Motorcycle Riding Basics : Motorcycle Riding: Down Shifting

When riding a motorcycle, make sure to grab the clutch and push down with the foot in order to down shift. Learn more about down shifting on a motorcycle from an experienced motorcyclist in this free sports bike video.

Expert: Jared Cummings
Bio: Jared Cummings, age twenty, has been riding motorcycles all his life. He is on a professional stunt team called Teamed Skar. He knows how to do many different amazing stunts.
Filmmaker: Caleb Labarda

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• motorcycles
• motorcycle stunts
• stunts

[ManOfMeans]

hmm, why did the vid cut out before the end?

[darkknight17]

That will lock your rear wheel. It's VERY DANGEROUS. Downshift, and release clutch. As the revs jump, engage clutch and downshift again and release clutch.

You should ALWAYS do it this way. In and you should NEVER engage the clutch in 3rd gear and drop two into 1st gear etc.

[darkknight17]

@TechHost Never drop two gears i.e go from 3rd straight into 1st gear.

Or try it and see what happens.

[TechHost]

@darkknight17 please explain

[0xxsapxx0]

when i downshift, i release the clutch very slow with a lil throttle to adjust the speed n to avoid lockin the rear tire plus sometime when at high speed or i need to immediate stop , i use the front brake while down so.

[kinwai27271]

@stevieman38 okay, thx for replying!

[stevieman38]

@kinwai2727 You should rev your throttle when you are down shifting as long as you have your clutch in :) It saves the engine a little.

[abnercalegari]

@gingham1300 That advice is debatable.. It may throw the weight off for a bit, which may cause the rider to lose balance. Just use the brakes, that's what they are there for....

[kinwai2727]

Hello, if I don't know when I should blip the throttle while downshifting, can I just blip it anyway? Is it dangerous?

[TheSkizsus]

I would like to say that engine braking is very useful , but knowing when to do it and when not is good. cause the chick on the phone behind you ant paying attention any way so its best to let her no your slowing down. what i do is give it a little back brake when i engine brake. just so the light come on . if there is no one behind you then obviously it really don't matter . but to say never use this technique , is wrong that's just bad riding .

[gingham1300]

UHHH, might talk about watching your six when downshifting to slow down...cars behind won't see brake lights.

[EugeneF15]

@MrChila86 Downshifting without the clutch is bad, never do this. Upshifting is fine as long as your chopping the throttle in the process and you don't have to force the shifter into gear. If your bike has a slipper clutch that will allow you to downshift without needing to rev match the engine to the transmission with throttle blips. Never downshift to slow your bike down it is a bad habit and will prob get you killed in an emergency situation. So is using the rear brake.