Im getting frustrated...
 

so ive been practicing in my neighborhood these last few days and i always have the same problem... everytime i come to my stop sign and make a complete stop i always stall my bike trying to start again from the dead stop. I know that with more practice i will know the right time to give it more gas when im letting off the clutch but im worried that im going to do this when i get out into traffic. it takes me several mins to get back going cuz ill stall out several times. I just wanna know if there might be some trick that i could use to learn the timing sooner rather than later... also when you come to a stop do most people put their right foot on the ground or to they put their left? ive read articles and instruction that mention both ways.

thanks, im getting a little frustrated and embarrassed when i stall :(

Krissy

Practice, practice, practice. If possible, find an empty parking lot and just keep practicing take offs until you think you've got it and then practice some more. I promise it will get easier with more experience and doing this in a parking lot will keep you from getting rear ended when some idiot with a cell phone glued to their face can't be bothered with making sure that you've actually gotten out of the way before they hit the gas. As for which foot to put down at a stop, I usually put my left foot down so my right foot covers my brake pedal. If you're stopped on a hill this keeps the bike from rolling until you're ready to go. And welcome to the wonderful world of motorcycling. :icon_bike:Stick with it and that frustration will be replaced with great joy.:icon_razz:

What I did to my wifes bike was pick up the idle while she got confident and learned to clutch it. As far as to what foot it all depends if you downshift to a stop or not. If you downshift and are in first at a stop put down your left and use the right to brake if not use your right, remember you have a front brake on your right hand to hold the bike on a grade. What also helps is adjust your clutch where your release is most comfortable. Johnnyh

thats another question i have... why would you shift all the way down to neutral at a stop wouldnt you want to stay in 1st? especially on an uphill slope?

and how would i pick up my idle?

1st is below neutral, so shifting down to neutral wouldn't actually be any harder.

As for the reasoning, it's because you will want to be aware of what's going on behind you any time you stop at a light or sign or whatever and you'll want to be in first to be ready to get going again asap in case there is someone not paying attention so you don't get rear-ended.

Sounds like you need more practice with clutch control. You'll get it, just keep at it. :D

Just had this thought and figured I'd ask. When you stop at a sign are you putting it in neutral? If so when you take back off to put it in gear you are pushing down on the shifter into 1st right? Not pulling up into 2nd and thinking your in first? This would explain the hard take-offs. I have seen someone do this before because they were used to driving a four wheeler that didn't use a clutch and this is how they work.

Remember neutral is in between 1st and 2nd.

Guess I'll post something here too. It'll be a bad habit that you have to break later (just bad form, not anything unsafe or anything) but you can try this too:

Bike in neutral and you sitting on it, try twisting the throttle just enough to raise the rpm a little. Not 1k+ but around 200-400 rpm. When you can do that consistently, then use that as your starting point when you're getting ready to start rolling. Raise the rpm a little, start to let out the clutch and then start rolling on more throttle as you do.

This is assuming your engine idle is where it should be btw. To adjust your idle there's a small knob on the left side of the bike you can turn in / out to adjust your idle. Just don't go crazy and turn it all the way out. You might have to dig in the carbs to put it back in :p

Was what I was thinking too. And if you are in 1st, take johnnyh's idea and increase your idle speed about 200-400 rpm, see if that helps.

Also - where is your bike's mesh point when letting the clutch out? Typically most people like it about halfway through the lever throw, meaning you should be able to let it out about halfway before you feel the bike start rolling. If it is in closer than that, you might want to adjust a little so you're not trying to pick the clutch up right off the grip.

Its a good suggestion to raise you rpms. However, I wouldn't raise them over 1500 or so. Your initial shift into first gear will be harsher the higher you raise your rpms. But 1500 rpm, you should be able to nearly use only the clutch to get moving.

As far as feet on the ground, I put both. If your not tall enough, then I would suggest whatever foot you feel most comfortable. If your on an incline, you would want your left foot on the ground so you can cover your rear brake, but other than that, it shouldn't matter as long as you keep the bike in first gear. I often times shift into neutral at stop signs, especially if there is going to be a long wait, but it really is a better idea to keep the bike in gear.

Have you taken the MSF course yet? If you haven't, they teach you all about finding the mesh point on a bike and becoming comfortable in first gear. It's the first thing you learn when you get on the bikes in the MSF course (at least it was in mine).

If you have a street to practice on - try "walking" your bike in that mesh point. Get your bike going just enough to walk your bike a few feet, stop, then try again. It's basically mostly clutch and enough gas to get her going.