With a lifetime spent driving manual cars, trucks and machinery I'm a constant engine braker but a mate with a Road King says he avoids it because when he was a driver in the army they discouraged it saying brake pads are cheaper than gear boxes. I never occured to me that I could be putting undue stain on the box. Any comments on the impact of this on HD motors?

I engine brake all the time, I suppose it does stress you're gearbox a little more.  I guess the key is to do it gradually and do it in conjunction with brakes. As with cars the clutch is supposed to go before the grearbox so I wouldn't have thought it would cause your gearbox to crap itself before it's time.

I do it with over 1.5l of engine and only one disc on the front it needs all the help it can get to slow down. I guess as long as you don't lock it up under compression then your running the risk of top end damage.

i use my brakes to stop not slow down

Hey chops remember on the way to Edenhope Aj56 asked me how come my brake lights don`t work and my reply was I dont use my brakes.
If you read this AJ56 no disrespect intended just using an example.

None taken.....

 Engine braking........HELL YES!!!!!...................but as Chromer said...........in an emergency stop, you don't have time!

Burto.

Taffy, i've been engine braking my Harleys for a long time , have had to rebuild my ex Shovels 4 speed gear box a lot of times . but never had a problem with any of the 5 speed box's, think 6 speed as strong? plus i drag race too.

the more Torque a motor puts out the better the engine braking is. my harley slows down on hills as well as a Diesel truck with exhast brake on.

 

To add a bit more to the discussion, the only problem I can see with excessive engine braking as I do as AJ56 pointed out at the time people behind dont see you slowing down straight away.

Using the engine to slow you down is the reverse of using the engine to speed you up.

I was a tank driver and truck driver in the army and they taught us engine braking because the brakes fitted to those vehicles at the time where just plan shit. I have used engine braking in every vehicle I have owned including motorbikes and never had a problem. The other thing engine braking does is give you more control of the bike.

engine is the third brake ,front to stop. back to slow .engine is safest and best way to corner .front brake will straighten ya up if cornering touch of rear and hand off throttle is the best way to slow on hot corner on staights use the three