Wednesday, January 9

Dear VTwin Mama,
Hello! I'm a beginner and I'm hoping you can give me some advice regarding downshifting, because I hear a lot of conflicting ideas. My owner's manual says to downshift from 5th to 4th at 15mph, 4th to 3rd at 12 mph, and 3rd to 2nd at 9mph. However, this doesn't give me a large enough time frame to pull in the clutch, downshift, let the clutch out smoothly, and repeat the process for each gear.

What is your downshifting technique when coming to a stop sign or at a red light? What about a quick unexpected stop? I'm looking for the most safe technique which won't damage my engine or wear out my transmission/clutch prematurely.

Do you wait until you are stopped in say 3rd gear, then pull in the clutch and downshift to first? I read that you personally shift to first at the stop, but as a beginner I might panic if I can't find first fast enough.

Do you apply the brakes as you approach the stop, then hold in the clutch as you brake and shift down through all gears without letting go of the clutch until you want to move off in first?

What exactly wears out the clutch? (I hear it's an expensive replacement) Is it worse to hold it in while coasting to a stop or to engage and disengage multiple times as you downshift?

Thank you! You are a lifesaver (literally)!!! – Jenny

Dear Jenny,
Welcome to your adventure in motorcycle riding ... you've got lots of valid questions!

I admit I'm a bit perplexed about the downshifting mph ranges the owner's manual suggested. I guess what happens when one becomes experienced is that you listen to the engine rather than looking at the speedometer. For instance, when you are at a dead stop and begin moving forward, you are most likely listening to the engine sound to clue you in for the next gear upshift, right? That's a natural thing as most of use are in tune with the sound, even before we begin riding ... we hear manual cars upshifting all the time around us!

In downshifting it's a bit dicier but the main point is that we're looking to maintain control of the bike at all times ... this includes smoothness of the approach to a stop and being able to still quickly move away from a hazardous/icky situation should it arise as we move toward the stop and are at the stop.

We could simply let gravity do the job as the bike has a certain weight and as we let off the throttle, the bike will slow down all by itself without any shifting or braking what so ever! However, this does not meet our control requirement! And it would be hard to calculate exactly when gravity would bring us to the stop, resulting in some yelling from fellow motorists!

Slowing down is a combination of using all the controls and there is no exact science so we're back to control! If we simply used the brakes we would arrive at our stop still in the gear we started out in, leaving us vulnerable at the stop, or quickly downshifting at the stop to get back to first. Not ideal because if a vehicle comes in "hot" behind you, i.e. out of control, you want to be in some gear under conrol (remember to leave some escape room between you the vehicle in front of you) to quickly move away.

In addition, most bikes are designed to downshift with some motion still happening, and there are some models that can really be hard to shift at a dead stop ... you literally have to rock the bike forward and backward to get that next lower gear to click in!

Remember the sound we talked about before? Here's the deal on downshifting. So, I'm probably going to let off the throttle and bleed off a bit of speed with the brakes. Then I'm going to downshift once, but here I'll be letting that clutch out just to the edge of the friction zone (where the clutch starts engaging the system) and determine if I'm still too fast for that gear (I can feel and hear the action of that engage point) ... just right, let out the clutch fully so the gear begins slowing down the bike; too high and I'm going to bleed off more speed with the brakes before engaging that next lower gear. The throttle becomes my "fine tune" as I can add or subtract a little as needed.

Gauging the distance to the stop then becomes the combo of a bit of braking and downshifting, approaching the last part of the stop in second gear (so I still have getaway power) and then with just a small amount of forward movement, going to first. On my bike I know I can click into first at a dead stop, so often that's what I do.

Practice of course is the key to control, so finding a big empty parking lot is a good idea, or, if your neighborhood street is a safe environment, that would work also. Get up into third with a stop point you can clearly see, bleed off a bit with the brakes, downshift but use that clutch to feather the engagement, etc.

One caveat ... brakes are always used gently ... in combination or just the front one when you're approaching a stop in a straight line. If you have to stop on a curve, a gentle use of the back brake only is best.

Quick stops are best handled in a straight line. If you've put in your practice time, you'll have an idea of how quickly you can stop just using the brakes; you can also practice how quickly the bike can stop by braking and downshifting so that the engine aids in the stopping power. If you are in a curve of any kind, your first determination should be whether you have enough room to straighten up the bike and enough room in that pathway to stop upright rather than at a lean angle. 

Brakes should be never be grabbed at or jammed on. It can lock up the system, putting you into a skid. Is a skid ever good? Well, one could argue that if an object appears in front of you so quickly that your only choice is to lay the bike down or ram head first into the object ... the skid/laydown could potentially be less physically harmful, but that's a split second decision that no one can predict.

Gears wear out just for the fact that it's a material subject to wear and tear. What wears out gears fastest is constantly running the bike at the top end of their range. Lack of maintenance can hurt also, as oil breaks down as it gets older, so don't neglect those oil/oil filter changes at the recommended intervals. So, unless you're racing around like a mad woman, your gear set will handle the normal range of riding just fine! – Mama

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Thursday, January  10

For Jenny who has questions about downshifting correctly:

Down shifting? That gun is loaded for bear.

That is a great question and really is a matter of all inputs, just like Petra has said. It also comes down to your own comfort level with your bike, bike size and conditions on the road. Is it wet of has rain just started to fall? That is THE most dangerous time to be looking for stopping power. It seems as if the road is actually more slick than if it were soaked. There is a reason for that... there is just enough moisture to get between rubber and the road but not always enough to squeeze out as if the road were really, really wet. It seems like that can't be the case when you look at science but it is my experience that tells me to slow down a little and keep distance from traffic in front of me. 

Never, EVER cheap out on tires. Buy the tires that reflect the way you ride. A good medium compound or a little tougher is a good choice for MOST riders and will hold up pretty well in most conditions. I use a Dunlop Qualifier on the rear and a Sport Elite on the front of my old Yamaha. I used to run Pirelli's but I am older now and no long have the same need for speed but I want control.

The best way to learn to downshift is very much as Petra has suggested. Go out and try it. You might find a quick shot of gas as you down shift will rev the engine enough to catch up with the now faster turning lower gear. You master this little trick and you won't get that hard clunk and the engine seeming to over rev once you let the clutch back out.

Can down shifting hurt the transmission? Possibly if you abuse the bike. It is, as stated by Petra, a balance of all controls first and fore most. The great part of this way of slowing is that the rear wheel always stays turning. Is that a good thing? YOU BETCHA! Think about the commercials that show a car's anti lock braes working...the tire sort of stutter stops and lets the driver stay in control and all the while... the wheels slow the car. Downshifting is the grand daddy of anti lock. Use the engine to assist in slowing on hills and in the wet and in corners ( ONLY WHEN YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROCESS! ) and you will again experience the coolness that is control over your motorcycle!

A motorcycle is an extension of all your skills and as you get more time in the saddle... you will get more skill. We all had to crawl before we could walk and walk before we could run and this is no different. This is a driving experience on so many levels and you won't get it in any car, anywhere, anytime. Period.

Love the site, Petra. – Ken, Biker Radio Magazine (note from Mama: thanks for expanding on the subject matter to include weather conditions and tires ... the first can be purposefully practiced as well and the second is well worth a lot of research time. I agree that the process takes many road miles and techniques should only be expanded on when the basics are first mastered.)

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Thursday, March 6

Dear VTwin Mama,
I have been riding about 2 years now. I am having some serious issues with carpel tunnel and my hands going numb. Do you know of any thing I can do to minimize this? I put some padded grips on and I cannot wear my wrist braces when I ride. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, – Katie H.

Dear Katie,
I want to start this discussion by having you do a review of your bike set-up. Go sit on your bike (with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed), take it off the side stand, and lift your arms into a comfortable position without regard to where the hand controls are right now.

If the reach distance is ok, but the controls are a bit higher than your new hand position, you typically can undo the handlebar clamp and rotate it down a bit.

If the distance and height are just fine, then check your wrist angle. Put your hands on the control ... your wrist should not be at an angle of any kind ... each control can be loosened and rotated for a better overall fit.

If the distance is in fact farther than comfortable, a pullback riser insert can bring the whole assembly back towards you ... check with a dealer to noodle this out further.

After these adjustments, or determining all is well, then there are several products to consider. One is a Throttle Rocker, which attaches to the end of the throttle grip, which allows your palm to take the weight of the throttle action ... I love mine! There is also a Throttle Boss, but that has a smaller area to rest your palm in. You might also check into a throttle lock for longer distance cruising ... I'm not a fan of locking the throttle cable into position, but for some, it makes a huge difference.

For the clutch hand, I'd check to see how much effort you have to make to pull that in. If it's a stiff action or wide grip, there are ergonomic solutions that will reduce the pull effort by as much as 50%. Again, the availability is by make/model, so ask the Parts Department of your local dealer to determine what's what.

I wish you well as you contemplate possible changes ... I'll be contemplating my navel, but that's neither here nor there in the overall scheme of things! – Mama

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Monday, March 24

Hi VTwin Mama,
First of all, I want to thank you so much for providing the resources on this site. All the riding techniques, etc. have been helping me a lot as I gain more experience. [you are welcome!]

I am wondering whether you go to neutral while waiting at a red light or if you already have it in first gear while holding down the clutch? Right now I hold down the clutch in 1st gear just in case I see a car approaching too fast in my mirror, so I might have time to get away. 

However, I was told that holding down the clutch causes excessive plate wear. I don't see how this is the case because I'm not moving, so it doesn't seem like I'm causing any friction. I prefer to shift down to first and leave my left hand on the clutch, but I don't want to wear out my plates excessively. Can you tell me what I should do/if this really does wear out the clutch?

I was also wondering whether I should press the clutch down fully each time I downshift or upshift, because it seems like most of the time I only need to push down around 1/3 of the way. Is this "slipping the clutch?" If I want to cause the least wear possible, should I press the clutch down all the way or can I keep doing it the way I'm doing?

Thank you so much! – June

Dear June,
Good questions, so let's get started!

The majority opinion on this site has been that staying in 1st gear at a stoplight is the safest thing to do, because, as you note, if something awful is happening behind you, you have a chance of moving out of the way. Of course part of this equation must be  that you always stop far away enough from the vehicle in front of you so that you can do a jog around if needed. 

I'll concede that at a longer city traffic intersection, where I know the extended length of the light change, I'll bump into neutral to wait it out. I suppose I'm still subconsciously listening for any squealing of tires way behind in the vehicle line-up, but who is to say if I would have enough time to jump to 1st and get out. This though is the reason that I tend to leave my hands at the controls rather than bring them down to my lap and that with both feet firmly on the ground, I can shift weight to hit the shift lever fast. Not perfect, but a reality.

Now let's turn our attention to the clutch action. From The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance by Mark Zimmerman, "the major parts include a clutch basket, several drive and driven plates, a clutch hub, a release mechanism, clutch springs, and a pressure plate." With me so far?

Most motorcycles have what are called wet multi-plate manual clutches, meaning they are bathed in oil, and while there may be more slippage possibilities than a dry clutch, there is also less friction overall.

"When the clutch lever is pulled in, the clutch lifter mechanism presses the pressure plate through the lifter plate, resulting in a gap between the disc and the plates. When gradually releasing the clutch lever, the pressure plate begins to press the disc and plate by the tension of the spring, and the disc and the plates begin to transmit power by sliding contact and the vehicle will start to move. When the clutch lever is completely released, the disc and plates are completely caught between the pressure plate and the clutch center, and no longer mutually shop. The power is completely transmitted to the rear wheel."

Yikes, so what does that mean in layman's terms? The question really becomes, what's the wear difference, if any, between being in neutral and sitting in 1st gear with the clutch in? Mark's email answer:

"When the bike is idling with the clutch pulled in there is some slight additional wear placed on the release mechanism and clutch pressure plate and in some cases (primarily older vintage bikes) the clutch can overheat due to friction between the drive plates, which keep spinning, and driven plates, which are stationary when the clutch is disengaged. However, wear is minimal and no cause for concern where modern bikes are concerned.

However, when I was learning to ride I was always taught that you never, ever stopped a bike in gear and held the clutch in because if the clutch cable breaks, and you were idly revving the throttle as many riders do, the bike would shoot forward into traffic. I understand the MSF now teaches the opposite, that you should stop in gear so that if an emergency arises you can scoot your way out of trouble. Bottom line ... stopping in gear and pulling the clutch in won't hurt a thing."

So, there we have ... yes, there is an affect, but it so minimal that one can easily disregard it. Hopefully as well, you can see that pulling in fully and releasing the clutch lever fully is truly appropriate. One only stays in the middle friction zone to gain some control around slow turns or when creeping a bike forward in heavy traffic so that feet don't have to go down for a stop every few seconds. In this case you are slipping the clutch, meaning you're changing the dynamics of the plate friction and one only uses it when necessary. – Mama

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Monday, May 19

Dear Petra,
Hello again, from Western MA, It has finally become excellent riding season near the Vermont-New Hampshire-Mass border. Today as I was out and about on my Shadow ACE, the air was just like perfume from all the flowering trees esp. the lilacs, and everyone in New England seems to have some. I was at a pit stop for phone calls and water, and as I'm leaving-backing up with my feet, not in gear, all of a sudden she tipped, and down we went on my left side. I was not pinned, and pulled my leg out, stood up and switched her off. Literally- boy scouts came running from the porch of the store, then 2 male bikers just pulled in, and helped me pick her up. . Oh God, was I embarrassed. But they were really sympathetic and positive about my experience ... I was not hurt, the bike was not even scratched, we were just in this little general store parking lot. A friend of theirs stalled out and pitched over in downtown Northampton-in front of everybody (that's a nightmare). Also my saddlebags took most of the weight, and prevented any more hurt than my pride. So my lesson is always turn around and point 'nose' out (not like I haven't been told that before). I feel better for venting this! The rest of the ride was great-met up with my hubby on his V-Star, and we tootled around for the rest of the morning. Happy riding! – Susan P. in Deerfield, MA

Dear Susan,
I hear you! I'm constantly on guard about back-up oopsies ... they just seem to happen so fast! Of course we know that we should always remain looking forward and centered when backing out, doing any head turning to gauge position when we're fully stopped, but IMHO, I still sometimes twist while looking and bring that handlebar to a full bar lock without meaning to. Pride may go before a fall, but it reddens the checks upon straightening the mess up! Glad to hear you and the bike are no worse for physical wear! – Mama

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Wednesday, June 4

Dear VTwin Mama,
For anyone rolling the throttle while using the front brake: I think your wrist is too high. Try to keep your wrist straight and no more than 3:00 on the grip.  If you are arching over the grip then, of course, when you pull brake you'll pull throttle.  If you're doing this because you cannot reach the lever otherwise, then have it adjusted for your hand. Best,  – Ginnie

Dear Ginnie,
A good tip on this issue! A reminder that hand controls can be loosened and rotated on the handlebar for a better hand position. – Mama

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Tuesday, June 17

Dear VTwin Mama,
I ride a 1984 BMW R65 Airhead and have difficulty backing into a spot between two other bikes. What's the trick?? – Barbara

Dear Barbara,
The basic park diagram I use is this:

You pull up to Pt. A duck walk to B with the help of a bit of clutch/throttle, kick it into neutral, straighten out the front wheel, keep your face forward, and move it back in a straight line. The reason to go to neutral is so you don't have to hold onto the clutch lever ... you've got enough going on without needing that! Now, face forward sounds counterintuative, but the problem with your body turned a lot is that the handblebar easily turns to one side (full bar lock) causing all sorts of grief. So, if you need to look back, then check the bike's position, but return to face forward when you're actually moving the bike.

One thing that can add to the challenge is if your feet are not firmly planted on the ground. It's hard to push yourself back on tippy toes and may even contribute to an easier lean to one side when you really need that bike centered and straight up.

To practice, set up cones or other markers to mimic a bike on each side and practice. Or you can head to the far end of a Wal-Mart parking lot (or something similar) and practice backing into dead center of a parking spot. – Mama

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Friday, June 20

Dear VTwin Mama,
My Virago is here!!  Sorry, I know this is redundant but I am soooooo excited. It’s not insured until today but I spent an hour on it going around my neighborhood yesterday. I was able to get enough speed to get up to 3^rd gear and practice gearing down as well. It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be.  Maybe driving a standard most of my life helps.

So, my first ever ride on a MC was on my very own!  I am just psyched and can’t wait for later today to insure and ride ... to the parking lot to practice! – Vicki

Dear Vicki,
If you are hearing a deafening noise all around you, that's myself, the site readers, and the 4 million women solo riders applauding you! And I'm just so jazzed to hear that you're putting together the small steps towards learning more and mastering skills that you'll need along the way. Very smart! I wish you many happy practice sessions and road miles ... and remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE ... so should something crop up that you need help noodling out, we stand by to assist!  – Mama

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Tuesday, June 24

For Vicki and anyone taking ownership of a bike:

Yikes!  While I am excited for Vicki I must say that I don’t believe it is wise to ride around the neighborhood without being insured.  Never mind that most accidents happen close to home - we just had a guy in the ER who was riding his motorcycle for the first time and did not make it out of the dealership’s parking lot!  He drove straight into a parked car and broke his leg.  No registration, no insurance, and now no bike.  Luckily no one else was injured. Just my opinion, – MJ (note from Mama: wow! Now that's a cautionary tale if ever I heard one ... but a useful one!)

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Tuesday, June 24

Dear VTwin Mama,
I was wondering if you can explain to me when to shift. Like, what's the difference between all the gears, what gear should I be in when going up and down a hill, or going down the road at a certain speed? I just can't figure when to change it. Also, what's neutral for? Is that the gear I'm suppose to be in when parking the bike? That's what my friend told me so I'm a bit lost ... thanks for all the help. – Kelcy

Dear Kelcy,
Hmmm ... let's start with neutral. Neutral is nice when you're starting up the bike and letting it warm up. That way while it's warming up you can get your riding gear on. It's also useful any time you have to duckwalk (use your feet) to move the bike, i.e. as in backing it up for parking. It's also used at longer traffic lights so that you can rest your clutch hand (you don't have to keep the lever pulled in) ... although many advocate that one should stay in 1st gear at a stop light in case someone behind you might cause a problem and you need to get away quickly. If you're with a group you can start in neutral and stay there until the leader signals that everyone is ready. That way you're not fumbling to start the bike ... it's ready to go just by moving into first gear.

I'm not sure if this is going to help, but this Total Motorcycle page on Motorcycle Sounds has sound clips of bikes being started, revving in idle, and then being ridden in successive gears. What you're listening for is the rhythm of the shift ... you'll hear the first gear as the noise ramps up, then the rider shifts, the noise drops in tone and then ramps up again, etc. A lot of these clips are sport riders moving fast, but the concept is still valid.

I guess it's easiest to explain when to shift by coming at it backwards. If you're in first gear going along and then go to second gear, but it bogs down (not enough power) or feels sluggish, you've shifted into second gear too soon. If you're in first gear and shift to second and it lurches/hurls forward and you find yourself hanging on for dear life, you've shifted too late. You're looking for the middle ground.

Practice enough and soon you'll shift just by hearing the sound of your engine (that's why listening to the sound clips helps you understand how to listen to your own).

Hills are taken in the gear that gives you the power to move the weight of you and the bike up it, depending on the steepness. If the hill is steep and you're in fourth gear and there's no real power when you give it some more gas, you need to shift down to third gear and if the throttle is responsive (has power), you're good to go.

Ok, try that! – Mama

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Saturday, July 5

Dear VTwin Mama,
I am a new rider (22 years old) and just bought my first bike a week ago! It is a gorgeous Suzuki S40 Boulevard--LS 650cc. So far it is a perfect size for me, although I have very, very, very little experience on it so far, I have a friend who will be teaching me the basics before my MSF safety class in a few weeks.

Now for the actual question! I have driven a car with a manual-transmission all of my driving life. I very rarely downshift in it unless I need more acceleration power. When stopping the car I simply shift into neutral and use the brakes to stop me. I realize this puts more strain on the brakes, heats them up and wears them down quickly, and I am trying to correct it. 

I know that teaching myself smooth downshifting in the car will help me get the feel for doing it on the bike too, but just for my own knowledge, can I take this same stopping approach with my bike? The distribution is about 30/70 with the back/front brakes and they are independent, single rotor. I know that at higher speeds this would not work too well, but for anything 40 MPH or less could I just shift into neutral and brake only to slow down, or is this a bad idea?

I am so glad I found this site so early in my biking career--I can't wait to share my experiences and learn from all yours! – Amanda

Dear Amanda,
Congrats on the new bike and I wish you well in your upcoming riding course!

Certainly you can shift to neutral and glide/brake to the stop. The problem is this: unlike a cage (car), which offers a shell of protection, you are more vulnerable on a motorcycle. It is smarter to always have the bike powered/geared for a quick getaway.

While this would be an oddball example, think about approaching a stop gliding in neutral and the car behind you loses all brake power ... they are gaining on you very quickly, hurling a lot of weight towards you ... you definitely want to be geared so you can get the heck out of their way!

I had an interesting discussion with a friend the other day, who noted that a DMV question said the correct answer to what do you do first when getting ready to stop was to gear down ... we argued that braking first was the better answer. The reasoning is that it signals vehicles behind us that we're going to slow down ... as not all cage drivers really can tell that we're slowing down (we're trained to recognize brake lights as the indicator).

So, flashing the brake lights and then gearing down is good. Most riders also advocate that you remain in 1st gear at a stop so that should you need to pull out of a stopped line of vehicles for any reason, you don't want to waste the seconds needed to clutch in and shift and then go. Remember to always stop at enough distance to the vehicle in front of you so you can pull out! – Mama

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Thursday, July 17

Dear VTwin Mama,
I recently completed the MSF course and about a week after went out and purchased my very first bike. Its a 2006 Honda Nighthawk 250; great starter bike I'm told. Really like the bike but I'm still having trouble with the whole clutch and shifting thing. I really wanna keep this bike, do u know if its possible to have a automatic transmission installed on that kind of bike? – Tiff in NJ

Dear Tiff,
Well, technically I suppose it could be done, but a) you'll never find someone to do it and b) it would cost sooooo much $$ you would be in hock until the polar ice cap melts completely (so a bunch of years from now).

No, other than some specific offerings for Harley-Davidson swap outs, going to an auto tranny is not done. Explore your auto tranny options and then sell the Nighthawk. 

Alternatively, call back your course provider and see if one of the instructors offers private lessons. I'm guessing within a few one-on-one sessions, you'll be clutching and shifting just fine. Another idea ... rent an ATV with manual transmission and get your practice on this ... takes the 2 wheel balance issue out of the equation until you've got the shift sequence down pat.

My thought ... if you're just out of school, that is barely enough time to say hi to the new bike properly! Take a deep breath, think seriously and deeply on what you think is holding up your learning curve, and then do something about it. Example: you've got a friend helping you practice, but they can't explain what you're doing wrong and then the frustration on their part builds. Remedy: get a qualified teacher to assist you! Hoping this will jumpstart your learning pathway again ... – Mama

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Friday, July 18

Dear VTwin Mama,
I just bought a Suzuki GZ250 (after taking a motorcycle safety class and riding a scooter for a year). Anyway, the bike is a 2004 used model and I've noticed one slight problem. I'm having trouble shifting the bike into neutral when the motor is running. It does fine when I'm starting the bike, but when I'm at a stoplight or pulling into my driveway to open the garage door, I have to turn the bike off rather than shift into neutral. The bike I rode for the motorcycle safety class shifted into neutral fine. (NOTE: the one benefit of this is that I don't "ghost" shift into neutral while riding. Thanks for any advice! – Lynda

Dear Lynda,
Congrats on the new-to-you bike! This is not totally uncommon to a number of makes/models. The next time you experience this, try a slight rocking motion while you shift. That usually is the solution. I do not have a technical explanation of why. It seems that bikes prefer to be shifted in motion! So, at that stop, use your butt to rock it a little forward/back and it should pop right in.

If you notice an overall decaying ease of shifting, then you most likely have a bent shift shaft. This can happen when a bike is dropped on its left side during an oopsie. The previous owner may have dropped it or you may have had a bike nap situation. One needs to center the bike and then eyeball down the shaft to see if it's perfectly straight. If not, then a replacement is needed. Otherwise the problem will escalate until you can't shift at all. – Mama

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Monday, September 22

Dear VTwin Mama,
I recently passed the MSF course and bought a new bike. I bought a Kawasaki Ninja 250R but recently read on another forum that that bike is DEATH for a beginner. I am now scared out of my mind!!!!!! Did I buy the wrong "first" bike?????

I did well in the MSF class but on the day I got my bike, I stalled out and while trying to re-start, I did something wrong and dropped it (somehow gave it too much throttle) and took a nasty spill. Nothing major but a laceration on my thigh that required stitches. As such, my confidence has been terribly shaken. 

I have been practicing in parking lots but I need help knowing WHEN to shift. If I am in gear and I just roll off the throttle, will the bike eventually just cut off from not enough power being supplied?

Can you use the brakes without pulling in the clutch??? I think I recall from my MSF class that this is a major NO-NO!!! Should you NEVER stop without downshifting??? What would happen if you stop at a light  in 2nd gear once the light changed and you tried to take off?

Could you please expound more on “engine braking”??

Thanks for all of your helpful tips!!!! I refuse to give up although I am very frustrated right now. – Deb

Dear Deb,
Good grief ... I think the word "death" should really have read "more challenging," but then every new bike is a challenge to the rider! Specific handling characteristics have to be learned and practiced no matter what!

Sit on your bike in 1st gear and the clutch lever pulled in. Give it gas. Is the bike moving? No. You can give that bike all the gas you want and it isn't going to go anywhere. The point I'm trying to make? Whenever you feel you're moving too fast or have accidentally given it too much gas ... pull the clutch lever in ... as this is what immediately removes the power from the transmission! With the clutch lever in, it doesn't matter if you goose the gas ... you still aren't going anywhere.

Next drill. Slowly let the clutch out with no gas. See, you have forward movement, but then it will shudder, stall, and die because you didn't give it any gas. Now, how far could you let that clutch lever out before it happened? Is it right at the beginning of the full range of that lever ... more in the middle ... further out? This is important to understand. Start the bike up again and then let the whole clutch out in one motion ... it just stalls and dies ... but with an added jerking motion for your troubles.

A better way ... give the bike a bit of steady gas and then slowly let the clutch out to the point where the tranny engages. If the bike starts shuddering, you're not holding steady gas. If the bike doesn't move forward smoothly, you still need to work on the amount of clutch you're letting out. Your goal is to duck walk (feet paddling on the ground at the side) in a steady and controlled manner using a bit of steady gas and "slipping" the clutch lever in and out of the engage/disengage point.

Learning the engagement point and the amount of steady gas needy is important for all smooth starts and any slow turns you'll be working on as you polish skills. This cannot be over emphasized. I have traveled to teach riders on sports-style bikes and found this to be more "touchy" than say a cruiser-style motorcycle ... for the very fact that sport-style bikes are aggressively geared ... 1st is designed to really "get up and go." Keep at it though and you will learn the nuances.

Now, when to shift. In this question I am now assuming you have never driven a stick-shift car. When I talk about listening to the engine, it's because you can hear a change in the sound as you pick up speed. You can also feel that the engine is reaching the end of its range. With a tachometer, one could call out a number range; without, it's by sound and feel.

Here is a page of sound clips. Listen to the Honda Shadow, then listen to one that calls out a hard accelerate. Can you hear when each shift occurs?

If you shift too soon, when you go to give it gas, it will feel sluggish. If you shift at the high end of the gear, all of a sudden you are propelled forward very quickly. Obviously we're aiming for a middle ground. The caveat is that sport-style bikes like the Ninja (repeating myself) are geared to move quickly forward, so the gear change is typically sooner than later (it reaches its high end sooner than a cruiser would). In your parking lot practice, with plenty of straight line room ahead of you, move forward in 1st gear and listen and feel.

Yes, if you roll off the throttle, eventually the bike will sputter, stall and die ... unless you pull in the clutch lever. What determines if the bike gets jerky or leaps forward ... it depends on how touchy the throttle is and where in the speed range of that gear you are. At all times you are looking for smoothness. Again, it's a challenge, especially for a new rider.

Yes, you can use the brakes without downshifting if you are just looking to bleed off some speed temporarily. Yes, you can pull in the clutch and brake all the way to a stop. But then you're still in some upper gear and not ready to start again in 1st. Bikes prefer to be in motion when shifted, so sitting at a stop light and downshifting to get ready is not the greatest ... what if the light changes before you're done? Take off in 2nd. Well, it isn't that you can't do it ... but try it in the parking lot practice and you will see that you'll have a sluggish response from the throttle ... remember that shuddering? There it is again.

Now on to engine braking. Each gear has a range to it ... just as you wouldn't want to try to ride at 70mph in 1st gear, you wouldn't take off from a stop in 4th gear. Why? Because each gear is lined up in order and handles a range of speed. If you're cruising in 4th gear nicely in the midsection and downshift to 3rd, you'll be at the high end of the 3rd gear range. You'll notice that it takes a bit more throttle action from you to keep it at the same speed. If you're in 4th gear midsection and downshift without giving it much throttle, the bike will naturally slow down ... this is what is called engine braking. The gearing slowed you down, not the use of brakes.

When approaching a stop, use your brakes slightly as this signals those behind you that you'll be slowing down. Downshift and move smoothly forward but slower. Still too fast, use a bit of hand/foot brake ... approaching nicely, downshift. There is no way for me to tell you exactly at what speed to do each shift ... if you're looking at the speedometer, you're not looking at the traffic and gauging your distance to the stop. It's a combination and only practice will get you to understand the various combinations you can use.

None of this is going to hurt the bike in the short term while you're learning all the little nuances. Remember that with a lot of slow speed practice to rest yourself and cool down the bike every 10 minutes. If you continue to have real concerns about shifting and coming to a stop, consider calling the course and asking if any of the instructors offer private lessons. A few sessions may bring this all together for you more quickly and diminish the jitters ... – Mama

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Thursday, September 25

For Deb who is learning on a Ninja 250 ... is it the wrong bike or even a "death bike"?:

My MSF course stable was mostly Rebels but included a couple of Ninja 250s. I don't think they would put a death bike in the rider course. Only one person did not pass the test, and she was on a Rebel (and loaded up with lots of husband baggage). Fear not, Deb! Regards, – Sarah (note from Mama: just about any bike can get a new rider in trouble ... I think it's more about polishing skills in baby steps than the actual bike itself ... but you've got to respect the process. I also know that when things aren't going right, seeking information on the Internet can be good ... like finding the VTM site! Who knows what experiences that rider had to call the Ninja 250 a death bike ... but I'm guessing it had more to do with not practicing in a planned out manner and thinking through how a bike actually works.)

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Monday, November 24

Dear VTwin Mama,
I recently had the shifting problem and discovered I was lifting with my foot to the outside of the shift lever. I began to move my foot more to the middle and inside the shift lever and solved the problem and also the clicking sound when shifting is not so loud.– JP

Dear JP,
Thank you for sharing how you solved a problem with shifting. I've also received letters where the solution was the positioning of the shift lever on the shaft ... too tight to the boot or causing the rider to lift the whole foot can set up similar problems.

I'll simply add at this point that if the problem is that you can't easily shift while at a stop, in some cases there are certain makes/models where this always seems more difficult. Bikes want to shift in motion ... the solution here is to rock a bit back and forth and you should be able to pop it where you want it.

If shifting becomes increasingly more difficult over time, i.e. it just doesn't want to shift, the most likely cause is that the shift shaft is bent. This happens when a bike is dropped on its left side for whatever reason. Take the shift lever off and eyeball down the shaft to see. This isn't the only cause, but it's one of the most KISS causes. – Mama

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