Double upshifts when going downhill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chris]

Did 135 miles today cruising around NW Georgia. Pretty good weather so I thought I should ride in Janaury while I can. Rain and cold coming so I snuck one in.

It occurred to me that many of you don't know you can double upshift when going downhill. Dosen't work at all going uphill, but going downhill it makes riding easier and smoother.
For example on a long downhill you could go first, third, fifth. Or 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th. Or 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th. No problem at all and, again, makes the ride a bit smoother.
This works OK on the level if you give it a few more revs and then double upshift. You will know if you like it on the level. But it works great going downhill. Try it and let me know.

Chris, retired guy near Atlanta
GZ250 is my 12th bike

[dan_]

I don't really get what your saying BUT I go up hills in fourth and shift to fifth going down.

[JWR]

Just skip a gear and use gravity..

On a big enough hill I use Georgia overdrive.

[alantf]

Hey JWR,
What's Georgia overdrive? I heard a reference to it in a country music trucking song, once. I didn't know what it meant then, & I still don't. (please let me know!)
There used to be a saying that " England & America are two countries separated by a common language" I think that it still holds true, as I notice quite a few things in the posts that are strange to me. It's great to see the different cultures, but sometimes a little baffling!
(re. the country music thing - it's always been my favourite music)

[patrick_777]

On a downhill slope, you disengage the transmission with the clutch or neutral and let gravity do the work.

[alanmcorcoran]

I thought this first post was an attempt at humor, but now I'm thinking it was actually serious.

To me, shifting is never a robotic 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 thing. When you are going downhill, uphill, have extra weight, have a stiff wind, trying to accelerate, trying to slow down, all of them have an impact on what gear is going to give you what you want. Some of it is also personal preference. I often "quadruple down-shift" when pulling up to a light (in town) as I generally am not going fast enough to warrant using the engine as a brake (plus I also find the engine braking to be unpredictable based on how warm the bike is, how my idle is doing, etc.) I guess wouldn't have considered this practice to be noteworthy or postworthy.

[JWR]

On a downhill slope, you disengage the transmission with the clutch or neutral and let gravity do the work.

Called... Knock it out John.....

Let it ROLL.....

[Chris]

Someone thought this was a joke???

This is a smooth and efficent way to ride when going downhill. Before you think it is a joke perhaps you should try it.
Someone said they had no problem doing a four or five gear downshift when coming into a stop light. And I do the same thing although I usually let the machine coast down easily. So why not skip a gear when going downhill?
Lets hear from someone (else) that has actually tried it before anyone says it is a joke. I'm riding 1000 miles a month and I do it on every ride.

Chris, retired in Georgia

[JWR]

I may be a little slow....but what post did you think was a joke?

From the location on my avatar you can coast about 3 miles down the hill.

We have coast races, no gas but a lot of brake.

[alanmcorcoran]

I thought it was a joke because it was presented as if it was a major discovery. (The !!!!!!!!!!!!!'s)

I only have six months of experience driving a motorcycle, but I've driven dozens of cars with manual transmissions (I sold used cars) and I have 40 years of experience on (manually shifted) bicycles. I don't ever recall thinking I had to use all the gears, in a row, all the time, or even regularly. In every vehicle, there were times (or gears) that, under certain circumstances, just didn't need to be visited. Sometimes second was sort of useless, sometimes third. One car I drove had 4 gears and an overdrive. Never used fourth.

There's 18 gears on my bicycle. I've skipped eight of 'em going downhill and vice versa. I know there's only five on the GZ, but, it's pretty much the same principal - if you are heading downhill, and you're at speed - get right to the gear you need.

To me, the post read like, "Hey guys, if you use the pedal brake with the hand brake, you'll slow down faster!"

Yes, you can skip gears. Especially when going downhill. Is this news to anyone? If so, I apologize.

[Chris]

I never presented this as a new discovery. I only thought that those that are a bit new to motorcycling might want to know about it. Perhaps those that are old to motorcycling have never tried it.

If anyone thinks this is a brand new discovery then I'll write a book and apply for my Nobel prize.

Chris near Atlanta

[Water Warrior 2]

Skipping a gear is quite convenient especially with a trans with close ratios.

[dan_]

I tried "georgia overdrive" today going down this bridge I cross.. I don't know if i did it wrong or what but I lost speed. Went up the hill in fourth going about sixty, started going down pulled in the clutch slowed down to about 55. Maybe I was doing it wrong. As soon as i noticed the loss in speed I let out the clutch. Ill try it again maybe it'll work better.

[patrick_777]

Are your brakes dragging?

[dan_]

Very good question. I don't think so. I recently adjusted my rear brake position and adjusted the thingy on the back too. But i'm pretty sure im good. Anyway I can make sure they're not dragging?

[alanmcorcoran]

I'm not from Georgia, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

This is a basic physics problem. Yes, gravity will pull you downhill, but your terminal velocity will be affected by air, or as you experience it, wind. If there was no atmosphere, a GZ could easily go 200 miles an hour with no mods. Well, if it had lower gearing. At top speed pretty much ALL of the engine work is going into pushing wind.

If you have a headwind going downhill and you are not using the engine to push against it, it is very possible you will slow down. If you have a windshield, all the more likely. If you don't weigh much, and have a windshield, even more likely.

Skydivers are going STRAIGHT down, and yet they can slow themselves to a manageable speed simply by pushing on a greater amount of air.

Chris' suggestion that you jump ahead to fifth, will be more effective in pushing the air out of the way than coasting.

[Water Warrior 2]

Just to expand on Alan's thoughts. How steep was the hill ? Maybe not steep enough to overcome the wind.
If you are worried about your brakes dragging just give them a touch test after a ride. They should/could be warm but not really hot enough to burn your fingers. Be careful though with the touch test.

[Easy Rider]

Very good question. I don't think so. I recently adjusted my rear brake position and adjusted the thingy on the back too. But i'm pretty sure im good. Anyway I can make sure they're not dragging?

Feel test as mentioned OR.......
How did you do the adjustment?
MUST get the back wheel off the ground to do it right.
Tighten the "nut" on the back until you can spin the wheel and just barely notice a drag; then loosen the nut until you just barely notice NO drag.

On the original subject: Could be wind, could be dragging brakes or dragging clutch OR it could be an optical illusion and when you thought you were going downhill, you really weren't !!

[dan_]

Well lets see i didn't prop up the back wheel. I moved the brake lever, then i adjusted the nut in the back, then i moved the brake lever again, and adjusted the nut in the back.. again. Closed the nuts on the break pedal. Road off into the sunset like a bad ass.

[Easy Rider]

Closed the nuts on the break pedal. Road off into the sunset like a bad ass.

Yep, I think the proper description includes the word "ass" but I'm not sure the first part should be "bad" !! :whistle:

You REALLY should re-check that adjustment. Dragging brakes can overheat and lock up........at the worst possible time. :skull:

[dan_]

Yep, I think the proper description includes the word "ass" but I'm not sure the first part should be "bad" !!

Obviously you have no idea how cool I really am! :smoke:
Like sunglasses at night cool.

You REALLY should re-check that adjustment. Dragging brakes can overheat and lock up........at the worst possible time.

So to do that I need to prop up the back wheel and spin it? Making sure it spins freely? What If it is catching? I have the nut by the back wheel in the absolute last position it can be in. Will I just have to deal with my break pedal being to high?

[Easy Rider]

You REALLY should re-check that adjustment. Dragging brakes can overheat and lock up........at the worst possible time.

So to do that I need to prop up the back wheel and spin it? Making sure it spins freely? What If it is catching? I have the nut by the back wheel in the absolute last position it can be in. Will I just have to deal with my break pedal being to high?

Spins freely, YES.

Something is wrong with your adjustment picture.......or at least my understanding of your picture.

The brake pad adjustment (nut at the back) and the pedal height adjustment need to done at the same time (along with the brake switch adjustment) but, DONE RIGHT, the two shouldn't interfere with each other.

At which end of the adjustment IS that back nut?
If it is screwed all the way IN, you could need new brake shoes.
If it is all the way OUT, then your front adjustments might be pulling the rod too much.
With new shoes, the nut should be almost all the way out (back) but not quite all the way.

A pedal height adjustment that is too LOW can result in considerable loss of rear breaking.

In your normal riding posture, the pedal should just barely touch the bottom of your shoe/boot.......or if that makes you nervous, just barely not touch it. ANY effort to operate the rear brake should make the pedal move immediately......not after moving your toe an inch or two.

It sounds more complicated that it is but, like many things, hard to explain without being there.

[dan_]

The Nut in the back is all the way out... Like touching the stopper thing.. ill put it on a block and take some pics tomorrow.

[Easy Rider]

The Nut in the back is all the way out... Like touching the stopper thing.. ill put it on a block and take some pics tomorrow.

That probably won't really help the discussion any. The 2D nature of a picture doesn't really do it justice; one needs the whole 3D perspective.

Having the adjustment there is OK if and ONLY IF:

1) the brakes are not dragging
2) the pedal is not too low (see previous message)
and
3) only a small pedal travel makes the brake start to engage......like 1 inch or less.

My guess is that your pedal is adjusted too low........but that might be necessary if you have long legs and/or big feet! :biggrin:

[dan_]

You know what they say about men with big feet...
Frickin' huge socks.