I think I've got a better understanding of the whole concept. I'll start practicing it and see how it goes.
The slipper helps, but I didn't do it before slippers either. It was something Jason Pridmore had taught at the time. It's one more thing to think about going into a corner when a lot is happening. It was always more about a smooth cluch release and feathering the lever on that last downshift. With the slipper, I've had to almost unlearn that behavior in certain situations. Hard braking and wheel hops can often be attributed to too much rider input/stiff-arming on the bars (something Max @ Traxxion often talked about). So your body position and riding technique can fix that issue to a large extent. Too tight of a chain is something else to look at. People do it and I'm not saying it's wrong, but it's not something you necessarily have to do. YRMV.
A smooth clutch release is good. Grattan T1 comes to mind. You're going into that corner from 6th down to 2nd and it's, "bang, bang, bang, bannnnnngg" on the backshifts, in regard to the clutch lever release. Sometimes the clutch is still releasing approaching the apex, depending on the situation. I always remember watching/listening to Mark Junge and Tray Batey go into T1. So fast and smooth on their backshifts.
Among so many schools of thought, I will stick to what Jason Pridmore taught me and that is to use every bit of engine braking there is offered.
the chain thing was a problem at my first TD not knowing any better and i think im pretty relaxed on the bike as far as arms and everything else .. i have an 82' reach so if i stiff armed it id be leaning back on the bike lol .. only one wheel hop with the chain at proper tension last TD .. i felt i was comin into the turn a little hot so tried to utilize the engine braking as mentioned and skipped the back wheel a few times and got a little sideways til engine was back up to speed .. ill keep the body position and technique in mind though
Another method to downshift while matching engine speed is to maintain throttle input while downshifting: the process would be to Brake, slightly reduce throttle input, engage clutch and downshift one gear at a time. This will match engine speed to the next lower gear, seamlessly without rear wheel hop and regardless of a slipper clutch. IMO if there is a detractor to using this method it would be that the amount of engine braking is reduced, because of the seamless downshifts and therefore you tend to carry more entry speed that must be controlled via pre turn in braking or trail braking. I've utilized this method at Grattan and personally prefer to initiate downshifts at an early brake marker, at my brake marker aggressively brake pre turn in and trail brake into the apex. I have tried blipping throttle but either don't get rev's high enough before releasing clutch or am to abrupt at the process and have the suspension all unsettled before turn in which is unnerving to say the least. I think either method just takes lots of practice...especially blipping while braking which is probably the best method since all the fast guys and gals are doing it.
I don't blip either, i worry more about my braking & trailing it off, one thing i've done on my bike & i know others do it as well, is i run my idle up a little higher (around 2k) and i've never really had much wheel hop. I've all but eliminated it now with the kawasaki kit clutch pack setup
having short fingers ... I don't blip either. its all in clutch lever work. but may be if I could blip I would have been able to engage engine in the corner sooner and get on the gas sooner as well...
I'm a pepper he's a pepper...... Yeah, I blip too. I've had the opportunity to ride a bike with an auto-blipper too (cool stuff). The bike is just more settled for me while going down thru the gears. I can get thru them faster. Then work/concentrate on feathering out the clutch entering the turn on the final downshift. And get the timing down like - rum rum ruuuummmmmmmmm. One thing that stood out for me this weekend was the effect of different brake pads. I had my street bike on the track, with some street oriented brake pads (prob HH pads or something). Very grabby with a ton of initial bite. My track bike I run SBS dual carbon pads that don't have a ton of initial bite and need a bunch of heat to work. So the street pads being all grabby.... I had to be very extra smooth with my brake pressure while blipping. I guess with the dual carbon pads, I can get away with being a bit sloppier with brake pressure changing while blipping.
i was until i got used to the slipper clutch. haven't rev-matched in years now. gotta love modern technology... s3aturnr
The Honda 600rr still doesn't have a slipper clutch. I blip the throttle a little on the track but I don't really focus on trying to match the revs. The rear will move a little but I actually find that feeling to be fun! As long as you get it settled down before you tip in it's not too difficult to control. I'm more focused on minimizing the time that I'm spending downshifting. If you're slowly letting the clutch out then it's just that much more time that you're occupied with downshifting during a very busy part of the corner.
I am with Eddie, my bike came with a slipper and I take full advantage of it. Never once have I had a problem with it.
I blip too. I grew up with it since all the "Racers" did it I had to learn it as well.:rawk: Now I dont even think about it and even with the slipper clutch my new bike has I still do it even tho I prolly dont have to.
I also blip. My bike has a slipper but even with that i still blip. Just makes it that much smoother. I Don't even think about it anymore just something I do while down shifting.
I read about blipping when I first started riding a couple years ago. Started practicing right away, and by the end of my first season riding, it was just muscle memory, and I even blip when downshifting to a stop at a redlight, even with the clutch still pulled in. Just became a habit that is hard to break.