Re: Downshifting and such

[Marco S Hyman <marc@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Tom Brown" writes:
 > I've had 3 RTs, an 1100, an 1150 and I'm now riding a 1200.    I use this
 > rule of thumb when I start riding an unknown set of twisties.   I look at
 > the speed marker for the turn.   If the first digit is a "1", I downshift to
 > 1st gear for the turn. ("Oooh, I never use 1st gear. I don't like
 > downshifting to 1st. waa, waa, waa." Learn to blip the throttle enough to
 > match revs.  You need a little more to get into 1st smoothly, but it can be
 > done and it's easy once you "get" it.)  If the turn marker says "20mph" or
 > "25mph", I downshift to second.   If it's "30 or "35" I use 3rd gear etc.

Heh, I've been using a modified version of this for years!   The
modification is in regards to the difference between x0 and x5 turn
markers...  x5 means "gear x at 5000 RPM or better" :-)

// marc