Author Topic: The shift from 3rd to 4th  (Read 4994 times)

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Okie Enfield

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Reply #15 on: June 28, 2011, 11:11:06 pm
GM is right on that one! Had a squirrly ride the other day when i powered into a round about missed the down shift and almost curbed it before I got her back in gear! Of course was riding a bit fast for the conditions and no one to blame but meself.  ::) I hardly ever have a false neutral shifting up threw the gears, mainly down from 4th to 3rd. Has gotten better as I break the bike and rider in.  ;)


olhogrider

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Reply #16 on: June 29, 2011, 05:28:08 am
I never miss a shift going down, only up and only when riding slow. I figured that my weight was helping with the downshift but not the up. That could be cured by that heel/toe shifter I saw in the Indian video review of the C5. Wonder why enfieldgear doesn't sell them.


GreenMachine

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Reply #17 on: June 29, 2011, 03:26:45 pm
I tend to get lazy and I ride two other bikes which throws me off/excuses excuses ...If I wear my soft sneakers vice boots /excuses excuses ...I was heading off a 2 lane country road into a small rural sub division which I go through  on the way home back from a ride..Approaching the right turn in, I start to down shift to make the turn in either 2nd or 3 rd gear using engine braking as the process...Yeah I miss the downshift and got a false neutral and had to slowed the bike rather quickly before entering the turn radius. I found myself a bit to far in the turn..Luckily their wasn't a vehicle siting there waiting to come out...Done it a hundred times before with never a hiccup and in gear ready to come out of the turn....I have to say my false neutrals are due to taking it for granted and being lazy with the foot shifter....
So shit happens and its all in the details...I think I'll try to be a bit more focus and in tune with Green Machines clicky 5 speed.. ;D
Oh Magoo you done it again


olhogrider

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Reply #18 on: June 29, 2011, 03:59:24 pm
I figure downshifting is so you will be in the powerband when you need to accelerate. When I first learned to drive, an old guy (probably my current age) asked "Which costs more to replace, brakes or engine?" He went on to explain that engines are designed for producing power, not drag. Since he was an engineer with a hobby of old Italian cars, I figured he knew what he was talking about. After 2 Alfas, 2 Ducatis and a Vespa I still have a love-hate relationship with all things Italian.


GreenMachine

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Reply #19 on: June 29, 2011, 04:13:38 pm
Get that picture out of your head of Green Machine leaning as far as the right as possible and knee dragging and downshifting at 3k RPM..... ;D..Thats more up your alley out their on their on the west coast...heeeeeeeeeeee..Its more of a subtle easy downshift with just enough powerband to keep things moving in the right direction... :o
Oh Magoo you done it again


Ducati Scotty

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Reply #20 on: June 29, 2011, 06:45:45 pm
Exactly, keep the bike in the right gear so that when you let out the clutch the engine is at an operable RPM, not lugging or screaming.  It also seems to help to let the clutch out in every gear, even if it's just partially.  Spinning the tranny makes it so you hit fewer false neutrals and also don't downshift more than you thought, ending up in too low a gear and getting pushed over the bars ;)

That said, I use engine braking all the time in all my cars and bikes.  It doesn't have to be drastic.  200K miles on my Honda Civic, it can't be that bad for the engine.  And it drives me nuts when I have to drive my wife's car with an automatic transmission through the hills near home.

Scott