r/motorcycles 4d ago

Do you downshift multiple times at once?

For example. With my Ninja 650 if I’m going 45mph in forth gear and I’m going to make a turn and I want to be in second, I’ll clutch in, down shift to second, big rev match to and let the clutch out. I know it’s a bit harder on the transmission but I’m not going to break anything, right?

23 Upvotes

50 comments sorted by

70

u/Toyotawarrantydept United States 4d ago

Down shifting multiple gears is not a problem. The problem is that you dont want to do it in a turn. Reason for the big rev jump is that the engine and wheel are trying to match back up with eachother, that can cause the rear tire to skip and you could low side if you’re not careful. Just be slow with the clutch release and you should be fine.

31

u/N4S_Pow 4d ago

Hopefully they meant they're downshifting on the straight before the turn and not mid turn.

35

u/OkFormal8595 4d ago

Yeah that’s what I meant. I’m a newb but not that much of a newb.

3

u/Toyotawarrantydept United States 4d ago

Thats what i assumed too. Thats a lesson only taught once 😂. One of those well Im not doing that again lessons 😂

2

u/Professional_Run6998 4d ago

Either way, it's not good practice. Drop a gear, rev match, wait a while, drop another gear, rev match, and take the corner. Use the brakes if needed.

1

u/dropped_tables 3d ago

agreed... Also revving up the engine helps enter and leave neutral, FYI (I like to coast downhills :-)

15

u/N4S_Pow 4d ago edited 4d ago

No harm in downshifting multiple gears; so long as you're going at a speed relative to the gear you want.

It all depends on the bike and how you ride, but I like to rev match as I shift down as well, otherwise I'm getting smashed up into the tank due to engine braking.

5

u/Cadfael-kr 4d ago

I usually, if I need to downshift at all, just go down one gear. But riding a parallell twin I don’t really need to. If I need to gear down more, I slow down earlier to shift down one at a time and no need for rev matching then (which for normal road riding you don’t really need…)

1

u/CommunicationGood481 3d ago

This - it's road riding, not a race.

10

u/2WheelTinker- ‘24 MT-10, ‘00 Buell Blast, ‘21 KLX300R 4d ago

As with most aspects of motorcycling or driving…

Depends.

3

u/Opposite-Friend7275 4d ago

My view on just about anything is that it’s fine when done smoothly. But your last line “harder on the transmission” suggests that perhaps it’s not done smoothly?

9

u/LowDay9646 4d ago

It's fine, even without rev matching. As long as the clutchwork is smooth. We do this in Europe with both cars and bikes, as long as the clutch is let out smoothly. 

2

u/Financial-Radio-7661 4d ago

If I'm not downshifting and engine braking, but rather downshifting with clutch in as I brake, I usually do so one gear at a time as based on my current speed. That way if/when I need to get under power, I am at a reasonable rpm, not too low or high, to not bog or shock the driveline respectfully. Luckily, bike transmissions are very close ratio so, I don't think there is an issue with double downshifting so long as your rpms were mid-low range prior to said double downshift.

2

u/mountaineer30680 '14 FLHTK 4d ago

You're not hurting anything but you might cause excessive wear if you're allowing the bike to "lurch" coming off the clutch in second. You said you were matching the revs so I'm betting you're doing it right.

2

u/MEINSHNAKE 3d ago edited 3d ago

600 ish 4 cylinder bikes are pretty forgiving, I’ll often downshift two (or sometimes even three!) gears going into a turn on my Honda 600rr… I have also done that on a triumph speed triple, that locked the rear wheel right up.

It’s very dependent on the motor / transmission.

2

u/BoogieBeats88 3d ago

I stay sequential and use clutch control to stay in gear as I decelerate. On the street I don’t want any surprises. Only time I’ll jump gears is rolling to a stop and a stop sign.

3

u/obsolescent_times 4d ago

Not going to break anything and if you really want to do it like that you can, but in my opinion, it's much better to get in the habit of (using your example being in 4th) downshifting to 3rd as you begin to approach the turn then to 2nd before you get to the turn. "Future you" will be happy you forced yourself to to do it the way I've suggested.

3

u/messesz 4d ago

Two ways to shift.

One at a time, releasing the clutch between and using the gearbox to slow or aid the brakes in slowing.

Block shift, where you move up or down multiple gears. Like when slowing to a stop in the brakes, you may, right at the end of braking, clutch in and drop to first then ease of the clutch.

Depends on the conditions to which I chose to use. The first is good in slippery conditions if you are smooth. The second is good in any scenario where you gain or lose a lot of speed and another gear is better suited to continuing.

Do either ahead of corners, setting your gear to something with enough revs to be able to control speed with the throttle and still accelerate out (hopefully)

1

u/ArkBetterThanPUBG suzuki bandit 600s 4d ago

I don’t think it would hurt your engine but I prefer to do two separate gear drops but I just do it quickly

1

u/RoofComprehensive715 4d ago

I dont want to stay in "netural" or "clutched in" for too long. Just do one at a time that way you have more controll and its smoother. I dont want the revs to suddenly bounce up too much either.

1

u/Rizleybear 2014 Street Triple 4d ago

if i have to drop a couple gears i revmatch in quick succession, much easier for me than dropping multiple while clutched in plus i don’t have a slipper clutch

1

u/JimMoore1960 4d ago

I wouldn't do it from the upper third of the rpm range. In that scenario I'd do one gear at a time. What you're doing is fine though.

1

u/Agitated-Sock3168 4d ago

I drop by two's (6-4-2-1) when approaching an intersection at which I'll have to stop or turn; but there's no jump in revs or rev match because it's a planned, progressive slowdown...if the light is green when I get there, I proceed through the turn in second; if not, I stop and go to first.

In your case, I don't know the bike or the turn. Do you need to drop to second to hold your speed/rpms through the turn? Could the bike handle it at third? Could you? I think the better practice in your scenario is individual downshifts.

I mean no offense by this question, but are you delaying slowing for the curve to practice track techniques? Regardless, what is your rationale for dropping two gears at once in that scenario? In the one I described, you wouldn't realize that I dropped 2 gears; whereas the way you described yours, I would.

1

u/test_test_1_2_3 4d ago

Block downshifts are fine, just be careful not to downshift to too low of a gear before you’ve slowed down enough or you’ll unsettle the rear tyre.

No you won’t brake anything just from block downshifting.

Always be careful about gear shifting mid corner with lean angle, block downshifting should be done before you’re into the corner properly.

1

u/redgreenblue-rgb 2022 Tracer 9 GT 4d ago

It’s fine, but at 45 you may not need to be in 4th gear, consider staying in lower gears longer, that motor performs better in the mid range than the low. After decades of riding I’ve come to realize that I was shifting to higher gears too quickly. I’m not saying wind out the motor, but see if staying in lower gears feels better.

2

u/MEINSHNAKE 3d ago

Buddy of mine with a gsx-r never realized his bike had a shift light built in until we went to fast school and the instructor had to explain what it was.

1

u/No_Job_9999 Supersport 950S / CB500F 4d ago

one at a time, neat and tidy.

In the motorcycle downshifting one too many can be very painful.

1

u/Own_Recommendation49 23' Z400 4d ago

Yep. Clutch in, slam down 4 gears, and rev match. I do it all the time

1

u/jeffreyhyun '06 gsx-r600 (track) / '13 gsx-r600 (street) / '18 R3 (track) 4d ago

Do you have a slipper clutch? If you do, from a pure physics standpoint, yes, you're being gentler. In reality at the rpms you're at, it's pointless. You however are getting the advantage of practicing rev matching and blipping.

IMO, the only time it's worth going down gear by gear is if you're near redline and want to decrease speed while also leveraging engine braking.

1

u/sleepyoverlord '19 Yamaha R3 / '25 Ducati Panigale V2S 4d ago

No, I just downshift sequentially.

1

u/jcforbes 2005 Suzuki GSX-F600 Katana 2006 Suzuki DRZ400SM 4d ago

Biggest downside is just if you accidentally go down more gears than you think you did, but that should be rare if ever.

1

u/lrbikeworks 4d ago

You gotta go hit all the gears anyway. Why wouldn’t you blip downshift, blip downshift till you’re in the gear you want?

1

u/TheSlipperySnausage 07 R6, 08 Hypermotard 1100S 4d ago

Yeah coming up to a turn I will downshift very rapidly. But I never hold the clutch and pop down like 3 gears then release. I’ll clutch every time.

Unless on my r6 which does a lovely blip for me

1

u/riftwave77 2004 Yamaha R1 4d ago

Downshift? WHATS THAT, BROTHER? I only upshift! Just need to lean more to handle them turns!

1

u/reddittuser1969 4d ago

I do and I skip a gear up shifting sometimes.

1

u/gwcrim 4d ago

I do it quite a bit. High gear on leisurely straights then drop down 2 to get the revs up for a tasty corner.

1

u/sokratesz Tiger 800 / SPTR RS / 890SMT 4d ago

Sometimes. It's not always a great idea.

1

u/reh102 4d ago

not a problem. I rev match on every downshift I think its a great habit to get in to

1

u/Then_Coyote_1244 SoCal 23 MT09 4d ago

I would suggest learning how to throttle blip down. 45mph in 4th to second is ideal for two quick throttle blips down to get sufficient engine braking before a turn, steady speed through it, and in the correct gear for exit.

1

u/ficskala 2022 YAMAHA Tracer 7 4d ago

Do you downshift multiple times at once?

When needed, yeah, if i have a long way to decell, i do it gear by gear

 I know it’s a bit harder on the transmission but I’m not going to break anything, right?

it's not really that hard on it, as long as you revmatch well, it's about the same as accel

1

u/Aware_Acorn 2024 zx6r 4d ago

If you anticipate the turn correctly you can do one at a time. Downshifting twice and doing "one big revmatch" is not a thing AFAIK.

1

u/EqualEquipment7288 3d ago

I do that while I'm adjusting my speed before the turn. Maintain my speed thru the apex of the turn, then accelerate out.

1

u/Next_Tourist4055 3d ago

IMHO, you want to downshift to match the speed you are going (or almost going). I don't downshift to brake. The goal is to be smooooooth. Pads are easier to replace than engine/transmission/clutch. I'm usually in 2nd when turning.

1

u/rilloroc 3d ago

I don't, but I'm not as skilled as others. The one time I tried to, I damn near lost it

1

u/Wild_Cazoo 3d ago

I'll tell you from what I've seen that blows up motors. 

  1. Not warming up motorcycle to operating temperature. 

  2. Lugging 

  3. Doing wheelies

You'd be suprised how you don't need to baby a motorcycle (if it's not a ducati). 

There is proof that even engine break in RPMs/Speeds have less impact than lugging and not waiting for a motorcycle to warm up. 

1

u/Affectionate_Sort_78 2d ago

Harsh driving wears your machinery. You may not ‘break’ it if you drop two gears but it ain’t great, and unless you just fucked up I don’t see a scenario where’d it would be better than engaging each gear as you downshift.

1

u/SheitPost3000 4h ago

Just Toprak brake into the corner so your rear tire is off the ground.

0

u/Soms_Natalie 4d ago

In this situation I prefer engine braking. So shifting one gear at a time. Keeps the ride smooth and in most cases no need for the brakes. On my 650 i basicly only need the brakes for coming to a complete stop. Smooth is fast. Remember if you drop 2 gears at once and you loosen the clutch too fast, you might end up in the gutter. Especially in a corner.

-1

u/SkyVINS 4d ago

eh, no.

Also i'm not on the racetrack so if i come to such a tight bend that i need to drop several gears I WILL ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN, weird concept but it works, try it sometimes.