[ilnam]

I read in the Idiots Guide… book to ease out the clutch when upshifting, but I was told at class that after 1st gear, you can (and should?) just release the clutch. quickly. Also, in the owners manual there’s a section titled Using The Transmission and it says underneath “Never slip the clutch to control road speed, but rather downshift to allow the engine to run within its normal operational range.” What does that mean exactly? I mean, don’t many people use the clutch at slow speeds out on the road and for those parking lot maneuvers?

[Andrew]

I always release the clutch slowly. If I am too fast the bike will lurch. You ideally want a smooth shift up and down the gears. Down is harder IMO. Don’t know about that other bit. You have to use the clutch for some of those maneuvers, using the brakes won’t always give you the control you want.

[ilnam]

It lurches you while upshifting? I only had that problem while downshifting in class on the rebel. We weren’t taught to use the clutch for full lock turns and such, but it seem many people do. I’ll have to test that out a bit.

[Matt]

I’m with Elwood on this.

There is a big difference between a smooth fast release of the clutch, and just letting it out fast (popping it). If you “pop” the clutch in the rain, you’ll really regret it. Even on my 250, in the wet, just letting go of the clutch makes for a messy moment and a mouthful of soap (or it would, if people around me could hear the words coming out of my mouth – yet another good reason for full-faced helmets )

What they don’t want you doing is controlling yor speed with the clutch once you are underway at a speed that bike can do without the clutch. So, if the bike can go 10mph (random number) in first with the clutch out, that is what you want to do. You don’t want to be in second gear and slipping the clutch the way you do in first gear when going 1mph.

When up shifting the motion needs to be smooth (“easing it out”), but it can’t be drawn out. You need to allow the engine to engage smoothly from one gear to the next, without riding down the road mid clutch.

Hope this helps.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Andrew]

The lurch forward is due to my timing being off sometimes and releasing too fast which is the same as popping, or I would say dropping, the clutch.

[Andrew]

I think I have been slipping the clutch and using the brakes for things like cornering in 2nd gear. I was just using it the same as I would in first to trim my speed but I can try to avoid it if I shouldn’t be doing it.

[Matt]

In corners in particular, avoid it. You really don’t want ot be on the brake or on the clutch in a corner. Set your speed early, then turn at a constant speed.

I had a lot of problems with mid-speed corners. Things like making a left at lights when I wasn’t starting from a stop, but rather coming into it at road speed (40-50km/h, so 25-30mph). The best advice I was given (by an instructor) was slow down to the speed you want to take the corner at (start at 20 or 25km/h and progress up from there as you feel comfortable) making a very concerted effort to stay off the clutch, brake, and keep the throttle constant.
The big thing here is to look all the way through the corner. I thought I was, but when making an effort I found I was simply spotting my exit of the corner, not looking through corner and looking far enough down the path I wanted.
Apparently it is a really common mistake – or maybe he was just saying that to make me feel better. Either way, I manage those corners much better now than I did before.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Jiriki]

you should be accelerating slightly through a turn… this raises your rear wheel and gives you more suspension travel…. try it, you will notice that the turn feels way more comfortable…

of course, this can mean that you need to enter the corner slower

as for clutch… i let it out pretty quickly, but I have matched rpm before it is released… if it is lurching or chirping, you’ll go down in the rain…

[Andrew]

Good to know I’m not the only driving and thinking about how I would be riding the same road. I also take corners at 20 in the car and I should be able to do it on the bike but I’ll aim for slower to start with. I haven’t done much traffic driving at all as I want to get as comfortable as possible with the bike first. I’ll have to take the plunge before the riding season disappears here in sunny IL though.

[ilnam]

Yeah. I don’t want to think about that too much. I’m just trying to stay optimistic. I’ll ride if it’s cold, but when snow is imminent I’ll pack it up. What also sucks, is that I’m going on vacation next week for 10 days. I was looking forward to it, but now that I’ll be parting with my bike, I’m less eager to leave Elwood, you are the only one I know who does smiley faces in that direction. what a rebel!

[Author]

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