Engine Braking, Blip or no Blip
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
Blipping the throttle during downshifts is always a good practice. Now granted, if you're just slowily creeping up to a stop and keeping the clutch disengaged all the way to the stop, then it is not necessary.
But when downshifting at speed for the purpose of engine braking, blipping is most definitely beneficial (and necessary in my opinion).
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT. Dushore, Pa.
Blipping the throttle is not only for gear mesh as in a car... It's also to match the engine rpm with the vehicle speed so when you release the clutch you're not compromising the rear wheel's traction.
But when downshifting at speed for the purpose of engine braking, blipping is most definitely beneficial (and necessary in my opinion).
But when downshifting at speed for the purpose of engine braking, blipping is most definitely beneficial (and necessary in my opinion).
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 9
From: Greensboro, NC
Blipping the throttle is not only for gear mesh as in a car... It's also to match the engine rpm with the vehicle speed so when you release the clutch you're not compromising the rear wheel's traction.
Blipping the throttle during downshifts is always a good practice. Now granted, if you're just slowily creeping up to a stop and keeping the clutch disengaged all the way to the stop, then it is not necessary.
But when downshifting at speed for the purpose of engine braking, blipping is most definitely beneficial (and necessary in my opinion).
Blipping the throttle during downshifts is always a good practice. Now granted, if you're just slowily creeping up to a stop and keeping the clutch disengaged all the way to the stop, then it is not necessary.
But when downshifting at speed for the purpose of engine braking, blipping is most definitely beneficial (and necessary in my opinion).
If you want to learn how to blip, get an unsynchronized manual for a car or truck.
Most motorcycle transmissions are called "constant mesh" which simply means all of the gears in the box are constantly in contact with each other. When you shift gears you aren't actually moving any gears. You're moving a plate or a cylinder that locks into the side of a gear engaging the output shaft with that gear.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,844
Likes: 16,583
From: Wisconsin, USA
I agree, if your at speed and want to slow fast you use the brakes and downshift and match your rpm's so you don't loose rear wheel traction. I just got thru the Miller Motor Sports Ford High Speed Driving 1 day program and one of the first exercises is toe-heel, braking and bliping to maintain traction on downshifting. On a motorcycle it's even more important not to loose traction.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT. Dushore, Pa.
I'm not familiar with Rider's Edge SRC, is it in parking lot or on a track? I see they do practice stopping in a curve. They usually talk about traction control but in most coarses you don't get enough speeds to worry about it and they are just getting folks the basics. I bet if you took a riders class out on the track they would teach it. You really are only concerned if your riding fast and want to cut your speed fast, normal speed straight line stops not as much.
Last edited by gmc; Oct 19, 2011 at 12:23 PM.
First and foremost any trucker driver worth his salt will tell you that your road speed must be decreased before any downshifting is to be done. Blipping the throttle in a big rig is different then in a car or bike. I do blip the throttle on my bike, only out of habit. Decreasing your road speed, THEN engine braking by downshifting is the right way to do this under NORMAL riding conditions. A race track is a whole other animal.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
I'm an old race car driver so this seems perfectly natural to me. I don't think about it at all, I just do it.
Last edited by 2black1s; Oct 19, 2011 at 02:13 PM.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 273
Likes: 3
From: West Haven, CT
Reminds me of my younger driving years. Drove my dads chevy S-10 pickup truck home once with a broken clutch cable. Lot's of bliping.
One time my mustang II's brakes went and drove home with the E-Brake and lots of downshifting and blipping.
Last crazy story throttle cable broke on a 71 beetle had cousin on the floor with a pliers working the cable while I was driving.
Fun to be a teenager with no money that could not afford a tow.
One time my mustang II's brakes went and drove home with the E-Brake and lots of downshifting and blipping.
Last crazy story throttle cable broke on a 71 beetle had cousin on the floor with a pliers working the cable while I was driving.
Fun to be a teenager with no money that could not afford a tow.
