It is essential to ride safely, protecting from severe road accidents.
Most riders are unaware that there are three brakes in motorcycles, one in the front brake, the other in the rear brake and the last one is the engine. This is where engine braking motorcycle comes into play.
You might be familiar with engine braking but you do not know the meaning behind engine braking motorcycle.
Engine Braking Motorcycle
What Is Engine Braking?
Engine braking occurs when the forces within an engine use to slow down the vehicle. As opposed to using external braking mechanisms such as friction brakes or magnetic brakes.
If the rider applies less throttle, it would take a while to maintain a constant speed of the internal moving parts of the engine. This friction applies to the rear wheel causing the motorcycle to slow down.
Engine braking works by riding at a constant speed while closing the throttle. The engine will fight back the bike’s motion and will drag the motorcycle to a slower speed. This slowing down occurs by adding a downshift which forces the engine to increase the speed and the drag rises.
Why do Riders apply Motorcycle Engine Braking?
Now you know the definition of motorcycle engine braking. But do you know why riders apply engine braking? There are certain reasons behind the benefits of engine braking motorcycle.
Such reasons mention below:
– Engine braking has formed a habit from driving a standard-transmission car, where it can be a good place to practice on an extreme condition.
– Engine braking creates an impressive and cool sound on the road in which you can hear the sound of the engine.
– It has become a challenging skill.
– It saves from wearing of the brake pads.
– Engine braking makes the rear wheel locking less likely than using the rear brake. This works on such conditions where you want to apply brakes using the rear wheel.
Reasons not to do Engine Braking Motorcycle
Engine braking provides with benefits but can also become a pitfall if not handled carefully. Since motorcycle engine braking allows advantages during the ride. There are several reasons not to go for engine braking on the road.
Such drawbacks mention below:
– Engine brake causes the engine to wear off. Brakes pads were supposed to wear and replace, engines are not.
– Engine braking applies to the braking force to the rear wheel. Engine brake of the rear wheel is not much important as much the front wheel applies for braking.
– Engine braking will not work the light on in which you should let the car behind you to know you are slowing down.
– You do not hear racers do engine braking very often.
Difference between Downshifting and Engine Braking
There was quite a confusion between downshifting and engine braking. Many riders make a misconception that downshifting is the same as engine braking. But the truth is, there is a minor difference between the two.
To unwrap the misconception between the two, there are two types of engine braking. The first was the earlier definition of engine breaking motorcycle by applying less throttle for riding at a constant speed. When you release the throttle, the speed of the bike slows down. The second type of engine braking is shifting into a lower gear. This second type refers to as downshifting.
Do keep in mind that engine braking and downshifting does not mean the same thing and engine braking may not involve downshifting.
Is Engine Braking Motorcycle Bad?
Many riders asked whether engine braking is bad for the bike or not. The simple answer is no. The reason behind it is that engine braking has benefits to save from wearing of the brake pads and riding in extreme conditions.
One of the best ways to deal with engine brake is to use a combination of engine braking and traditional braking.
If you anticipate a situation in the road, this will allow you to slow down at the right duration by using a combination of engine braking. This combination will help you to slow down naturally by reducing brake wear and cutting down of fuel consumption. Using your disc brakes will keep you in good control and alert other road users by applying the brakes gently.
Should I use Engine Braking during my Ride?
Every rider use engine braking at a certain road situation, using engine brakes is a means of slowing down instead of using the brakes.
The answer is no, the reason behind it is that when using the brakes you have the full control of your bike.
Engine braking motorcycle can bring danger to other road users due to the absence of the braking lights. You must be visible to other road users while riding and slowing down without the brake lights would cause a fatal road accident. It is advisable not to apply engine braking without the brake lights.
How to do Downshifting and Engine Braking on a Motorcycle?
Engine breaking motorcycle requires courage and patience to control the speed and the brakes while hitting on the road. If you want to know how to do downshifting and engine brake, just follow the instructions below:
- Pull the clutch in and make sure the RPM (Rotation per Minute) is not too high. When pulling the clutch, make sure you check your tachometer and listen carefully to the sound your bike makes. This varies from one motorcycle to another.
- Downshift one gear. If you are at second gear, shift your gear down to the first gear. If you are in fourth gear, shift down to the third gear.
- Then release the clutch slowly. This helps to ensure a smooth transition between the gears. If you let it go quickly, you will get a jerky action of slowing down.
- After releasing the clutch, the motorcycle will slow down naturally with the use of engine braking.
Conclusion
Here is the informational guide about engine braking motorcycle. You can see it is important to control the brakes for ensuring a smooth ride. The definition of engine braking has helped riders to know the best time to apply the engine brakes. The misconception between downshifting and engine braking has shown a minor difference between the two. Ensuring a safe ride means applying the brakes at the right duration.
So apply the brakes safely and have a safe ride!
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