Do you engine brake?

[s1akr]

During research before I purchased, I read different people say break pads are cheap, clutches and engines are not, therefore don't engine break.

The argument makes sense, but now that I'm on my first 100 mile on the bike, I noticed that I prefer to keep the bike in gear while breaking/slowing down and cycle through the gears engaging the clutch on each gear from current gear all the way down to first.

The reason behind this is I'm experiencing a problem with the bike not being in gear (1st gear) at the stop light after I cycle through the gears from current to first without engaging the clutch on each gear leading to first.

Am I doing something wrong? What's your preference in breaking? Do you engine break? How often? Why or why not?

The other reasons why I prefer engine breaking is because the bike stops a whole lot faster, it's fun when I get a perfectly smooth down shift through blipping, and if I ever need to accelerate it's a twist of the wrist away.

How bad is it to engine break all the time? Any thoughts, opinions, comments or advice are welcomed.

[alex.s]

i think its something to do with those little bearings in the slots on the south-west gear selector thing... im not sure if thats what they call the positive neutral finder. if the engine side doesnt have a different speed then the wheel side then they dont let the thing go all the way down. so when the clutch is disengaged, they will spin at the same speed and the thing wont let it go into first as it passes neutral... or something

i almost always leave the engine engaged. and do engine break while i use normal braking

[Sigma.40]

If I just need to slow down a little, I'll drop it down a gear and let the engine slow it down. If I'm stopping or slowing down alot I'll just pull the clutch in and run through the gears while I use the brakes.

[xSean13]

I also engine brake. As for the clutch/gear issue, I get that when I have to stop quick and drop down from like 4-1...to get it in first I just rock the bike back and forth stomping down & easing off the clutch

[Countersteer]

Engine braking = Bad. Ask an engine builder.

...my opinion of course.

[Old Lemon]

I engine break when i need to stop quickly. Rolling to a red light i just hold the clutch in and go down into first BEFORE i come to a stop. When i first started riding and i didnt do that it wouldnt let me go down into first and i would just turn off the engine then downshift and turn it back on.

[DevinWolfe]

I always leave the powerplant of any vehicle I drive/ride enganged while slowing or stopping. I will take rebuilding an engine (never had to before due to engine braking) any day of the week over getting run over due to not being able to get out of the way.

If you insist on coasting I strongly urge you to keep your gear appropriate to road speed AS you slow.

[00NissanNinja]

Woah tread title threw me there for a sec haha. I was like my engine break?

I do engine brake, Its not going to destroy your engine or clutch, at least in my experience. Engine braking is really useful in heavy traffic and hilly areas. I have a truck with nearly 200,000 miles and the clutch is still so good you can get some pretty good tire chirp from a quick launch (not trying or nothin). My bike has 13,000 miles on it without any drivetrain issues...

[Asspire]

car or bike, i engine brake like a motherf*****. If i manage to break something then i'll fix it, but that's the way "I" like to ride. I don't hear of many(or any) 250 engine's failing from engine braking, so i've never worried about it.

do what feels right to you.

[Jiggles]

Engines are only like $400, not that bad

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

I engine break when i need to stop quickly. Rolling to a red light i just hold the clutch in and go down into first BEFORE i come to a stop. When i first started riding and i didnt do that it wouldnt let me go down into first and i would just turn off the engine then downshift and turn it back on.

Not to be offensive but



Care to explain that in a way that means you didn't kill the engine while stopping.

[Malicious Logic]

Just wanted to say break =/= brake. That is all.

[Old Lemon]

well from what i read in the op, i think hes saying that if he stops while not in first gear, the bike wont let me switch to it and it just keeps going into neutral.

What i meant is that i hit the kill switch to turn off the engine and then it would let me switch into first if the above was happening. and then i would turn the engine back on.

[Ramen]

I always engine brake. When you're experienced at it, it's safe as you can accelerate immediately due to the fact you're already in the appropriate gear with the clutch out. Not to mention it's fun!

Sudden or emergency stops are performed with the clutch in and completely using the brake pads while stomping down to first, of course.

Personally, I engine brake until I get down to 2nd gear, then pull the clutch in and use the brake pads entirely while downshifting into 1st. Depending on how fast I need to decelerate, I may not even use the brake pads at all until that point. I have the rear brake light switch set to a light touch to let traffic behind me know that I'm slowing down even if I'm not using the brake pads.

[Ramen]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

well from what i read in the op, i think hes saying that if he stops while not in first gear, the bike wont let me switch to it and it just keeps going into neutral.

What i meant is that i hit the kill switch to turn off the engine and then it would let me switch into first if the above was happening. and then i would turn the engine back on.

Yeah, I reread the OP and I kind of get what he's saying. There may be a physical problem with the bike or he may need further riding experience/msf.

[alex.s]

ask @Rexbo if you should engine brake

[bud_44]

Engine braking is fun for me. I'm careful not to be turning to high of RPM when I do it though. I watch far ahead and let my gears slow me down well before I need to put the brakes on. When I start slowing down I hit my front brake to flash my brake lights so who is behind me knows I'm slowing down. Just my 02 cents worth. Ride safe my friends.

[Sigma.40]

Originally Posted by bud_44

Engine braking is fun for me. I'm careful not to be turning to high of RPM when I do it though. I watch far ahead and let my gears slow me down well before I need to put the brakes on. When I start slowing down I hit my front brake to flash my brake lights so who is behind me knows I'm slowing down. Just my 02 cents worth. Ride safe my friends.

I do too. Except I use the rear brake and put just enough pressure to turn the brakelight on.

[s1akr]

If my original post wasn't clear, maybe an example will clear things up.

Say I'm coasting at 45 mph in 6th gear, and a traffic light turns red. If I hold down the clutch and use both breaks to slow down to a full stop while stepping down on the shift pedal until it wont click down anymore, I noticed that, on more than one occasion, the bike is not in gear with the neutral light not being on. Of course I find out by slowly letting go the clutch while applying more and more throttle with the bike not going anywhere, holding up traffic on a green light. From this point, clutching down and stepping down on shift pedal goes no where. Shifting up and down a couple of times seem to work. Next time if it happens again, I'll try rocking the bike and shifting down.

[menikmati]

If nobody is behind me, I will usually blip and downshift through the gears until 2nd gear and hold the clutch it and kick down into 1st while applying both brakes if I know that I'll definitely be coming to a stop. Otherwise, I ride in the appropriate gear for the speed I'm currently at.

[s1akr]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

I engine break when i need to stop quickly. Rolling to a red light i just hold the clutch in and go down into first BEFORE i come to a stop. When i first started riding and i didnt do that it wouldnt let me go down into first and i would just turn off the engine then downshift and turn it back on.

I do get to first before I get to a full stop.....I think. Damn, now that I think about it, I'm not so sure. I'll have to keep that in mind on my next ride.

[ajcadoo]

I only engine brake when stopping quicker than normal.

Other than that, I always pull the clutch and let the bike coast to the signal. The reason? Saves gas. I keep my momentum, and thus, if the light turns green, I require less gas to get up to speed.

I also avoid engine braking because it does not let cars behind know you are slowing down. Your brake light does not turn on! That is why I use brakes only to slow down, under normal circumstances.

As I slow down, I will shift down based on my road speed, so that I can quickly get away in case I need to, but I rarely engine brake. Wastes gas, and it could be a reason you get rear-ended.

[s1akr]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Engines are only like $400, not that bad

Really? well in that case....I'm engine braking all the way

[s1akr]

Originally Posted by alex.s

ask @Rexbo if you should engine brake

Why? who's Rexbo? Did he have a bad experience with it?

[s1akr]

Originally Posted by ajcadoo

I only engine brake when stopping quicker than normal.

Other than that, I always pull the clutch and let the bike coast to the signal. The reason? Saves gas. I keep my momentum, and thus, if the light turns green, I require less gas to get up to speed.

I also avoid engine braking because it does not let cars behind know you are slowing down. Your brake light does not turn on! That is why I use brakes only to slow down, under normal circumstances.

As I slow down, I will shift down based on my road speed, so that I can quickly get away in case I need to, but I rarely engine brake. Wastes gas, and it could be a reason you get rear-ended.

That's a good point, engine brake does slow down the bike very fast, I'm gonna have to try Bud_44's suggestion on lightly applying rear break for the light.

hmm....I'm looking forward to my next ride.

[massacremasses]

do it in my cars, do it on my bike... there is a time to do it and a time not too.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by s1akr

Why? who's Rexbo? Did he have a bad experience with it?

He's a racing member here. He knows his stuff and is a cool guy.

[alex.s]

he blew his head gasket or something last round ... i think someone said he was downshifting.

[leed]

Ouch!

As for the not being able to get a confirmed 1st gear.. When you are stopped, you should try rolling the bike back a little while shifting into first, or giving a little bit of clutch while shifting into first.

And engine braking I do sometimes, and don't do sometimes. I couldn't tell you when I choose which, hahaha.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by s1akr

Say I'm coasting at 45 mph in 6th gear, and a traffic light turns red. If I hold down the clutch and use both breaks to slow down to a full stop while stepping down on the shift pedal until it wont click down anymore, I noticed that, on more than one occasion, the bike is not in gear with the neutral light not being on.

Something may be wrong with your neutral indicator light, the oil viscosity or your downshift technique.

If the rpms' of the wheel and engine are within the normal range for each gear, there is no way to hurt a healthy engine during downshifting or engine-braking.

[csmith12]

Raise you hand if you never engine brake and be honest..... No one?

Simply put, everyone does it at some time or another, even the track only guys. It would take a near religious attention to NEVER engine brake while riding. And lets face it, it's easy to be lazy and let the bike do the work while we enjoy the ride. We are having fun right?????

While I am "one of those guys" that say pads are cheap, engines are not, it's simply sooooo not worth it to work/practice it out of everyday riding and would kill part of the enjoyment. Just ride comfortably and if you can get 80% of your braking done with the levers and NOT the engine, your straight and the rest can be chalked up to normal wear and tear.

On the track, it's more black and white. Your either on the brake or on the gas. And other techniques apply.

[Rexbo]

Actually I didn't blow a HG, more like dropped a valve. Probably from pounding off the rev limiter on that engine for 2 years of racing/tracking. But for racing, depending on the corner I alternate engine braking and actual braking depending on lean angle. Some corners I can downshift and slowly clutch out as I'm turning in to scrub a little bit of speed without upsetting the front tire or the back wheel, just gotta be careful not to clutch out too fast and over-rev the engine or else the rear wheel will skip.

[diablos991]

I downshift while tapping just enough to light up the brakes.

In an emergency situation, I skip downshifting and just grab the clutch. Since I am still a noob, I want to keep as much of my concentration on avoiding the obstacle or stopping as I can.

[HKr1]

Engine braking rocks! I love it, do it all the time

[Skippii]

I didn't use to do much engine braking until I joined NESBA, now I do it constantly.