If you're going to get a General, depending on the year...some have a one-way bearing in the Primary clutch that gives you Engine Braking. Later Generals come with a two-way bearing that doesn't provide engine braking.
Here's the deal. When you let off the gas with a two way bearing in the Primary, the belt drops all the way to the bearing, losing contact with the clutch sheaves. On hills, the engine is at idle and the CVT is just freewheeling. The steeper the hill, the faster you will be rolling. Now then if you've been freewheeling down a hill and just step on the gas, the engine rpm promptly pulls the sheaves together and the belt moves up onto the sheaves...and you have the distinct feeling you're going through the windshield!! That's because the primary clutch is just about instantly turning the rpm of the engine and no longer freewheeling at a higher rpm. Now, this is easy to manage, going down hills all you have to do is keep the rpm up enough to keep the belt up on the sheaves. That may have you doing a little two footed driving...a little bit of gas and a little bit of brakes. Like any vehicle with a manual transmission, it's just a matter of learning the machine and the process. You'll do fine.
Me, I've got diesel heavy equipment with engine brakes and pickups with exhaust brakes. I love the EBS on my General. Come over the ridge and a steep downhill in front of me, just let off the gas and the engine braking kicks in an slows my decent. Yes, there are some steep loose gravel hills that have my rear wheels start to slide...just give it a touch of gas to keep the wheels turning.
I have a downhill trail, not real steep, but has all sorts of drainage ditches crossing it. I found I had real trouble with the engine braking. But found that it was happening just as the drivetrain was at a
"shift point". That being as I went into one of those ditches the belt was just at the point of moving on the sheaves. That messes with engine rpm and thus engine braking. Twas just a matter of having the RPM a little higher going in, to prevent the belt from moving up the sheaves. Once again, just takes a little time to figure out what works. After two ditches, I had it, the next six or eight...no problemo.
Hope this helps,
Pirate
