I engine brake all the time and have not noticed any ill effects.

 

Even a automatic downshifts when you slow down.

 

Sorry but jakes don't hold the exhaust valves closed for a split second. The camshaft still moves the rocker shafts, this does not change. What changes is the exhaust valve is opened on the compression stroke by the jake brake. Turning the engine into an air pump, also the fuel is cut off as well.

 

Been downshifting everything I own and owned for many years - including many Harleys without a problem. Downshifting, if done smoothly and at appropriate RPM for the speed and circumstances does not measurably wear out anything that I have ever experienced and, as an added benefit to saving wear on brake components, keeps you in a gear that allows for acceleration should ot be needed or desired.

 

If you don't engine brake, then go ride the mountains and soon you will have no brakes at all.
As you are in the air flying off a ridge, perhaps it will cross your mind that engine braking might have saved yo azz.
Quite simple, actually.
A buddy of mine has a Tesla that He rarely uses His brakes, He has it set where when He lifts the accelerator the motor brakes Him.
I guess some in here thinks He has that wrong, too.
To each their own.
What's next, it's bad on your headlights to use them?

 

One question to ask, is how many people have any miles on their bike?

I am not saying bad, I dunno. But you get lots of threads like this, where people say I always do this or that, and it turns out they got 15-20k on their bike.

 

You do know the tesla does not have an engine, and has nothing to do with any discussion what so ever in this thread, right?

 

I very rarely respond to topics I have little knowledge on.

If I had to restrict this to motorcycles I don't have that much experience since I wasn't riding for over a 25 year period. I had 40,000 miles (65,000kms) on my 13 Electra Glide Classic before I traded it in. Between the enduro bikes and the street bikes of my youth I have to have well over 100,000 miles on them.

I have had many cars with 150,000-200,000 miles. I have driven many 10 ton tandem trucks, most with no jake brake, that had well over 4-500,000 miles. Mind you the clutch in the trucks were pretty much only used to start and stop. It's easier to match engines and transmission speeds than it is to double clutch.

I would say it's safe to say there are many more here that can attest to much larger numbers than what I have experienced.

 

Very true, it quite likely also has energy recovery, so when he takes his foot off the throttle the electric motor becomes a generator, to recharge the battery, hence also slows the vehicle.

 

Yes, I don't have the truck experience, but I have put over 200,000 miles on a dozen cars without replacing the clutch. And Harleys have the advantage of the wet clutch that wears even less in normal conditions. Learning to apply a combination of engine braking and wheel braking will give the rider maximum performance braking at all speeds without adding much wear to the clutch or brakes. But, riders should develop the skill enough so their passenger isn't being knocked back and forth during slow-downs and stops. Full face helmets may be required until they get the hang of it.

Beary