SO confused on downshifting

[phiretrojan]

Hi there good afternoon, i just brought myself a fxr150cc bike, i was riding a 50cc scooter just to work and through it time to get a new bike and bigger

problem is im so confused on downshifting, i can smooth upshift easy,

just what i have read about downshifting if i do it wrong i can lock my backwheel etc, which scares me more,

i have read about double clutch, hold clutch down and thottling abit and downshifting, and other say to do the same like you are upshifting,

i am so confused and scare i dont wanna hurt my new bike =( ... is there anyone out there that can explain in Noobs Term the correct or easyer way - to downshift ..

[Str8 Jacket]

Hi there good afternoon, i just brought myself a fxr150cc bike, i was riding a 50cc scooter just to work and through it time to get a new bike and bigger

problem is im so confused on downshifting, i can smooth upshift easy,

just what i have read about downshifting if i do it wrong i can lock my backwheel etc, which scares me more,

i have read about double clutch, hold clutch down and thottling abit and downshifting, and other say to do the same like you are upshifting,

i am so confused and scare i dont wanna hurt my new bike =( ... is there anyone out there that can explain in Noobs Term the correct or easyer way - to downshift ..


Where do you live? Im happy to come over and go out riding with you. Im no good at explaining things without doing them. If you get what I mean....


Welcome by the way! :)

I hope you have a copy of the dictionary....

[FROSTY]

The FXR is a pretty forgiving lil beasty.
Just do this and all will be fine..

Throttle off.
Pull the clutch in
change down one gear
clutch out
smoothly throttle back on --all is happiness in ya life

Your gonna get a bunch of guys talking about slippin the clutch, blippin the throttle,and feeling for bite-n stuff like that. For NOW forget it and just do as I say in the order i tell ya to do it- I promise ya wont have troubles

[Str8 Jacket]

The FXR is a pretty forgiving lil beasty.
Just do this and all will be fine..

Throttle off.
Pull the clutch in
change down one gear
clutch out
throttle back on --all is happiness in ya life

Your gonna get a bunch of guys talking about slippin the clutch and feeling for bite-n stuff like that. for NOW forget it and just do as I say in the order i tell ya to do it- I promise ya wont have troubles

He's right. That's how I learned to become confident with my gears. Keep at it though, one day something will just click and it'll be all good :yes:

[Bend-it]

1. Throttle off and clutch in
2. Stab left foot pedal downwards
3. Blip throttle and release clutch smoothly (don't drop the clutch)

As you've probably figured out, Step 3 is the part you need to practice. If you're locking up the back, then you're either:
a. not revving high enough or
b. releasing the clutch too late, AFTER the revs have dropped back down.

If this doesn't help, Str8 will sort ya out... Just make sure there isn't any wind before handing her your bike! ;)

[Maha]

Im no good at explaining things without doing them. If you get what I mean....



Can you explain to me please Hels how to drink a Thick Shake?...or is that better done in person also?....:dodge:

[Str8 Jacket]

Str8 will sort ya out... Just make sure there isn't any wind before handing her your bike! ;)

Don't listen to him mate. I think he's on P..... I dont have a clue what he is on about! :mellow:



Can you explain to me please Hels how to drink a Thick Shake?...or is that better done in person also?....:dodge:

Well, what can I say..... he is quite obviously on P.


BTW, apparently ive given out to much reputation today. I dont remember.

[RantyDave]

Hi! Welcome!


just what i have read about downshifting if i do it wrong i can lock my backwheel etc

You'll have your work cut out locking the back wheel on an FXR. Even if you do it's not a problem unless you do it while cornering. So don't change down during a corner. Easy :)

Dave

[McJim]

Frosty's right - the FXR won't lock up on ya - be confident, follow his instructions and you'll soon get the hang.

Later on when you get a big twin or a big single THEN you can find out about locking up on the downshifts but on an ickle single you'll be fine.

[Devil]

Yeh, what Frosty said. The FXR wont really care.

I have to blip the throttle however or it'll be mega clunky. Depends on the bike.

[ZeroIndex]

If this doesn't help, Str8 will sort ya out... Just make sure there isn't any wind before handing her your bike! ;)

Do tell...

[Str8 Jacket]

Do tell...

Please keep this thread on topic.....

:spanking: :spanking:

[Bend-it]

Ahahah...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=32303

:)

[ZeroIndex]

Please keep this thread on topic.....

:spanking: :spanking:


Ahahah...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=32303

:)

ooooh!!!! I can see why... glad you're ok Str8 Jacket...

[kickingzebra]

nothing to stop you practicing downshifting in a straight line, keep your eyes up and follow the downshift advice previously given.

This way, if you do manage to compression lock the rear (I have done this on an FXR, ain't impossible!), you will be in a straight line, not mid corner, so nothing untoward will happen.

[Pancakes]

Yeah it doesn't lock up it chirps, like abs so not bad if your not laying over but do what frosty says. Not just now but all the time, do whatever he says or he'll swear at you but he does like swearing so that can be fun too! If you follow this you'll find yourself developing a faster style but at your own pace. I loved zooming around town and stopping for pedestrians hard on the front and with the back singing! They scatter! Joy of joys!

[Skyryder]

Blip the throttle at the same time you down shift. Get into the good habits from the start.

Skyryder

[phiretrojan]

:rockon: share the love, thanks guy and girls, !! alot of infomation which im getting confused all these different bips, ill just sit and follow frosty words, i dnt want to hear him swear unless he likes to :scooter: ill be trying this on thursday my day off, i work everyday, good old telecom johnsonville.

=) thanks for all your support guys and girls, =0 :first:

before you know it, ill be a madman on a bike! grin!! Brrrrrrrrrng brrr with a loud airfilter installed, and waving byebye policeman,.......... humm i dnt know about the policeman bit, :nono: :nono:

[McJim]

I've been riding for over a year. I have a full licence. I have a Ducati.




I STILL don't know what blip means.

[Crisis management]

I've been riding for over a year. I have a full licence. I have a Ducati.




I STILL don't know what blip means.

For some there is no hope.....

[phiretrojan]

Blip the throttle at the same time you down shift. Get into the good habits from the start.

Skyryder

so blip at same time, example im in 4th gear, giveway coming up throttleoff, clutch in ..shift down and blip throttle at same time, then slowly throttle on and clutch off? is that right? :sunny:

[McJim]

For some there is no hope.....

Maybe so but I leave cool black lines on the entry to corners!

[avgas]

Downshiftn is easy, just jump on the gear lever.
If you feel really fancy use the clutch in, i.e. throttle off,clutch in, jump on gear lever,clutch out.
So long as you werent in the 80% of the last gear's rev range ya fine.
Its actually pretty hard to lock up

[fishb8nz]

Use you brakes to slow down. That's what they're for. Don't use your engine, too much. Easier to change brake pads than engine bits. Every gear has a tolerable rev range, so try to match your speed to that appropriate for the gear your changing into.

Once your speed is dropped do what every else suggested and you'll never lock up. Change down at too high a speed and you could.
After you gain some confidence, the throttle blipping will come. Throttle blipping just matches the engine speed to wheel speed and gives a smooth transition between gears.

Down-shifting without using the clutch can be done really smoothly by dropping you speed, putting pressure on your gear lever, but not too much to change, then blipping the throttle simultaneously as you prod the gear lever.

In a similar fashion, driving a car, as you change down, blip the accelerator as you pass through neutral. You'll get a bumpless change with no jerking. The throttle blip makes you a smoother rider with less stress on the bike and improved handling. Be patient.

[kevfromcoro]

Downshiftn is easy, just jump on the gear lever.
If you feel really fancy use the clutch in, i.e. throttle off,clutch in, jump on gear lever,clutch out.
So long as you werent in the 80% of the last gear's rev range ya fine.
Its actually pretty hard to lock up

as he said....just jump on the gear lever...when racing moto X.. u dont get time to pull the clutch in....can do it on the road..if your rev couter starts going around like clock...u have gone down to many...practise and u will get it right.....good luck

[bane]

as usual Frosty is right. As a current owner of a FXR, can confirm they are very forgiving, and work perfectly smoothly without buggering round blipping the throttle...

having said that, they are an excellent bike to learn "the blip" on - good skills when your next bike is bound to be a large capacity twin :yes:

[Skyryder]

so blip at same time, example im in 4th gear, giveway coming up throttleoff, clutch in ..shift down and blip throttle at same time, then slowly throttle on and clutch off? is that right? :sunny:

Yep something like that. Throttle off, pull in clutch blip/change down, release clutch. No need to over rev. But the key is to blip 'exactly at the point you change down. It helps the gears mesh a lot smoother. Some of the Tek guys know what is happening in the gear box.

Skyryder

[Stella]

I am also struggling with changing down, I am ok going down from third to second, but second to first is really awkward and jerky.

Two major issues:

WTF DOES BLIP MEAN????? I keep asking and get no answers. Does it mean quickly *increasing* or *decreasing* the revs? Or something else? I close off the throttle quickly when changing up, and all goes smoothly. I think this is blipping, but do I do it exactly the same when shifting down? Or do I move it in the other direction?

I was told by one person to use the gears to slow me down, particularly when on the open road coming up to corners. Now someone else says to use brakes.... ARGH!!!!

[FROSTY]

Stella --In a nutshell Forget it --Get some miles under ya wheels first then worry about blipping.
To answer the question.
Throttle off/clutch in
Snap the throttle open
Shift down the gear
let the clutch out.
The theory is that the engine revs better match if you blip so making the change smoother.

Again You don't need to do it so don't add complication at this early stage of ya riding.

[McJim]

WTF DOES BLIP MEAN

Blipping the throttle is lifting the revs with a quick flick of the wrist. This allows a lower gear to engage more easily due to the fact that you are raising the revs of the engine to match the rotation of the driveshaft.

I knew this all along - I was just pointing out that too many people use jargon with newbies without fully explaining the terms to them.

This caused me a LOT of problems when I first started riding. People teaching me wondering why I wasn't doing what they asked when the truth was they were speaking in double dutch as far as I was concerned.

[phiretrojan]

UPdate 4pm. 28/06/07

i can Downshift not smoothly tho but good enought!!! did my first trip to porirua to tawa =) just about crashed tho, as i didnt slow down in time :nono: but apart from that, wannbe boyracers in porirua, i was lined up at the aroundabout by plaza, and this wanna be boyracer in his little hotup intera (spelling) reving his engine, so please! he doesnt know the kickoff of motorcycle, i can tell he was going to race off, so i waited till he tookoff, thinking he's hot shit, and then i tookoff, and overtook him with ease and wave byebye behind me lol =) you can hear his engine increasing trying to catch me, damn if a police office saw me, =( im screw... just the power of the bike, wow! im loving it more and its only a 150cc - im not going to do it again, tho, i just though ill show him what a learner can do lool

[Rosie]

Keep practising! :sunny:
I spent weeks focussing on nice smooth gear changes before I got it sussed.
I need to change gears pretty frequently on my 150, so once I get a bigger bike I'll be a gear-changing expert. Or something :mellow:

[Biff]

Use you brakes to slow down. That's what they're for. Don't use your engine, too much. Easier to change brake pads than engine bits.


Erm...I don't quite agree with you there, not as a general rule anyway.

If you're hooning it fairy snuff, but on a relatively leisurely ride you should anticipate the corner much further ahead than you are if you need to brake for all but the tightest corners. Not that there's anything wrong with using your brakes, but I wouldn't suggest that you must always brake as a matter of cause. I was always taught to avoid using the brakes wherever possible, and use the natural engine breaking to slow down wherever possible.

As for 'blipping' - the next lesson it getting used to blipping while on the throttle, rolling off a little and using the palm of your hand to slightly 'tweak' (blip) the throttle as you disengage the clutch. Hours/months of fun.

[Whynot]

Maybe so but I leave cool black lines on the entry to corners!

yes its fun isn't it :)
chews the rear up pretty quick though ....

[fishb8nz]

Totally agree, Biff - Anticipation is just about the best skill that every rider can use and acquire. Better to roll off the throttle as you enter a slow-down zone and there's no need to brake.
What I meant was, changing down a gear and using the engine breaking isn't a good idea instead of using the brakes. Better not to use either. I've just changed brake pads on my cage for the first time @ 180,000 km and I don't use my brakes to slow down, I anticipate and just get off the throttle. Only slow down as little as needed at a junction. Look well ahead and keep moving. Makes for smoothness, a quick exit and a saving in gas.

[Stryfe_NZL]

What is this 'clutch' thing you are speaking of??? :doh:
You mean you're supposed to use that lever on the left hand side when you change gears and not just when you are moving off from a standing start??? :shit:

**Wanders off to ponder the application of the clutch**

[McJim]

wannbe boyracers in porirua, i was lined up at the aroundabout by plaza, and this wanna be boyracer in his little hotup intera (spelling) reving his engine, so please! he doesnt know the kickoff of motorcycle,

I was travelling home from a friend's one evening and was using the local drag strip (Te Irirangi Drive) to get home. A bloke lined up next to me at the lights and revved his engine - I looked at him, he looked at me...I then revved my little 600cc debaffled Ducati and the fella smiled, gave me the thumbs up and shook his head as if to say "Fair enuff - I won't be able to compete with that from a standing start".

Some people do understand power to weight ratio after all.:rofl: