Tips for Blips?

[Z06C5R]

'Scuse the cheesy title, but I'm wondering if y'all have any tips for the physical blipping of the throttle while braking / downshifting...  I've been heel-toeing in cars for years so I'm good with the theory, and I've had no trouble getting well-matched downshifts without braking in riding thus far - but as soon as I add front brake it all goes to hell.  I practiced the motion a few times over the winter while the bike was on a stand and it seemed do-able (though somewhat awkward), but out on the road I find that I either A) get the blip right but jerk the lever in the process, or B) get the braking right but totally botch the blip.  I've been braking with index and middle fingers, blipping with thumb, ring, and pinky - but the throttle springs are a little heavy and it takes more than just a light flick to get some revs, hence the brake upset...

Anybody have any good tips to practice?

[He Man]

Ergonomics. Change your brake lever, change your master, change your grip position change your grips...etc until you get your hand in the best position to do so.....

and then you realize that its uncomfortable as hell and think why do you need to do this on the street? Only racers need to brake, blip, gas and shift at the same time. I just break it up into parts. blip shift and apply brake at the same time i release the throttle so i get both engine braking and front braking at the same time.

[Cider]

If you're stabbing the brakes, then you could try adjusting your brake lever in a little bit so that you have some more bend in your fingers.  I also try to focus on grasping the throttle with my ring/pinky fingers when I blip--that mental exercise helps me be smoother on the brakes somehow.

Another mistake people (myself included) make is letting the clutch out too quickly.  Remember: in quick, out slowly.  Try to get your blips done early (first 10% of braking zone, if possible) and then let out the clutch nice and slow for the last one.

When I was learning, I found it useful to practice some individual exercises:

• Downshift and use the clutch for every downshift, but don't brake; concentrate on clutch timing and feel
• Blip downshifts without brakes; again, concentrate on clutch timing and feel
• Hold the clutch in and rev the engine while braking (no downshifts); just concentrate on smooth braking and consistent revs

Finally, when I get sloppy, I think about the cadence in my head while I'm doing it: clutch in (fast), downshift, blip, clutch out (slow).  Once my smoothness returns, I concentrate on other things, but it's helpful for me to review occasionally.

[Duc Raider]

**waiting for someone to explain what the heck a 'blip' is 

[Cider]

A blip is when you give it some gas before letting out the clutch on a downshift.

[Duc Raider]

I see, there's a few things I'll have to read up about, if you guys don't mind me asking questions. I am new to this branch of technical English, not entirely new to riding (I hope) 
Thanks anyway.

[Z06C5R]

I'll have to try the bit on braking and blipping without actually downshifting...  If it ever stops raining

[Duc Raider]

Yeah, the rain surely sucks. I do what you guys call 'blipping' instinctively, w/o really giving it a thought or realizing that there might even be a name for that.

Miss riding my Duc. It's been a while since I've been riding one (before I had my baby, then gave it up for his sake).
Now I got myself this beauty and feel deep happiness.
If there has ever been true love(other than the one a mother has for her child), then it's the one between a girl and her Monster, I'd say 

Even my son liked it when I took the rear foot-pegs off, to expose the elegance of the rear wheel. 'She's a true beauty' he said.

'I don't want you to ever ride this' mommy said.
'Ride Harleys and be safe...'

[ODrides]

Blipping while applying front brake is very tricky to do smoothly.  Like He Man says, it's more of a track thing.  It's actually a lot easier to do coming down from high speeds from 130 mph in 6th gear down to 3rd, for example, than like braking from 40 mph to a stop light.  It takes a ton of practice to not lurch.  I haven't gotten there yet, even on the track.

[Cloner]

Blipping while applying front brake is very tricky to do smoothly.  Like He Man says, it's more of a track thing.  It's actually a lot easier to do coming down from high speeds from 130 mph in 6th gear down to 3rd, for example, than like braking from 40 mph to a stop light.  It takes a ton of practice to not lurch.  I haven't gotten there yet, even on the track.

I never noticed the technique to be any harder or easier with speed or lack of speed.  I learned to do this as second nature when I started racing (25 years ago) and it simply becomes part of one's riding routine with a very little practice.

For reference, with modern bikes I typically brake with my middle finger only, with my index finger lying atop the lever near its pivot (out of the way, but comfortable).  I have rather large hands if that makes any difference.  I blip with only my thumb on the throttle tube (actually, my ring and pinky fingers are on the tube, but just lying on the tube, not actively gripping it), but your mileage may vary.  The trick, I found, is to maintain constant pressure whilst blipping.  It sounds easier than it is, but once you get it, you got it.  Just practice for a couple of rides and you'll never have to worry about it again.

[meanmonster]

I blip while at speed and downshifting but not coming to a stop, probably because I try not to use the eng to slow down, just brakes. I brake to slow and down shift while braking when it's low enough rpms to just slip into the next gear down without a big rpm jump. Don't think about it much just the way I have driven my cars and now the bike.

[Monsterlover]

Here's my take.

This is a copy of a post I made on another board about this exact same topic (back when I tracked a 675.)

This mainly pertains to track riding, but it can also be applied to the street.

"I rev match all the time, track or street.  One of my pet peeves is people that just shift and let the clutch out.  I'd guess 80% of riders I see at Euromoto trackdays don't rev match.

On my 675 I normally am in 5th gear heading into T10 at Beaver.  I brake, shift three gears at once down to 2nd, give it a biiiiig blip and clutch out, on the gas to maintain rpm, tip in for T10 and then roll on the gas from the apex out.

The key to easy rev matching is slipping the clutch.  It takes some practice but it's not hard, and soon will be second nature.

If you down shift and snap the clutch out like you would for an UPshift, that's the wrong way (IMO)

I clutch in, downshift/rev match, let the clutch 2/3 of the way out at "full speed."  That connects the rear wheel with the engine and helps "grab hold" of the new rpm.  Even if you're off on the rpm, the clutch isn't all the way out and the bike doesn't get upset.  You can be off 1000 rpm or more and still make it work!  After this, let the clutch out the remaining 1/3 at maybe half speed (like you would pulling away from a stop sign)

It's a two step process with your clutch hand, first 2/3'rds, then the last 1/3 in two distinct steps.

I've been doing this for a few years and have never felt the need to get a slipper clutch for the bike.  It just never get's bent out of shape even on hard high speed downshift/braking maneuvers.

On the street, coming to a stop I typically will move from 6 to 4 to 2 and rev match all of the shifts.

Give it a try, it gets easier every time you do it, and you'll be making butter smooth down shifts in no time"

[The Bacon Junkie]

I'm with Monsterlover for the most part, but I don't bang the downshifts in groups.

The great thing about Monsters is they have so much engine braking, that on the street I hardly have to use the brakes until I'm getting close to actually stopping.  Even now, with the 999 it's even MORE engine braking. 

With my old M750, I would brake with my middle and ring finger and roll the throttle between my thumb and forefinger.  I wouldn't brake a whole lot coming into corners, as to keep up with the big boys I needed all the cornerspeed I could get.  The Trip-9 needs a little more to haul herself down to a manageable speed.      

When I first started riding, I would brake, let off to blip and ease on the rear during the blip, let out the clutch as I eased back on the front and off the rear.  Waaaay too complicated, but it worked for me then.  Now, it's half clutch as I bang down the gears and that makes it a bit smoother.  I don't fully release the clutch until I'm in my final gear for that particular corner.  Also with street riding, I rarely have to downshift more than one gear.  I'll usually brake, blip/downshift, and let the engine do the rest.  If you're banging 2 or three downshifts, you're probably running a bit too fast on the street.  Track is a different story...   [moto]

Just my $0.02 and my experience.  YMMV   

[Monsterlover]

I've pretty much given up the clutch on my t9. Ill use it from a stop of course. After that I upshift without it. Half the time I downshift without it as well.

[The Bacon Junkie]

I've pretty much given up the clutch on my t9. Ill use it from a stop of course. After that I upshift without it. Half the time I downshift without it as well.

Yeah, she's good that way, huh...   

I only clutch 1-2 going up, I still have trouble letting myself bang 'em down without the clutch.  Even when I think about it, old habits die hard.