Hard to down shift

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

When having to shift down through multiple gears while stopped, let the clutch engage ever so slightly between gears to get them moving a little, as previously mentioned. They don't have to rotate much, just a little to a point where the dogs align.

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Well yea you'd either have to hitting the brakes hard and have a slipper clutch or in the case of going from 6th to second, you would be super hard on the brakes if you don't have the slipper, as that would be going from 140 down to maybe 50 or 60 in a short span of time, you couldn't come in at 160 and downshift 4 times and let out the clutch without all manner of bad things happening to the trans, to the tires, to stability and to the rider probably. THought that was understood.

Even on the CB going from 6 th to second would require you to scrub off massive amounts of speed before you could safely use second.

Slipper clutches are only for people who don't shift well or, they are a safe haven for those who usually shift well but mess up.

In practice you never feel the thing operate (that is, it doesn't operate) because you are doing it right. It's only purpose is to keep you from either blowing up your engine from over-revving it, or skidding the rear tire.

I have two supersport bikes with slipper clutches, I don't think the thing has ever actually released more than a dozen times combined for both bikes, in about 18,000 miles of riding.

You can clearly notice when you've mismatched a shift and the slipper clutch releases, because the lever bounces in a very obvious way. So you fine-tune so next time you don't do that.

The last thing you really want is for the clutch to disengage in any way because you lose engine braking, which can mess up corner entry.

Essentially what I'm getting at is a slipper clutch does nothing at all for assisting with rapid, effective shifting and is really never in play unless the rider screws up, and then only to save his bacon or the bike's engine. It's like a rev-limiter in that way. Does nothing to help you go faster and is best never in operation.

When having to shift down through multiple gears while stopped, let the clutch engage ever so slightly between gears to get them moving a little, as previously mentioned. They don't have to rotate much, just a little to a point where the dogs align.

Yep. But does anyone remember that some bikes were capable of being shifted all the way down through the gears at a stop?

My 1983 VF750F could do this. There was something about the transmission design that kept things spinning and one could click through.

Then I got another bike, I think it was either a Nighthawk S or the '86 VFR700F, and the capability was gone. Had to roll the bike or let out the clutch a bit.

I think the best thing about this forum particularly is the little bits of knowledge that can be passed along. It's mostly entertainment but can be a good resource.

[AzBob_imp]

The downside to dropping more than one gear at a time, is that the blip amount is different, so you need to coordinate that, and the muscle memory is harder to develop than if you drop just one gear each time and therefore need to blip the same amount for each gear change.

[Ulvetanna_imp]

The downside to dropping more than one gear at a time, is that the blip amount is different, so you need to coordinate that, and the muscle memory is harder to develop than if you drop just one gear each time and therefore need to blip the same amount for each gear change.

Not only that but every bike is different. I hardly ever use that technique on the street. The track is more predictable and RPMs much higher.

[offroadfx4_imp]

I think the hard part for me, or the skill part I think I've mastered is being on the front brake hard while blipping and down shifting without letting the blip interfere with braking control.
I love it really, two brakes, throttle, clutch and shifting gears all at the same time....I feel like it's a behind the back slam dunk ;-)

[Ulvetanna_imp]

I think the hard part for me, or the skill part I think I've mastered is being on the front brake hard while blipping and down shifting without letting the blip interfere with braking control.
I love it really, two brakes, throttle, clutch and shifting gears all at the same time....I feel like it's a behind the back slam dunk ;-)

[quail_imp]

This "locking" of gears happens nearly every time I have to make a sudden stop (on whatever bike) and don't have time to shift down through the gears. It's quite normal due to motorcycle transmission design as has been explained.
While I'm at a stop I go though a series of clutch engagement and release all the while moving down through the gears until I get to first.
Nothing to worry about.

Thank you Rocky, My bike is about to go out of warranty, just wanted to know if it was normal. I get to ride 1 - 2 days a week if life goes perfect. Most of the time it is at night after working 12+ hours. I find it quite easy to find myself stopped in 4-5-6 gear. My 60 year body does not respond to fast to my 60 year old brain. I would beat my left foot for not trying harder on the CB but it would just make me limp. I also ride a 650 Burgman when my wife wants to go along. I also hit the brake (located where the clutch is on a motorcycle) on the Burgman at times when I drive it in manual trans mode, thats makes the heart beat a little faster.

[GianCarlo_imp]

Two times now i have had to come to a quick stop on the freeway after riding 70-80 mph for a period of time. Both times I stopped only using the brakes. When I tried to shift down through the gears to 1st while stopped while waiting to take off, the trans would hang up between gears ( I say between because the shift light looks like " - "). It was very hard to get it back down to 1st. Does anyone know why?

Have you ever shifted from sixth gear into first gear on a motorcycle while at a dead stop before? Motorcycle transmissions don't work like car transmissions. Constant mesh (motorcycle) transmissions don't work like this. The gears need to be rotating to allow them to properly engage and disengage. The gears have dogs that interlock with each other and they need to be rotating to properly align the dogs.

Really? After riding a 91' Tenere, a '79 Bonnie, a '95 Trident, two '9x Harleys, 5 '82-00 Laverdas (all kinds of Twins and Triples), 2 '62 Velocettes, '12 VFR1200, '03 KTM EXC, I must say what You describe as a default issue with all motorcycle gearboxes I have never experienced, but do so on my '18 CB1100RS, new. Sure MC-boxes are not Car-gearboxes, but there's no reason why a well maintained bike can't switch through gears, one by one without releasing the clutch or tricking your way through. Sure, finding neutral can be a pain on some models, if you're not used to it, sometimes even then.

Just with pulling the clutch fully I can't downshift in a row (4-3-2-1), without push-pull playing with the clutch from 4th to 1st, lesser from 6th to 1st. It always gets stuck at one or more points, so I release the clutch a bit and pull it again for the next switch. New bike - yeah, I know - run-in. Really? Again, no other needed a gearbox run-in. How weak is that material that it wears in so much, sorry.

Ok, I'll allow the bike to surprise me, now with an oil-change and some adjustments 1000km we'll see how it turns out.

thx
regards,

[GianCarlo_imp]

This "locking" of gears happens nearly every time I have to make a sudden stop (on whatever bike) and don't have time to shift down through the gears. It's quite normal due to motorcycle transmission design as has been explained.
While I'm at a stop I go though a series of clutch engagement and release all the while moving down through the gears until I get to first.
Nothing to worry about.

exactly my experience. and it to be a default feature of gearboxes is just blah! No proof found on any of my bikes. You can always switch through the box at a stop, whatever happened before. Only laggy old boxes may fail on abrupt and very rough handling (racing vibrations, etc.).

If that doesn't go away after the inspection I'll return the bike. No need for expensive bikes that work like an unrefined .ch/.in commuter.

[DaSwami_imp]

My Suzuki DR650 (first bike) does not like to downshift through all the gears with a single pull of the clutch as I approach a light, so I quit doing it. I downshift into every gear as I slow to stop, with one clutch pull per shift. Works great! I see no reason to change