You are not logged in. Login Now
 0-9   9-12         
 
Author Message
4 new of 12 responses total.
nharmon
response 9 of 12: Mark Unseen   Jul 5 02:41 UTC 2006

I have adjusted my stopping behavior to better fit the recommendations
of my motorcycle owner's manual. It says to slow in gear until just
before the stall point and then downshift.

I spoke to a few knowledgable motorcycle people and the general
consensus seems to be to stick to what the manual recommends. At high
RPMs the rev limiter would be unable to stop the engine from speeds that
would damage itself, and slowing while keeping the engine speed matched
and in gear with the road allows for quick evasive manuevers (including
speeding up quickly) if necessary.
n8nxf
response 10 of 12: Mark Unseen   Jul 7 17:09 UTC 2006

That sounds more like it.  The only way I can see doing in the valves by using
the engine to brake is by over-revving the engine.  I use to downshift my cars
all the time but found that I was wearing out the clutch prematurely and
clutches cost more to replace than brakes.  On most motorcycles, downshifting
is a good idea and clutches are pretty easy to get at and replace, for the
most part.  Another term for the engine braking truckers use is "jake-brake".
The diesel is pretty noisy when using the engine brake so it's often
discouraged in noise sensitive areas.
gull
response 11 of 12: Mark Unseen   Jul 12 01:00 UTC 2006

Re resp:8: Yes, that makes sense, especially on a motorcycle.  I've 
never had a car get squirrelly due to a downshift...while it certainly 
could happen, in most situations cars don't have enough engine braking 
relative to the amount of traction they have to break the rear end 
loose that way.  In a car, using a good heel-toe technique will also 
smooth things out a lot.  ( And it's fun when you pull it off 
well. :) )

Re resp:9: That's pretty much the technique I follow in my stick-shift 
car, except that if I'm coming to a stop I'll often just shift to 
neutral or hold in the clutch.  Downshifting in that situation does 
have the advantage of putting you in the correct gear to accelerate 
again if you need to, which is nice if you're in a situation where you 
want to drive a bit aggressively.
cyklone
response 12 of 12: Mark Unseen   Jul 12 02:55 UTC 2006

As for that last part, I admit that "sporty" or competitive driving 
involves those things. I think when you enjoy that kind of driving you're 
willing to accept a little increased wear and tear across the board (good 
tires aren't cheap either!). However, nate said he was a beginner on his 
bike, so he should probably start with the basics first.
 0-9   9-12         
Response Not Possible: You are Not Logged In
 

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss