This is a rookie question, so please bear with me..

When I have to come to a stop in city roads most of the time I end up down shifting 3 gears successively ( within seconds ) to come to a full stop at a light. Will this affect my transmission in any way. Any tips on doing this better?

 

Not being a mechanic, but based off of personal riding experience, I don't know that it will hurt. Just take your time, and make sure the clutch is in all the way. Some people will downshift a gear, let out the clutch, the do it again, like a car. I would think that would do more damage then just holding the clutch down and dropping gears. Just my .02, we got some mechanics on here, maybe they can help.

 

That ride is supposed to pull like a tractor, not necessarily to stop like one. Keep your gearing appropriate to your rpm's. That is the one way of insuring you'll be able to find torque to move on that one occasion when some idjit in a cage does something that will endanger the continence of your bike and YOU. You don't want to be in 1st when your motor is running for second. That would cause a drop in momentum that could be just the delay that would cause some yerk to run up on you if the situation arises where the yerk in front of you stops suddenly-I may not be painting this pic just right but I think you get my drift. Grins and happy learnin'!!!!!!!!

 

I was just popped back when the post came up and I don't know how I noticed it wrong. I thought you were riding a Buell. I see that you are running a Honda. Yeah-you are going to be doing a lot of shifting. When my Honda laden friends are out scootin with me I get tired and sleepy just watching them shift those scooters. When Harley taught the Japanese to build motorcycles back in the thirties they just left afterward and the sport evolved into a whole different thing. They like to shift. Oh, sorry about the whole "tractor" thing. You won't find that tractor I was talking about in there. Remember, it is about being in the wind and not completely a matter of what you ride to get there.

 

ON the same principle as double clutch downshifting a standard transmission automobile you match the speed of both sides of the clutch by revving up the engine to match the RPMS that it will be at when you drop to the next lower gear. With a bike youdont have to double clutch however, you simply blip the throttle as your actuating the clutch and clicking down a gear and smoothly and quickly release the clutch again before the revs die down, now you have matched the speed of the engine and the rear tire and a smooth , jerk-free downshift results. It take a bit of practice. IF you refuse to learn this drive-train saving technique, the transmission doesn't know you are skipping gears, you can clik down from 3rd to 1st at a light or as you are approaching a stop sign and no detrimental affects will occur as long as you are releasing the clutch smoothly and are prepared for the change in the bikes attitude as you gear down.Good luck , watch for sand oil or water on the road! Adios from sunny old Mexico!!
Bent Trent

 

I'm not sure everyone addressed his question.... sometimes it is necessary to do what he describes in his post, especially in a city atmosphere, and fas as I know, there is no harm in what he describes. You know, you chugging along in third, then you have to stop quickly, or the light comes up quicker than you anticipated, you pull the clutch and come to a complete quick stop, THEN click click click until you're in first. Nothing wrong with that far as the tranny is concerned right?

 

No it won't hurt a thing.....but I downshift as I slow down, or come to an abrupt stop for "Safety" reasons. As I come to a stop at a light, or stop sign I scan my mirrors to make sure the cagers behind me are stopping. If someone fails to stop, or see you, your about to be rear ended. The only response you have is to try and get out of their way if you have time. If you are still in a higher gear with the clutch pulled in and you need to try to get out of the way your in trouble....you would have a hard time downshifting to first fast enough, and if you let out the clutch in a higher gear while going very slow, or stopped your just gonna lug the motor, and not be able to move fast at all.....just something to think about.

FBR

 

that is absolutely safe riding practice and a good point... but he was inquiring as to the tranny and it seemed to me the replies skipped right to the safety issue and not the question of wether it is ok for the tranny to do what he said. anyhoo...

 

....also notice that the original post was almost a year ago....this guy is a seasoned vet now probably.