If I am stopping on a hill I keep my foot on the rear brake, that way when i start again, i dont roll back and try to overrev to compensate. That could be a recipe for disaster.

I've noticed that like most stickshift cars, the GS doesnt want to go into first unless you are going pretty slow. If i try to go down into first too early, it grinds a little bit unless i really nail the shifter quick and hard. If i wait until i am going slower, it clicks down into first almost effortlessly.

You can keep the clutch in while shifting down through all the gears?!?!? I thought you had to let the clutch out each time. 

Quote from: bbq on July 20, 2006, 08:37:54 AM
Thanks! Luckily there is a hugh parking lot near my home that is always empty during the weekend, so I'll go practice as much as I can. However this morning on my ride to work I'm already feeling a lot better about my stops! 

You guys/gals are great!!! 

Ok now you are ready for wheelies. 

Rule #1 of riding.

You are riding your bike, not all of us. Ride acordingly.

In other words, do what works for you, try other stuff (so long as it doesn't include pulling stoppies/wheelies/jumping off your bike like Nick_Villan's friend) and stick with what works best.

If the rubber side is down and the shiny side is up you're doing good! 

i dunno about everyone else but this is what i do

i use the the front brake to stop mainly it will stop you alot faster
i use my rear brake to go around bends and to keep me moving at lights
i put my foot when i lose ballents normaly i put my left foot down (some times both if i want to stand up and air out my boys)

Quote from: deathlucky on July 21, 2006, 04:23:50 AM
i dunno about everyone else but this is what i do

i use the the front brake to stop mainly it will stop you alot faster
i use my rear brake to go around bends and to keep me moving at lights
i put my foot when i lose ballents normaly i put my left foot down (some times both if i want to stand up and air out my boys)

BWAHAHAHAHA

I laugh cause I know exactly what you're talking about! (ANd on a 100 degree day you have to!)

Quote from: GSFRyder on July 20, 2006, 11:28:13 PM
You can keep the clutch in while shifting down through all the gears?!?!? I thought you had to let the clutch out each time. 

yup

CirclesCenter have u ever tryed going along at about 100km and standing up oh dam its so refreshing.
also if you see i hot chick you can make sexul gestures at them (just don't let there boy friends see you for some reason they dont like it)

Quote from: deathlucky on July 21, 2006, 05:26:59 AM
CirclesCenter have u ever tryed going along at about 100km and standing up oh dam its so refreshing.
also if you see i hot chick you can make sexul gestures at them (just don't let there boy friends see you for some reason they dont like it)

Quote from: annguyen1981 on July 19, 2006, 08:01:41 PM
According to my MSF course instructors, you DO NOT wanna let the clutch out while stopping.

You want to stop, so why let the clutch out.  That'll make you go forward.

On that note...  Yes I let the clutch out.

Of course not while coming to a complete stop.... you will stall the bike.  The proper way to come to a stop is to start braking early enough so that you can cycle through all the gears which involves letting the clutch out in each gear as you go through them.  You can either rev match or feather the clutch to do this.  The good thing about doing it this way is that if you need to accelerate for any reason then you'll already be in the appropriate gear.

An alternative methodYou can hold the clutch in while you tap-tap your way through the gears (or not).  The bad thing about doing this is that  you have less control over the bike if you have to accelerate for whatever reason.  You could get stuck in a low gear while your bike is at a high rate of speed (ever try to rev match 40 mph from first gear?) or you can get stuck in a high gear at low speed (see how well 5th gear works when you're going 20mph)

I would like to also recommend practicing a very quick stop in the GS in a clean empty parking lot. I remmber the first time I had to slam on the brakes on the highway, and it was scary, I wish I had practiced it be4 to know what ot expect.

i agree with domahmegok i didnt wprk out the limets of my brakes and i came off the road a few times and hit a car 1 time yay i got to fly all because i was scared i might get the bike up on the front wheel... now i do it for fun

If you use just the front brake to stop then you can balance the bike straight up and drop both feet.

If you use the rear brake, then the cool thing to do is what scratch says:

Quote from: scratch on July 19, 2006, 04:49:31 PM
..........................
Usually, at the last moving instant I turn the handlebars to the right, to initiate a lean to the left.  This way I know the bike will fall to the left and I can extend my left leg to catch the bike.
.................

Nobody else will give a rats ***** but you will know that you are in control and just made a perfect stop.