Beginners Bike Guide

[VulcaN]

Originally Posted by electric!sheep

BTW, what is the best practice for managing your downshifts when slowing? In my car I usually toss it in neutral and coast, but with a bike it seems like a bad idea. I mean, if you're in 5th and try to knock it back down to neutral, you might lose the clutch by accident and end up sliding down the road with a locked rear wheel as the engine tries to rev up to eleventy million RPMs in second gear.

Yeah you can do that but you have to be REALLY firm with your downshifts at least on most bikes, I don’t think you could get it into first going at 5th gear speeds (with the clutch in), you can easily grind your gears like that too. I hear it happen all the time with newbie riders, going maybe in 2nd a bit too fast to shift into first they aren’t firm on the downshift and you hear the most horrible gear grinding sound ever.

Id usually just engine brake from 5th down to first and stop at the light in first. If you let out the clutch like ur talking about yes you would completely lock up the wheel.

With every bike it’s different but you get a feel for engine braking and you will know when to downshift and let out the clutch so you don’t lock the wheel up and can engine brake effectively.

Some people make the mistake of just pulling the clutch in and then stopping at the light without downshifting all the way to first, then when they go to take off they of course stall, hehe.

[Ignited]

Ok, I'm going to make another attempt to make sense of this whole downshifting thing. If you're cruising in 5th gear and you're coming up to a red light, do you have to gradually downshift as you come to the light? Or, can you just slow all the way down in 5th gear and then knock it back into first while you're waiting for the light to change?

I know I'll find out all this information when I take the MSF course, but this something I've wondered for years.

[VulcaN]

The proper way is to gradually downshift. Sometimes if you wait till you get to a stop to downshift all the way you will not be able to and may even get stuck in a false neutral. Then you have to rock the bike back and fourth and press down on the shifter to get it to downshift.

So while ur there fiddling with ur bike trying to get it into gear, you will a) still be messing around when the light turns green b) look silly to all your friends - Or worst case not be able to get out of the way in time if an accident should occur or an emergency situation arises

[ArpaWocky]

Dont be like this guy

http://www.gsxr.com/showthread.php?t=3677&page=1&pp=10

[OneWhoKnows]

Originally Posted by Ignited

Ok, I'm going to make another attempt to make sense of this whole downshifting thing. If you're cruising in 5th gear and you're coming up to a red light, do you have to gradually downshift as you come to the light? Or, can you just slow all the way down in 5th gear and then knock it back into first while you're waiting for the light to change?

I know I'll find out all this information when I take the MSF course, but this something I've wondered for years.

I use a combination of engine braking and the front and rear brakes to slow down. Sometimes I use just the front brakes, but that's another story.

As you're slowing down you're doing the following things: Pulling on the front brake lever and pressing down on the rear brake.

As you're slowing down, you pull your clutch and click down a gear while blipping the throttle to rev match and you let the clutch out evenly. Remember the above step takes about half a second. You just repeat this until you're in first gear.

Confusing? I remember when I was like

[Ignited]

Originally Posted by OneWhoKnows

As you're slowing down, you pull your clutch and click down a gear while blipping the throttle to rev match and you let the clutch out evenly.

Are you talking about working the front brake and the throttle simultaneously?

[Ph34rful]

Since no one seems to have asked...

How much are you guys spending a year on insurance? (What bike, your age, and insurer)

[SebG]

Kawasaki Ninja ZX6
21
Rider Insurance
$175/year liability

[onewheeldoin200]

Originally Posted by Ignited

Are you talking about working the front brake and the throttle simultaneously?

Yes. It takes some getting used to but it's an invaluable skill when you get it. Practice practice practice.

And I never pull up to a light in 5th gear. I always like to be in a gear that will leave me with enough power to scoot off if there's an accident or something behind me.

[karax]

So I just finished the MSF this weekend. It was suuuuch a blast! I didn't really like my bike though (kawasaki eliminator 250) since I kept scraping the foot pegs.

Oh well, can't wait to get a bike now (and then practice more too)

I reccomend the MSF to everyone. I had never touched a bike before, but now I dont feel nearly as overwhelmed.

[ReTECH]

My friend just bought a 2005 Suzuki SV650S. His total riding experience so far is the MSF. He wanted a Ninja, the zx-6r I think. I talked him out of it. We'll be going out riding this weekend, I'm pretty confident he'll stay out of trouble... He's pushing 30, has gotten most of his punkish youth driving habits out of his system, & has a healthy respect for what damage the bike can do to him. He's taking vacation just so he can practice around town.

For the record, I think the SV650 is way up at the upper limit of a 'n00b' bike, and buying new is just asking for trouble. I'll keep the progress posted.

Update : So far so good... he's stalled it quite a few times, so he's erring on the side of too few rpm's instead of too many. Good way to not wreck, until he gets used to it.

[nik]

ok..question which might sound a bit wierd. ive been driving a 300cc scooter around for the past 2 years without any scrapes or accidents. jus one or 2 wierd incidents with people rear ending me and breaking my tail light. ive basically been a real maniac with the bike and now its on its last legs and im thinkin of getting a bike. i have experience with bikes jus that i never had the time to spend more time on them. do i still fit under the inexperienced category? ps ive been riding gearless mopeds since i was 11.

[onewheeldoin200]

Originally Posted by nik

ok..question which might sound a bit wierd. ive been driving a 300cc scooter around for the past 2 years without any scrapes or accidents. jus one or 2 wierd incidents with people rear ending me and breaking my tail light. ive basically been a real maniac with the bike and now its on its last legs and im thinkin of getting a bike. i have experience with bikes jus that i never had the time to spend more time on them. do i still fit under the inexperienced category? ps ive been riding gearless mopeds since i was 11.

I'd say you've got enough experience under your belt that, if you took an MSF course on a motorcycle, you could handle an SV650 or maybe even a 600 supersport depending on your character. I mean....you say you've been "a real maniac" on that scooter. If you do that on a supersport you will be dead. If you can refrain, I think you have the experience on two wheels to stay alive and happy on a nice bike.

Either way, take that MSF course, just to get a hang of the differences between scooters and bikes, if nothing else (and you will inevitably pick up other useful tips and skills as well).

[CrAzY DuTcHmAn]

Originally Posted by onewheeldoin200

Is there something you can use as a ground anchor? Like one of those U-shaped crash bars around fire hydrants or something? I think that would be most economical. Failing that a disc lock should be okay.

Umm, I wouldn't go attatching your bike to a hydrant. Firemen tend to get a bit pissed when they need to use it and your car/bike/tank is in the way. I'm sure you've seen the pic of the car with the hose running through it. You are more likely to just get a ticket, but those aren't fun either.

[onewheeldoin200]

Originally Posted by CrAzY DuTcHmAn

Umm, I wouldn't go attatching your bike to a hydrant. Firemen tend to get a bit pissed when they need to use it and your car/bike/tank is in the way. I'm sure you've seen the pic of the car with the hose running through it. You are more likely to just get a ticket, but those aren't fun either.

No no, that's not what I meant. I mean the concrete bars beside the fire hydrant that go into the ground....so that jackasses in cars don't run the hydrant over. Still, you're probably right, they wouldn't even like that because it would get in the way.