I really hate engine braking because I lose a lot of speed, and it just sounds awful and it drags so much it makes me think I'm doing something wrong..so I was wondering can it be avoided? I've heard that if you rev match u can avoid it, true false?also, when shifting down what are the correct speeds for each gear on a regular 600 sportbike? I know they'r all diff, I'm just asking what are YOUR speeds.
the way i learned to ride, is use the brakes only when you have to.... the rest of the time, engine braking is best... and it is. however something tells me you're going about it wrong... you're supposed to be reving your engine before letting the clutch back out after down shifting.... of course you lose speed, that's the point... but you're not just slamming your bike from higher speeds to lower speeds... i don't even have a spedo, so i obviously don't do anything by speed or rpms... i do it by sound and knowledge of how fast my bike goes in each gear.... with time and practice my 'instincts' have become more well honed, i can engine brake my bike to a slow steady stop, without jerking....
You hear different things from differnet people. You can rev match as your downshifting and you shouldn't be engine breaking at all. Honestly what I do is not really shift down through the gears except in certain circumstances. I normally just pull in the clutch and glide to a light or stop sign and just quickly click down through all my gears. I've asked some people if this is unsafe and everyone I have talked to says they do it a lot of the time too.
Just coming from a racer and street rider: Yes, matching the engine's rpm with the clutch in so when the clutch is out in the next gear lower will help reduce the drag significantly. It will smooth it out. Most people call this blipping the throttle on downshifts. Also try waiting another second or two, and let the RPM drop more. Downshifting into 5000 rpm is going to be more violent than downshifting to 2500 RPM. As for blipping the throttle on upshifts: No. On a 600 the clutch and shifting motion is so fast anyways this isn't necessary, also, clutch-less upshifting won't allow for this if you're racing or riding aggressively.
U can avoid engine braking by just using your brakes. Pull in the clutch and apply the brakes smoothly. When you're ready to take off again, shift into the appropriate gear and go. Find a good supplier of brake pads and rotors though. I don't look at the speed either when shifting. I just listen to the bike and shift when I feel like I need to. Depends on the situation. In city traffic with high congestion. I prefer to stay in the higher RPMS so I can scoot away from danger if needed and make other swift moves.
You don't have to downshift to slow the bike. Just use the brakes and hold the clutch in. When you are a few feet from making your stop just gear all the way down to first without letting the clutch out. I never use engine braking.
