adrenalinejunkie20

I'm diggin the websites. Helps tremendously. And I'll definately be looking for cornerworking classes. Since you have been a wealth of information, I have another question if you don't mind. The blip technique calls for engaging the clutch after each shift. I know this is because sequential transmissions need to be reloaded, but why? Any ideas?

Edit my last post, use the blip to save your clutch. I actually clutchless upshift, and my understanding is that helps save the plates too. I have the factory book for my bike, but it doesn't even mention things like the gear position sensor, or even the FI light. My owner's manual had more in it than the factory manual. The manual does give some steps, but not pictures for the specially educated, such as myself. Maybe I have the wrong one? It's a cd-rom adobe version. Anyway, thanks for your help racer. I noticed you did a lot of cornerworking, and I am quite sure that it helps with your riding, any advice?

That's true. And if I understand the mechanics of it properly, cracking the throttle open will cause the front forks to settle, but you must gradually apply more throttle while decreasing your lean angle(rolling the throttle while standing the bike up). If you snap the throttle open, it causes the forks to extend, thereby widening your line, and you could go off track, or in extreme cases, highside. Anyone please correct me if I am wrong.

Well, believe it or not, all you had to say was, "If you don't use the blip technique, you'll chew up the gears." Enough said, that works for me. However, I did thoroughly enjoy the read. I'm a bit of a grease monkey myself, although I'm not a tranny rebuilder in the least. Maybe this is why it helps me to be a better rider, because I understand what you said. Anyway, thanks for that post. Awesome stuff. And I'm looking for a tech manual for my bike, any thoughts on the Clymer?

Thanks for the reply 2big. For some reason, when I can understand the engineering of things, it makes it easier for me. My bike does have a slipper, but I didn't think that it would make such a difference. I've been spending a lot of attention wondering if I was getting the technique wrong, when I may have been getting it right all along. Just once more to clarify then. Hypothetically(just focusing on the blip technique, and minus other factors like trailbraking), if I'm coming down a fourth gear straight approaching a second gear turn, when I reach my braking point I would: 1. Roll off the gas. 2. Apply the brake. 3. Disengage clutch. 4. Blip throttle, shift down. 5. Engage clutch. 6. Disengage clutch. 7. Blip throttle, shift down. 8. Engage clutch. 9. Release brake. 10. Make steering change. 11. Roll on the throttle. Something similar at least right?

I finally found the original thread where Keith covers the technique, and it brings up more questions. I believe that I have the right hand action down, meaning I can adjust(or maintain pressure of) the brake lever any way that I want while blipping the throttle. But I guess that my busy little brain has to understand the whole point, the mechanics of, the importance of the throttle blip. I'm reading that it makes it easy on the tranny, gearbox, etc., and if that's the case, I'll do it just to save parts. But how is it making downshifting smooth? I'm just not seeing it while I ride. I can bang down the gears and it seems smooth enough to me. Am I not going fast enough or something to fully appreciate the technique? Or am I not doing it correctly and have nothing to compare it to?

This should clear things up a bit. I'll test it out and let you know how it goes. Thanks.

Not sure if the blip or slip in taught at CSS, because I've only done level one, but I have read in various places about the throttle blip technique, why it is used, etc, and I'm having some problems with it I think. I have been practicing it for weeks now, but there are still some things that elude me, and it is affecting my corner entry. I ride an inline four, so maybe the first question is the revs, and how high they should be. Not looking for specific numbers for a specific bike, just an average for an inline. Like a few hundred, or maybe 4 to 5 thousand per blip? Second question is the 'firing' order. The way I understand it is: 1. Disengage clutch and apply brake 2. Blip throttle(while maintaining brake pressure) while downshifting At this point there is some confusion. Do I: A. Engage clutch(how long does it take to smoothly do so? I shoot for about 1 sec tops), allowing engine to aid braking, clutch-blip-downshift, clutch-engine brake(repeating as necessary to proper gear) or B. Blip and downshift to necessary gear for that turn, then engage the clutch? I understand that certain turns require different things, and I'm by no means a MotoGP level rider, but it seems that all I see pro riders do is Option B, but I read that they are using Option A. Any guidance helps. Third question. The chatter associated with blipping, is it the thunk of the rear wheel hopping across the pavement, or the clack clacking of the gears not meshing when I downshift? By this I mean that sometimes with a really hard drive in a low gear, say first, I'll attempt to shift to 2nd, and it will catch neutral or a false nuetral. I hear the whine, and when I go to upshift, clack clack clack, then it slips into gear. Is this the chatter that blipping technique is supposed to prevent? If so, it seems that sometimes it doesn't work, due to some fault of my own perhaps. Maybe I'm not upping the revs enough to match the engine spin, or I'm missing a step, or my timing is off. I know all the steps of the blip are supposed to happen almost simultaneously, I'm just not sure where I'm going wrong, and I would rather not tear up my bike trying to figure it out on my own. Also, is it one blip while conducting a downshift, or multiple blips per downshift? If the chatter that blipping prevents is back-end chatter of the rear wheel hopping along, wouldn't smoothly re-engaging the clutch solve this problem, which you do anyway? Thanks.

Another newbie putting in his two cents. My personal preference of steering has changed dramatically since learning to "countersteer". I thought I knew what I was doing for the past two years of riding, then I went and did the steering drill at Lvl 1 in Laguna. It turns out that I have been "dirtbiking" it around, pushing the bike underneath me, in effect adding more and unnecessary lean angle. The "countersteering" concept I learned with that drill, pushing right steers right etc, was completely foreign to me for days after that. However, it has started to become natural. What has made a HUGE difference however, has been my body position. I've had to force myself, and still having to force myself, is to hold myself up with my abs/core, and steer with relaxed arms, making it much easier to countersteer. This also adds wonders for braking. I think that the sensation you are feeling Fierygix, is that you are adding pressure to the outside bar to subconsciously counteract the unneeded pressure you are applying to the inside bar. I myself have (sometimes still do) this. Once the steering action is completed, and the throttle is rolled on, I have found that NO further steering input is needed(unless correcting for road hazards while on the street). I have had an extremely hard time making myself not "fight" the bar, or maintain pressure on either side, strong or weak, during a turn, especially while I'm rolling the throttle. However, once I remember to ease off the bar, I can clearly see that all that input after the intial "quick flick" was not needed at all. I use the push-pull technique, not sure why, except that maybe it adds confidence or something. I have noticed this though, and Keith goes over it in his books, but I catch my SR's firing up on my 'weak' side when I get in hot, and I notice that I deathgrip the bar through the entire corner. You might be experiencing this of some sort. On the next time around, or the next "weak side" turn, I slow it up a bit, so that I can focus on my control actions, and not spend my attention "dollars" on speed, braking, etc., and my survival reactions don't flare up, I don't deathgrip the bar, and the corner goes much smoother.