Engine Braking

Gearhead82

Gearhead82

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I'm just curious how many people use the gears to help slow them down when coming to a stop sign, or if most people just pull in the clutch and use the brakes. I'm a fairly new rider and not sure of the proper "technique" or if it's just a personal preference thing.
 
pretty often I use the engine gearing down to slow down. Sometimes I can slow down anticipating traffic at crossroads or traffic lights without using the brakes and ready to take off back in first or second gear.
 
I pretty much always engine brake, and then it sets me up in a lower gear for if the light changes and I can just take off again.

Lots of swoopy hills around here anyways so its nice to use the engine vs the brakes.
 
Same here. If I'm coming off a highway or down from higher speeds, I always use the engine for braking. The FZ1 is actually one of the best bikes I've owned in terms of engine braking. A quick blip of the throttle and a downshift, and your slowing down with no problems. Once the bike is down to a low speed (40 to 30) I will start with the brakes.
 
I always downshift through the gears, both for the engine braking and to be in the right gear for when you need to get going again. The FZ is good for Engine braking but my "thumper", the KLR is amazing, You almost don't need brakes.
 
I'm heavy on engine braking and only use the brakes when absolutely necessary. I do the same with my truck and car even with their automatic transmissions. I downshift them all the time.

Heck, these Toyota vehicles that we own all automatically downshift when you press the brake hard anyway. I know that is they designed it that way, it is okay to take full advantage of it.

The bikes handle it very well. :D
 
Tried this....an entire commute without using the brakes. 30 mile roundtrip and did not piss off any cagers in the process.
 
I've always been the opposite on this subuject, I always try to use the brakes instead of the engine. My school of thought was that's easier to replace brake pads than a clutch but this is from driving manual cars not motorcycles so it might be different.
 
I don't engine brake much. About the only time I do is went rev matching when slowing, or when rolling back the throttle when keep pace with traffic. Engines are for going, brakes are for slowing.
 
I always downshift to slow down until I reach maybe 20-30mph, at which point I apply the brakes and continue to downshift. If I need to stop quickly I'll immediately do both downshift and apply the brakes. I've always done this with any motorcycle or car (unless it was an automatic, but I typically try to avoid driving anything automatic). I think it's mostly all up to your own personal preference though.
 
Yes, I engine brake all the time

As well as getting the rev's right for the next gear change it also makes my bike sing a bit louder, letting other motorists know my position, So if they can't see me then at least they can hear me
 
Good info. My natural tendency is to use engine braking down to about 20-25mph and then pulling in the clutch and using the brakes. I was just bored and reading the (cheesy) Yamaha operator manual the other day and it said something about just pulling in the clutch and using the brakes and I wasn't sure if that was a common practice.
 
I'm in the camp of Engine Braking as well. Always do it...to setup a twisty, for a stop sign, anytime I need to slow. This engine is designed for it.
 
I use engine braking all the time as I downshift while slowing down. However, I can tell that with Ivan's FCE there is not as much engine braking as with the stock engine since the fuel is never completely cut off.
 
Ode to Braking

Many years ago on TV, I saw an interesting video about the British Chauffer Guild training program. In it they covered defensive/evasive driving techniques for double-decker buses as well as limousines. It has always stuck in my mind. Besides the really cool 180 and 360's they did with the buses on wet roads the interesting tidbit was thier theroy on stopping. The main jist of the deal was to use a combination of brakes and downshifting to perform a seamless stop. As in an imperceptable control of both functions with a minimal or un-noticeable feedback from the passengers prospective. Or simply SMOOTH. They emphasized that the entire process should be so smooth that the passenger would never hear nor feel the car decellerate or come to a final stop. In fact the "tip" or goal was that when the vehicle finally came to a complete rest the driver had his foot OFF the brake pedal. This may be just over the top to the thinking of many-- but to me it does have a strong value in that being able to manipulate the machine to operate to a degree in which it appears to be totally effortless has a number of positive values. Or then again, like the great Roy McAvoy (K. Kostner in Tin Cup) said there's only one other acceptable method.. "Grip it and rip it.. "
 
Engine braking is always helpful in making a smooth slow-down/stop, however, in long steep downhill descents, I have heard that valves can be burned if the duration of relying solely on the engine for braking lasts too long.
 
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