ive been told that u can stop instantly by holing the clutch and brakes w/o downshifting, so when u just drive and slow down without stopping why do ppl still downshift? also if u stop for emergencies u hol the clutch and brakes, they say if u dont the engine will stall, what exactly does that mean?
I usually downshift when slowing down to a stop. I figure that if the chain stretches out from accelerating maybe I can undo that by deccelerating. That's flawless logic, right. Seriously though, in an emergency don't worry about downshifting, just grab the clutch with the brakes. In an anticipated stop I like to downshift through the gears, that way if I need to take off again while i'm still moving, I know I'm in a suitable gear. the engine will stall if you don't pull the clutch, because when the clutch is out, the engine is directly geared to the rear wheel. Stop the wheel, and the engine stops with it.
people downshiting to slow is called engine braking. If you downshift while crusing, the lower gear will spin at higher RPMs and cause the tire to spin slower. So downshifting slows you down without using the brakes. It helps preserve the life of your brake pads. It's good to use a combination of engine and pad braking. If you stop in gear without the clutch pulled in, the bike will stall. You need to learn how to drive a manual car first. It is so much easier and safer. Figure all the gearing and shifting stuff out on a car, then ride a motorcycle. Or take an MSF course. There is so much more you need to be paying attention to on a bike. It is really unsafe to ride a motorcycle without fully understanding and knowing how to operate the transmission.
Yes, if you engage the clutch you can (without shifting down through the gears) ride your brakes and bring the bike to a stop, then shift down to first and take off. However, downshifting (shifting down, releasing the clutch) is a useful tool also called Engine Braking, it's a good way to slow the bike in addition to brakes. It makes the brakes last longer by using the slowing power of the engine that would normally be going to waste, and so long as you rev-match the engine it won't cause any harm. If you JUST slam on the brakes (but do not engage the clutch) then when you come to a stop the bike will sputter and die, however if you pull in both the clutch and the brakes the engine will not stall.
