Tech question: Coasting (slowly) down hills

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:00 pm

Use equals wear.

However, don't let your frugality get you into any trouble. If you're off on a jaunt in the mountains, try to use engine braking to regulate your speed instead of riding your brakes. If you ride your brakes too hard... they'll fail eventually and usually when you need them the most.

Ray Knobs · Post by **Ray Knobs** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:21 pm

How would the rear wheel drive the engine if you weren't giving it gas?

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:26 pm

I'm willing to bet the wear difference is minimal and was something they thought of during design. Even if you're just coasting, you're still putting wear and tear on parts, such as the bearings in the rear wheel.

I'd say you're probably going to get harsher wear when you end up needing to give it gas and the clutch pads have to grab onto something moving much faster than what's normal. I know the lurch I get the few times I coasted a little bit then gave it gas to keep speed was a bit unsettling...I try to keep from coasting too much after a couple of those.

iwabj · Post by **iwabj** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:05 pm

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:12 pm

I hear ya. I've gotten to where if I'm not already coming to a stop and the engine is slowing down to where it'll coast, I'll give it just enough gas to keep from idling and brake to compensate if needed. That kick when the clutch pads engage at speed isn't my cup of tea at all!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:21 pm

Just to explain to those that haven't experienced it.

If you are coasting down a hill without any throttle the clutch will not be engaged.

Once you give it enough gas to engage the clutch it will give a good buck, everything needs to catch up to the speed your going. It can be a shocking experience if youre not prepared for it!

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:31 pm

Oh... I see what you folks are doing now. You should keep the throttle engaged while the scoot is in motion unless you're shedding speed quickly. Not WOT, but engaged. This keeps power on the rear wheel.

To properly engine brake, you'll actually have to have the throttle engaged, just not cracked back. When you're riding along and you let go of the throttle, that really sluggish feeling where it slows down and you hear the revs lowering slowly; that's engine breaking. Next time you're out, try to keep that feel longer by not releasing the throttle fully, but easing it back.

This will do a few things for you.
It'll assist the use of your brakes as well as reserve the full stopping power of them by not over heating them (this is a lot more prevalent when riding in mountains or hilly areas).
It'll also give you instant power should you need to suddenly re-accelerate and it'll re-accelerate a lot more smoothly and with a lot more control.

It's difficult to explain but makes for a good habit to have in your riding skillset... just like counter-steering.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 11:44 pm

I think you'd have to coast down a lot of hills all the time to really make any significant dent in engine wear. That will probably be offset by all the extra wear caused by going up hills all the time just so you can coast down them.

If, for whatever reason, you do a lot of riding that may put extra strain on the engine (a lot of steep hills, a lot of high speed riding) the best thing to do to keep your scoot running well is shorten your maintenance intervals and replace wearables such as rollers, belts and tires more frequently.