De-Accelerating

4665 Views 27 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Kurlon, Oct 2, 2011

Harsh_66328

Discussion Starter · Sep 29, 2011

Hi, this is my first post here, although i've been regularly checking out the forums and thread.
One question i had was that is it fine to hold the clutch while slowing down on a bike. It makes slowing down smooth rather than stressing the engine. I know its good to not hold the clutch as it helps us slow down faster, but i just have a doubt if it does have any effect of the fuel consumption and the bike.

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

hunkyleepickle

· #2 · Sep 29, 2011

1. Gearing down in order to slow down does not stress the engine in any negative way.

2. Any minuscule fuel savings you may get from engaging the clutch while decelerating will be easily offset by more wear on your brakes.

3. This bike is so fuel efficient to begin with, the savings you may or may not gain by using brakes alone will amount to mere pennies.

Just my two cents

Aufitt

· #3 · Sep 29, 2011

Use engine braking.. Always.

It is a motorcycle.

Rick

· #4 · Sep 29, 2011

Harsh_66328 said:
Hi, this is my first post here, although i've been regularly checking out the forums and thread.
One question i had was that is it fine to hold the clutch while slowing down on a bike. It makes slowing down smooth rather than stressing the engine. I know its good to not hold the clutch as it helps us slow down faster, but i just have a doubt if it does have any effect of the fuel consumption and the bike.

Yes, you can save a little fuel by holding the clutch.
Yes engine braking contributes a little to engine wear, but it is not significant if you are well below redline.
Its a good habit to downshift as you decelerate so you're ready to react with throttle if a threat emerges.

spdklls

· #5 · Sep 29, 2011

I have chirped the back tire so many times in 2nd and 1st gears while De-Accelerating ( in a turn that makes the bike make a scary sharp sudden lurch) so i have gotten used to holding in the clutch if I am coming to a stop for those last 2 gears...(ill continue to downshift while i am moving)
Sometimes taking a real sharp turn at slower speeds , i'll hold the clutch then when I straighten out I'll rev the engine and slowly let out (slip) the clutch until i am going again...
I dont see anything wrong with it from a mechanical point of view ,even if you were to coast with clutch in from 6th gear until you stop at every red light, stop sign you come across.

Aufitt

· #6 · Sep 29, 2011

spdklls said:
I dont see anything wrong with it from a mechanical point of view ,even if you were to coast with clutch in from 6th gear until you stop at every red light, stop sign you come across.

Yeah but ya gonna look real silly and be in immediate danger having to switch off the engine and rock the bike back and forth to get it back to 1st gear.... meanwhile the lights go GREEN.. Oh ****... truck coming!

Some countries just dont have any form of riding lessons to get ones Motorcycle licence to ride on the road it seems.

Harsh_66328

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 29, 2011

actually i have that habit of holding the clutch while slowing down but am trying to get rid of it. but i do hold the clutch when in stop and go traffic situations. and thanks for your replies everyone, i had this doubt since long.

Aufitt

· #8 · Sep 29, 2011

Hope you didnt take offence about my comment re lessons.. its the norm in aus.

Ive seen many posts about holding the clutch in while riding here on this forum a few times and its scary to think about.

Welcome to the forum Harsh.

kflaigf

· #9 · Sep 29, 2011

Harsh_66328 said:
One question i had was that is it fine to hold the clutch while slowing down on a bike...

IMO the answer depends on how you're framing the question:

From the economics POV: Pulling the clutch in an relying on your brakes to stop wins. Brakes pads are cheap and easily replaced, everything else isn't.

From the general safety POV:
Pulling the clutch in an relying on your brakes to stop will often leave you in the wrong gear should you need to accelerate out of danger. Downshifting so that you are always in the proper gear for acceleration is safer.

From a what to do in panic stop situation POV:
IMO those without good downshifting skills are probably better off pulling in the clutch. That way they can concentrate on slowing down ASAP and avoiding hard objects. They don't have to take scarce mental resouces away from stopping and avoiding to figure out how to handle losing the rear end because they blew the downshift, etc.

Clearly THE answer is to work like hell to develop your downshifting skills!

ice_burg

· #10 · Sep 29, 2011 (Edited)

I started holding the clutch when I first got my bike and it just simply did not feel safe to me and especially so in the corners. I have been intentionally practicing my down shifting including in the corners and have felt the lurch that SPDKLS is referring to. It did not scare me but at first it was unsettling. The bike always feels stable even during this lurch that he is talking about. To me you gotta let the bike move under you some. No big deal. Now, I still on occasion chirp the tires when down shifting from 2nd to 1st but I know what the bike is doing and am prepared for it. Heck if anything it is kind of fun to me. I bought the bike to learn on so I am doing just that.

ice_burg

· #11 · Sep 29, 2011

kflaigf said:
imo the answer depends on how you're framing the question:

from the economics pov: pulling the clutch in an relying on your brakes to stop wins. Brakes pads are cheap and easily replaced, everything else isn't.

from the general safety pov:
pulling the clutch in an relying on your brakes to stop will often leave you in the wrong gear should you need to accelerate out of danger. Downshifting so that you are always in the proper gear for acceleration is safer.

from a what to do in panic stop situation pov:
imo those without good downshifting skills are probably better off pulling in the clutch. That way they can concentrate on slowing down asap and avoiding hard objects. They don't have to take scarce mental resouces away from stopping and avoiding to figure out how to handle losing the rear end because they blew the downshift, etc.

Clearly the answer is to work like hell to develop your downshifting skills!

^ +10000%

Brian

· #12 · Sep 29, 2011

2nd gear is a pretty low gear, if you are chirping the tire you probably did not need the downshift. Downshift at a lower RPM.The beauty of the single, and the cbr over the ninja is the torque. Wider powerband, simpler riding. Try downshifting when the engine wont pull the gear you are in, not when you wat to go slower from 7,000 rpm. If it dont go, chrome it,..I mean downshift. Generally use the brakes for slowing and stopping, and the engine for going.

Top

· #13 · Sep 29, 2011

yeah no.... don't break while holding in your clutch and down sifting all the way to first, you'll end up as a hood ornament for some old lady/iphone user.

brake and down shift when your RPM lets lower enough in the gear ( you'll feel the engine), save the shift from 2nd to 1st for when you come to a stop.
just my 2 cents... you'll notice the different when you do

kutter

· #14 · Sep 29, 2011

Top said:
yeah no.... don't break while holding in your clutch and down sifting all the way to first, you'll end up as a hood ornament for some old lady/iphone user.

brake and down shift when your RPM lets lower enough in the gear ( you'll feel the engine), save the shift from 2nd to 1st for when you come to a stop.
just my 2 cents... you'll notice the different when you do

Good information. Your rear tire chirps when you downshift at too much speed for the gear. The first gear downshift can be done while you're still rolling, just be under 10 mph to do it.

As for fuel savings, with this FI fuel shuts off (almost) when you twist the throttle off. This baby decels better than any carburated motorcycle I've ever owned when you turn off the throttle. It makes me realize the FI lets in much less fuel than a carburator will when decelling.

Pete

· #15 · Sep 29, 2011

I do both depending on the circumstance. On some downhills full of twisties I hold in the clutch and ride it like it was a big ole bicycle. Depends on the situation. A sudden change in the rate of acceleration or deceleration can destabilize the bike. When you take the engine out of the equation you have gravity and wind resistance. Both are constants; the engine isn't.

jkv357

· #16 · Sep 29, 2011

The biggest issue with holding the clutch in and coasting is when it's time to let it out - 9 times out of 10 you'll be in the wrong gear for your new speed.

You'll find yourself in 5th or 6th gear going 30 MPH, and will need to downshift a bunch all at once in order to accelerate again. If you downshift too many gears you'll lock the rear tire, stress the clutch, and possibly over-rev the engine.

Coasting with the clutch in through a corner is a no-no. You want to be able to smoothly accelerate as you pass the apex and begin your exit. If you coast through the turn, at some point during the exit you will have to let the clutch out. Most of the time you will again be in the wrong gear - too high and you'll have no power to accelerate, too low and you'll lock the tire possibly sending you into the weeds. Cycles don't handle well coasting through corners, especially after the apex - it tends to make the cycle want to run wide on the exit. Either way it's adding complication to cornering and reducing your safety.

Downshift as you reduce speed to keep the engine in the proper rev range for your speed and conditions.

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spdklls

· #17 · Sep 29, 2011 (Edited)

Aufitt said:
Yeah but ya gonna look real silly and be in immediate danger having to switch off the engine and rock the bike back and forth to get it back to 1st gear.... meanwhile the lights go GREEN.. Oh ****... truck coming!

Some countries just dont have any form of riding lessons to get ones Motorcycle licence to ride on the road it seems.

I would actually suggest downshifting thru the gears while coasting to a stop...like I said, i dont do it this way personally, I just dont see it hurting the bike if you did choose to do it this way...since the question and the reason for the thread was holding in and coasting with the clutch,does it have any effect of the fuel consumption and the bike?

and are you the only one on this forum that still rocks their bike back and forth to get it in gear? (turning it off first is a brand new one to me) Just let out on the clutch a hair (about 1/3 or less) and it pops right into gear

spdklls

· #18 · Sep 29, 2011 (Edited)

jkv357 said:
.

Coasting with the clutch in through a corner is a no-no.

..I do this on occasion at very low speed (6-7 mph) in very sharp corners and then slip the clutch as i coming out of it....

trying to control the throttle at such low speed can be a real pain (wants to lurch the bike in 1st or 2nd gear, lugs in 3rd gear)...in fact there is a thread about this very subject in here somewhere....I would never coast thru a faster turn or corner but only going at a fast walking pace is totally acceptable

kflaigf

· #19 · Sep 29, 2011

jkv357 said:
Downshift as you reduce speed to keep the engine in the proper rev range for your speed and conditions.

Agreed!

New riders should focus on riding in a manner that makes it quick and easy for them to respond to an emergency situation without having to think.

Remember, the **** will hit the fan at some point! The less time your spend riding in a vulnerable way the more likely you are to stay in one piece.

Work on the skills that you need to ride in a safe manner. Work on you panic stops. Work on being able to smoothly upshift and down shift. Work on braking while turning. Learn to do these things until you can do them without thinking.

You can't ride your bike when you're dead or in a hospital bed.

Kurlon

· #20 · Sep 29, 2011

Crack the throttle slightly when you downshift, you'd be amazed at how much a touch of throttle smooths out downshifts.

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