Blipping The Throttle

[cycosis]

To help make this whole sequence smooth i've found that having good condition throttle cables that are well lubricated and a nice responsive,smooth throttle is a major player in this process as well as other related parts under the tank to do with this.Iv'e also had problems with Surface Corrosion that builds up on certain parts,causing very little but just an idea specially on jap imports as old as yours.I've had a few 250 imports and found that carburator and associated parts weren't always in the greatest condition and generally replaced the cables soon after getting the bike.I actually had a throttle cable brake on me at a track day 1 lap into it!.Bike shops get them looking and feeling good enough to sell,they dont like spending to much time and $$ on them as you may know.Pays to take a look if you haven't,you can do all of it yaself with the assistance of silicon spray and every bodys mate Mr 5.56.

[Bonez]

silicon spray and every bodys mate Mr 5.56.

Lets not forget Ms WD40

[Posh Tourer :P]

I use 4 fingers - and like Motu says - older tractor=need to match revs, otherwise it steps out on dry roads.

Technique is to hold those fingers out there and roll the palm back. Takes a bit of practice, but you get there in the end.

Changing down properly is important for fast corner exit - gotta be in the right gear before you are in the corner so you can power out. And as such you have to blip, because you are going into a gear where you will be at high revs - ie lotsa engine braking - and it'll step out on you if you dont. Especially when the rear is already light from braking...

[White trash]

Blip, Blip, Blip........Whaaaaaaaaaaa.........Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaa..........Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Gixxer six off the lights on Kent Tce on Friday night.

[Posh Tourer :P]

Blip blip... blip blip blip blip.. boooaaaarrrrr (sound of bogged down engine) booooooooaaaaaarrrr Shit I'm doing 100..


TS on the CBR1100XX....

You dont need to wind up the rubber band on that one mate...

[vifferman]

My gear box is from a tractor im sure and real easy to find false neutrals. Thats about the time i learnt about matching revs to gear speed Is this something that honda does on most of its bikes ? agricultural gear boxes ?

Yeah, they're not as smooth as say, a Suzuki gearbox. However, having said that, there shouldn't be too many false neutrals or jumping out of gear; this can indicate worn gear forks are damaged dogs. I've had 6 Hondas, and they all had various degrees of dogginess to the gear change, which I enhanced by being a gearbox/clutch wrecker.
The VTR is the best so far - no false neutrals, and I can avoid the 1st/2nd clunk now by riding around it: I either change early, change at high revs, or change under power. The worst is changing at mid-revs or slowish speed.

There are things you can do about it: keeping your chain well-lubed and adjusted, replacing worn cush rubbers, modifying your gear-changing actions, or fitting a kit like the one from Factory. This has a stronger detent spring, and uses ball bearings to make sure each change is positive. They are available for the VFR (despite what it says on their website), and relatively easy to fit. http://www.factorypro.com/products/shift.html
Wish I'd had one on my VFR...

Bonez / cycosis: While silicon sprays can help to loosen things up, their lubricating properties aren't great, so it pays to use decent oils or greases. I believe that WD40 / CRC5-56 can actually make things worse on modern cables, which have a nylon liner, rather than the plain wound metal one of the olde days, so it pays to pick your lubricants carefully, and turf cables once they're getting a bit troublesome.

[Pwalo]

Yeah, they're not as smooth as say, a Suzuki gearbox.

Bonez / cycosis: While silicon sprays can help to loosen things up, their lubricating properties aren't great, so it pays to use decent oils or greases. I believe that WD40 / CRC5-56 can actually make things worse on modern cables, which have a nylon liner, rather than the plain wound metal one of the olde days, so it pays to pick your lubricants carefully, and turf cables once they're getting a bit troublesome.

Hmm Suzuki gearboxes, still the best. All my Hondas seemed a bit clunky, and my Yamahas were a bit better, but as you say Suzuki are probably still the smoothest.

Agree with your advice on cables. All my reading, talks to mechanics etc say not to use WD40 on cables. Graphite based lube, or even light engine oil, and spray a LITTLE chain lube where the cable slots into the clucth lever itself.

Blipping the throttle, changing down, and using the front brake is possible for any rider, but it does take practice. Just do everything as smoothly as you can, and don't try it for the first time in the wet.

[Deano]

To help make this whole sequence smooth i've found that having good condition throttle cables that are well lubricated and a nice responsive,smooth throttle is a major player in this process as well as other related parts under the tank to do with this.Iv'e also had problems with Surface Corrosion that builds up on certain parts,causing very little but just an idea specially on jap imports as old as yours.I've had a few 250 imports and found that carburator and associated parts weren't always in the greatest condition and generally replaced the cables soon after getting the bike.I actually had a throttle cable brake on me at a track day 1 lap into it!.Bike shops get them looking and feeling good enough to sell,they dont like spending to much time and $$ on them as you may know.Pays to take a look if you haven't,you can do all of it yaself with the assistance of silicon spray and every bodys mate Mr 5.56.

What am I hearing ? Maintenance advice from the man who doesn't check his oil level regularly and wears rear tyres down to the steel ?

My advice - practice practice practice (someone also mentioned braking and blipping before the corner which is a good technique)

[badlieutenant]

Yeah, they're not as smooth as say, a Suzuki gearbox. However, having said that, there shouldn't be too many false neutrals or jumping out of gear; this can indicate worn gear forks are damaged dogs. I've had 6 Hondas, and they all had various degrees of dogginess to the gear change, which I enhanced by being a gearbox/clutch wrecker.

This has a stronger detent spring, and uses ball bearings to make sure each change is positive. They are available for the VFR (despite what it says on their website), and relatively easy to fit. http://www.factorypro.com/products/shift.html
Wish I'd had one on my VFR...

so far Ive only had false neutral when ive been a little bit less positive when shifting. Laziness is not rewarded, but once your aware of it you find yourself redlining the bike less (when false neutrals found) and I can shift it back in no probs.

Cheers for the link. That looks the shizzle. Do I just get a 98 model shifter ? are they the same or do I just request a 86 version ?

[Bonez]

Agree with your advice on cables. All my reading, talks to mechanics etc say not to use WD40 on cables. Graphite based lube, or even light engine oil, and spray a LITTLE chain lube where the cable slots into the clucth lever itself.

Having used it for 20 somthing years( and owning the same 2 bikes without replacing trottle cables for 18 years) I think I can speak from personnal experiance, don't ya think?

[Pwalo]

Having used it for 20 somthing years( and owning the same 2 bikes without replacing trottle cables for 18 years) I think I can speak from personnal experiance, don't ya think?

You are indeed, 'The Man'.

Ciao.

[Hoon]

I wouldn't use CRC or WD40 to lube my cables - they are more "All Purpose - mechanic in a can" type products. Good for cleaning out the crap and freeing them up but I'd still use a dedicated lubricant afterwards to keep them moving freely.