downshifting requirements together
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-D-
Banned
If you know how to ride then you will know how your bike works. You can drop gears e.g. 6th to 3rd while you are breaking (controlled stop, coming to corner) and match the speed or use engine braking with the brakes or use engine braking to avoid upsetting the front suspension.
You time the release of the clutch to your speed/rpm allowing the bike to slow by engine THEN brakes if needed.
These are things you really don't think about once you actually do them and have enough seat time.
It's like driving a manual car...eventually your brain just does it. You don't say to yourself ok now shift to 3rd gear....you an talk to someone, drive and shift without any direct thought of shifting.
Using myself as an example because I'm the best rider I know. Bombing down the road in 5th. Holiday traffic up the whazoo and behind. I see an inviting side road at the last second. It's perpendicular and tight. That's a second gear corner if there ever was one. Three fingers on the front brake almost floats the rear wheel. She may as well be in neutral at this point. Clutch lever in, bang 4th, bang 3rd, bang 2nd. Ease off brake while feeding in clutch gently just before apex. Tip in and power out. Tell me you've never done this.
CalamariGSX-R
Well-known member
LOL yes I have done this and other things I will not repeat here. But for a new rider asking advise about how to keep track of which gear they are in...my strong recommendation is to USE all the gears up and all the gears down...
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CalamariGSX-R
Well-known member
I bet Rossi uses every gear on the track and misses a bunch when he is on flat track...keep it smooth on the streets...like spreading peanut butter
Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk
Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk
yodude
Banned
so the question is, what exactly does a noob who grabs brakes for given situations do, to then easily find & smoothly engage the right gear for the new lower speeds, which can then be substantially different?
or, a noob grabs brakes, then needs to find & smoothly engage the right gear?
depending on speed drop & if substantial, they could then be at very low RPMS & have to bring that together for a new speed & gear, or anywhere else in between can also play out
or, a noob grabs brakes, then needs to find & smoothly engage the right gear?
depending on speed drop & if substantial, they could then be at very low RPMS & have to bring that together for a new speed & gear, or anywhere else in between can also play out
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Screech to a stop. Dismount. Smash shift lever with rock. Remount. Disengage clutch quickly for jack rabbit getaway. Smoothly.
zheka130
Well-known member
This is exactly what I do often, minus floating the rear wheel, which is why I asked this question.
I do downshift gear to gear when I am coasting to a red light, for example. But in the situations you've described, is where my question is more applicable.
Also, I wanted to start a discussion more so than actually needing advice. I drive a manual car, thus figuring all of this out on a bike is not a big deal.
CalamariGSX-R
Well-known member
Yeah. Riding along in 3rd, 6500 rpm. Then, oh there is a red light ahead, decrease throttle, little slow down, blip the throttle..shift to 2nd, take it right down, throttle off, then I usuallu do a half click to neutral and stop. I dont usually shift right down to 1st
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CalamariGSX-R
Well-known member
-D-
Banned
tie some string to the mirrors or move rubber bands from 1 mirror to the other as the gears go up/down...like an abacus
CalamariGSX-R
Well-known member
yodude
Banned
ok, noob is here
and wants what fancy pants does sleepwalking
practice, practice, practice then repeat
get your braking in any given situation with dropping in the right gear at any time act together until you can do that in your sleep, then, start adding turns, easy ones first
practice slowing down going thru the gears with engine braking, using gentle RPMs first then up the RPMs, do all that first without having to add revs between shifts, make these shifts quick so the RPMs stay close between shifts, otherwise the back end can break loose ..not good in a turn
eventually you will have to add gas (or a shot of RPMs) at any time as required when downshifting
then go from there & up your game
and wants what fancy pants does sleepwalking
Originally Posted by inreb
Using myself as an example because I'm the best rider I know. Bombing down the road in 5th. Holiday traffic up the whazoo and behind. I see an inviting side road at the last second. It's perpendicular and tight. That's a second gear corner if there ever was one. Three fingers on the front brake almost floats the rear wheel. She may as well be in neutral at this point. Clutch lever in, bang 4th, bang 3rd, bang 2nd. Ease off brake while feeding in clutch gently just before apex. Tip in and power out. Tell me you've never done this.
practice, practice, practice then repeat
get your braking in any given situation with dropping in the right gear at any time act together until you can do that in your sleep, then, start adding turns, easy ones first
practice slowing down going thru the gears with engine braking, using gentle RPMs first then up the RPMs, do all that first without having to add revs between shifts, make these shifts quick so the RPMs stay close between shifts, otherwise the back end can break loose ..not good in a turn
eventually you will have to add gas (or a shot of RPMs) at any time as required when downshifting
then go from there & up your game
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"I do downshift gear to gear when I am coasting to a red light, for example. "
OK. Are you letting the clutch out in between every "downshift" or just ratcheting through the gearbox?
Click, click, click with clutch pulled in is just switching gears, not actively downshifting.
clutch in, click down, clutch out. Clutch in click down clutch out is the proper way to downshift.
In an emergency brakes on, clutch in and get as fast as you can to an appropriate gear in order to plan your next move.
OK. Are you letting the clutch out in between every "downshift" or just ratcheting through the gearbox?
Click, click, click with clutch pulled in is just switching gears, not actively downshifting.
clutch in, click down, clutch out. Clutch in click down clutch out is the proper way to downshift.
In an emergency brakes on, clutch in and get as fast as you can to an appropriate gear in order to plan your next move.
So much overthinking in this thread.
The answer here is simple: count the gears as you go down. One cog at a time. You drive a stick shift car, so you ought to be familiar with rev matching. If not, consult Google and YouTube, then practice, practice, practice. When you're done practicing, go practice some more.
The answer here is simple: count the gears as you go down. One cog at a time. You drive a stick shift car, so you ought to be familiar with rev matching. If not, consult Google and YouTube, then practice, practice, practice. When you're done practicing, go practice some more.
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So much over practicing in this post.
