Dose anyone else have trouble finding N sometime when ridding around? My bike is a 2004 suzuki GS500F
when actually moving? Why would you need neutral?
And to start a debate... you shouldn't have it in neutral at a stoplight either.
however, as a hint, I find it easier to get to Neutral coming up from first, than going down from second.... just soft foot it a bit.
It's just to the left of M
DUH!
Quote from: RVertigo on June 05, 2006, 04:58:56 PM
It's just to the left of M
DUH!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
But like TragicImage said... you shouldn't be looking for N while on the move, it's pointless. You want your tranny in gear with your clutch pulled in, in case something happens (like a car comes flying at you, or just doesn't see you) and you can just get the hell outta there!
So, unless you're stuck in a traffic jam or pushing your bike, don't worry about Neutral.
Quote from: RVertigo on June 05, 2006, 04:58:56 PM
It's just to the left of M
Or... to the right if you read like most people from left to right... :icon_rolleyes:
Quote from: WildBlue on June 05, 2006, 05:53:01 PMOr... to the right if you read like most people from left to right... :icon_rolleyes:
I was talking about the keys on a keyboard... :icon_confused:
i have trouble changing any gear really while stopped. i usually do it before i stop but sometimes forget and it takes a bit to get back down to first.
QuoteI was talking about the keys on a keyboard... icon_confused
oh... lol
my bad :laugh:
Quote from: afplayboy18 on June 05, 2006, 06:45:25 PM
i have trouble changing any gear really while stopped. i usually do it before i stop but sometimes forget and it takes a bit to get back down to first.
Rolling the bike back and forth helps in that situation.
Yeah, it's a bad habit to put your bike in N at stoplight. It's alway Im at the stoplight trying to strach out alittle, trying to go from whatever gear to 1st then from 1st to N.
I find it easiest from first gear to kind of nudge it up into nuetral. I've gotten pretty good at it now, though, and I can get it into nuetral rear quick for parking (I back into a little space in a partially closed car port). Once you figure out which way is easiest for you to get to nuetral, keep doing it that way and it'll be effortless in no time.
When behind 10 cars, with 10 more behind me at a left turn light, I usually will chill in nuetral until I see the front car move. That gives me plenty of time to put it in gear. When going straight, however, I always keep it in gear at lights.. The left turn lights out here just take forever.
Quote from: RVertigo on June 05, 2006, 04:58:56 PM
It's just to the left of M
DUH!
DAmn...I had a quarter on it making it to 4 posts before someone was a smartass :laugh:
I put it in neutral when coming up to lights with cars.. and before you leave the light and want to put it in gear, pull the clutch in and let it out at least once, maybe even twice before trying to drop it down to first. It's personal preference, if I know I'm only going to be at a light or a stop sign for a second then I won't bother.
I just nudge it up from first, same as Queso.
Kinda on topic: I was riding with my dad the other day and he noticed that I keep it in gear at red lights instead of sitting in neutral. He said that holding in the clutch will wear it out...that anything with a clutch needs to be put into neutral when sitting for anything longer than a few seconds. I guess it's one of those things that he learned a while ago about cars, but applied it to bikes too. Also he's been riding for 30 years so "he knows what he's talking about."
I know that our clutches are different from those on cars, but I'm not sure how to explain why it's ok to keep the clutch engaged at a light. He thinks I just like to ignore his advice, even though it's usually good and I actually listen. Can anyone help explain the reasoning behind this?
Quote from: badguy on June 06, 2006, 04:46:37 AM
He said that holding in the clutch will wear it out...that anything with a clutch needs to be put into neutral when sitting for anything longer than a few seconds. I guess it's one of those things that he learned a while ago about cars, but applied it to bikes too. Also he's been riding for 30 years so "he knows what he's talking about."
I say CRAP!
With the clutch disengaged you have a spinning plate next to a stationary plate that are not touching each other. Can't see any harm coming from this.
Let's assume for a moment that it's true. That holding the clutch increases wear and reduces the life of your clutch. I'd do it anyway. When an @$$hole cager is behind me still going 30 mph 20 feet from my rear tire, I'm in gear, and sometimes I have the clutch dragging a bit preparing myself to take off. I'll take shortening the clutch life (which I don't believe is true) before shortening my own life.
Quote from: Queso on June 05, 2006, 07:58:07 PM
I find it easiest from first gear to kind of nudge it up into nuetral.
I notice alot of people saying this about moving to neutral from first. Id just like to reinforce that the gearbox is designed this way. You were never meant to go from 2nd to neutral because its dangerous. This is why you have 1 down 5 up. So your accelerationg, moving from 1st to 2nd some people can notice a slightly longer travel in the gear pedal on some bikes as you skip accross neutral. Once in second shifts become quicker up to 6th. When deccelerating you want to change down gears, when you get to 2nd gear its designed so it will skip accross neutral, to 1st, thus you dont try put it in neutral from 2nd. This is to stop accidentally trying to change down and disengaging the gearbox causing a drop in rpms which inturn reduces balance and bike falls over.
So lesson is always from 1st into neutral. If you have trouble getting it into neutral when stopped, try giving a bit of revs which will help it slip in better, also like said before roll it abit.
Im terrible for coming into park somewhere im very familiar with, i slow down maybe into 2nd then disengage the clutch down into 1st then into neutral while i roll into a parking spot or to a hault. This is a bad bad habbit because you lose all effects of engine breaking which is very useful when coming to a stop. I must fix it.
Check your oil level, too.