I've been to several track days knowing that I need to learn throttle blipping. My method has always been to slowly release the clutch allowing the motor to match the rear wheel. Is there anything wrong with this technique? I have done some reading online trying to wrap my head around blipping but I just dont understand. Is it simply using a little throttle while releasing the clutch (similar to an upshift)?
It helps get through down-shifts more quickly and less chance of causing the rear to lock up. The point is to match the revs with the gear you're going to. It also minimizes engine-braking. If you ride the street, I would suggest start practicing as you're coming up to a turn. Might be a little more relaxed for you than trying to figure out on a track.
Blip the throttle to match engine speed with the rear wheel's rotation, makes for quick and smooth downshifts. Some people prefer to release the clutch because they feel it helps with braking - I sometimes do it in high speed corners where you don't really need to brake but rather just get a gear lower and shave off a slight amount of speed. But personally, I feel like it's a distraction to not blip the throttle when entering most corners and would rather rev match so the only factor controlling my corner entry speeds is my right hand.
I feather the clutch over blipping. With a slipper clutch I've never had a problem and even with a normal clutch I've never locked the rear wheel on the track. When I feather it it's all about feel and sound. I'm just holding the clutch at the engagement point longer than just dropping it after changing gears. While learning to blip I couldn't get past pumping the brakes and gauging how much rpm's I needed. I def. practice on the street before a TD if you want to try it out. Nothing wrong with feathering the clutch either. Whatever floats your boat.
Here is a short but decent article on the subject: http://www.sportrider.com/ride/rss/146_0402_shift_blip_throttle/
I should also note that by releasing the clutch slowly like I described in my original post, I take advantage of a little engine braking, but that technique generally seems to be frowned upon. Blipping eliminates engine braking.
i just started blipping at my last td and it made a big diff .. only had 1 wheel hop that i ended up backing into a corner so it felt pretty cool but i hit the blip correctly about 70% of the time .. still gettin it down
Blipping does not eliminate engine braking. If you held the clutch in and did not engage it that would eliminate engine braking. Big difference.
Ok, then apparently I don't understand blipping very well. Can someone please, in great detail, explain it?
in 1 motion when braking: pull clutch just enough to engage downshift crack(blip) throttle back in one motion .. you just crack it back then let off (while clutch enganged to raise rpms to engine speed) let clutch out and do it again if u need to go down another it literately takes half a second for all of that ... watch the below video for reference
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e4UmmH0pO-Q there ya go he does it a few times .. but u can tell he has a slipper
do you do clutchless up shifts? it's basically the same thought just backwards. when you do a clutchless up shift you cut the throttle long enough to shift up and then you're right back on the throttle. when you do a blip downshift you try to match the rpms where they were when you originally did the up shift. so if you shifted up at 12,000 rpm and the bike dropped to 9000 in a higher gear going the same speed, you'd basically slow for the corner to 9000 grab the clutch, blip the throttle to 12,000 WHILE downshifting and release the clutch. hopefully that helps.
I was under the impression that engine braking was't advised. See the paragraph about slipper clutches: http://www.trackdaymag.com/thementalaspect/283-throttle-blipping-for-downshifts.html. So, is there anything wrong with simply releasing the clutch slowly as I am currently doing? Or is the general consensus that should I learn to blip?
Key word you used Slowly Is slow fast? Feathering the clutch can work, but knowing how to blip for downshifts, IMO, is essential. It all comes down to preference. You should try it though. And if you don't like it, switch back to feathering.
your reason being cause r6's have slippers im assuming ... after a couple scary wheel hops i decided to try it .. i have the slipperLESS r6S model so thats why .. i wouldnt do it if i didnt have to
