For all you veteran riders / engineers out there...
I've only ridden a couple different bikes, so I don't have a whole lot of experience to judge.
I understand the bit about slowing a bike down with downshifting. But I find that even if I let off the throttle without shifting, the bike slows down quite a bit on its own. Is this pretty standard? I've seen some comments that the R3 has particularly strong engine braking.
So engine braking just comes from the cylinders trying to work against a closed air intake? Is the level of braking something that can be adjusted? Or I imagine it's a pretty integral part of the engine design?
What is it about motorcycle engines that make them so much different than car engines? Is it just engine volume relative to the weight of the vehicle? On my stick shift car, laying off the throttle just lets me cruise easily, without any feeling of engine braking.
I've only ridden a couple different bikes, so I don't have a whole lot of experience to judge.
I understand the bit about slowing a bike down with downshifting. But I find that even if I let off the throttle without shifting, the bike slows down quite a bit on its own. Is this pretty standard? I've seen some comments that the R3 has particularly strong engine braking.
So engine braking just comes from the cylinders trying to work against a closed air intake? Is the level of braking something that can be adjusted? Or I imagine it's a pretty integral part of the engine design?
What is it about motorcycle engines that make them so much different than car engines? Is it just engine volume relative to the weight of the vehicle? On my stick shift car, laying off the throttle just lets me cruise easily, without any feeling of engine braking.