[Bianca30]

weds class. I started the class last weds and sat was the fist riding day. I was having fun at the beginning of class because I “thought” I was getting the hang of things. My instructor was yelling at me about going the other way and I turned my head to see what he was talking about and BOOM on the ground I go. Luckily I was going kind of slow because I didn’t hurt myself and the bike has a small scratch on it now = ( Well after the fall my confidence level went with it. I’m not afraid to ride, I’m now trying so hard not to mess up that I keep messing up. I’m giving myself whiplash out there. I keep stalling the darn bike when I stop and I’m having a hard time shifting gears smoothly. Can someone please tell me how to stop stalling and how to shift better. I’m trying to get my confidence level back up for the next riding class. Between falling off the back and stalling the bike I knew he was going to tell me not to return and that was on my mind for the rest of the day. I don’t want to get kicked out of the class so please help me figure out what I’m doing wrong.

[somebadlemonade]

Relax and why don’t you practice shifting with the bike off to get the motion down then turn on the bike and see if that helps if it doesn’t and if you do get a good shift, try to remember what you did, and practice doing that once you can do it smoothly, now practice down shifting. . .

mellow out and just stop thinking about everything, keep it slow and you should get it. . .
i know that sounds really generic, and cliche, but why change what works, it works for most people

wait why am i giving advice when i have never been on a motorcycle
—
Just call me SBL.

[Sangria7]

Hey Bianca

I had the same fears as you did.

First off, dont let the instructors get to you. The instructors on my course did a lot of “yelling” or pointing out mistakes.

If it makes you feel any better, the first MSF day, I stalled my bike several times including the power walk. They kept telling me to slowly release the clutch to find the friction zone. I did as I was told, and I still stalled the bike. So on the 2nd day I was very aware on slowlyyy releasing the clutch and shifting. Press in clutch..shift…slowleeeee release. Hell, even during the test I stalled once. Since then I have only stalled my Rebel 250 once and it was because I didnt downshift to 1st on a stop. So what was the difference? The clutches on the MSF bikes are quite beatup and a lot more touchy than a newer taken care bike.

As far as clutch and throttle…play with it…find out the sweetspot where the clutch starts to hit the friction zone. Then slowly throttle roll. Also when youre in first and slowly hit the friction zone; walk the bike forward until you start to roll forward, then pick up your feet and then roll throttle.

On your 2nd day, pull an insturctor aside and ask if you can spend 5 minutes with him/her doing clutch,shift,throttle work. The worst thing you can do is not ask and still have a lot of questions before the test.

Lastly, again relax, clear your mind, and let it come naturally. Good luck and I am sure youll do fine.

[spiccnspam]

wen ur starting to go, use just a bit more throttle before releasing the clutch, then u wont stall as easily although u will definitly start a bit faster then u want too.

[LongRanger]

I would suggest that you use the clutch more than the throttle to control your speed. Once you are in the friction zone and have the bike moving, if you need to slow for a turn, control your speed with your clutch while keeping your throttle steady. And use a light touch feathering the rear brake to help control speed also.

[Munch]

Slow your mind down and relax ….. Ride your own ride… If he corrects something your doing ..make a note, try it out to your best ability, it don’t work….keep in mind that you are learning and it will be something to practice after passing the test. Most of all relax… you did great before the fall…. Now its time to live up to a line thats become cliche : “cowgirl up!”. You know what you need to do , you were already doing it before… only thing that changed is the added stress your putting on yourself. Focus on the ride in the ride… focus on the instructors after the ride when you have to stop to get your suggestions and when/if they lay the course out each time for the excersize.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Bianca30]

guys, you all are rigt, I need to relax. I was so tensed that my shoulders were hurting too. I hate failing esp when I want to do something and get it right. Every time I get in my truck I try to act as though I’m starting up my bike (FINE-C) and when I’m slowing down or speeding up I try to act as if I’m on the bike (I’m trying my best to get it through my thick head on what to do). I will make mental notes of all the helpful posts and hope for the best for weds class. My instructor is really nice,he says that he’s mean but i don’t think he is. Every time he says good job, I mess up! I’m so weird One more question, when I’m shifting gears, am I to slow down, clutch/shift or keep the speed and squeze in the clutch then shift up? Thank you again guys…..

[Munch]

One smooth motion…. clutch and shift, release clutch in smooth release. In the course the confinement almost forces you to want to “pop” the clutch…. don’t force it if you don’t have to you got plenty of time. The speed will stay mostly consistent. May drop a mile or two per hour but thats just cause for the brief moment you took the constant power to the wheel, after the clutch is let back out you re engage the engine to the drive train and mosey on.
Good practice while not on the bike… Do the “claw”
Hold your clutch hand out and for a 5 second count squeeze in and 5 second count release.. helps tune you a bit to slow motion. At speed (highway speed) I roll off the throttle for that brief moment during shifting. Think I developed that habit before MSF and I was doing it in class to. We had the Buell Blasts…. the clutches were crap come to think of it and you almost had to to let the gears get “in time with each other” to be able to lock in.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[LongRanger]

As Munch has said, roll off the throttle before you squeeze the clutch so that the engine does not over rev, but you will not be slowing down much…just coasting for the few seconds that you have the clutch in. Easy the clutch out and roll the throttle back open and off you go.
When I first started, trying to remember everything during shifting was intimidating, but it comes pretty easy with practice, after you do it for a short awhile and get the muscle memory, you wont even have to think about it anymore.

[Andrew]

I had problems shifting for most of my class. I got rid of most of them on the 2nd riding night but they still came back occasionally. What helped me starting from a stop is rolling on the throttle to get higher revs before you release the clutch. Be slow but smooth with the left hand and do it all the way out. Don’t drop the last bit.

Shifting up through the gears is just a practice thing. I roll my wrist up on the throttle while I squeeze the clutch, shift, and then roll the throttle while releasing the clutch at a slow smooth speed. When I first started it helped to think of the ratcheting motion the teacher described. I’d have that running through my head every shift.

[dcJohn]

1. Relax. Breathe. Humm a tune you like (lately my son’s taste in TV has got me humming Backyardigans tunes through the twisties). Give some trust to yourself and the bike.
2. Think about what you want to do, not about mistakes. Everyone goofs up. Just laugh, let it go, and get back to thinking about what you want to do on the bike.
3. Smile, breathe, smooth and slow on the clutch, look up and where you want to go.

[megaspaz]

for me, the first riding day, no stalls on the nighthawk… last day, quite a few stalls on the rebel… i blame the rebel…

#13433

[Bianca]

so much. I guess I’m beating myself up too much. I’m going to practice the claw and use it for class. You all are right, I’m releasing the clutch too fast and not smooth. My instructor fussed at me about that and about being to rough on the throttle. I hope I’ll have better news weds now that I have all this great advice. Big hugs…. = )

[Author]

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