Can advanced riders give some hidden tips/tricks to newbies?

[Jimsun]

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[abkdt41]

If you are getting tired of shifting... Look into the aprilia mana
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[Baggsy]

I'm looking to learn some tips and tricks from advanced riders. Things like;
-speed shifting (without clutch)
-rev matching
etc.

Some questions I have..

1. In the course you are told to always be in 1st gear at a stop. But, when I'm driving I always see guys on bikes stretching or with both hands off the handlebars, how is this possible if the course instructors say to remain in 1st gear which would require 1 hand to have the clutch pulled in...? I am assuming they go to neutral? But, when I was taking the course the bikes we were on, when you would start them it wouldn't be possible to go back into neutral, it would go 1-2-3-4-5. But when the bike was off, then it would be 1-neautral-2-3-4-5... so how do you get the bike into neutral when it's running?

2. Also, in the course we were taught to always shift down to 1st gear at a stop, but to me this is pointless in a way, can't we remain in 2nd/3rd/4th at a stop so that when we take off we don't have to upshift 3 or 4 times again? Lazy yes, but kind of a little trick if possible?

3. Do you guys always go to 1st gear at stops or what do you advanced riders do?

4. Will speedshifting without using the clutch damage the bike or is this a myth?

5. Is speedshifting the only way to shift gears without using the clutch or are there other methods?

6. Do you guys always use both your back and front brakes? Or front only mostly? Can you give details on when to use both, when to use front only, or back only?

I know in a manual car, you can switch gears without using the foot clutch by rev matching, but it's very hard and an advanced technique.. so just looking to learn some tricks / getting around tips.


Thanks.

In the course you're told to be in the appropriate gear for the speed you are going to be travelling at.
At a stop both first and neutral can fit that bill. In the early lessons you switched the bike to neutral when you were in your own lane. Later on with other bikes behind you and a short stop, you left it in first.
If you're at a light and accidentally release the clutch and the bike gets away and hits something, you're responsible, whether you're on the bike at the time or not. Don't forget to always have one of the brakes on when stopped.

Learn to shift. One of the hardest things for new riders is to be in the appropriate gear.
If you're bump starting a bike you might want to be in a higher gear. Remember that starting from second, you're more likely to stall. Not a good thing in traffic.

I'm in first or neutral depending on what I feel is appropriate.

Speedshifting damages your shifting muscle memory. The clutch is there for a purpose. Use it.

You can get an automatic motorcycle or big scooter, where you don't have to shift, if you're too lazy.

At very low speeds I use back only to slow me. If I'm stopping at any speed, I use both brakes.
Remember what you were told, if you lock the front, and if you lock the back.

 

[Blackfin]

Questions have already been answered but I'll add my 2c just because.

1. In the course you are told to always be in 1st gear at a stop. But, when I'm driving I always see guys on bikes stretching or with both hands off the handlebars, how is this possible if the course instructors say to remain in 1st gear which would require 1 hand to have the clutch pulled in...? I am assuming they go to neutral? But, when I was taking the course the bikes we were on, when you would start them it wouldn't be possible to go back into neutral, it would go 1-2-3-4-5. But when the bike was off, then it would be 1-neautral-2-3-4-5... so how do you get the bike into neutral when it's running?

I'll go into neutral as often as I leave it in first. A lot depends on traffic conditions (as others have said, a queue of cars behind reduces the need to be ready to bolt, for example.) If the light is going to be red for a while, I'll go to N. You should be judging all factors (traffic, time, comfort etc etc) before deciding what to do.

As has been mentioned, some school bikes are just thrashed and their gearboxes and shift detents are done. Oftentimes these bikes are not that well maintained and their clutches simply need adjusting.

2. Also, in the course we were taught to always shift down to 1st gear at a stop, but to me this is pointless in a way, can't we remain in 2nd/3rd/4th at a stop so that when we take off we don't have to upshift 3 or 4 times again? Lazy yes, but kind of a little trick if possible?

When you get your own bike find a deserted parking lot and try a 4th gear start. You'll soon see why 1st gear is good. Besides, many bikes are able to accelerate to at least (and many more than double) most in-city speed limits in 1st gear; is it really so much work to snick-snick a couple of times once up to speed into a relaxed cruise?

3. Do you guys always go to 1st gear at stops or what do you advanced riders do?

I do.

4. Will speedshifting without using the clutch damage the bike or is this a myth?

It can. Most bike transmissions (the manual variety) use dog-teeth to select gears. Failure to get those in quickly while the gearbox is unloaded can lead to rounding or other damage to the dog teeth, which can lead to failure to select and to the transmission slipping out of gear.

5. Is speedshifting the only way to shift gears without using the clutch or are there other methods?

I have a quickshifter (Dynojet PC-V + DQS combo) on my FZ8 that I use for virtually every upshift. I always use the clutch coming down the gears.

6. Do you guys always use both your back and front brakes? Or front only mostly? Can you give details on when to use both, when to use front only, or back only?

I use both most of the time. The fronts do the majority of the braking while the rear assists. The rear is easy to lock (no ABS on my bike) so I use it judiciously. I don't often ride in the rain but when I find myself caught I barely touch it.

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