Stalled

[Chaos]

So I have only been riding for a week and a half now. But I figure I'll put this up so maybe I might get a few pointers. So I have this HUGE problem of stalling at stop lights or stop signs! Very frustrating and embarrassing.

The other night I was coming up to a red light at one of our busiest intersections. So I'm first in line under the light and I got a long line of traffic behind me. What makes it so much worse is directly behind me is these 2 dudes on hogs. So the light turns green, give it a rev and.....crap. So I get her cranked back up, start to go and stalled again. Oh for f#@$ sake! I could hear the harley guys behind me laughing. Oh well, I just hope I get the hang of 1st soon, cuz it sucks.

 

[Diluted]

I still do this occasionally, I guess I'm just afraid to give it too much gas. It's also hard because the bike is so quiet, I'm used to listening to the bike but it doesn't work so well when I can't hear it.

 

[99vengeur]

So, here's what I do when I'm sitting at a stop. When I know the light is getting close to changing green, I start looking both directions for anyone running the red light. Then I start to slowly let the clutch out until I hit the friction zone and the bike begins to creep forward. At that point and the light is green, a little gas and I am through the light, the clutch is all the way out and I am on my way.

I would suggest you get familiar with the friction zone and the clutch by going into a parking lot and playing with the clutch from a stop until you know when the transmission hooks up and the bike starts to move. After a while, it becomes instincitve to know where the friction zone is and you'll never have to think about stalling again. :steve:

 

[joloy133]

You may be starting in 2nd gear, not moving all the way to first. When stopped you want to be in first so just tap multilple times to make sure you are in first as brake to the limit line. I did that early on, the 2 to 1 downshift can get balky.

 

[Blue-Sun]

You may be starting in 2nd gear, not moving all the way to first. When stopped you want to be in first so just tap multilple times to make sure you are in first as brake to the limit line. I did that early on, the 2 to 1 downshift can get balky.

Mine does the same thing, I sometimes having problems getting it into first! Glad I'm not the only one, I was starting to doubt myself...

 

[ry-mac75]

Handy trick

Something I picked up when I was a kid that I often use on a bike that's new to me... just before you get ready to go forward, slowly roll the bike back a bit... then give it a little gas and slowly let out the clutch... when you feel the back tire starting to push against you and you've found the friction point - it's a lot easier to gauge how much throttle you need.

Remember - bikes have a wet clutch, so feel free to ride the crap out of it until you're comfortable with it. Just be smooth and progressive with it and try not to think about it so much. The less you think about it, the easier it gets. Pretty soon, it'll be like breathing. Practice, practice, practice!

 

[Chaos]

Thanks all, I will practice that friction you were talkin about. I seem to only do it when there is traffic, go figure. When I'm by myself on the road I have no issues. But it's only been a week and a half. guess it's time to head back to a parking lot.

And what exactly does it mean with the wet clutch?

 

[rjsantana20]

If I remember correctly, in a motorcycle, unlike a car, the clutch/clutch wheel (something like that) sits in a pool of lubricant so when you "ride the clutch" it is always lubricated. In a car that is not the case so when you "ride the clutch" in a car you can burn it out.

In other words, work the throttle and clutch without worry of ruining the clutch and practice, practice, practice.

 

[ry-mac75]

Pretty much...

.... yeah, it basically means you can't hurt it by riding the clutch - so ride the crap out of it until you're comfortable with it. As I tell a lot of people that are starting out... just don't panic and you'll be fine.

 

[micigniter]

i used to have this problem when first riding the bike. first off, slow down your release, im talking millimeters at a time.(itll also give ya a good left hand grip!) second of all, if you can, try releasing the clutch out of first with just one or two fingers. I personally use my middle or pointing finer, and let the lever do most of the work, offering resistance with the one finger. I get a better feel of the friction zone in first gear this way. I find first is really short so by the time im fully released im going 7 or 8 miles an hour already. no biggie just took some figuring out, the bikes power band is unique, she likes to shift early.

 

[dart1963]

fundemental

This is a major teaching during MSF, throttle control.
I can't remember how many times we had to go around and around the course, stopping at two opposite corners and taking off again. Going down the middle of the course inside a 1 ft. set of lines, and going as slow as possible, pulling the clutch in/letting it out.... that is a really good exercise to get a feel for where it starts to grab.

Something you can do in almost any empty parking lot, our instructor told us to cut a tennis balls in half to use as "cones" if we felt we needed to practice this more, they're easy to stack into each other, and you can throw them into a bag to bring with you.

It's really hard to teach this, it really is muscle memory/feeling it out, even then, the rest of us have had a stall, it happens.

 

[Chaos]

Thank you all so much, I will get the hang of it. Riding this bike is just too much fun, hell I put 550 miles on it in a week

 

[Detrich]

I did this at first too... But im getting better at it now...

What I found works for me is to anticipate the light change and prepare in advance by getting ready to start going right before the light changes by (1) using rear brake to hold position, (2) revving the throttle very lightly to give it some gas, (3) and beginning to feel for the clutch release point but without actually releasing it... Also, its important to maintain alertness & safety- ie u don't want to start going if the x-section isn't clear. And u want to maintain control... Then when the light changes, begin slowly & gently rolling forward. If u've left room in front then this will be no problem. Then when traffic starts moving u can release and go with the flow...

Practicing in low traffic areas helps too. But remember what causes a stall- ie too fast clutch release & not enough gas. If u keep remembering this, then u can compensate by giving more gas and releasing clutch slower. Gradually it gets smoother...

PS. Be very mindful of how u take off and what this tells the car behind u... It's better and safer to take longer to take off and have ppl honk u from behind than to launch too fast and then stall and get rear-ended... Remember that drivers don't know we are newbies and they expect every biker to just ride proficiently and with the speed of traffic. If u move slower that will let them know to move slower too...

 

[Roaddawg]

So, here's what I do when I'm sitting at a stop. When I know the light is getting close to changing green, I start looking both directions for anyone running the red light. Then I start to slowly let the clutch out until I hit the friction zone and the bike begins to creep forward. At that point and the light is green, a little gas and I am through the light, the clutch is all the way out and I am on my way.

I would suggest you get familiar with the friction zone and the clutch by going into a parking lot and playing with the clutch from a stop until you know when the transmission hooks up and the bike starts to move. After a while, it becomes instincitve to know where the friction zone is and you'll never have to think about stalling again. :steve:

+1. I do what 99 does, as well. and, the more you think about stalling, the more you will. You get nervous and nut up.

Also, when about to come to a stop, when I'm still about 10-15 MPH, I pull the clutch lever in, shift the rest of the way down to first, and still holding the clutch in, cruise to a stop. Now I know I'm in first and ready to go, if the light changes to green or I need to get out of the way of some crazy. If its a long red, traffic is stopped behind me, and I know the intersection light timing, I may put it in neutral and relax for a moment.

 

[geko]

So I get her cranked back up, start to go and stalled again. Oh for f#@$ sake! I could hear the harley guys behind me laughing. Oh well, I just hope I get the hang of 1st soon, cuz it sucks.

At least they waited behind you. I went through that stage of stalling it at lights. One time I had a scooter pass by me on the left, a van to the right and a couple of cars in the couple of seconds it took to restart and get away; I was praying no one would drive staight into the back of me.

Keep the revs up a bit and use the friction zone on the clutch and if you concentrate too hard on not stalling it, you probably will - I found

Pete

 

[Chaos]

Woo hoo! Made it a 5 Hour ride without one stall! Thanks for all the tips.

 

[CDN6R]

I have had my new bike a week too. 2X I caught myself pulling away from a stop light in 2nd gear. Haven't stalled it but she sure did shudder. I find this bike a little to quiet. Laurie P