Downshifting &”Blipping” the Throttle

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Chill · #1 Post by **Chill** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:26 pm

I was reading this article

http://www.sportrider.com/ride/RSS/146_ ... _throttle/

I'm slowly but surely finding this helpful in having a smooth ride when slowing down. Does anyone else this? Or am I getting ahead of myself? How do you get a good grip on the throttle and the brake at the same time?

Thanks,

Jello_Biafra · #2 Post by **Jello_Biafra** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:34 pm

I can't really help you on this one. I subscribe to Jason Pridmore's (and Bostrom, as they note) theory of clutch control rather than trying to do everything at once with your right hand. This way you can concentrate on modulating your brakes with one hand and downshifting with the other. Here;s an excellent video that shows how he does it. Note that the RPM increases come from the release of the clutch, at which point the engine is forced to match it's speed to the rear wheel, while at the same time having a braking effect on the rear wheel. Also notice the way that we rapidly pulls the clutch IN (not all the way, you don't need to!) but is much smoother in the release, even dragging it slightly into some turns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOax2ftgbNU

The reason that you have grip when you 'blip' is because you have the clutch in when you're using the throttle. The sequence is:

1. Throttle off
2. Brake
3. Pull in clutch
4. Click down a gear while simultaneously giving the throttle a slight twist
5. Off the throttle again, clutch out

The twist is rapid, with no waiting time between those steps. It's almost one motion. The idea is that instead of having the engine jump when you release the clutch, as Pridmore has, you do it before you release the clutch. This way the transition from gear to gear causes a less noticeable spike in rear wheel speed and therefore a more stable rear end.

Blipping is slowly going to die away eventually as more and more bikes come standard with slipper clutches. This is a sort of one way clutch that bites when transmitting torque from engine to gearbox but will automatically slip a bit when the rear wheel tries to transmit torque to the engine. This sort of does the dragging of the clutch that Pridmore does without as much work from the rider.

Hope that helps. :P

CrashDummy · #3 Post by **CrashDummy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:23 am

I agree with the article that you'll need to use the non blip method only if you can't get the hang of the blip method. You will probably get the hang of blipping if you practice it when you are not pushing any limits of other skills at the time.

Chill · #4 Post by **Chill** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:12 pm

Hmm... :?

I'll have to re-read this one a few times. Lemme get back on my bike before I say anything else.

Is this what you do all the time? I can see how it can make things a lot smoother. My bike is a bit sensitive. :x

Jello_Biafra · #5 Post by **Jello_Biafra** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:07 am

The only time that I will 'rev match' is shifting down into the lower gears where there's a bigger gap between them and letting the clutch out otherwise would cause a rapid deceleration and/or loss of rear traction. Otherwise just be gentle with the clutch. Ease it out, don't pop it. Maybe I'm taking my job a bit far, but think of it as a dimmer switch rather than a polar one. :D