Advanced Motorcycle Riding – Engine Braking.

PTW’s are limited to around 0.9 g as they tip up, so riders usually already have far more stopping power than they can use.

According to DVSA advice, engine braking should be used primarily on descents to regulate speed, not for braking as such. Engage a low gear before the descent.

The problem is the risk of skidding when changing down if you’re clumsy or don’t blip the throttle, although slipper clutches solve this.

So the official advice is instead to use block changing as you come to a halt, waiting to click down through the gears.

However, the problem is you’ll not be able to accelerate out of trouble easily in higher gears if you need to. Best to change down sequentially – but it’s not generally taught.

In normal braking many riders use engine braking – but it varies by machine. To have the greatest effect riders need to change down sequentially as they slow.

You need to let the clutch back out slowly to avoid jerking or skidding, or better still blip the throttle. It takes practise to perfect, is very satisfying, (particularly if your bike pops and bangs on the overrun) but riders need to appreciate the risks of locking the rear wheel and over-reving the engine.

This used to be standard racing practice, which uses all the rev range.

If you have a slipper clutch fitted, then the wheel won’t lock, and you can just stamp down through the gears. Some bikes also have auto blippers, but that’s cheating.

Sequential down shifting ensures that you’re always in the optimum gear, and saves wear on the brakes, but needs care and practise.

It’s not sensible to rely on in an emergency, as it loses effect as the machine slows, and also lifts the rear of the bike up, raising the centre of mass potentially reducing how hard you can brake.

In an emergency, using the rear brake, not engine braking, compresses the suspension, lowering the centre of mass, which means the bike is less likely to tip up.