in a car if i'm going 5-10 MPH, my tranny won't let me downshift to 1st.  but is it ok on a bike to do this?  sometimes when im turning, i leave it in 2nd and i notice that it bogs a lot.  i can put it in 1st but i was wondering if this will damage anything?

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21317
http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4926

A bike tranny and clutch are different from a bike tranny and clutch, so the reasons why they don't like to go into first are different.  For the car, I pop it into 2nd first, and on every car I've driven, the 2nd->1st transition is the happiest way to shift.  For a bike, particularly the GS, if you try to downshift to 1st while the bike is going too quickly, it'll tell you (ratttttttttle).  If you try to downshift to 1st after the bike is stopped, you often get stuck in neutral.  The only really smooth way to go is to downshift to first as you're coming to a stop.  If you have to downshift to first while you're still going, rev-match before you shift.

I personally avoid trannys all together....that just not my bag baby

(get it hahahahahah tranny's and tranny(transmission))
yes I did just laugh at my own joke...

Why would you want to downshift to 1st?

Geez....pull in the clutch and use the brake.

Quote from: gsmetalWhy would you want to downshift to 1st?

If you're coming to a stop, you want to be in first when you go again.  And in first while you're waiting so that you can move if you have to.

If you hit slow traffic, you have to downshift to first to keep from stalling the thing.

Quote from: Roadstergal
A bike tranny and clutch are different from a bike tranny and clutch, so the reasons why they don't like to go into first are different.

Huh?    :dunno:

Quote from: 2005-GS500-PDX

Quote from: RoadstergalA bike tranny and clutch are different from a bike tranny and clutch, so the reasons why they don't like to go into first are different.

Huh?    :dunno:

:lol: I was just making that face...

One of those should say Car.  

Note to self - don't post after the caffeine has worn off...

where is that grammar police  

You can ask David for the Official David Error Classification, but the East German judge called it a typo.

Quote from: myGSin a car if i'm going 5-10 MPH, my tranny won't let me downshift to 1st.  but is it ok on a bike to do this?  sometimes when im turning, i leave it in 2nd and i notice that it bogs a lot.  i can put it in 1st but i was wondering if this will damage anything?

Hmm, i don't have problems shifting into first at lower speeds... if it doesn't immediately go, i usually just keep light pressure on the gearshift until it slips right in (then i match rpms as i breach the friction zone).

Compression braking (i.e. using a downshift to slow you down without applying the normal brakes) is a waste of time in first gear.  The 'proper' thing to do (as far as I can tell) would be to compression brake through 2nd gear, and then shift into first right as the bike comes to a complete stop.....
.... however in actual practice... when i'm in a lot of stop and go traffic, I compression brake halfway through 2nd gear, deftly shift into neutral, and then shift into first right before I stop (yes i know that is a bad habit but it is sometimes necessary in Atlanta rush hour to keep my clutch hand from cramping... i'll be one happy camper if they ever allow motorcycles to lane split.... MARTA buses are already allowed to drive up the E-lanes here).