gear changes, please offer your pearls of wisdom

Hello,

The other day i had yc on the back of my bike (2 mins ) and he commented on how poor my gear changing was. Now i thought i wasn’t too hot but after spending the last few days thinking about it im actually pretty appalling!! One comment was about matching revs to the gear and the other was not keeping the clutch in during downchanges else ill step the back out! Now heres how bad it is. I actually thought that the back end stepping out was part of how the bike handles. Basically on slowing down to a corner (lets say im at 7k in 3rd gear) ill pull the clutch in, then select the gear and feather the clutch out. Unfortunately in this time the engine speed has dropped a fair bit and as the clutch comes out the rear wheel is fighting for grip. Im then back on the throttle and flooring it through the corner. If im honest i find it lots of fun... However im wanting to smooth things out a little so i can hopefully improve my riding. So how can i get the downchange right. Is there a technique or is it just practice. Ive been having a go but ive not sussed it out properly yet as sometimes its silky smooth and then others (when i blip the throttle and let the clutch out at higher revs) the bike lurches forward.

So tips on a postcard folks

[Dave20046]

This is a tough one to explain, as I kind of do it by sound and feel so wouldn't know what revs I'm in; bet a lot of others are like that too. But I tend to 2 finger brake and blip my throttle for down changes. Could do with someone observant posting the comfortable revrange for each gear & speed really...

Could be wrong as like I've said I don't really watch the revrange but 7k sounds way too high a revs to down change for a corner, that's like almost at your powerband for taking the bike forward not stopping it. If you throttle off around 7k in third without down changing it'd slow you adequately for most corners I would have thought. But you want to go into corners with either neutral throttle or accelerating very slightly anyway. Everything depends on the speed of the corner & how tight it is but in 50's and 60s I'm usually aware I'm in 4th for tight corners or occasionally third for 'sideways corners' and 5th for sweepers.

Then again I'm nowhere near as experienced or skilled as others on here so you'd probably do right to ignore my advice!

Sounds like you're not using the SV's low down torque - entering a corner at around 7k is not using the advantage of the Vtwin grunt.

You should have your corner entry speed set before you get there - use the low down grunt to fire you OUT of the bend - not through it.

ride faster - ride smoother

[yorkie_chris]

Look at SV dyno curve, apex at 7k is pretty much spot on.

Andy, do the shift in one blip, so the shift is nice and smooth and get the clutch out while the revs are still high. Be decisive about it, it is fluffing about that causes the jerkiness.

Originally Posted by AndyBrad

Hello,

The other day i had yc on the back of my bike (2 mins ) and he commented on how poor my gear changing was.

How rude!!!!

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

How rude!!!!

Actually that's quite polite for YC...if he did phrase it as Andybrad implys anyway 'your gearchanges are poor'.

Ah the old to blip or not to blip! I used to feather and it stood me in good stead for many years - no back stepping out etc but since I've started riding more "spiritedly" I've started using it - definately helps on downchanges where you need to keep the speed up. It'll come with practice - mine was pretty ropey at first hth

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Actually that's quite polite for YC...if he did phrase it as Andybrad implys anyway 'your gearchanges are poor'.

He's straight to the point then!

[yorkie_chris]

He asked for comment so his missus wouldn't nut him/ be terrified. constructive criticism!

to be honest im kind of expecting her to be terrified/ nut me and possably kick me in the knakers after ive had her on the back.

on the plus side if she wants to be taken anywhere then that obviously means i will need a speed triple due to the extra weight or if she doesnt then i will need a duc 916 so shes not tempted to get on the back again

its a win win situation.