Gear changes, what am I doing wrong...

[GOONR]

Hey, I'm after some advice.

When I change down gears I seem to lurch and just can't seem to get it smooth. Going up through the gears is no problem.

Is it just that I'm not smooth enough on the clutch, my revs aren't right or what?

I know that with practice it will come right, but I just don't seem to be able to get it right at the mo. I've ridden bikes in the past but that was a long time ago and something is definitely missing right now so I need to start at the beginning again.

Cheers!

[Ixion]

Are you blippin ? An inline 250 four, you'll need to change down well up in the rev band. Maybe (if you were used to Briddish iron) you are leaving the change too late ? Imagine y'r Ago coming down the Mountain into Creg Ny Baa.

[GOONR]

Are you blippin ? An inline 250 four, you'll need to change down well up in the rev band. Maybe (if you were used to Briddish iron) you are leaving the change too late ? Imagine y'r Ago coming down the Mountain into Creg Ny Baa.

Not blippin, will try that.. You could be right and I may well be leaving it too late, letting the revs drop.

I guess it's a combination of things and it will all just "click" one day, but if I can't work out what I'm doing wrong I can't put it right.

I'll let ya know how I get on after my next ride.

Ta.

[p.dath]

What sort of bike have you got, and what are the revs at when you change down (say from 4th to 3rd)?

Does it feel like the bike is suddenly braking, or lurching forward with power?

If it feels like it is braking, then slow the bike down more before changing down.
If it is lurching forward perhaps try less throttle.

[OutForADuck]

so if you're not blipping then maybe a piece of information is missing.

To get smooth and safe down changes you need to synch the engine speed with the road speed in the new lower gear. You could do this by revving the engine more as you let out the clutch and try to get it "just right", but you probably never will and never will at speed.

Instead you should try getting the engine mechanical drag (engine breaking) to work for you on smooth shifts. You do this by, with the clutch pulled in, revving the engine higher than it will need to be and then letting the clutch out as it slow down. The revs will easily and quickly come down to match the road speed (as slowing down is what it is doing quickly right then anyway).

So put it all together with:

1. Pull in clutch and close throttle
2. change down and blip throttle (open and close again to get the revs up - you will no doubt of heard other riders doing just this)
3. let out the clutch and open the throttle again (or not if you are still slowing down as opposed to just getting into a better gear for the corner).

When teaching people I have often told them to practice this often by driving along as a given speed where either gear would work and then change up and down and up and down, all the time maintaining the same speed. This is a really important riding skill, put some time into learning it and it will serve you well.

[Sparky Bills]

I think your thinking too much about it.
Just ride smoothly mate. Everything will fall into place eventually.
Just ride the bike

[NZsarge]

I think your thinking too much about it.
Just ride smoothly mate. Everything will fall into place eventually.
Just ride the bike

+1, if you go down the road of blipping the throttle you need to get your timing right or it just makes a hash of it but once you get the hang of it it's pretty easy, I usually blip on the downshift unless I just can't be arsed..

[psycho22]

I found that I had this problem when I first started too and I figured out that I was blipping when the clutch was almost completely out, hence some lurching.

I was also blipping fairly aggressively and the revs rose above where they needed to be which also will make you lurch somewhat.

Took me a couple of days to blipp a bit earlier but now it's second nature.

Maybe just have a quick check of where your clutch is in relation to when you should blipp and try blipping if your not, it makes things much smoother.

[The Pastor]

yeah you have to match the revs of the lower gear.

You notice when change down, at any given speed, your revs are higher?

ex 100kph in 6th gear = 10 000rpm, and 100kph in 5th gear = 10 500 rpm?

To be smooth you have to be at 10 500 rpm when you let the clutch out. This is done by applying a small ammount of throttle as you down change.

Short sharp twist is all it takes. takes a bit of practice to learn, but its easy as - and it sounds way cool

[GOONR]

I think your thinking too much about it.

Haha, my missus often says to me "Well, you didn't under think it did you"

[Sparky Bills]

yeah you have to match the revs of the lower gear.

You notice when change down, at any given speed, your revs are higher?

ex 100kph in 6th gear = 10 000rpm, and 100kph in 5th gear = 10 500 rpm?

To be smooth you have to be at 10 500 rpm when you let the clutch out. This is done by applying a small ammount of throttle as you down change.

Short sharp twist is all it takes. takes a bit of practice to learn, but its easy as - and it sounds way cool

Dude, why would you be looking down at what revs your doing when changing down???
Dont do any of that as you will end up concentrating on that rather than what is happening around you.
Feel what the bike is doing. Listen to what the bike is doing. DONT look down and keep your eyes up!
As said... Just ride the thing mate.

[Squiggles]

Second to first can sometimes be a bit more ruthless than the rest of them

[The Pastor]

Dude, why would you be looking down at what revs your doing when changing down???
Dont do any of that as you will end up concentrating on that rather than what is happening around you.
Feel what the bike is doing. Listen to what the bike is doing. DONT look down and keep your eyes up!
As said... Just ride the thing mate.

well no of cource you never need to look at your instraments, i was giving numbers to explain.

and when your learning this you dont need to be at the limit of your riding ability so you have plenty of time to notice everything.

[YellowDog]

Haha, my missus often says to me "Well, you didn't under think it did you"

It sounds like you already have this sorted in your mind.

Just change down a little sooner than you are doing so that it is not hurried and you cn then blip the engine speed up closer to the bike's speed.

Changing gear is great fun in the wet when the rear end momentarily slides whilst catching up with the bike

[imne1]

also check your chain tension. If it's too loose then engine braking and changing down are going to be messy and feel sloppy, it's quite an unnerving experience.