Busting some Myths about Slipper clutches

One of the biggest misconceptions I've heard people say is that you don't need to rev-match if you have a slipper clutch, and honestly, I haven't really heard something more mindless and dangerous at the same time! I've seen a trend these days of people using "engine braking" without even knowing what that is, so as a motorcycle aficionado, it's my moral duty of sorts to explain what that is and how people are spreading misinformation about this topic. Let's start with the basics: Engine braking – It is a term used to slow down your vehicle by simply closing the throttle. But this is a very generalized explanation as it doesn't cover everything that has to be done to perform proper engine braking. That's where the next concept comes into play. Rev matching – It is a technique used to match the engine speed of your vehicle to the wheel speed. For example, if I'm at 80 km/h in 5th gear and I downshift to 4th, the jerk you feel after doing that is because the engine RPM rises in 4th with respect to the wheel speed. To overcome that, we rev-match, i.e., match the engine speed with the wheel speed while going down the gears. How is it done? Before leaving the clutch when downshifting, just give a small blip (open and close the throttle for a second). This will take a bit of practice, but it'll make the downshifts smoother and safer. If you don't rev-match, the difference in engine and wheel speeds can cause the rear wheel to lock up. Slipper clutch – Slipper clutches were originally invented for racing bikes, as riders used to rev-match downshifts a lot at higher RPMs. Sometimes, it used to disturb the balance of the vehicle mid-corner and caused wheel lockups. To prevent that, slipper clutches were introduced, allowing a little bit of slip in the clutch to prevent the rear wheel from locking up. Now, when we add all this up, you get the proper way of engine braking, where you rev-match gears from, say, 5-4-3 to slow down your vehicle. And remember, it's not engine braking if you're just keeping it in a gear and letting it slow down—you have to downshift. Use it along with your regular brakes to increase your bike's stopping power! Busting Some Misinformation: 1. "You don’t need to rev-match if you have a slipper clutch." – That's absolutely wrong! The slipper clutch does not work as an auto-blipper; you have to manually blip the throttle to match the engine speed. Do not rely on the slipper clutch! 2. "Rev-matching damages your clutch plates." – Not using rev-matching is actually more dangerous, as it puts excessive loads on the system when you downshift. 3. "Clutchless shifting damages the gearbox." – Clutchless shifting is a very safe method, and if done properly, it does not damage your gearbox at all. But you need to finesse rev-matching before attempting clutchless downshifting. I've been using all these skills that I've learned from YouTube every day on the road, and nothing has happened to my bike. And yes, mine doesn't have a slipper clutch! Proper use of such basic techniques and concepts can dramatically change how you ride your motorcycle, making it a lot smoother and safer.