Why must motorcyclists 'rev' their engines while stopped?

Question

Does it help the engine or something?

Answer 1

I was told its due to the oil pumps on some bikes do not pump the oil at low idle speeds. But sometimes i thinks its because they idle to low and sound like they are about to die.I just always let mine idle at a stop

Answer 2

When it's a squid (slang for "squirrelly kid" or immature rider) with a stunters.com sticker and the front fairing ripped off, he's doing it show the world that he too can over-compensate for a little penis. Some riders, and yes more the iron horse Harley crowd, do it for the sound.

Most of us just sit at the light waiting for that green orb of freedom just like the cagers (those in cars). At that point you'll have to roll down your window and ask the rider next to you if he has a small penis.

Answer 3

Some 2-strokes can't and are not supposed to idle, the oil will build up and it'll foul the spark plugs. You have to rev them or always have the throttle open a little.

But apart from that, I think there is no actual reason, you just do it when you've got nothing better to do, like when waiting at a red light. You can just stand there and do nothing, so you just play around with the throttle a little. It's like tapping on the table when you've got to sit still for a long time.

Answer 4

Probably 90% of the time it's done to appear aggressive, 10% to keep a cold engine from stalling.
Personally, I will hit the throttle on some of my older bikes when down shifting, in preparation for a stop. It keeps the engine speed in sink with the higher gear ratio and makes the down shift easier....

Answer 5

there called squid's these idiots hear bikes rev while slowing down. And think they are imitating it at the red light. But its to match the engine speed with the tanny you blip the throttle to raise the engine speed to match the speed of the engine with the lower gear reducing the chance of sliding your rear tire it is used on the race track
the morons bliping their throttles at the light are clueless that is also know as the "tool effect"

if i had a bike that would not idle i would get rid of that turd

Answer 6

Sometimes I'll give it a little gas if the engine is still a little cold. I got in a habit of give it a little rev before I start when I had my Honda. It needed some carb work so it would die from time to time. The engine was fairly quiet so I'd give it a little goose to make sure it was still running before I took off and lifted my feet off the ground. Sometimes I still do that with my Fatboy out of old habit. If dudes are reving their engine to make noise and be cool, that's just gay.

Answer 7

Some carbureted bikes (read: Harleys) need a little extra kick while warming up or they'll stall. On a fuel-injected bike, the computer controls the fast idle mixture and RPM, so revving the engine is completely unnecessary.

Answer 8

Some either do it for kicks, or to keep the oil and coolant circulating in high temp your engines temp can jump 20 degrees just idiling at a stoplight for 5 mins.

Answer 9

Because it makes us feel cool.

Heh.

Both my bikes are a little old and have carburetors, so things like idle speed or fuel mixture might be a little off. If I notice the revs dropping too low and think the engine might stall, I'll blip the throttle to give it a little gas until the light changes.

Answer 10

it might be out of habit...back when all bikes were carburated people would miss with the jets and idle to a point they ran good at top speed but when stopped and at idle they would nearly die and have to continually "rev" the motor to keep it running.

Answer 11

I only rev my bike at a stop when someone in a car next to me is playing some offensive Rap or Hippity Hop B.S. really loud or on the cell phone rather than paying attention to the road.
So you see I actually perform a public service by doing it.