Downshifting to slow down?

[ArmyJoe]

I've carried over the (bad?) habit of downshifting (aka, engine braking) the Sypder to slow down from my days of driving a maunual transmission car. The other day I was taking my wife's Buell Blast for a test ride and absent-mindedly downshifted in a turn. I can't exactly describe what the rear end did, but I know I won't be trying that again.

Does anyone else downshift?

[groundeffect]

Does anyone else downshift?

[j45p3r]

Always, I don't use the brakes until the bike is under 20MPH usually.

[Burt]

I regularly downshift to reduce speed for cornering and stopping.

[boborgera]

I regularly downshift to reduce speed for cornering and stopping.

Just don't drop it into 1st at 55 mph.

[YPILOT]

When your pushing through the twisties you gotta down shift and brake and accelerate and shift and repeat. Oh what fun it is to go go go.

[Bersquack]

I just brake. I will manually downshift if I need speed up again and am at a gear to high for the speed I am currently.

I just use the brakes to get to a complete stop.

[MouthPiece]

All the time.

[Firefly]

Not a bad habit at all... I do it all the time... even use the clutch sometimes.....

[VaughnCat]

I've carried over the (bad?) habit of downshifting (aka, engine braking) the Sypder to slow down from my days of driving a maunual transmission car. The other day I was taking my wife's Buell Blast for a test ride and absent-mindedly downshifted in a turn. I can't exactly describe what the rear end did, but I know I won't be trying that again.

Does anyone else downshift?

It is said that brake pads are cheaper than pistons and rings, but shifting, up or down is also a means of control. I down shift to slow my motorcycle or Spyder, but I don't do it in place of braking when braking is necessary. When I go into a turn, I want to be in the gear that is going to take me through the turn. Down shifting in a turn can cause the rear wheel on a motorcycle to break loose or 'hop' like you probably did on the Buell.

[jnt]

Quite effective. I got in the habit many years back of blipping the throttle to equalize engine to road speed as releasing the clutch in the lower gear. ALSO - if I am engine braking only, following traffic has no ready knowledge of my speed change. I always at least touch the brake to activate the brake lights.

[Sarge707]

1-Downshift into tight corners to get a better grip on the turn!
2-Downshift from 3rd to 2nd because its smoother when I do.
3.Down shift AND have my foot a half inch over the brake when I,m going through an intersection and theres a least bit of chance someone is going to do the ole"Pull out in front of you routine?"

[Tom in NM]

Downshift? Usually.

To make coming to a stop smooth - Quadmaniac recommended: Keep the throttle open, just a little. As he said, "smooth as silk".

Of course, if you are powering through curves, you have the throttle open.

This works like magic on my SE5, never did it on a SM5.

Tom

[docdoru]

It is said that brake pads are cheaper than pistons and rings...

Add here: front sprocket with screw and main shaft...

[NancysToy]

Engine braking is fine. The key to using it is to be smooth. If your RPM is high, backing off the throttle is all that is necessary, then downshifting progressively as the RPM drops. If the rpm is already low enough, go ahead and down shift. Drop to the lower gear too early, and you risk eventual drivetrain damage, and could lock up the rear wheel, as you have already discovered.

[Major Finder]

I downshift a lot when slowing down. I usually glance in my mirrors to see if anyone is following and tap the brake to alert the driver following that I'm slowing down. Hopefully, the brake light flashing will distract the driver behind me from sending the text message they are working on and actually drive for a change.

Major Finder

[BajaRon]

Using engine braking coupled with proper friction breaking is a great idea and a skill that should be practiced.

It is not generally a good idea to downshift DURING a turn. The sharper the turn the less of a good idea downshifting IN a turn is.

As you probably found that your 2 wheeler breaks the rear wheel loose much easier than your Spyder, giving you all kinds of E-Ticket Issues!

Downshifting while in a turn is not so critical on the Spyder but still not a great practice.

The idea is to downshift/break BEFORE the turn (while still in a straight line) so that you enter the turn; (these are NOT multiple choice!)

A- At the correct speed
B- In the correct gear to travel through the turn without shifting
C- Prepared to accellerate out of the turn without downshifting

You can break while in a turn but be very careful and ready to deal with any sudden loss of traction no matter how slight. (advise for 2 wheels, Breaking, like downshifting, is not usually a problem with the Spyder).

[Roadkill]

Brakes? These come with brakes?

Ride on.
Roadkill

[Firefly]

Good advice all around.

Also a good time to mention... if you are NOT using engine braking when coming to a stop - you should still be downshifting with your clutch pulled in-- stay in the relative gear to your speed until you are back in first gear as you come to your final stop. This is better than waiting until you're at a complete stop and then downshifting all the way.

[SpyderWolf]

Brakes? These come with brakes?

Ride on.
Roadkill

That is how I usually ryde. I only use the brake just before coming to a complete stop, or an emergency braking situation. I have thought about getting one of those mercury switches that flashes the brake lights when you decelerate to warn other drivers that I am slowing down some.

Add here: front sprocket with screw and main shaft...

Seeing the recent posts about the failed shafts and sprockets also has me rethinking my ryding style a little now. I don't want to baby my Spyder, but at the same time I don't want to knowing cause major damage to it either. Decisions, decisions.

[BajaRon]

Good advice all around.

Also a good time to mention... if you are NOT using engine braking when coming to a stop - you should still be downshifting with your clutch pulled in-- stay in the relative gear to your speed until you are back in first gear as you come to your final stop. This is better than waiting until you're at a complete stop and then downshifting all the way.

Hopefully, everyone knows this. But for many the Spyder is their first "Motorcycle" so maybe not.

[Jester]

1-Downshift into tight corners to get a better grip on the turn!
2-Downshift from 3rd to 2nd because its smoother when I do.
3.Down shift AND have my foot a half inch over the brake when I,m going through an intersection and theres a least bit of chance someone is going to do the ole"Pull out in front of you routine?"

On the money, Sarge

[sabunim5]

Engine braking is fine. The key to using it is to be smooth. If your RPM is high, backing off the throttle is all that is necessary, then downshifting progressively as the RPM drops. If the rpm is already low enough, go ahead and down shift. Drop to the lower gear too early, and you risk eventual drivetrain damage, and could lock up the rear wheel, as you have already discovered.

and I always downshift into a gear that is appropriate for my road speed at a sensible engine speed (rpm).

[SpyderGirl]

I always downshift... as in the case of your 2 wheeler though, sounds like you weren't very smooth with the clutch and the rear wheel got squirrely on you... it happened to me a few times on my Ninja. Also forgot I didn't have ABS while on the Ninja once and locked up the rear wheel... that's the tricky part about going back and forth between the Spyder and a traditional 2 wheeler.

[scudrunner]

I learned at a very early age to use engine-speed matching down shifting on a car (heal & toe method) and have carried that over on a motorcycle. On the sports cars I've owned, I've learned the sounds of the engine/gear and could tell you how fast I was going without the speedo. I'm learning that with the Spyder now too. Fortunately, the SE5 does all the speed matching for you when you downshift. My method is to put my foot on the brake to activate the light and downshift on the high side of the gear range to slow down. And always brake before you get into a turn, engine braking while in the first half of the turn, and accellerate through the last half. Generally speaking. Concept is the same for car or motorcycle, method is different.