Downshifting a motorcycle and revs question?

Question

So I was practicing today going at 55mph and shifting all the way up. I don't think I have a problem upshifting because I can hear the engine asking me to do it. the problem I have is downshifting. doing it on 3rd and 2nd is easy because all the revs stay between 2 and 4.

when I was on 6th and would downshift to 5th I didn't really know how to do it and the engine would sometimes make weird noises or do that weird sudden push. So can someone please tell me how do downshift properly..do I listen to the motor? do I look at the rpm's or speed?

If you wanna throw in the rpm's for the upshifting that would be nice too, since I only know them for up to 3rd gear and the rest I do by sound

Answer 1

people dont usually look at rpm to downshift. you need to  downshift when

1 -  you need more power/acceleration (say overtaking/climbing a hill)

2 -  you want to slowdown your bike (you are approaching a redlight or going downhill)

3 - you are going so slow that the engine rpm is going down the operating range (engine choking)

4. ?

But the basic idea is to keep the engine running at the right rpm range (where you have maximum torque). If you are running at low rpm you might want to downshift and bring it up to the powerband.

What you need to do? Read your bike manual, findout the correct rpm range for your bike. If you are running at the lowest limit and you need more power, downshift, or if you are again going below that limit downshift. But you dont need to check the needle if you get used to the engine sound. Listen to the engine carefully, feel the rpm though your body (hand thigh etc)

There are certain techniques like "rev matching". This will make your shifting smoother and you can downshift even at higher rpms.

Answer 2

The former answer is good, so just to add.. there is a large range between lugging the engine and running at an rpm that 'tells' you it's time to shift. Down shifting to pass or to help braking (not a good idea) aside, I think you are simply down shifting at too high an rpm. You should not be trying to enjoy the same 'rush' in downshifting you feel while accelerating. You need to 'match' rpms to mph so there is little or no jerk as you let the clutch out. This is more feel than watching tach. I know a lot of riders like to 'back down' the motor for whatever reason... it's just not good practice.

Answer 3

For all you squids out there that think you can "graduate" from a 600cc to a literbike in six months, this is a very pertinent question!  this is what it's like to actually LEARN the capabilities of your bike instead of simply twisting the throttle to go fast in a straight line.

To answer your question, I'll tell you what I do.  Generally, I like to keep my RPMs above 6000 since that's where my ZZR600 is happiest (above 9000 is when it wakes up).  Your revs sound low to me, but your bike is different.

If I'm downshifting while riding along, i.e. taking a freeway exit, I just let the bike slow itself down, pull in the clutch & downshift, then let the clutch out slowly to maintain approximately the same speed, using the throttle as necessary.

If I'm bombing into a corner, I'll approach a 2nd gear turn in 5th, brake hard until I'm a few feet from turn-in, then at the SAME TIME I will:

- continue braking with the front only

- blip the throttle

- pull in the clutch

- downshift the bike

and repeat until I'm in the gear I want when I turn in.  If I do it right, the bike stays settled, the blipping keeps the revs where they need to be for each gear, and there's no jerking around.  If I'm slowing from, say, 5th gear, the revs are usually around 4k - 5k when I start downshifting, if that helps you.

Yes, it takes LOADS of practice to get it down correctly, and it took me a long time to learn the coordination to do it all at the same time.  My advice is to try it slowly at first, because you have to do them SIMULTANEOUSLY or it won't work right.  Once you start figuring it out, you'll love it!  Good luck.