When stopping or making a turn, you need to downshift your motorcycle to enable smooth turns and stops. The task requires time and practice to learn the skill for seamless gear downshifting.
So, how to downshift on a motorcycle? Release the throttle and apply brakes slowly as you engage the clutch lever by pulling it in. Use your foot to downshift the gear and then release the clutch slowly as you blip the throttle. Balance the throttle and the selected gear by ensuring the motorcycle’s road speed and the engine RPM are equal.
In this article, we shall discuss the steps of downshifting your motorcycle safely and smoothly. In addition, we shall also share tips and safety precautions to consider when downshifting.
How To Downshift On A Motorcycle – Step By Step Procedure
Downshifting a motorcycle is a skill that only becomes better with practice in different road terrains. However, there is a simple technique you can follow to learn the skill and then improve it with time.
To downshift your motorcycle, follow the techniques below.
Step 1: Release The Throttle Slowly
Before downshifting, always ensure the motorcycle’s road speed and the engine RPM are balanced to prevent skidding.
To achieve that, release the throttle to reduce the power transmitted to the engine to lower the engine’s RPM to balance with the motorcycle’s road speed.
Step 2: Apply The Front Brakes And The Rear Brakes
To also achieve a balance between the engine and the motorcycle’s road speed, you need to slow down the motorcycle’s speed. Apply the front brakes using your fingers as you release the throttle.
For efficient braking, apply the rear brakes using the foot pedal. Balanced front and rear braking affects how long motorcycle tires last by preventing skidding.
Step 3: Engage The Clutch Lever By Pulling It In
Engage the clutch lever by pulling it in to disengage the transmission system from the engine and allow for a smooth selection of the gears.
Step 4: Downshift The Gear Using Your Foot
To downshift the motorcycle, use your foot to shift the gear lever. You can step on the front end of the gear lever using your toes.
You will feel a click sound when you have successfully downshifted the gear lever. In some motorcycles, you can install a quick shifter for faster and smooth clutchless gear downshifting.
Wondering what is a motorcycle quick shifter? It’s an electronic shifting gadget that allows for faster and effortless gear shifting by a push or pull mechanism.
Step 5: Release The Clutch Lever Slowly To Engage The Selected Gear
Now, it’s time to engage the transmission system with the engine on the newly selected gear. Slowly release the clutch as you also release the brakes for a smooth acceleration.
To avoid wear and tear on the transmission system, release the clutch slowly after the motorcycle has picked in motion for around 5 seconds.
Releasing the clutch should be balanced to ensure a smooth engagement of the selected gear. The release should not be too fast to avoid chugging, and it shouldn’t be too slow since the engine will rev.
Step 6: Throttle Up The Motorcycle To Accelerate With The Selected Gear
After fully releasing the clutch, the selected gear is engaged and ready for the ride. Throttle up the motorcycle to ensure a balance between the engine’s RPM and the motorcycle’s road speed.
Repeat the process to downshift to another gear for a different powerband, depending on the task you want to perform with your motorcycle.
Below is a video on how to downshift on a motorcycle.
Why Is Efficient Downshifting Crucial for Motorcycles?
Downshifting is a crucial skill that motorcycles require for various undertakings. This skill requires one to perform it efficiently and smoothly to avoid causing damage to the engine and the gear levers.
Efficient downshifting is crucial for the following reasons.
- Downshifting engages the engine to slow down the motorcycle instead of solely relying on the brakes.
- It also helps to maintain the motorcycle’s stability, especially on downhill slippery roads with maximum control.
- Efficient downshifting is vital in avoiding the upsetting of the chassis.
- The skill involves the timing, precision, and balance of the road speed to the engine speed. This is achieved by tuning the throttle and the brakes as you slowly engage the clutch.
- Once the engine speed equals the road speed, you can now engage the clutch and downshift. Such will ensure no skidding of the rear wheel.
Tips And Safety Precautions To Consider When Downshifting A Motorcycle
For a safe and smooth downshifting on a motorcycle, consider the following tips for safety.
- Always check the speed of the motorcycle’s road speed and the engine RPM to ensure a balance with the gear to be engaged.
- Always downshift your motorcycle before making a turn or while stopping. Downshifting at such points allows your motorcycle to engage in the right power band.
- When approaching a stop sign, downshift from high-speed gears to low-speed gears individually until you stop.
- Keep your wrist in a lower position on the handlebar while downshifting to allow for handling of both the brakes and the throttle.
- You don’t have to pull in the clutch lever entirely; you can pull it into a point just enough to allow a smooth gear transition.
FAQs
Read the following frequently asked questions to better understand how to downshift on a motorcycle.
Q: How Long Does It Take To Learn How To Downshift On A Motorcycle?
Like any other skill, downshifting requires time and practice to master. Some people are slow learners and may take up to 1 week to practice the skill. Others may take less than a day to learn downshifting depending on their trainers and ease of understanding new skills.
However, downshifting a motorcycle should be treated as a continuous skill learning that gets better with time.
Q: Is It Okay To Downshift More Than One Gear At The Same Time?
Yes. You can downshift multiple gears at the same time if proper techniques are applied. However, if you are not experienced, it is advisable to downshift single gears and allow time for them to engage.
Multiple downshifting requires experience and precision to avoid wear and tear on the transmission system and clutch.
Conclusion
Downshifting your motorcycle allows one to engage the right gear for the required power, especially when starting on hilly terrain. It also helps when making a turn or approaching the red lights, and you need to stop.
Learning the downshifting skill requires practice, and you should avoid accessing busy highways if you are not yet experienced. You can learn the downshifting skills using the above guidelines or visit a driving school for specialized training.