Changing Down

Chapperz

Chapperz

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Hi All,
After riding Jap bikes for 30yrs,(mostly Inline fours) I recently purchased my first GS1200. In the past, I have always been in the habit of `revvin` the throttle when droppin down a gear or slowin up to stop. I av always believed this was a correct way to change down. Since ridin the GS, it somehow doesn`t feel the rite thing for the `Boxer` engine! Any advise anybody please :confused:
 
Chapperz said:
Hi All,
After riding Jap bikes for 30yrs,(mostly Inline fours) I recently purchased my first GS1200. In the past, I have always been in the habit of `revvin` the throttle when droppin down a gear or slowin up to stop. I av always believed this was a correct way to change down. Since ridin the GS, it somehow doesn`t feel the rite thing for the `Boxer` engine! Any advise anybody please :confused:
Click to expand...

Bit lighter on the throttle. It'll be fine :thumb2

Actually lighter on everything :D


Val.

PS: Welcome aboard :)
 
I find a small blip on the throttle does help going down the box, just does not need as much as a jap four. As you are thinking just do what feels best :beerjug:
 
Hi chapperz a bit of a blip if you want just eases it through the gears easier sometimes , but you dont really need it with a gs , how are you finding the change of bike
 
Chapperz said:
Hi All,
After riding Japanese bikes for 30yrs,(mostly Inline fours) I recently purchased my first GS1200. In the past, I have always been in the habit of revving the throttle when dropping down a gear or slowing up to stop. I have always believed this was a correct way to change down. Since riding the GS, it somehow doesn`t feel the right thing for the `Boxer` engine! Any advise anybody please :confused:
Click to expand...

Timpo said:
WTF...... :nenau
Click to expand...

There you go try it now.

Still wonder what the f*ck he's on about, but hey thats the 1200 section for you :D
 
I don't get the confusion, the OP is used to blipping the throttle on downshift with his past bikes but found it doesn't suit the GS as well, simples :nenau

I sometimes blip the throttle on my GSA but have found if you let the rev drop too much before blipping the bike doesn't like it, almost sounds like it's going to cut out.

FYI I don't blip the throttle cos I'm racing round, but just because I love the sound :D
 
Chapperz said:
Hi All,
After riding Jap bikes for 30yrs,(mostly Inline fours) I recently purchased my first GS1200. In the past, I have always been in the habit of `revvin` the throttle when droppin down a gear or slowin up to stop. I av always believed this was a correct way to change down. Since ridin the GS, it somehow doesn`t feel the rite thing for the `Boxer` engine! Any advise anybody please :confused:
Click to expand...
Well, at the risk of being branded a know nothing 1200 rider, I'll admit to knowing exactly what you mean. I had an early VFR which would routinely lock up the rear wheel when changing down unless you matched the engine speed with the new gear by blipping the throttle. Despite the higher engine braking of the twin, I have never found this necessary on the GS, presumably because the rev range is lower and so the gear ratios are close together. The reverse effect (rolling off the throttle when changing up) similarly matches engine speed with next gear and makes clutchless upward shifts very easy on the GS. However, I don't bother with any of this malarkey in practice.
 
I almost always 'blip' the throttle on down changes - but I have noticed that the 2010 overhead cam engine doesn't appreciate very rapid throttle 'blips' at low revs and does sometimes feel like it is about to cut out - a longer slower 'blip' avoids this effect.

I have always felt that a throttle 'blip' to match the revs is mechanically more sympathetic that just changing down and slowly letting the clutch match the revs.
 
I think what you've noticed is the difference between your old bike and your new one. Not the difference of moving to a BMW or a GS or a 1200.

Try a few different things and give yourself a few hundred miles to get used to it.

When I bought my first BM it took a few weeks to stop getting clunky gearchanges because it was not what I was used to. When I got the second one it took a lot less time to adjust.

Get out there and practice.

Mark
 
Don't do anything with the throttle on down changes especially during progressive riding.

Hold the throttle just were it is,clutch in,change down.
Not so effective at lower speeds and does take a bit of practice,but once mastered makes for lovely smooth down changes.

Steve
 
Hi mate, coming from an inline 4 the biggest change for me was the shaft drive, I rode an st1100 for a while and had a similar struggle getting used to the gearbox, chain drive with cush rubbers and smooth inline 4's allow far more aggressive down changes, I am now used to the BM and dont change gear much at all, just use the torque to drag it out of the bend in a higher gear. You will get used to the set up just takes a bit of time. Enjoy.

By the way why are there so many negative posts? The question didnt deserve the dumb ass responses :confused:
 
Chapperz said:
Any advise anybody please
Click to expand...

It's you bike, your riding style, nobody else's.

If you feel that blipping the throttle on down changes does not suit your riding style on the GS, don't do it. Nobody will mind.

If you feel it makes no difference if you don't do it, don't do it. Nobody will mind.

If you feel that it makes a difference (but it's a bad difference), don't do it. Nobody will mind.

If you feel like experimenting a bit more as you gain more experience of the bike, its engine characteristics, your riding style (and any number of other factors, perticular to you) carry on experimenting until you find something that suits you; then do whatever it is you find is best. If you never do find it, stop experimenting. Nobody will mind.

Rest assured you won't break it.
 
Just getting all technical again for a moment - someone may have more knowledge on the engine spec than me but my thoughts are that being a big pot twin, the GS will have a relatively heavy flywheel assembly compared to Jap 4s, needed to avoid a lumpy running mess! Downside is a slightly more sluggish blip.
I used to blip the throttle on my old VFR, but nothing like the racier jap 4s need/take. I don't blip at all on the GS and (for me) it results in a smoother riding style - I suspect it is related to flywheel spec because together with the big pots it gives us the wonderful engine braking ability that makes high speed touring so good :thumb2

Stu.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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