Blipping, tell me why I am wrong

[p.dath]

I've spoken to many experienced riders of late about the subject of blipping (talking about on-road use). My guestimate is about 80% of them say they do it. There are also some notable experienced riders who don't do it, and some go so far as to recommend not doing it (once again, only talking about on-road riding here).

My experience on bikes is very narrow. I've only ridden low to mid-power sports bikes. I do blip. I've been trying not blipping on some downward gear changes the last couple of days, and have decided blipping is the right thing to do, and here is why.

What's better, a smooth gear change, or a rough gear change? If you think a smooth gear change is better, then do you think you are more likely to achieve this when the engine RPM matches the requirements of the gear you are changing into, or when the RPM is different forcing the motor to have to quickly adapt to the new gear?

And [assuming] you believe a gear change will be smoother if the RPM is correct, I only see two ways of achieving this. First you brake and reduce your speed down far enough so that difference in RPM between the current gear and the new one is small. The "smoothness" of this change is purely related to the difference in RPM required for the new gear compared to the old gear.

If you acknowledge that you want the difference in RPM to be minimal, then why not simply blip when changing down to make that difference zero (or as close to zero as your skills will allow)? This is guaranteed to produce the smoothest down changes.


Please explain to me why I am wrong.

[Badjelly]

Please explain to me why I am wrong.

You aren't wrong. Duh!

[blackdog]

well, im' a blipper too.......

[slofox]

Try not matching revs when changing down on a wet road...so much easier to lock up the back wheel...

I never change down without trying to match the revs...

[Number One]

Blippity blip blip and go the VTwin : specially nice through tunnels. AND What slofox said!

[Coldrider]

I can not join the Blipper group.

[MaxCannon]

Always done it - from the GN250 up to the R1200S
I do it in the car too - heel and toe.

Main reason on the bike is that engine braking effect can (and does) lock the back wheel.
When I first started riding the GN250 would do this and a couple of times (especially in the wet) it caused some rather hair raising moments.
The big twin is much the same- mismatched engine speed when changing down will lock up the back.

It also makes the ride smoother. If you ever carry a pillion you'll have their head hitting you in the back of your head if your changes aren't smooth.

[Number One]

I can not join the Blipper group.

Bugger ya! We don't want YOU anyway nyah nyah nyah nyah nyaaaaaaa

[avgas]

I do both and have basically concluded that I do not think much when I ride. I pretty much act naturally.
If it were to think about it, if I know what gear I want to take a corner in, I approach the corner fast and then dump it down the gears, to the gear I want. I never skip any gears, and throttle is completely closed while I do this. I guess this is just because I know the limits on this section of road, and I am more concerned with powering out of the corner than maintaining engine revs.
But like I said before, its what ever comes natural at the time.

[Genie]

I was introduced to blipping recently, well the term for it, I do it without realising, I thought it was kinder on the motor. I also tried not blipping but tend to use brake more....interesting. Nice to experiment and see what pans out, have yet to experience this back wheel lock, or maybe not.

[merv]

Yeah blip - just do it!

[Coldrider]

Bugger ya! We don't want YOU anyway nyah nyah nyah nyah nyaaaaaaa

Yes now I have confessed I feel much better, too much time lost with the gas on the back wheel.

[riffer]

Yeah, I'm a blipper. Been doing it so long it's natural. Makes for MUCH smoother gearchanges. But you need the revs up slightly before you change down, otherwise it's a really rough change.

[slofox]

I do not think much when I ride. I pretty much act naturally.
.

I do it without realising,

Interesting.

In fact, most of the aspects of riding, I do without thinking. I read posts about countersteering, shifting body weight, doing this that and the other. All deliberately.

I don't think I do anything "deliberately"...well, of course I suppose I do, but nearly all of it just "happens" - it's pretty much at the unconscious level. If someone asked me how I get the bike around a corner f'rinstance, I would have to think hard about what exactly it is that I do to get the bike to steer. On the surface, it just happens - I see the corner and the bike goes through. It's all pretty subtle. Probably as a result of years of doing it.

If I want to go harder than usual, things change. I will deliberately move the weight off centre to get the best angles etc. But overall, I find the bike does best when I minimise my own input. Soft hands, grip with the thighs and it's all good...

[kwaka_crasher]

I thought it was kinder on the motor.

And also kinder on the clutch.