Engine Braking, Blip or no Blip
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
This is a good educational discussion. I always enjoy learning new styles of riding because we are never too old to improve.
That being said, I have owned motorcycles and manual shift cars all my life because I like using engine braking in my driving. Of the many manuals shift cars I have own, I can think of a dozen with over 100,000 miles and five with over 200,000 miles. In all those cars, I have never had to replace a warn out clutch or transmission. And I often get over 125,000 miles on brakes. My point is that unless you do something crazy like shifting in to first at 80mph, whatever damage you may be doing to the engine in your style of shifting, it is likey insignficant. Accept for wet clutches like we have on our Harleys, Clutches and throwout bearing suffer far more damage by holding in the clutch at stop lights then from down shifting.
Beary
That being said, I have owned motorcycles and manual shift cars all my life because I like using engine braking in my driving. Of the many manuals shift cars I have own, I can think of a dozen with over 100,000 miles and five with over 200,000 miles. In all those cars, I have never had to replace a warn out clutch or transmission. And I often get over 125,000 miles on brakes. My point is that unless you do something crazy like shifting in to first at 80mph, whatever damage you may be doing to the engine in your style of shifting, it is likey insignficant. Accept for wet clutches like we have on our Harleys, Clutches and throwout bearing suffer far more damage by holding in the clutch at stop lights then from down shifting.
Beary
I guess that is why my father taught me to put the bike in neutral at stop lights.
Last edited by Road-Rash; Oct 6, 2014 at 10:08 AM. Reason: typo
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 4
From: South Carolina
Heck, I just call it adjusting my power output. its not either or to me its "and". I hear the term aggressive riding slung around a lot here. I are one.
I'm accelerating to the corners, threshold braking and downshifting and trail braking through until I can accelerate and out.
I'm always adjusting my power output and keeping all my controls synchronized and smooth.
I dont blip, I rev and match.
I guess I can really say I never think of what I'm doing, sounds like work to me.
this also works no matter what language your motorcycle speaks.
I'm accelerating to the corners, threshold braking and downshifting and trail braking through until I can accelerate and out.
I'm always adjusting my power output and keeping all my controls synchronized and smooth.
I dont blip, I rev and match.
I guess I can really say I never think of what I'm doing, sounds like work to me.
this also works no matter what language your motorcycle speaks.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,583
From: Wisconsin, USA
I would rather have premature clutch wear, than a texting driver rear end me. YMMV.
And a properly adjusted clutch doesn't get excessive wear idling.
And these are wet clutches.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 4
From: South Carolina
too much of a chance for getting a ticket in SC and NY. Its illegal to shift to neutral before coming to a stop. who's to say barney fife is wide awake that day and saw me shift after the complete stop.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Spring Hill Fl
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 12
From: DOWN SOUTH
WOW, a lot of different opinions. I personally blip a bit when slowing down, let the engine do the work and blip wile I downshift to mate the gear for the speed, this sounds like an oil thread, lol.