The First Ride

[Murphy_101]

Well after all the of waiting for a title the bike being dropped, I finally got the first ride today.

Just hit it here around town for 30 miles or so... and its just what I been waiting for.

Still gotta working on my shifting biusness, just cruising around here I shifted around 4.5-5.5rpms seems decent to me, but I need to get it more smoothly. transaction from clutch to throttle and getting the throttle open to the speed Im at.

Downshifting, still has me a little confused. For instance when shifting say I was in third, for every gear down should I release the clutch? Does it does any damage to just hold the clutch as you slow and just shift with the speed?

Then the other thing that had me some was starting after stopping think Ijust gotta get used to clutch throttle transfer.


Thats that anyway just gotta get some new tires now.

[Wishbone]

no need to let the clutch out in every gear, unless you want to slowly scrub off speed. think about a car you could go from 6th to 3rd if you wanted. and keeping the clutch lever pulled in is no big deal

and when starting try to slip the clutch a little more

[Punjistick]

Go to an empty parking lot and just keep practicing the stuff MSF taught you. A lot of it is just getting used to the bike. About a week ago I test rode ducatis all day. Then I hopped on my bike and stalled it a bunch of times. I was used to the ducatis firmer clutch pull.

Practice, practice, practice, and then practice some more. The more you ride, the sooner you'll get used to the particular quirks of your bike and soon you will be able to shift smoothly.

[OreoGaborio]

Cool bro. Glad to hear ya finally got back on the road. Keep practicing, do some MSF drills & stay safe

[Murphy_101]

Ya I did hit a litttle parking lot lot to practice a littel, hit the brakes and did some figure 8, u-turns.

The u-turns we a little bit more difficult than they were on the little nighthawk in the msf. Now I see what they mean about the sv is a little more top heavy.

But for staying safe I got my helmet and some gloves my boots but no jacket and pants kinda low in the funds department and waiting to start a new job in a week or so, just long sleeves and jeans for now.

^^ firgure I can spend all day riding with that job situation

but ya anymore tips keep em' coming and that to everyone else for the advice already given

[The Snowman]

Most riders will blip the throttle a little when coming down in gears. As John (fasterthanu) mentioned, release the clutch when shifting through each gear.

Here's what I do:

• pull clutch in
• blip throttle just a little (while clutch is in)
• down shift one gear
• release clutch

If done properly, the bike won't jerk like it does when you simply down-shift. The reason for blipping the throttle is to try and match the engine rpm so it doesn't slow down with that jerking motion.



heh heh, he said jerking

[Ri_De_bike]

^ brakes are for stopping, transmissions are more expensive than brake pads. make sure you use the right thing for what it was intended. matching gear selection to road speed is what you want; power in and out of corners always ready. even at the stop lights be in first (even if you don't let the clutch out) before you come to a stop, then your good to go.
think smooth, add speed when your comfortable, like 1k miles just to get used to the bike.

[The Snowman]

I wasn't suggesting using the gearing for slowing down, just for avoiding any lurching that happens in the event that you're a little higher in rpm than you should be. I normally wait until the bike is at about 1500-2000 before down-shifting.

[DucDave]

^ brakes are for stopping, transmissions are more expensive than brake pads. make sure you use the right thing for what it was intended.

Hmmm....interesting. Perhaps another thread for another time???

I do a lot of my slowing down by downshifting....always have! I ride 12-15k miles a year. Have I been doing it wrong all this time?

Sorry...should move this to another post!!!

Murphy - ignore the above and keep practicing!!! We don't wish to engage in any controversy...sometime we just can't help ourselves!!!

[ChR1s]

"For instance when shifting say I was in third, for every gear down should I release the clutch? Does it does any damage to just hold the clutch as you slow and just shift with the speed?"

If you're just getting the hang of riding, it's best to downshift through the gears sequentially, letting the clutch out with each gear. If you should happen to downshift a few too many gears with the clutch disengaged, then suddenly let the clutch out, the engine braking could cause the rear tire to loose traction, resulting in a skid. I suggest getting some more miles in before banging gears down.

[The Snowman]

I do a lot of my slowing down by downshifting....always have! I ride 12-15k miles a year. Have I been doing it wrong all this time?

I think when racing and riding hard, you're pretty much forced to use your gearing to slow down somewhat.

[KillBill]

It's just a matter of practicing. Listen to your engine when you shift, it should be a smooth fluid movement without any jerky movements.

I use my gearing to slow down too. And don't rely on your back brake!!

[Ri_De_bike]

sure engine braking will be a factor just by the nature of compression and drag, if the back wheel chatters, that's too much engine braking. matching engine speed with travel and rpm is what needs to be done. i think that smooth is the operative here. using the rear brake loads the front suspension just like the transmission does while decelerating. gear selection, engine braking and brake pads are part of the control of the motorcycle; brakes do the majority of stopping. if your relying on engine braking instead of your brakes try using more brake pad / lever and being smoother with the downshifting.
we know most bikes are rockets and as fast as they are the brakes are capable of bring you to a stop faster than the engine will get you away from a stop. zero to 60 or 60 to zero; brakes win every time done correctly. which brings up another good point for a noob, better to ride around an obstacle than have a car parked in ur arse. you can stop MUCH faster than a car will.

[Murphy_101]

Day:2

Well I just finished crusining around for 45mins or so, went to the parking lot practices SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL, more u-turns, stops and starts.

Up shifting is getting a little better(smoother anyways)

Downshifter is still meh..... (it'll come hopefully)

Stalled out a few times at a light for not giving enough gas when releasing the clutch that really sucks the big one

But thanks for all the input/advice

ONe question I drove from weymouth to scituate today and there were some decent staraight aways where I hit 50mph or so almost 60mph (just to keep moving with traffic) was in 4th gear at around 4-5,000rpm is 4th to high, should I have stayed in third at higher rpm???

Thats what confuses me with shifting. I've read that alot of people shift early on regular streets than say on the highway why?

Lemme know

[ChR1s]

Don't worry about the tach -- just ride. You'll get a feel for it.

[Wishbone]

depends on what your looking for/type of riding your doing. i could be getting on the highway from a light or such and be in first gear all the way on. just because it feels good. but on the other token if your just crusin down the road a higher gear is better, BUT i would strongly suggest a gear that if you needed to get out of the way by means of power you should be able to just twist and move. so not to high a gear that you twist and it bogs, or takes a second to move. yeah you can always down shift but that extra split second could mean your life

also practice on a dead, open backroad, hard emergence braking and swerving

but as always this is my .02 other im sure will say different things