Rev Matching. Do you?

Im a blipper....been doing for the past 25years of track riding and racing...

Still do it on my Panigale "S" no matter what setting I'm on with the EBC...
It just makes me much smoother than the other guys who aint blipping...and still have slipper clutches...

Back to the topic, I gotta agree with RSR and some of the other guys with regards to blipping still being a necessity. While testing the bike, I've played with the EBC at multiple levels and it is NO replacement for proper blipping technique, particularly when pushed from high speed to hard braking.

Although EBC kicks in within fractions of a second, I've noticed that you're still upsetting the chassis slightly but relying on EBC. You may not notice any instability at moderate speeds but when pushed hard or while trail braking, there is a definite unsettling of the rear end when relying on the EBC. The point of blipping is keeping the bike's chassis stable BEFORE it gets unsettled because a good majority of the time you're braking hard so that you can enter a turn at maximum allowable speed and the last thing you want is a loss of MAXIMUM traction even if for a millisecond. To me, EBC is like ABS - to be used as a safety net in case of human error not as a performance enhancer for a lack of technique. I don't think it was designed so that you can dump your clutch from 5th to 3rd as a new riding style.

As we all know here, the key to keeping the rubber side down is consistent technique that is employed at all times, whether street or track, which leads to smooth riding and safer riding; and ultimately faster riding. I'd encourage everyone to continue to blip the throttle as it's also the safest technique when the unexpected occurs during a downshift and you need to brake harder, change direction, and/or accelerate again.

Good thread guys. I like hearing about other techniques from experienced riders. Maybe we should keep a running thread or have a different section. As an example, trail braking would be a good topic because it's so effective with this bike. The combination of powerful brakes and easy turn-in makes it an awesome advantage on the track. As a side note, I also use my ring and pinky finger to blip with standard levers although I may switch to shorties soon.

It really isn't necessary; even though I do still blip the throttle sometimes, I'm getting away from it, as the slipper handles it nicely, and there's no longer any reason to. Most everyone on here that blips the throttle says "I've been doing it for years, I think it helps, so I'll continue to do it". Which there's nothing wrong with that, but it isn't really strictly necessary any longer.

TricoloreSF said:

I've played with the EBC at multiple levels and it is NO replacement for proper blipping technique, particularly when pushed from high speed to hard braking.
To me, EBC is like ABS - to be used as a safety net in case of human error not as a performance enhancer for a lack of technique. I don't think it was designed so that you can dump your clutch from 5th to 3rd as a new riding.

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YES of course

how can you ride a duc and not blip! ... greatest sound ever.. especially in a tunnel...

Blipping all the time is always good practice. Always blip, unless you're trying to step that rear end out and back 'er in then just drop it down 2-3 gears, drop that clutch and modulate it while the rear end goes sideways

RSR racer said:

I wouldn't venture onto a track unless you had this tool squarely set in your skill set.

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+1

Essential racing skill - especially with big twins. Well advised even for a track day.

(And though you do it for a different reason, if you raced 2-strokes, you'd risk seizing a motor if you didn't).

Don't think I can deliberately not do it and rely on a slipper clutch. Being doing it so long and it' so automatic now, just feels unnatural not to.

I am definitely a blipper although that wasn't conscious until I had the ecu update done circa Nov. Since the update it no longer responds to the blip sometimes just a hint if I am slow but if I'm 'on' then nothing at all - feels a bit sad a big Duc devoid of its blip!
Prior to the update fueling was crap but blip was certainly there. I've tried race/sport settings but makes no diff. Anyone else noticed same ?
P

Hi Pouakai,

I personaly noticed a slight difference to the way the throttle servo worked in relation to the twist at the wrist after the update, but i have modified my technique to suit and am able to achieve the same result as before.

I think on analysis, one needs to be more pronounced with the range of movement when blipping with the new updated map.
Sort of as if you would have a bit more free travel in the throttle cable on an older machine that was not ride by wire in operation.

Regards,
Brad

From my expirience the throttle response when blipping is afected by how far in the clutch is being pulled. When clutch is all the way in it blips quick and revs up, if the lever isnt fully pulled, even a little off, the response is much slower amd requires a more agressive blip. Probably has to do with the electronics and ride by wire throttle.

Adriandzo said:

From my expirience the throttle response when blipping is afected by how far in the clutch is being pulled. When clutch is all the way in it blips quick and revs up, if the lever isnt fully pulled, even a little off, the response is much slower amd requires a more agressive blip. Probably has to do with the electronics and ride by wire throttle.

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Hi Adriandzo,

I agree in that i think it has everything to do with the ride by wire throttle.
If i recall back to late last year when the news first broke of the new update (before it was officially released), the throttle operation was mentioned to be one of the things that was modified along with the fueling and quick shifter.
I think they simply dampened it a fraction through the software during the early stage of wrist movement when throttling on. This helped with the snatchiness that some people were experiencing to varying degrees on rough roads.

Regards,
Brad

Guilty...I'm a blipper. How can you not be??

I blip occasionally on the street, particularly at lower RPM's, but never blip on the track, I just feather the clutch out (even with a slipper clutch) since it's a lot smoother and easier to brake consistently.

jarelj said:

I blip occasionally on the street, particularly at lower RPM's, but never blip on the track, I just feather the clutch out (even with a slipper clutch) since it's a lot smoother and easier to brake consistently.

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feathering = loss of valuable time...either your fully on the throttle or fully on the brakes...no such thing as coasting or feathering....modulating on exits is obviously another issue

just my opinion

Nah, you can be hard on the brakes while you're feathering out the clutch to keep the back end composed. It has nothing to do with being at neutral or "coasting" throttle, I'm talking about being off the throttle completely and on the brakes and downshifting by letting the clutch out smoothly rather than dumping it quickly while blipping the throttle. I find it a lot easier than trying to be hard on the brakes while blipping the throttle. Just do a google search on Jason Pridmore Downshifting and you'll see what I mean, that's where I learned it was at the Pridmore school years ago and have been doing it ever since.

Cut my teeth on two-strokes, never blipped. Had to blip on my first streetbikes and totally hated it, interferes with braking.

Love the Pani for the slipper clutch and EBC, feels a lot like my second-favourite bike, the mighty CR500. Same crappy low-end fueling, too.

jarelj said:

Nah, you can be hard on the brakes while you're feathering out the clutch to keep the back end composed. It has nothing to do with being at neutral or "coasting" throttle, I'm talking about being off the throttle completely and on the brakes and downshifting by letting the clutch out smoothly rather than dumping it quickly while blipping the throttle. I find it a lot easier than trying to be hard on the brakes while blipping the throttle. Just do a google search on Jason Pridmore Downshifting and you'll see what I mean, that's where I learned it was at the Pridmore school years ago and have been doing it ever since.

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In that context described; it makes sense, yet I am having trouble visualizing the mechanics of it manually. Will have to give it a try as it seems to add an extra wrinkle of finesse that I may not posses yet.

Typically, I am in full corner attack mode under hard braking and down shifting looking for my entry point through the turn. It seems like feathering the clutch is not dissimilar to dragging it? Without the slipper, that would seem to invite early clutch plate glazing and ultimately unintended slippage while under up throttle, no?

Trauma said:

I have always as well - I don't trust these new fangled things, slipper this, quckshift that, we never needed them in the old days - just somethin' else to go wrong...

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-- right......and i guess you prefer smoke signals to cell phones

This is a funny thread, i find myself blipping too, regardless of the bike. The bottom line for me was when i was fresh to sport bikes, going fast while trying to downshift without blipping almost caused me to loose the rear end. From that point on i have always blipped, for that very reason. Trying to slow down using the trasmission can be helpful as long as you know how. I believe that regardless of bike it makes a smoother transition from high to low speeds.