Short shifting

Short shifting means moving up a gear earlier than needed for maximum acceleration, well below the engine's peak power rpm.

It has several uses. In the rain or on loose ground, a higher gear gives softer power delivery and helps keep traction. On tight tracks and trails it reduces wheelspin out of corners. On the road it makes riding smoother and quieter and saves fuel, and it reduces stress on a cold engine.

Avoid going so far that the engine labours or knocks at very low rpm in a high gear. Find the range where the engine pulls cleanly and shift there.