need basic riding tips...

[jsmallillin]

I'm a new rider. I just completed the MSF course last weekend which taught me the basics of riding. One problem is accelerating from a stop. It was easy on those eliminator 250's, but on my 600 Kat, it's a lot harder. i have a problem with stalling out the engine when i try and take off from first gear. i got the hang of it when i'm by myself, easing out the clutch and accelerating slowly. but when i'm on the streets with cars behind me, i get nervous and forget how to ride a bike. i seem to stall more when i'm in traffic. I want to learn how you guys/gals accelerate smoothly, and quickly from a complete stop. any pointers would be great. in the mean time, i'm practicing every morning at 6 am to get this down. Im getting better with more seat time.

[ZukiFred]

You are already doing what is best, Practicing. Just ignore the cars behind you while you are trying to take off, They will just have to wait either way, so forget they are there and just take off the way you do when they aint there..

[bikerscars]

yeah practice practice practice

[JBREWER]

learn to ease of the clutch slowly while applying decent amount of gas from a dead stop in first gear

[GenericEric]

I know exactly how you feel. I took my Kat out the first night I got it, I stalled that thing no less than 5 times in the 15 miles I rode that evening. In traffic, cars behind me, (some honking) everything. You do get into panic mode. On thing I had problems with was knowing if I was in first or not. I had a knack for taking off in 3rd and getting no less than 5 feet before I stalled it.

Just take her to an empty parking lot (or even your driveway) and just hit your friction point over and over again. Pretty soon, it'll be second nature.

[KatanaSoldier]

You are already doing what is best, Practicing. Just ignore the cars behind you while you are trying to take off, They will just have to wait either way, so forget they are there and just take off the way you do when they aint there..

[Nero]

Yeah, practice without worrying about the cars behind you. Then, when your skill and confidence levels are up, you can learn to give 'em the bird while riding.

[jsmallillin]

i'm headed out again to an empty parking lot here in about 20 minutes. Thanks for the advice. I'm especially gonna practice the "give them the bird" technique. LOL. it'll come in handy here in california!

[JBLUE]

I STARTED BACK RIDING AFTER A 25 YEARS LAIDOFF MY FIRST BIKE WAS A HONDA 400 AUTOMATIC SO THIS IS MY FIRST BIKE WITH A CLUTCH SO ITS NEW TO ME BUT I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THOUGH MY FIRST TIME OUT I WAS STALLING LIKE CRAZY CARS BLOWING THIER HORNS BUT I WENT OUT EVERY DAY AND EACH DAY I STALL LESS AND LESSI STILL STALL BUT WITH PRACTICE ITS GETTING BETTER KEEP ON RIDING IT WILL GET BETTER WITH TIME

[Hammer]

If I am trying to get the hang of a new bike, I keep to residential areas, or areas with less traffic and lower speeds. These will tend to have alot more stop signs, and turns from stops. This way you can get the hang of the friction point and no stress of traffic. Something to try in a low traffic area is to always engage the clutch slowly allowing the engine take the bike, before you give it some gas. After doing this for a little while you will get a good feel for where the true friction point is, and get to know your bike better while doing it. If you do your practice in a residential area also it will improve your slow speed manoeuvering skills.

Good luck

[madkatana]

Buy some cheap tennis balls, cut them in half, find a large school parking lot. Set the halfs up to mimic traffic lanes and pretend. You can also pratice cornering techniques by setting them up in different curve combos, like the dreaded switchbacks...

[airforceranger49]

the best advice i can give, is take like 30 mins one day, and sit in your parking lot/driveway...

dont even touch the throttle... just sit there and slowly let out the clutch until u feel it starting to catch (u'll feel the bike ever so gently start to lurch foward), then pull it back in.... do this for a WHILE, until u have pretty much memorized that sweet spot on your clutch...

once u get that down, then its time to start using the throttle...

do the same thing, only this time, hold the throttle at around 2000-25000 rpms, and slowly let out the clutch (and i mean VERY slowly at first)... once it starts to lurch, pull the clutch back in and let off the throttle... do this until u pretty much have the throttle/clutch sweet spots memorized, and before you know it, it will become second nature to u...

and with everything on a bike, practice makes perfect, and dont rush yourself.... screw the other cars, they can honk all they want, cuz that really doesnt matter, u kno

[airforceranger49]

On thing I had problems with was knowing if I was in first or not. I had a knack for taking off in 3rd and getting no less than 5 feet before I stalled it.

and if you ever run into this problem, the easiest way to tell ur in first, is right before you take off, with the clutch in, try to downshift (push down on the shifter) when ur in first, it is rock hard and wont budge, all other gears, it'll shift

[KRAZYKAT]

Yeah, practice without worrying about the cars behind you. Then, when your skill and confidence levels are up, you can learn to give 'em the bird while riding.

NICE!!

[koncsolt]

I am assuming that you grew up with automatics. My first car was an automatic...for about three months, and then I had enough of that nonsense. I swapped the trans for a stick and have had them for 27 years now. Like the others have said, you need to practice, practice and practice some more. Eventually you'll get to know that sweet spot and it WILL become second nature (you'll wind up shifting and not even remembering doing it). I know this sounds impossible but you have to just ignore the people behind you if you stall and concentrate on the task at hand. It's kind of like accident avoidance where you have to know what to do instinctively at any given moment for any situation. And as mentioned DO get into the habit of pressing down on the shifter at stops just to be sure you're in first. Keep practicing, it'll come as second nature sooner than you think.