Do You Have To Shift Down When Braking On A Motorcycle?

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It is very common for many motorcycle riders to simply apply the clutch and face the brakes, which will eliminate all the possible advantages of engine braking.

As far as the engine rpm( revolutions per minute) reduces, you will have to move to a lower gear. Therefore, applying your brakes gently and evenly while still pulling in the clutch should be your way out.

Essentially, therefore, you have to downshift your gears whenever you are stopping a motorcycle. In other words, the right way to stop the motorcycle is by downshifting your gears steadily until you get to the first gear and finally come to a stop.

This method will enable you to accelerate instantly in case you may need to. In essence, for every downshifting, you are supposed to let the clutch go and rev-match while you are still doing it.

Should you fancy the idea of braking by releasing the gas pedal, for example, your car will still slow down. However, at some point, you will have to simply downshift to maintain the procedure. Utilizing the clutch to slow down works perfectly in tandem with your accelerator pedal.

After all, downshifting gears is not bad provided you do it correctly; simply ensure that you execute rev-matching as you downshift the gears.

This will ascertain that the clutch disc of your motorcycle and the pressure plates are both in sync, or to put it in other words, they are preventing the bike from jerking as well as from needless wear and tear damage that may occur.

Table Of Contents

Why does one have to downshift when braking on a motorcycle?

Of course, you can downshift, if you want, whenever you are stopping a motorcycle, and the correct way to do it is to simply downshift your gears gradually from higher to lower ones until you get to the first gear and by then, you must have stopped the bike completely.

This procedure will enable you to accelerate instantly in case you may need to. For each downshifting test, you are recommended to let the clutch go and rev-match while you are still doing it.

This is why you are recommended to downshift tests while you are stopping your motorcycle.

While riding a motorcycle, and if you happen to change or shift gears, it is most necessary that you downshift first.

In summary, the procedure is quite simple, especially since all you may have to do is pull in your clutch lever, press down the shifter and finally release the clutch lever once more. This will conveniently stop your motorcycle very effectively too.

It is not harmful to your motorcycle engine to let off the gas pedal while still going down a hill, regardless of anything that others may say, especially when you consider the fact that it can effectively slow down your motorcycle without any fear of the brakes being affected in any way.

And, what is more, it also gets you an improved mileage as well, which is an added advantage too. Although downshifting can be harmful to your engine, that happens only when you go about it wrongly.(Read Also:Will Brake Fluid Stain Concrete?)

Most people prefer to downshift gears( also known as engine braking) because it saves money that would otherwise be used in fixing the brake system of the vehicle.

Additionally, it has been established by experts that engine braking or downshifting consumes more gas than regular braking, although the difference in gas consumption is not very significant, the long-term savings cannot be overlooked.

How can I downshift when braking on a motorcycle?

To downshift when braking on a motorcycle, there are certain steps you should obey for the more proper execution of the procedure. The following steps will guide you on what should be done to downshift when braking on a motorcycle.

Step 1

First, you should pull your lever all the way in before anything else.

Step 2

Thereafter, start the braking immediately after you have begun pulling in the clutch lever.

Step 3

Then, you should shift down to your new gear as well.

Step 4

Finally, as you shut down your motorcycle gears, you should use your thumb, ring, and pinky fingers to enable you to manipulate the throttle. (Read Also:Can You Drive A Car Without Front Brakes?)

It is very easy to downshift gears and also brake simultaneously, which is another highly suggested method of downshifting in most modern vehicles and bikes too.

To do it properly, press your left foot on the clutch and the right on the brake, while one hand should be on the gear lever and the other on the steering wheel. That is what should be done, especially if you are slowing down to city-accepted speed limits.

Although any disorganized rider who may attempt to brake and downshift gears simultaneously is risking a potentially harmful situation. As a result, pressing the front brakes while the power is still on may lead to the front wheel locking up entirely.

Generally, do not brake while at the same time you are downshifting gears. Consequently, ensure that you brake before you downshift because if you downshift gears before applying the brakes, it can cause your engine to over-rev and eventually get damaged too.

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Will my motorcycle be damaged if I shift down gears?

No, your motorcycle will not get damaged simply because you downshift gears provided you go about it correctly. However, you must make sure to execute rev-matching even as you downshift the gears.

This will enable both your motorcycle clutch disc and pressure plates to be in perfect sync, which will basically prevent the motorcycle from jerking and also guard against any premature wear and tear as well. It is important to know that whenever you are downshifting the gears, you will always prefer to change from a higher to a lower gear while driving or riding certain types of vehicles.

However, there are still some people who are characteristically both in favor and against this mode of driving.

However, in reality, the technique of engine braking or downshifting is not bad for your engine, unless it is not executed properly, quite unlike what the other group of people may say that the engine could be damaged in the process.

There is another scenario in which your motorcycle can be damaged from downshifting gears when you do it very rapidly on a motorcycle, especially if you fail to do it correctly.

In this situation, you face the likely risk of locking up or more precisely, dragging the rear wheel, which can cause it to break while in traction, much as it happens in a skid.

Downshifting is known to put extra strain on both the engine and the transmission system. Surprisingly, these parts are about the most expensive vehicle components to replace. Except if you are on a hill where constant braking may not be very applicable, you should refrain from downshifting.

And for automatic transmission cars, downshifting is not just acceptable. This is because an enforced downshift particularly at high engine rpm(revolutions per minute) can lead to very severe wear in the transmission system, such as to the clutch, friction plate, and transmission band.

Additionally, downshifting can be bad for your engine if you do it without slowing down first to a more convenient speed compatible with a lower gear.

However, for best results, you are recommended to use a combination of both your regular or conventional brakes and downshifting too, where necessary. Finally, remember not to ride the brakes too heavily or to downshift while at higher speeds.(Read Also:Can You Brake And Downshift At The Same Time?)

Will I hurt myself if I shift down gears when braking on a motorcycle?

Certainly not; you will not be harmed in any way if you downshift gears on a motorcycle, as long as you execute the procedure correctly and carefully too. This simply implies that you can downshift gears when riding your motorcycle to a stop.

However, depending on how you do it, the bike’s components such as the clutch can get easily damaged if you perform the procedure.

As a result, it becomes necessary to talk of brake fade which is mostly caused by overheating, the result of which is mostly a reduction of friction between the brake pads and discs. Should brake fade occur, it will lessen the efficiency of the brakes.

This development is very dangerous and more common in larger motorcycles and vehicles. Although luckily, you can go down a hill or slope without the need to apply your brakes at all.

It is possible to get injured as you downshift gears on a motorcycle and other common vehicles if there is brake fade in the braking system. (Read Also: Should Brake Rotors Be Replaced In Pairs?)

Are there other ways to come to a stop on a motorcycle?

Generally speaking, there are two ways to stop a motorcycle which are downshifting( otherwise known as engine braking) and with the aid of the conventional brake system.

Downshifting or engine braking is preferred by many riders because it gives them the chance to save their brake system and money too, which is for the most part not cheap in the first place.

In addition, many people prefer engine braking since studies have revealed that engine braking does not use up as much gas as conventional braking. Although the difference in gas consumption may not be much, the long-term savings can amount to something significant.

However, it should be known that engine braking is regarded as illegal in some places mostly due to the loud noise it generates.

This is important because research studies have shown that the decibel level of the noise made by engine braking in a motorcycle is more or less the same as that produced by a large lawnmower, but late at night or early in the morning, the sound made when you are engine braking on a motorcycle is so loud that it can constitute a disruption to neighboring communities.(Read Also:Can Brake Fluid Heal Wounds?)

Frequently asked questions(FAQ)

How do you slow down on a motorcycle?

You can slow down your motorcycle either through engine braking or the application of the traditional brake.

All the same, if you want to slow down your motorcycle by downshifting, especially before you begin to negotiate a corner, you should wait for as long as possible at the time you are coming closer to the braking zone, but it must be completed before you start to turn your steering wheel.

While doing all these, the clutch should be completely engaged and your foot should not be pressing the pedal.

In addition, ensure that you apply the brakes before you start to downshift. Should you downshift first, it can cause your engine to over-rev and possibly be damaged as well.

Whenever you start down a hill, utilize your engine and the transmission to slow down the bike rather than its brakes.

Therefore, switch to a lower gear just before you begin to descend the hill. This will assist you to slow the bike down without the need to use its brakes, a contention held by the National Park Service.

How fast can you go in first gear?

Each gear has its compatible speeds whether in a motorcycle or a car, although higher gears are associated with more speed than the lower ones which is effective in downshifting.

The first gear is rated for speeds of between 0 mph(miles per hour) to a maximum of about 10 mph. The speeds for each gear will progressively increase as you go up the gears. Therefore, the maximum speed you can travel using the first gear is about 10 miles per hour.