I mix it up... I engine break from high speeds, but at low speeds in 3rd, I usually drop to first and do a blip to make sure the gears are all in place, then stop. When stopping faster I tend to skip gears - if I don't, blipping is almost unnecessary. Idano, what I do has just become kind of automatic. Around here I get a LOT of stop and go experience.

Egaeus:

Excuse me i ride on the track im plenty capable of riding a motorcycle. And have you forgotton this is about a newbie riding and we were cutting the blipping of the throttle out for later. I have seen many first time riders pull the clutch in when coming approaching a roundabout and when they go out onto the roundabout they let go of the clutch and find they havn't got in the right gear and get stuck in the middle of a roundabout. Im going on what ive seen not what i think could happen. By making sure you go into most gears you can at least ensure your in the right gear when you approach something which requires you to accelerate again.

Again, you're talking about navigating turns, not coming to a stop.  They are completely different situations.  The only time I ride the clutch is when I plan on coming to a complete stop. 

Pulling the clutch in when coming to a stop reduces control significantly, reduces braking effect, increases wear on your brake pads, wheras engine braking does not. Its unsafe if you have to for some reason speed up again. Have you tried stopping without coasting and using just your brakes. Try it, you'll find you stop alot better and alot easier with more control.

Quote from: Kasumi on June 15, 2006, 03:14:04 PM
Pulling the clutch in when coming to a stop reduces control significantly,

Control of what?

Quote from: Kasumi on June 15, 2006, 03:14:04 PM
reduces braking effect,

Absolute BS.  You can bring both tires to a dead stop with just brakes.

Quote from: Kasumi on June 15, 2006, 03:14:04 PM
increases wear on your brake pads,

True, but not significant.

Once again, I have to ask why people insist on adding BS arguments as fluff to their main point?

I'm not going to even argue your main point, which I think is a valid opinion, but not one I agree with.  Stick to that and we don't have to argue about engine braking and brake pad wear!!! 

Here's how I stop:
Roll off the throttle
Apply brakes
When engine speed starts to get in the useless range, squeeze the clutch
Begin to downshift into more appropriate gears as I slow down
Stop, left foot down.

brake pad wear is a serious issue if you live on the side of a mountain like me, although not so much for just normal stopping... for example: both my car and my moms car are manual, I engine brake and don't use my brakes when going down the mountain, whereas my mom, and most people, ride thier brakes all the way down.  If she waits more than a year to replace her pads, she'll need new rotors too.  I on the other hand go 2-3 years between changing my brake pads, and that's more preventive than needed.

Right, you never ride your brakes down a mountain.  Not only will that use up a lot of brake pad, it could possibly overheat your brakes and make them stop working as you roll down that mountain out of control.  That would suck, too.  At the very least, it can make your rotors warpy.  Not good.  And kinda expensive.

For normal stopping, like a stop sign or red light, I use my brakes the whole time, 90% of the time with my clutch in, 10% of the time bringing the clutch out and blipping once in a while if it's a leisurely stop or I want to make vroom vroom noises.  (Someone needs to admit they do it because it sounds cool, not all this safety and brake pad silliness.)  After 10,000 miles I still have 1/2 my factory brake pads left, and when I kill them completely I won't mind paying $30 for the new ones.

/signing out

Il stick to how i ride it works well. This argument isnt worth it especially when again its gone off topic and yes my opinons are a contributions to that. It will end up in the TF.

Been riding a lot, took all the suggestions from here and I think I am finally getting it.  I rode about 20 miles today with having much trouble with shifting.  Also breaking seems to be a peice of cake now. 

Well, I hope you learned something from the frank exchange of opinions.

Quote from: adam on June 16, 2006, 01:06:14 PM
Been riding a lot, took all the suggestions from here and I think I am finally getting it.

That's quite a feat.  Suggestions were all over the place.  I'm glad you weren't scared off.  Stick around and keep posting.