Riding Style Question

Right, this is either gonna sound like a total newbie question or a highly intelligent enquiry. You decide!!!

Roundabouts and sharp corners, but mainly roundabouts ........


Scenario: You've opened her open a straight and are in top gear when approaching a roundabout. You need to get down to a comfortable speed to follow it through Do you .....

a. Mainly sharp brake and kick the gears down in one go to match your new speed. i.e. 6th down to 3rd?

b.Sharp brake then down shifting using the gears to slow the bike


The reason I ask is that on the Honda CBR I used to brake then down shift through each gear which slowed the bike. The SV has alot more grunt and doesn't seem to like gear changing as much, seems to be much more jerky when releasing the clutch. Add to this the fact that I am riding much faster than I use to on the Honda I'm finding I have to go from 70+ (never over 70 me 'lard) down to 30 in a short space of time.

Ideas and thoughts welcome. Hold the insults!!!!!

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Amanda

I am riding much faster than I use to on the Honda I'm finding I have to go from 70+ (never over 70 me 'lard) down to 30 in a short space of time.

And therein I imagine lies your problem.

Forward planning, observation, you shouldnt suddenyl find yourself ( unless its an emergency ) having to go from 70 to 30mph....

I've always gone down one gear at a time. But thats just my riding style. You might find a blip of the throttle on the down change smooth things out i.e to go from 6th to 5th like this

Gear = 6th

Clutch in, blip throttle, change down to 5th all in one fluid smooth motion

Clutch out and 5th gear engaged

Be smooth and progressive with the controls, i.e. dont go making sharp brake applications. The bike will respond much better that way and you'l find it stops, steers and accelerates better.

IMHO.

[Dave20046]

If I'm doing say 100mph in 5th I give one sharp brake, blip of the throttle and knock her into fourth. then pull the bike down!
I like using the engine braking, I find it invaluable.
Some people argue 'engines are for going, use the brakes to slow' hmm up to yourself what you believe I guess.

Originally Posted by Dave20046

If I'm doing say 100mph in 5th I give one sharp brake, blip of the throttle and knock her into fourth. .

This is on a track, right ??

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

And therein I imagine lies your problem.

Ah, picked up on something I didn't, for drastic speed change. Braaake!, blip cluck (gear), brake, blip cluck & repeat. Change pants at next interval.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by LK-SV

This is on a track, right ??

yeah but the same applies for all speeds (to me... you've gotta be careful who you take your advice off - especially on riding. adviseable to take advice off people you've ridden with and trust.)

The second option sounds the closest, though when you say brake then slow down using the gears its more for me "slow down on the gears, brake if I think I should".

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Ah, picked up on something I didn't, for drastic speed change. Braaake!, blip cluck (gear), brake, blip cluck & repeat. Change pants at next interval.

Ah! Was gonna say .... I guess my point was how can you brake and change gears?

I think thats what Im getting at. Surely you have to do the main brake first, then change gears.

Fizz, I didn't mean that I'm doing sudden braking just really asking where your braking fits in the gear changing. Maybe I am over analysing but want to get a grip with it now.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I've always gone down one gear at a time. But thats just my riding style. You might find a blip of the throttle on the down change smooth things out i.e to go from 6th to 5th like this

Gear = 6th

Clutch in, blip throttle, change down to 5th all in one fluid smooth motion

Clutch out and 5th gear engaged

Be smooth and progressive with the controls, i.e. dont go making sharp brake applications. The bike will respond much better that way and you'l find it stops, steers and accelerates better.

IMHO.

As Fizzy says. With the 125 the engine cant struggle as much as the SV's lump does to match engine speed to wheel speed as the 125's engine has less inertia.

So what you can do about this is blip the throttle. That is (as already mentioned above) Disengage Clutch blip & click down a gear (at about same time) engage clutch, but dont just dump the clutch, also dont take too long about it...

Hope that helps you Amanda.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Amanda

Ah! Was gonna say .... I guess my point was how can you brake and change gears?

I think thats what Im getting at. Surely you have to do the main brake first, then change gears.

Fizz, I didn't mean that I'm doing sudden braking just really asking where your braking fits in the gear changing. Maybe I am over analysing but want to get a grip with it now.

for sudden brake; (lot of front touch the back - think in the text book this should be 80/20 split on a dry grippy day) then pop down the gears as and when I can, one at a time to make the most of combined engine and external braking.
^ that's what I do if that's what you meant

If it's braking to go for a corner or what ever then it's as a few posts above but fizz is right about looking ahead and not having to shed a lot of speed.