Another stupid question - engine braking

[Lazy7]

Just full of dumb questions i know. but this one got me thinking yesterday.

when i am riding my bike and need to brake, either because i am coming into a corner, or just stopping at the lights, i engine brake like i do in a car...

and i was wondering if i should? the reason being that i worry that the compression might lock up the back wheel if the road is a bit slippery, or if i am braking quite hard and most of the weight is on the front wheel?

coming into a corner, i like to be in the right gear for the way out, but they say not to brake when the bikes turning, and engine braking kinda the same thing...

what you say?

[Darryboy]

Well for when your turning you'd want to be in the correct gear before you enter the corner and change up appropriately.

[Devil]

'Brake on the straight before its too late'.

As for locking up under engine braking, thats bike and road condition specific. Time with you bike will teach you what you should and should not do.

[WRT]

Even if it does cause a bit of lockup in the back wheel, it still wont stop turning completely and it gives you good practice for what happens if you completely lock up the wheel by over using the rear brake in an emergency stop (which is not that hard to do).

Plus its fun.

[sAsLEX]

and i was wondering if i should? the reason being that i worry that the compression might lock up the back wheel if the road is a bit slippery, or if i am braking quite hard and most of the weight is on the front wheel?

depends on the bike, alot come with slipper clutches these days and allow you to just chop down gears and dump the clutch basically without locking the back wheel, but prob dont try that on your bike!

[sAsLEX]

by over using the rear brake in an emergency stop (which is not that hard to do).

it isn't if you never use it! I use the engine to help slow down and keep it settled through corners though I do have a slipper clutch of sorts

[The Stranger:Me]

Just full of dumb questions i know. but this one got me thinking yesterday.

when i am riding my bike and need to brake, either because i am coming into a corner, or just stopping at the lights, i engine brake like i do in a car...

and i was wondering if i should? the reason being that i worry that the compression might lock up the back wheel if the road is a bit slippery, or if i am braking quite hard and most of the weight is on the front wheel?

coming into a corner, i like to be in the right gear for the way out, but they say not to brake when the bikes turning, and engine braking kinda the same thing...

what you say?

No reason why you can't engine brake, most people do to one degree or another.

Yes you should be down to speed and as soon as you tip in back on the throttle, but should you still be engine braking at tip in mostly it wont affect the ability to turn. What I am saying there is, if you are on the front brake and trying to turn the bike it is really sluggish to turn, however many actually use a little rear to assist at this stage anyway, it's called trail braking.

As to locking up the rear, this can easily be controlled by how you release the clutch. If you bang it down then drop the clutch the rear will lock, but if you bang it down then ease the clutch out it wont lock.

[Fishy]

I love engine breaking!. Compression locking changing from 3rd to 2nd at high rpm locks up the rear wheel nicely and gives a good wiggle before throwing it in to the corner.

[k14]

You should try to blip the throttle on down changes, that will keep the bike nice and settled on down changes when you are coming into a corner. Even if the bike you are riding has a slipper clutch you still can blip to make it smoother, it just doesn't need the accuracy of a blip on a bike without a slipper clutch.

I just stick to two strokes, throw it down as many gears as you like and never have a problem

[sAsLEX]

I just stick to two strokes, throw it down as many gears as you like and never have a problem

till you over rev and then have to rebuild the thing! ahhh got to love the high compression and rev limeter, will just lock the rear and save the engine

[Ixion]

I use mainly engine braking on 4 strokes, and just trail the rear brake. A good blip will stop wheel locking on anything but a big V twin. Two smokers are of course another matter, though contrary to common belief a BIG two stroke does have some, significant, engine braking.

[avrflr]

Practice your throttle blipping on the downshifts so you don't lock the rear wheel. If you do it regularly on the street it makes it easy on the track. Plus it lets the cages know you are coming. And it sounds cool. And it's kinder to your machine.

[Wonko]

I engine brake most of the time. As long as you don't drop the clutch while changing down you should be fine.

[scumdog]

Blip when changine down - kinder to your g'box and keeps the ride smoother, get into the gear you think you'll need for coming out of the bend BEFORE you get into it.

[pritch]

What I am saying there is, if you are on the front brake and trying to turn the bike it is really sluggish to turn, however many actually use a little rear to assist at this stage anyway, it's called trail braking.

Ummm this is rather surprising news. I thought the bike actually turned quicker if the front brake was on. The weight thus moved on to the front wheel, and the change to the geometry caused by the compressed front suspension, making the bike react faster.

I also understood trail braking to normally involve use of the front brake (or both?). I haven't thought about it but entering a corner with the back brake on sounds like a recipe for problems, unless maybe you're a Motard rider.

Trail braking may not be the first skill new riders should be practicing, and turning under brakes shouldn't really be necessary on the road. ( I guess we all stuff up from time to time though :-)

The back brake is useful for testing the degree of traction available on a particular road surface. Apply it gently while vertical and if the wheel locks proceed with caution.