I got my money on being in to high of a gear for the speed in which you traveling when let off of the throttle.

 

I think this is mostly right. Since I run a 255 touring cam, I've been finding I'm running lower rpms most of the time, since that's where my power is. I guess I'll just have to get used to dropping a gear before getting in to the corners...
Thanks for the input guys. I am gonna check the idle speed as well and adjust as needed.

 

Idle speca can very slightly between models and years so always refer to your service manual. Second what baffel do you have in the exhaust with little to no back pressure there would be little feeling of the motor helping in decel with out down shifting just a thought for ya.

 

That was also a thought that crossed my mind. I'm running the quiet baffle in my BSL's but to be honest, they can only call them quiet as compared to no baffle at all. I don't think they offer much back pressure...

 

Make sure that your throttle/idle cables fully close the throttle when you let off. When engine braking, I twist that shiz fully closed myself just to be sure. No mater what engine mods you're running, if you don't slow down enough, yup - you down shift.

 

Okay this is just on my bike.. but if I'm in 5th gear @ say 2500rpms or so, my bike doesn't slow down that fast just by letting off the throttle.. at the same speed, if i throw her in 3rd and let off the gas so the RPM's are up around 3500-3750 she slows down a ton.. a lot has to do with the transmission gearing too if you're just doing straight engine breaking. my buddy has a 2001 or 2002 Electra Glide with the 5speed tranny in it, he rides about 2800-3200rpms most of the time, and as soon as he lets of the gas his bike comes damn near to a stop. really bugs me because he's not using the damn break so the light doesn't light up and then all of a sudden i'm like "oh snap, he's stopping"

 

Yeah, that pretty much sounds like my bike, and I mostly ride with touring bikes. We get into some twisties and I pic the gear I want for the speed we are going and I always have to break into the corners or downshift, while the guy in front of my never grabs a gear and i never see the brake light come on. I guess a lot of it has to do with gearing. I just hate always shifting but I hate breaking into a corner even more...Thanks for the input guys.

 

I used to engine brake without stepping on the brake. Until my son was following me in the car and told me he almost rear-ended me because he didn't realize I was stopping. So I always tap the brakes so people realize I am stopping.

 

I don't know what bikes you had before...My brother always had a dyna which has a ton of engine braking but recently bought a 07 softail heritage springer and that bike has very little engine braking in comparision. I wonder if it's the counter balance shaft?