Query approved

^^ up shifting depends on bikes & its condition. I upshift @3k rpm.
Your bike can be up shifted @3.5k rpm there will be enough torque for you and your friend ( on plains)
but if the compression is down then you can kill the power even if you upshift @4k rpm.
Btw, all manufacturer recommend try to ride at the highest possible gear whenever possible but dont lug the engine & dont ever let the engine knock.
In short you can shift at lower rpm.
Downshift should be so that your rpm drops to at least 3k rpm ( 2.5k rpm on stunner for slowing down, my personal preference) under sedate riding.
For swift overtaking you need to keep your engine at power band i.e. 5-6k rpm.
Bliping is not need in lower rpms say below 4k rpm
ENGINE BRAKING:
we have dedicated thread for this; you start to engine brake when you close throttle.. Technically its called deacceleration.. To increase its rate we can further down shift (with or without the blip of throttle) but if you down shift at mid to high rpm range w/o bliping the throttle then you & engine & gear box etc will get jolted.. Rear wheel can also lock.. For countering all this we need to blip the throttle.
And your friends are true 3rd gear will give low mileage compared to 5th & 2nd will give lower than 3rd & so on but this happens when you ride in lower gear than needed.
But while engine braking you keep throttle closed so mileage won't get hampered.
Engine braking only causes slightly increased engine wear (engines make you go not stop) that's why primary braking should come from brakes not engine, engine braking is just secondary thing. And too much of engine braking can overheat the engine

^^ thanks a lot man! 3.5k is fine..i do at 4-4.5 usually..but the point is..is it the point when we shift gear and get a better mileage..when I was doing the run-in I used to shift at 3.5k..but now as the mechanic has told me that engine should open up a bit for better power and I should shift at higher rpm..

I usually close the throttle and brake using front(slowly -long distance) or both , downshifting at the same time(using clutch only to shift the gear down)..does this practice have some effect on engine wear ??..or should I use the clutch completely..hold the clutch and downshift with braking??

^^ what ever you are doing is just fine.. Engine wear due to engine breaking at lower rpms say below 4-5k rpm is very very nominal, & looking at the advantage it gives as stability, it only gives benefit.
So there's no problem with your habit and dont pull clutch.. Its not only bad for clutch plates but also bad for the crankshaft..
Btw, how old is your bike in terms of kms & how much you ride daily and is there any long trips?
Your mechanic may be right, may be wrong can't say it now..
And about shifting point; no there is not, its the shifting range.. Just remember dont lug your engine & dont stress it either, you'll get good Mileage

@ f0rest

How much does your bike clocked?

Guys it has clocked 4600kms..due for 3rd service this weekend..and mostly i ride in city..25-30 kms daily..on weekends 100..no long rides till now ..planing to go for one.

Then there is nothing to worry, if you want mileage shift between 3-4k rpm and if you need power shift between 5-6 or 6-7k. Ripping so hard in 1st and 2nd gear will consume more fuel.


@ Honda_CBF

Bro what is meant by Bliping?

Overly detailed new comer and very well put answers.. great read guys! cheers

@ forest, no need to sticking with mechanic's suggestion you can shift at lower rpms (my opinion) your bike is already opened up.
.
@ Aneesh,
bliping the throttle makes the engine rev match to higher rpm, while downshifting.
It helps in ultra smooth downshifts & prevents wheel lock.

@Aneesh @honda_cbf thanks a lot guys!

@blackside couldnt help myself , love for the bike sometimes takes out your ego happy to learn

Guidance Needed: In search of the Perfect Shift Technique

Hi All,

I've been riding my darling RE Thunderbird TS for the past three weeks, while clocking 470 KM. Now I think I have a problem with the gearshift. First I should put my riding history on the table. I learned to ride and kept riding for 2 years on my fathers 3 year old TVS Victor(first model, not the GLX one) and mostly developed my riding "skils" and "habits" from that junk. Unfortunately I didn't have the experience of riding any other bike other than that old victor, and then I left home to pursue my career and ended up in Hyderabad with a IT job. When I saved up enough cash to buy my own vehicle, I chose my 3 year old dream, the TBTS. (If you think I'm blabbering mindlessly, plz forgive me and wait a little longer) When I started riding my very own TBTS after taking delivery, I noticed after the initial feeling of awe that my old habits of riding that junk victor didn't agree with this beast at all. Nonetheless I am learning day by day to be in sync with my machine, but the most troublesome part to me is the gearshifting. Now I understand that enfield gearboxes have a thing with false neutrals and they are not pulsars, but I am unimpressed with the pickup, and I think my shifting technique is the culprit. My current shifting steps are-
1. Press Clutch completely.
2. Close throttle completely.
3. Shift
4. Open the throttle while releasing the clutch.

the whole procedure takes about 1.5 - 2 secs, but as I said I am not happy with the acceleration and everytime I release the clutch, there's a soft jerk, even after I try to consciously synchronize engine and wheel rpm.

So here I am, trying to learn the secret art of perfect shifting. Calling all the bulleteers out there, please help me...........

Query approved and merged

another thing I want to add is that gear shifting is not smooth at all, whatever the speed, the THUD sound comes out of the gearbox while shifting. I'm afraid this might cause wear in the gears and increase backlash and hence more noisy operation. Is this really a issue or I'm being paranoid ?

Is your clutch adjustment fine??