In the meantime, i'm both feet down, in gear, ready to fly away at allll times.
The daily commute
- Thread starter FLSTC
- Start date
After having a near miss with someone almost changing lanes into me from behind i never stay in neutral at lights when i ride solo. People don't give a flying F.
Also if you don't use the rear at a stop you must be getting quite the work out on inclines.
Ditto. I leave it in gear at stops so I don't have to think about shifting, or waste time getting it in gear, or miss the shift, if I need a quick getaway. Once stopped, I release the hand brake but keep my right foot pressing the brake pedal so that my taillight remains bright. Only left foot down.
Like FLSTC said though, everyone has their own style, and will do what they feel comfortable with.
Magnum P.I.
Active member
Had this exact thing happen to me last night. I was on my way home, two left lanes in my direction were static, me on the curb lane was live with green. Lady going the opposite direction trying to make a left decided to gun it. Just got the bike out last Monday with new tires and fresh oil and no its gone...... Broken arm too
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ricplayer
Well-known member
You missed my point, he passed me on the shoulder instead of passing on the left, which was open and completely safe to do so.
Sorry to hear of your accident, glad you`re relatively OK!Had this exact thing happen to me last night. I was on my way home, two left lanes in my direction were static, me on the curb lane was live with green. Lady going the opposite direction trying to make a left decided to gun it. Just got the bike out last Monday with new tires and fresh oil and no its gone...... Broken arm too
Make sure you claim all that stuff with the adjuster if it's a write off.
Oh i understood that, i was just correcting the single yellow part. He was a tard.
Besides giving your left hand a break on heavy clutches, zero.
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
OK, take this with a grain of salt, but what you're doing is completely inefficient and takes longer to do anything in an emergency situation.
At a stop:
Left foot down
Right foot on rear brake to keep tail light on
Bike is in first gear - NEVER Neutral, unless you have at least 2-3 cars lined up behind you. Even then, keeping it in first is a MUCH wiser decision.
If you're in neutral, right hand on brake, left foot by shifter, you need to pull in clutch, click into first, take right hand off brake, close on throttle and then twist to go.
If you're in first, it's simply release rear brake, twist throttle and go.
Staying in gear like this has literally saved my life 4 times in the past 4 years. If I had to do the funky chicken dance getting into gear from neutral, fiddling with front brake etc I would not be on the face of the planet anymore....
This is also the technique taught by *ALL* riding schools.
I usually hold the front brake and put my right foot down. Left foot covers the shifter and I’ll typically pop it into neutral once there is a car or two behind me. Realistically there’s not much you’re going to be able to do when stuck in downtown traffic. If I’m at the back of the line at a exit ramp or something a little more dangerous I’ll keep it in gear and have an escape line should someone not stop.
On shifting into neutral: If you’re riding in heavy traffic your hand is going to get fatigued from constantly clutching in. If you’re on a less ergonomic bike it does give you a chance to let go of the bars and stretch out a bit. I’d imagine that a disengaged clutch does add some amount of additional heat too.
On shifting into neutral: If you’re riding in heavy traffic your hand is going to get fatigued from constantly clutching in. If you’re on a less ergonomic bike it does give you a chance to let go of the bars and stretch out a bit. I’d imagine that a disengaged clutch does add some amount of additional heat too.
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I think i would start worrying about the fact that your life has been saved 4 times in the past 4 years. What's up with that? What are you doing wrong?
Would it not be just as easy to tap the rear brake since you`re covering it anyways?
Same thing we're all doing wrong. Riding in this cesspool of terrible cagers.
Riceburner
Well-known member
I do a mix of which foot/feet down depending on my mood, etc. Always in gear until there's a few cars stopped behind though. If I do put it in neutral, left or both might be down. Stop with both brakes and clutch in, left down, switch feet still, in 1st gear.
I'm reviewing for the m2 exit test, I have to do it later this summer. "correct" track from I can tell is the closest to dotted line. Thats what they taught in the M1 exit courses as well. I agree with you on minimizing the biggest risk instead. I will switch from the inside track to the yellow line while going through intersections - you're much more visible to a left turner (which is statistically the most likely car collision).
