When to Downshift into 1st

[JAZZ-n-FZ6]

Hey I was wondering how many of you guys downshift to first at any speed or if you wait till you get to the 15 mph speed that the Yamaha book states. If you do downshift at higher speeds what speed do you shift at.

 

[Jblk9695]

I accidentally whacked it into first at about 25-30 the other day, it did OK but it wasn't a happy camper:squid:

Jerry

 

[oldfast007]

Depends... If you are highly skilled in the correct environment you can hit first at a good clip. otherwise use your shift up points(owners manual version) as your down points. Using throttle to blip(match your rpm's) you could hit first at slightly higher speeds. Use time and experience as your best judgment.

Obviously, avoid lock-up at all cost. Watch a good racer as they enter a 1st gear corner, they knock down several gears under heavy braking blip, release and hold power through a corner.

I try not to hit first until most all speed has been reduced significantly.

We don't have slipper clutches on the FZ's so careful is the word.

There are far more experienced riders on hear who can advise better than me.

 

[nextfriday]

I always run through my gears downward when coming to a stop sign or red light. I get into first around 10 mph out of habit. Turning a corner though i rarely get into 2nd, sometimes i do, i like to keep the bike in 3rd turning corners as it makes my acceleration out of the turn nice and smooth. I dont run my bike very hard.

 

[bigdog9191999]

i said usually but i have noticed more and more that i have been rev matching and doing it and noticing i am in first till after i hit the leaver to put it there only to find it already is..

 

[b.oryan]

I've had a similar question to this. I will usually let the engine do all the work and try not to use the brakes as much. (IE: Shifting down at sugested speeds) But sometimes I just find my self doing this: Clutch / Rev / Brake / Down Shift, rinse and repeat. I don't know if that's the exact way I do it; but I almost ALWAYS rev the engine while downshifting. My dad taught me to do it and I'm not sure why. I think it has something to do with matching the RPM's to the engine speed of the gear. I'm not really a gear head, I just ride. Adjust fire as needed. :thumbup:

Anyone got any comments on what I just said? I'm not sure if thats the correct way of doing it or not.



*P.S.* I never just shift right into the damn gear. The wheel will almost always lock and skid if you just shift from 30mph down. You kinda have to trail brake, if thats the word I'm looking for.

 

[cp04]

I normally downshift a little under 30.

 

[Pyro]

Downship?

 

[damian900]

lol i just got my bike license at the begining of the summer and when i bought my first bike (86 fz600, its for sale ) i shifted into first thinking i was in 3rd gowing for 2nd. My rear wheel locked up and i was drifting into a crosswalk where a mother and child were crossing...so i grab the cltch come to a stop and i dont think ive ever got a death stare like the one the mother gave me, looked like she was gonna kill me...

 

[brico]

I've had a similar question to this. I will usually let the engine do all the work and try not to use the brakes as much. (IE: Shifting down at sugested speeds) But sometimes I just find my self doing this: Clutch / Rev / Brake / Down Shift, rinse and repeat. I don't know if that's the exact way I do it; but I almost ALWAYS rev the engine while downshifting. My dad taught me to do it and I'm not sure why. I think it has something to do with matching the RPM's to the engine speed of the gear. I'm not really a gear head, I just ride. Adjust fire as needed. :thumbup:

Anyone got any comments on what I just said? I'm not sure if thats the correct way of doing it or not.



*P.S.* I never just shift right into the damn gear. The wheel will almost always lock and skid if you just shift from 30mph down. You kinda have to trail brake, if thats the word I'm looking for.

I'd say "Clutch /downshift/ rev/release clutch and doing all this while braking and repeat.

 

[Kriswithak]

I normally try and avoid anything but coming to a stop in first, or very low speed dribbling through traffic. Second does everything else better.
The bike HATES going down into first at anything but walking pace (it seems)

 

[Wolfman]

I like to bang the bike down hard into first, pretty early on during a very hard stop...yoiu get lots of extra engine braking, but you do need to "feather" the cluch to avoid the back wheel getting all squirrelly, or chattering, as the bike trys to lock itself up, as the engine compression rises...

can be real good fun too...

:rockon:

 

[Iethius]

I like to bang the bike down hard into first, pretty early on during a very hard stop...yoiu get lots of extra engine braking, but you do need to "feather" the cluch to avoid the back wheel getting all squirrelly, or chattering, as the bike trys to lock itself up, as the engine compression rises...

can be real good fun too...

:rockon:

I use the engine to brake a lot also, I don't do it in first to much, I agree with Kriswithak about the Fizzer hating to go into first sometimes, too clunky,sound like it's gonna break something.
But I do enjoy downshifting and chirping my rear tire sometimes. Locking up the back tire or skidding does not bother me much because I ride dirt a lot, and practice quick stops on the Fizzer, usually get going about 40 mph, lock up the back brake, start fishtailing, then apply the front brake and see how fast I can stop under control. Probably not the way they teach it in those fancy sportbike schools, but it works for me, Did about a 30 degree stoppie once, scared the hell outta me. Adrenaline is sooo kool...

 

[zigzagg321]

only after I totally stopped at a light or stop sign. never while the bike is moving.

 

[clockworkjon]

Don't you just hate it when you make a typo in the title and can't go back and change it? Just sayin'...


And to answer your question, when I've already stopped. Although, sometimes if I'm coming to a stop sign and there's no traffic, and I'm basically doing a rolling stop I'll put it in 1st. I don't use it to engine brake though, way too rough.

 

[CHEMIKER]

Don't you just hate it when you make a typo in the title and can't go back and change it? Just sayin'...

To what are you referring?

 

[sxty8goats]

I've had a similar question to this. I will usually let the engine do all the work and try not to use the brakes as much. (IE: Shifting down at sugested speeds) But sometimes I just find my self doing this: Clutch / Rev / Brake / Down Shift, rinse and repeat. I don't know if that's the exact way I do it; but I almost ALWAYS rev the engine while downshifting. My dad taught me to do it and I'm not sure why. I think it has something to do with matching the RPM's to the engine speed of the gear. I'm not really a gear head, I just ride. Adjust fire as needed. :thumbup:

Anyone got any comments on what I just said? I'm not sure if thats the correct way of doing it or not.



*P.S.* I never just shift right into the damn gear. The wheel will almost always lock and skid if you just shift from 30mph down. You kinda have to trail brake, if thats the word I'm looking for.

You should at least cover and lightly apply the front break every time you want to slow down. there are a couple reasons for this.

First, even a slight application will start to load your breaks and also light your break light. Letting people behind you know you may be slowing. Even with engine breaking the bike can slow fast enough to catch a tailgater off guard and cause a problem.

Second is to establish good habit. If you normally use the back break for 'normal' stops and only grab the front (or only plan to grab the front) in emergency/spirited stops, you will be in the habit of jumping on the rear break. In an emergency, habit takes over. If your normal slowing / breaking routine is to go for the front break, then you have a much better reaction in an emergency situation.

Third. Distance and time. It takes you @ 1/2 second to decide to break, 1/2 second to reach and start applying breaks. If you are engine breaking into a corner by simply rolling off the throttle a bit and then find something just around the bend, it will take a full second to react. @ 30 miles an hour you are moving 44 feet per second. @ 3 car lengths before you even start the breaking process. If you are already the breaks, even slightly, you just gained 44 feet of stopping distance.

20 MPH = 29.3 FPS
30 MPH = 44.0 FPS
40 MPH = 58.7 FPS
50 MPH = 73.3 FPS
60 MPH = 88.0 FPS

As to when I shift to first. I couldn't tell ya, I shift as needed, going by the sound of the engine and the throttle response I want for the given situation. I have shifted into first at a fairly good clip, matching the revs as I go down through the gears. Most of the time I pop it into first as I'm breaking to a stop and don't let the clutch out until I'm stopped.

 

[BCFZRider]

Here's a question along similar lines... does downshifting to first without releasing the clutch cause any internal problems? I've come to stops without downshifting... (diesel car habit) I find myself more often having to do the dreaded stationary downshift which usually involves rolling the bike back and forth a bit.. which is annoying and looks more like I have to pee as I dance on the bike at the light...

 

[sxty8goats]

Here's a question along similar lines... does downshifting to first without releasing the clutch cause any internal problems? I've come to stops without downshifting... (diesel car habit) I find myself more often having to do the dreaded stationary downshift which usually involves rolling the bike back and forth a bit.. which is annoying and looks more like I have to pee as I dance on the bike at the light...

Nope, clutch in disengages the drive train. Worst thing that will happen is a tired wrist.

 

[Pyro]

To what are you referring?

Sorry, couldn't resist.