New Rider...how do you approach a red light

[killabee]

Hello everyone,

My name is Jeff and I just got my brand new 2009 white FZ6R about 2 weeks ago. I currently have about 109 miles on it. This is my first bike and I've been learning a lot every time I ride. I've been driving a manual transmission car for the past 5 years, and whenever I approach a red light/stop sign I always put the car in neutral and just coast to a gradual stop while applying my brakes when needed. I've never been the type to downshift when slowing down.

Now that I ride, obviously it's a bit harder to just throw the gear in neutral. My question to you veteran riders out there. Do you downshift when coming to a stop or do you pull the clutch in, apply brakes, and continue to downshift to either 1st or neutral?

Any advice or thoughts on which is the best way to reduce wear and tear on the bike would be greatly appreciated!

-Jeff

 

[bakkenlab]

these are sport bikes, they are made for engine braking. USE IT! or else you'll be going through brake pads pretty frequently...When i'm coming to a stop i down shift so the bike does all of the work. When im in second or third sometimes ill just pull the clutch in too and apply the brake, all depends on speed and how much stopping distance you have

 

[Rookasaki]

Congrats on the 6R :thumbup:
For me it's about 50/50. Sometimes I down shift through the gears and other times I just pull in the clutch and coast to the limit line.

 

[Sage]

I shift down though the gears slowing down until second, while applying the brakes the closer i get to the destination, then shift down to 1st when i do come to a stop.

 

[madmike]

I've been driving a manual transmission car for the past 5 years, and whenever I approach a red light/stop sign I always put the car in neutral and just coast to a gradual stop while applying my brakes when needed.

BTW, this is a very bad habit for a car as well. You shouldn't coast to a stop in neutral in a car. Reason being, if anything happens requiring you to make an emergency maneuver, and you are in neutral, you have no power.

Even more so with a bike, you should downshift and engine break, or at least downshift while coasting with the clutch in so you are at the appropriate gear at all times. That way if you need to react in an emergency, you have power available to you.

 

[CrazyCawi]

I shift down though the gears slowing down until second, while applying the brakes the closer i get to the destination, then shift down to 1st when i do come to a stop.

I do the exact same!

 

[BackBone]

I shift down though the gears slowing down until second, while applying the brakes the closer i get to the destination, then shift down to 1st when i do come to a stop.

I do this the same way as well. Congrats on the new bike! Just a side note, our front brakes are not like a bicycle's since we have front forks that will compress when applied to shift the weight of the bike during a stop. Most of the stopping power we have comes from the front brake in a quick stop. Always use your rear brake while applying the front, and use caution not to lock up either brake, which could cause loss of control.

 

[AFDavis11]

I always use the procedure taught at the MSF course. Practice makes perfect as the say.

 

[motoguy82]

Even more so with a bike, you should downshift and engine break, or at least downshift while coasting with the clutch in so you are at the appropriate gear at all times. That way if you need to react in an emergency, you have power available to you.

yaay, someone took (and remembers) the MSF course! The method above is the preferred one.

 

[redwing-2001]

BTW, this is a very bad habit for a car as well. You shouldn't coast to a stop in neutral in a car. Reason being, if anything happens requiring you to make an emergency maneuver, and you are in neutral, you have no power.

Even more so with a bike, you should downshift and engine break, or at least downshift while coasting with the clutch in so you are at the appropriate gear at all times. That way if you need to react in an emergency, you have power available to you.

Good advice and exactly what MSF suggests along with checking mirrors to make sure you don't have a problem behind you. If you do have a problem behind you (like they are not slowing) you need a strategy to get out of their way.

 

[Crocop43]

I also do about 50/50 downshifting Nd applying the brakes at the same time.

 

[dart1963]

do not just use engine braking, brake pads are easier (and cheaper) to replace than the clutch plates, use both brakes and match the engine speed as you downshift.

Shouldn't need to drop into 1st unless you are at a crawl, but you always want to be ready to give her throttle and get out of someones way, or if the light turns green, you are already in the right gear to go.

 

[XTRAWLD]

I downshift as well while coming to a stop. I don't race to a light just to slow down and my stops are usually gradual as I let the bike do the work. Another thing in the MSF course I learned, when slowing by downshifting, even though you are slowing it may not always appear that way to cars behind you. Lightly push your back brake to indicate to cars behind you that you are slowing with your brake light. Visual cues are key for cagers.

 

[rjohnson5481]

BTW, this is a very bad habit for a car as well. You shouldn't coast to a stop in neutral in a car. Reason being, if anything happens requiring you to make an emergency maneuver, and you are in neutral, you have no power.

Even more so with a bike, you should downshift and engine break, or at least downshift while coasting with the clutch in so you are at the appropriate gear at all times. That way if you need to react in an emergency, you have power available to you.

Most transmissions in cars are not setup to handle the stress in the reverse direction that engine breaking puts on it. I understand keeping it in gear for power, but It cab ruin the life of a good transmission

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[copper-raven]

I always downshift through 2nd when slowing down.then pop her into 1st when I'm just about stopped. The power will be there if needed plus they sound so nice deccelerating via engine braking

 

[Deputyfarva252]

I mean me personally when I see a red light , down shift into third and twist the throttle as hard as I can Lane split , and close my eyes and hope i make it through........:wav:


J/K I do about 50/50 Engine Braking and using the actual Brakes

 

[Chucker]

I mean me personally when I see a red light , down shift into third and twist the throttle as hard as I can Lane split , and close my eyes and hope i make it through

You really should lay on the horn if you're eyes are closed. It increases the chances that a cager my swerve to avoid you. You need to give them every advantage you can. One of those flashing yellow lights on the top of your helmet helps too. At least, that's my experience.

 

[kevin8198]

I do the exact same!

+1 That's what I always do too:thumbup: I think someone else said it too but just to reiterate, if you are jumping down gears to get to neutral and are going more that like 5 miles per hour and hit first you will feel and hear it and hopefully not make the same mistake again. Good to get an idea of MPH vs RPM so you know what gear you are in at all times. Don't pop it into 1st until you are stopped or at least rolling slowly.

 

[OffTheClock]

Congrats on the bike! My advise since you are a "new rider", take the MSF, its worth the time and money and alot of your questions will be answered. I have ridden for 3o years and still did it and learnt something. Be Safe out there and enjoy!

 

[madmike]

Most transmissions in cars are not setup to handle the stress in the reverse direction that engine breaking puts on it. I understand keeping it in gear for power, but It cab ruin the life of a good transmission

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

You know what can ruin the life of a good transmission even faster? Crashing your car because you had to make an emergency maneuver but couldn't because you were in neutral.