Help going down hills

[takitimu]

i disagree with not using the rear brake, or engine braking,

i use the rear brake as much as i can, and the engine braking as well,

the front brake however is your greatest control of speed,

standing up is also a massive help, once you sit down you have lost a heap of control,

I'm the opposite to the OP, way prefer downhills.

For the front I try & brake as much as I can, using any bit of flat/hollow to slow faster. But never lock up & being real careful of roots/corners.

I almost use my rear brake as an anchor, more for direction/stability than braking, finger on the clutch the whole way.

Stand up, grip with your knees/ankles, look ahead & have your butt back ( though I don't go to far with this ).

Doing a session with Birch at the farm next weekend, so I'll likely be changing things around .

[F5 Dave]

Man-down a little, admit the fear & jump off that puppy & bulldog walk it down.




. . . .well, everyone else was staunching it up with the stand up, or let-the-brakes-off bravado. this thread needed some balance.

[BoristheBiter]

stand up, arse back, back brake (don't lock), front brake (don't lock), clutch in.
Head up, look where you're going.
if you lock up or start sliding due to build up under tyres, release brakes to clear build up then carry on as before..

Try it on not so steep hills so you can tell when your brakes will lock so you have a better understanding of your brakes.

[Jay GTI]

I'm not the best downhill admittedly, but I stand up (arse back), mostly control speed with the front brake, keep the clutch out to use the engine braking and only hit the rear brake (partially disengage clutch at that point) if things are getting a little too steep.

[Shadykiwi]

love downhills but jumping scares me shitless. Best advice I ever got was arse as far back as possible . Also grip your seat with your kness as hard as you can. It does wonders all over the track that one.

[nzspokes]

love downhills but jumping scares me shitless. Best advice I ever got was arse as far back as possible . Also grip your seat with your kness as hard as you can. It does wonders all over the track that one.

I tend not to grip with my knees downhill, does it help that much?

[ktm84mxc]

Sometimes on the really steep hills I'll just bull dog the bike down dead engine in gear and walk it down it sure beats crashing and being pinned under it.

[L Rider]

i disagree with not using the rear brake, or engine braking,

i use the rear brake as much as i can, and the engine braking as well,

the front brake however is your greatest control of speed,

standing up is also a massive help, once you sit down you have lost a heap of control,

Totally agree with you here Scott. I have the theory all there I'm just so scared of downhills it goes pearshaped before I've started - gave John a few laughs at Berm Buster on the wknd - he was following me

[Shadykiwi]

I tend not to grip with my knees downhill, does it help that much?

It did for me. By griping you tend to hold your weight further back rather than placing it through your arms, so less weight up front and also gives your arms and hands a chance to rest. If all going well I can go down hills at a good rate without having to have the death grip going on. Also if the back end starts jumping around trhough braking holes griping the seat sucks it up really well.

[scott411]

I tend not to grip with my knees downhill, does it help that much?

i always grip with my knees, helps keep your weight back,

[buffstar]

My problem is trying to use engine braking and rear brake at the same time. She stalls. 2 stroke thing I guess.

pull the clutch in

[Reckless]

i disagree with not using the rear brake, or engine braking,

i use the rear brake as much as i can, and the engine braking as well,

the front brake however is your greatest control of speed,

standing up is also a massive help, once you sit down you have lost a heap of control,

Yep agree scott has some of the greatest experience here worth listening to!! Four stroke based Id guess

I'm the opposite to the OP, way prefer downhills.

For the front I try & brake as much as I can, using any bit of flat/hollow to slow faster. But never lock up & being real careful of roots/corners.

I almost use my rear brake as an anchor, more for direction/stability than braking, finger on the clutch the whole way.

Stand up, grip with your knees/ankles, look ahead & have your butt back ( though I don't go to far with this ).

Doing a session with Birch at the farm next weekend, so I'll likely be changing things around .

Right or wrong can only tell what I do!

The first thing I was told by a really good rider it a hill is only a straight on an angle

Takiimu has the way I do it nailed. Grip with the knees and use the back brake like a sea anchor to keep the bike straight.
Pretty much pull in the clutch and lock up the back and control the speed as best I can with the front brake.
A 2 stroke technique I'd guess but I don't mind downhills.
As soon as you can release everything and roll on down.

[takitimu]

A 2 stroke technique I'd guess but I don't mind downhills.
As soon as you can release everything and roll on down.

, I'm 4/, if my rear is locked I'll be going slower than idle first, so engine braking is not alot of use.

The hard ones, I think anyway are the hills where it's slippery enough that any serious braking speeds you up, so you just feather to keep it straight and attempt to reduce the acceleration.

[_Shrek_]

, I'm 4/, if my rear is locked I'll be going slower than idle first, so engine braking is not alot of use.

The hard ones, I think anyway are the hills where it's slippery enough that any serious braking speeds you up, so you just feather to keep it straight and attempt to reduce the acceleration.

+1

& my 1st gear is like so I have to use front brake/clutch as I've fitted swivel pegs & when I lean back it takes my foot away from the brake, but I do like to use the rear as well so will have to learn how with new pegs

[Night Falcon]

We had a particularly nasty hill affectionately called the "widow maker" where I grew up in Blenhiem - really steep down hill. My technique was always to stand on the back brake, featherd clutch and as much front brake as I can. Sit way back one foot on the ground inching down as slow as I could being really careful not to get it sliding too much.

Freaking out while doing it always made sure there was enough adrenalin to mask the pain when I got it wrong. I did ride with a bloke who rode his 530 to the bottom but I could never muster the skill or courage to even attempt that.....but then nutters always make the best riders