Hello everyone! Looking for a bit of advice here on cruising at slow speeds in 1st and 2nd gear. Let me give a bit of an intro here before I begin. I am a new rider of approximately 2 months now on a Ninja 300. I have taken the M2 course with RTI, where I learned many of the basics of riding and I am loving riding, but what irritates me now is my bike likes like to jerk and bog forward especially in 1st and 2nd gear. Is this an issue with closing the throttle too abruptly or not clutching down enough during these slow speeds? I have been referred to read "Twist of the wrist" before, which I looked over briefly, but I feel like that teaches more about handling than throttle and clutch control. Any words of advice?
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New rider looking to finesse cruising in 1st gear and 2nd
- Thread starter Pasierbek
- Start date
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
Simple.
You're popping the clutch out too quickly without enough gas.
The bike is simply doing what you're telling it to. You should be irritated with yourself and not the bike. ;-)
You're popping the clutch out too quickly without enough gas.
The bike is simply doing what you're telling it to. You should be irritated with yourself and not the bike. ;-)
I'm not talking about the upshift from 1-2 and popping the clutch, because I know the bike is going to jerk forward.I know how that works cause I drive a car that's stick lol. No, I'm talking about being in 1st or second gear and slowly rolling off the throttle to decelerate while braking. The bike just gets all choppy but not wanting to stall choppy yet.
The lower gears are always going to be extremely sensitive to the throttle. Use the clutch to smooth it out.
During normal acceleration away from a stop, you should be upshifting to the higher gears where the throttle is less sensitive.
If traffic conditions require steady low speed, you can still upshift. You don't need higher revs in first or second gear to putter along at 30 km/h.
If it's crawling at first-gear speed, pull the clutch in. When you need acceleration, apply throttle and let the clutch out so that it will transmit power. When you don't need acceleration, depending on what traffic conditions up ahead are doing, pick between shifting to second gear just above idle, or simultaneously pull in the clutch and shut the throttle ... you won't feel the jolt if the clutch isn't engaged.
Shutting the throttle in first gear with the clutch engaged is going to result in a jolt. So, "don't do that". Either upshift to second (or third etc) or pull in the clutch and shut the throttle depending on what traffic conditions warrant.
Smoothness comes with experience. Practice.
During normal acceleration away from a stop, you should be upshifting to the higher gears where the throttle is less sensitive.
If traffic conditions require steady low speed, you can still upshift. You don't need higher revs in first or second gear to putter along at 30 km/h.
If it's crawling at first-gear speed, pull the clutch in. When you need acceleration, apply throttle and let the clutch out so that it will transmit power. When you don't need acceleration, depending on what traffic conditions up ahead are doing, pick between shifting to second gear just above idle, or simultaneously pull in the clutch and shut the throttle ... you won't feel the jolt if the clutch isn't engaged.
Shutting the throttle in first gear with the clutch engaged is going to result in a jolt. So, "don't do that". Either upshift to second (or third etc) or pull in the clutch and shut the throttle depending on what traffic conditions warrant.
Smoothness comes with experience. Practice.
x2 Brian above.
In the lower gears the clutch comes into play a lot - speeding up and slowing down in first gear is going to be herky-jerky without exceptionally fine throttle control (which can be very difficult to achieve on many bikes), or significant use of the clutch.
Remember, the clutch is not digital where it either needs to be engaged, or disengaged, nor does it always need to be engaged when you're moving - practice slipping and/or disengaging the clutch all together during situations where you're stuck using first or second gear, with rev-matching as required while re-engaging the clutch during low speed maneuvering.
Low speed riding is one of the finer skills in motorcycling. Anyone can go fast in a straight line, but going slow and weaving your way perfectly through a crowded parking lot without having to duck walk or doing the herky-jerky in the lower gears is where an experienced rider can really shine.
That, as also mentioned, comes with time.
In the lower gears the clutch comes into play a lot - speeding up and slowing down in first gear is going to be herky-jerky without exceptionally fine throttle control (which can be very difficult to achieve on many bikes), or significant use of the clutch.
Remember, the clutch is not digital where it either needs to be engaged, or disengaged, nor does it always need to be engaged when you're moving - practice slipping and/or disengaging the clutch all together during situations where you're stuck using first or second gear, with rev-matching as required while re-engaging the clutch during low speed maneuvering.
Low speed riding is one of the finer skills in motorcycling. Anyone can go fast in a straight line, but going slow and weaving your way perfectly through a crowded parking lot without having to duck walk or doing the herky-jerky in the lower gears is where an experienced rider can really shine.
That, as also mentioned, comes with time.
adrisen
Well-known member
Sounds like standard slow seed riding such as coming to a stop or really slow traffic. If so. Looks like you had a crappy instructor. That was one thing my instructor instilled in us by the time we were done. I was the queen of stalling.
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Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
What Brian said.
Also, if you're going to cruise in first (which I wouldn't) you're going have to ride the clutch to smooth out the jerking while maintaining slight open throttle.
Also the bike may have an area in the power band that it just doesn't like to linger in. Mine is 3500 to 4000 rpm
Also, if you're going to cruise in first (which I wouldn't) you're going have to ride the clutch to smooth out the jerking while maintaining slight open throttle.
Also the bike may have an area in the power band that it just doesn't like to linger in. Mine is 3500 to 4000 rpm
clyder
Well-known member
In 1st gear, you will get that jerky feeling. It's expected when you do slow maneuver or ride in 1st (use to irritates me too at the beginning). You won't get that jerky feeling if you play with the clutch in the friction zone (see slow riding maneuver) and a bit of throttle or if you go on 2nd gear (less jerky feeling, so less irritation but requires more throttle and same clutch techniques); Works for me on a Ninja 250.
Thanks guys! All of the advice here has been great and this exactly why I joined this forum lol Getting some theory to help me out with my "practicals" out on the road. So, from what I'm getting here is that I'm going to have to stay away from closing the throttle completely in 1st and 2nd, get away from first gear as quickly as I can and get better at knowing when to clutch in completely or even just into the friction zone to smoothen things out. I'm sure it will come with time. My experience driving stick is also a big help at certain moments.
PLau
Well-known member
I ride in heavy traffic pretty regularly (Mon-Fri) on a Ninja 300.
If you're cruising in 1st or 2nd, you either want to cruise in those gears with a fully closed throttle, or a steady bit of throttle. The moment you close it (from a bit of throttle at low speed), it will jerk (which is where you use your clutch to smooth it out).
Typically when I'm in parking lot traffic (DVP N @ 5PM), I'm often in 2nd with closed throttle cruising at around 13-16km/h (if my memory serves me right), though I had previously turned my idle speed up a little bit.
I rarely cruise in 1st unless everyone is rolling very slowly, as it is very sensitive to your input.
I guess the only thing to keep in mind is that if you add a bit of throttle in low gear, either gently release the throttle or be prepared to use the clutch, don't just close it off.
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