Throttle Blipper

[Oaf]

I'm not a blipper but I wanna be. I've been driving standard transmissions of different kinds for 15 years or so but I've never gotten the hang of blipping the throttle on the down shift. Mostly it's because I tend to want max engine braking when slowing down and letting the clutch out slowly does that. Also, on the few occassions I've tried blipping I've gotten the timing wrong, or I rev too much or just get so focused on it that I botch the rest of the downshift.

Well today was blippin' good day. I made myself do it every time I down shifted and now I've pretty much got it nailed. Unfortunately I don't think I describe what makes the difference between a good blip and a bad one. If I think about it too much I get it wrong. It seems to be another muscle memory kind of thing. Practise makes perfect.

Anyone else used to not rev matching on the way down?

[mike-s]

i used to do it heaps, still trying to get used to it on the new bike. I can usually do it, sometimes id male rooster it up thou. but indeed practice makes eprfect

[Ext1jdh]

As with typing

[mike-s]

i knew of the pottymouth autoedits, but i didnt think it'd catch that rather minor word out, oops!

[edit] now this whole convo isnt going to make sense as i edited my original reply[/edit]

[Apertureguy]

Blippin? What the heck is Blippin? Maybe I just need another cup of coffee?

[mike-s]

downshifting, clutch still in, goose the throtle ever so lightly asyou let the clutch out. engine speeds up and helps make the downchange a bit smoother.

[Apertureguy]

Oh...thanks Mike!

Yeah...I do that....it's nice having the torque on the tires.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by Apertureguy

it's nice having the torque on the tires.

Is that like Armor All? Do you pour it on? What kind of packaging does that come in?

Or is it something you pick up riding in rural areas?

[Apertureguy]

I've been known to pour it on quite frequently...Like a teenager with no sense of smell and a full bottle of aftershave.

[Uncle B]

I was wrong on my thoughts of blipping the throttle.
quote downshifting, clutch still in, goose the throtle ever so lightly as you let the clutch out. engine speeds up and helps make the downchange a bit smoother.quote
To me that is a normal downshift.

I took blipping the throttle as down shifting not using the clutch at all just RPM's.
Tell how country I am.=LOL

[SuzGS500]

Originally Posted by 82_GS1100GK-06_C50T

I took blipping the throttle as down shifting not using the clutch at all just RPM's.

That sounds like a horrible idea. I learned to shift by blipping the throttle so it seems natural to me, I though that was the way everybody did it.

[D_Klein]

Blipping is half hearing and half muscle-memory (inherently knowing how far to move the throttle). Nailing down stuff like that is part of what makes riding enjoyable for me.

[dcstrng]

Except for possibly allowing for a slightly softer clutch reengagement, blipping the throttle on a ratchet-shift transmission (99.999% of the bikes) does nothing that easing off a little more slowly on the throttle won’t do, a whole lot quieter...

Blipping the throttle on a gated transmission as in a car/truck/tractor allows for double-clutching through the neutral gate, but that option isn’t available (or necessary) for any modern motorcycle I’m aware of... blipping the throttle sounds racy, but accomplishes little except to give the scoot a charge of raw gas – assuming the acceleration fuel circuit is functioning normally... Better to spend time learning how to shift without a clutch (something even heavy bike transmissions do very well... generally), saves the clutch, transmission and the neighbor dogs’ ears... <grin> Up shifting without a clutch takes no special talent – smooth downshifting, however, may take some practice depending on the bike, as well as whether the scoot’s clutch has a torque-reversion feature...

[Louis]

I do it sometimes but not on a regular basis. Unless I downshift to pass someone but on normal deceleration I don't do it.

[drgibson]

Everybody sing along...

I'm a bliper, he's a bliper, wouldn't you like to be a bliper too.

[mike-s]

its not just to save the gears, its for smoothness all around, let the clutch out slowly does allow it to go down, bit it does change the dynamics of the bike and also make for a slower downshift. blipping smooths out a gearchange and seems to make it a bit faster. i.e. i've accidentally compression locked my rear slightly when i let the clutch out too fast, never really had that problem with blipping (when i got it right)

each to their own, i;ll continue blipping as it works for me and that's all that really is important i guess.

[dcstrng]

accidentally compression locked my rear slightly...

Yeah, no question that whacking the clutch with a sizeable miss-match between engine speed and bike speed can overload the rear tire... your argument is a good one, and whatever technique works for a rider is what works...

My point (to the extent that there was one) is that the mechanical process between a ratchet bike transmission and the similar sounding (at least from exhaust note) procedure with a gated car box are mechanically polar opposites... with a car the throttle is blipped (typically during a heel and toe -- but also just to downshift heavy poorly/unsynchronized gears as in truck boxes) in neutral with the clutch engaged, to match the gears (typically spinning the countershaft with its gears -- or assisting in matching the speeds of the synchronizer clutches/dogs), the clutch is then disengaged a second time to go to the desired gear... with most modern bikes the gears are always in mesh anyway and the “blip” is doing little more than spinning the disengaged clutch-basket while doing nothing mechanically in the transmission... but many riders swear by it, so...

[Uncle B]

1. Downshifting smoothly on a sportbike, especially while braking hard from high speed, requires a definite measure of skill and dexterity. In order to avoid upsetting the bike, the engine rpm must be matched to road speed when the clutch is fully disengaged, otherwise the rear tire will momentarily “chatter” and upset the bike as the engine is forced to match road speed involuntarily. This means that the rider must “blip” the throttle to raise the engine rpm during downshifts-but he must do this while simultaneously pulling on the front brake lever to slow down. While this riding skill is obviously necessary on the racetrack, it can also pay big dividends in street-riding situations where riding smoothly is a must; for instance, any situation where you are cornering and braking at the same time.

2. The idea of blipping the throttle between downshifts can be intimidating for the uninitiated, but with a little practice, the technique can soon become second nature. First, make sure that your levers are adjusted so that they are comfortably in reach of your fingers when sitting in a normal riding position, and that your throttle is adjusted for minimal play in the cable. The front brake lever should be angled downward enough to be easily gripped with your hand in the closed throttle position. With the engine running in neutral, try blipping the throttle slightly while pulling firmly on the brake lever-note that it doesn’t take much throttle movement to get the revs up. Then practice simultaneously pulling and releasing the clutch quickly when you blip the throttle (remembering to continue pulling on the brake lever as if you were slowing for a corner).

3. The next step is to practice this technique while riding in a safe area with no traffic. As you brake and begin your downshift, simply perform the same practice drill as before, but add the act of downshifting. The action of blipping the throttle and the downshift should be simultaneous and quick, and it doesn’t take a whole lot of revs to match the engine to road speed; unless you’re riding at racetrack aggression levels, all it will require is a slight throttle blip. With practice, you’ll know just how much is necessary at various speeds. Note that mostly the palm of your hand handles the act of moving the throttle because your upper body weight is centered on your palms under braking anyway, and your fingers are busy actuating the brake and holding the bar. All it takes is a slight wrist movement to blip the throttle. You’ll find this will help avoid affecting your braking action due to influencing your fingers’ grip on the brake lever.

4. If you find that you still have problems with this technique, try adjusting your brake lever in so that it’s easier to reach (without hindering your ability to pull the lever in for maximum braking, of course). If you still have trouble, you will have to employ the “non-blip” method many racers (such as AMA perennial front-runner Eric Bostrom) still use. This simply means the clutch is released gradually after the downshift so that the engine rpms can progressively match road speed without the rear wheel chattering. The downside is that the rider loses the added engine braking while the clutch is disengaged and the bike “freewheels,” and he must compensate with the additional use of the brakes during this time. Also, it requires even more skill at manipulating and controlling the bike while simultaneously releasing the clutch lever slowly and gradually.