[stillmackn]

I've asked 100 different people about down shifting...and recieved 100 different answers. What's the real truth? Is is necessary to down shift, or is it ok to coast to a stop? Advantages of downshifting or not? I know in my car, I never downshifted, just always held clutch or popped in neutral for stopping. Opionions or facts please. Thanks!

 

[PhukDD]

Well for one, you are always in the proper gear if you need to get back on the throttle. I don't like using my breaks so I downshift everything I drive.

 

[dragoninink]

If you take out the braking function of downshifting when stopping it's easier to find neutral when you've gone through the gears on a bike than in a car.

I'm assuming that you have been riding for some time so you know how to downshift properly. I don't understand why you would want to coast to a stop. What happens if you a coming to lights and they change when you are still in 6th gear?

I have to say I love to see how far I can go to and from work without having to use the brakes

 

[stillmackn]

I downshift all the way to neutral, and then coast to a stop. I do understand using the combustion to slow down, but I prefer when getting off highways to just drop to neutral and coast to light or stop sign, going to fast pop to 2nd to get back on it, or slow, back to first. What Im asking i guess is it necessary or better to go through all the gears one by one?

 

[dragoninink]

Honestly don't think that it makes any difference.

 

[clarkmanning]

brake pads are cheaper than transmission gears and clutch paks. that's one advantage of not downshifting to stop by using engine braking.

There is that cool sounding factor when blipping the throttle and downshifting. sometimes one has to drop 2 gears in a hurry. This another advantage of reverse shift.

The gear ratios are so close in most sportbike gearboxes that the rpm doesn't change that much from gear to gear. If you have a slipper clutch, downshifting can be effortless.

 

[Beethoven]

You should be in first when you stop. NEVER neutral. Keep your hands on the clutch and throttle, and one eye out behind you. Have an escape route planned forward and to the right (to avoid traffic crossing from the side). Basic survival skills. Been hit from behind four times in various cars - not on the bike yet. Downshifting also forces oil past the rings - no I don't know why - but was told that by an aircraft engineer.

 

[ezmport]

i've always downshifted and blipping the throttle wit them d&d's sounds like a monster and makes me want to just keep down shifting forever... lol, but seriously i feel a lot less weight shifting (not that it is excessive) when slowing down if i down shift vs braking.

 

[Terryzrx]

Its very necessary to down shift ,that way you are always in the right gear and ready to pull off if need be. Also have you ever tried shifting while the bikes at a stop. No fun. I down shift to first untill I feel its safe to go into nuatral. It's saved me from being rear ended more then once. For turning its also very importent, and best done before going into the turn. Slipper clucth allows you to down shift with less concern of locking up the rear tire from not matching the road speed to the tire speed. Practice, practice, practice.

 

[Masta Squidge]

Why has nobody picked up on this:


Take the MSF course. They teach you all of this stuff.

 

[exalted512]

It doesn't really matter. I will say, as a safety issue, you should always be in the appropriate gear in case you need to get out of the way...and like someone said, you shouldn't be stopped in neutral anyway. I will from time to time if 2 cars are fully stopped behind me, but when I'm slowing down to a stop, I'm keeping eyes on my mirrors to make sure the cager behind me is stopping too. As a motorcyclist, it is your duty to be aware of stuff like that. Not doing so can literally get you killed.

Keeping a load on the back also helps settle your suspension...but for most cases, if you want to pull the clutch in and just make sure you're still in the right gear for your speed, it's not going to make a difference.
-Cody

 

[runnerhiker]

I down shift when slowing down. I have no facts to offer. My opinion is that this is fun.

 

[iron8]

I just shift down as the speed decreases without engaging the clutch , I can be in the right gear if needed but not having to compression brake .

 

[mpskowski88]

I always downshift and use my brakes. I don't feel real comfortable sitting there in 6th neutral. Never know when some idiot might try to cut you off or come close behind and you need to get out of the way

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

I rev match my downshifts (not viciously to the point where my downshifts are braking for me) but i do rev match my downshifts,shifts smoother.
And i always stay in 1st when at a stop sign/red light.Always ready ta smoke whatevers beside me.

 

[stillmackn]

I just shift down as the speed decreases without engaging the clutch , I can be in the right gear if needed but not having to compression brake .

is it ok to shift without clutch?

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

is it ok to shift without clutch?

:crackup
No its not.Ull get lots of opinions on this but i say no its not ok.If ur at the right exact rpm then its not bad but why fuck around and make things harder by finding that exact rpm just to not use the clutch?Ur clutch is there for a reason.Use it.

 

[preybird1]

Clutchless shifting

If you are not supposed to shift the bike without the clutch then what is the point of an AIR SHIFTER! I shifted my 91 kawi ninja 600 for years without a clutch and i also still shift my klr650 without a clutch all the time. When i used to race motocross we would swap out the engine oil for chainsaw oil as it was thicker and made the shift much smoother. I have never had a problem in 15+ years doing this.

 

[iron8]

is it ok to shift without clutch?

That is almost enough of a debate to start a new thread but here is my take on the subject , an air Shifter does shift without a clutch so yes it is ok if its done right . I have shifted bikes for years without the clutch (especially my dirt bikes ) . What I meant in my last post is I just keep the clutch in and slowly work my way down through the gears as my speed decreases . 9 times out of 10 I use the clutch , I feel it is the safe way to go . My Cbr pops out of second now because of 1 missed shift . The trans in the Cbr is known for being week though but ... Is this a chance you really want to take ?

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

That is almost enough of a debate to start a new thread

http://www.zxforums.com/forums/general-discussion/20237-shifting-out-clutch-good-bad.html