Hi, I'm a new rider and I'm not sure if this is bad or not but I have been driving and when there is a red light I just hold my clutch and brake gradually and just pop my gear by the speed down to neutral without letting go of my clutch. Is this a bad thing? Sorry, new rider just bought my 06 F4i the other week

 

Can't see what harm it could do, on long reds I always switch to neutral but do also let go of the clutch.

Also, welcome to the forum, don't remember seeing your nick in the new member area so pop in and say hello, U might also want to tell us where you're from (but don't have to) cause you might just live next door to another member or a very cheap spare part you've been looking!

 

Two words that you need to learn.... Engine braking. Nail that and you'll have a safer ride all round... Plus it sounds mean haha

 

Why is engine-braking safer? In a car or a bike I never use it. I always thought I would rather put a little extra wear on my brakes than my transmission. My brother's a believer in engine-braking but I just don't see the benefit.

 

With engine breaking, your wheels do not lock up. Growing up in the snowy/icy Midwest, that's one of the 1st things you learn when going down hill on slick roads.

 

Brakes are for stopping, engines are for going. Generally speaking...
In extreme circumstances, like keeping from locking up brakes, engines can help a bit.

That being said, downshifting through the gears is good to keep the rpms up so you can accelerate and be in the power band sooner.

Make sure that if you're going to coast to a stop in neutral, you leave it in an appropriate gear until you get to the 2 range. If you should need to put it back in gear sooner than you thought, you can just release the clutch and go. Your bike won't like you going from N to 2nd at 75mph. In a car, you can just select a gear. In a sequential gear trans, you must go through 2 to get to 3 to get to 4.

 

I use the brake as little as I can; engine braking skill is a very good thing to learn and master, IMO more than regular brakes.

Brakes, who needs them; they only slow you down.
-Snuffy Smith

 

Every skill is good to master, especially on a bike! There is a fine art to all of it....

 

brakes are for stopping, engines are going. i engine brake every once in a while but I would much rather save some wear and tear on the motor and put it on the brakes. But if I was rich I would engine brake everything haha

 

You're still putting wear on your transmission when you don't use engine braking...


If your rear wheel is spinning, the engine's counter shaft is spinning inside the motor. With your engine at idle, your oil pump isn't pumping as much as it normally would for that counter shaft spinning under normal engine operating conditions.


So, at best case scenario, it's a wash as far as the motor. You're putting more wear on your brakes and not gaining anything with your motor...

I'm not saying you're going to trash your motor by rolling in neutral, I'm just saying that it's not going to "save" your motor from wear and tear by coasting to a stop in neutral.


Use engine braking, your motors aren't made of glass. It gives you added braking, more control, and it can help you if you decide not to come to a complete stop for some reason.

There's a reason that people who end up towing a motorcycle (however stupid you think it is to do) always disconnect the chain from the rear wheel before doing so.