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2008 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear
Jenny, I admit I'm a bit perplexed about the downshifting mph ranges the owner's manual suggested. I guess what happens when one becomes experienced is that you listen to the engine rather than looking at the speedometer. For instance, when you are at a dead stop and begin moving forward, you are most likely listening to the engine sound to clue you in for the next gear upshift, right? That's a natural thing as most of use are in tune with the sound, even before we begin riding ... we hear manual cars upshifting all the time around us! In downshifting it's a bit dicier but the main point is that we're looking to maintain control of the bike at all times ... this includes smoothness of the approach to a stop and being able to still quickly move away from a hazardous/icky situation should it arise as we move toward the stop and are at the stop. We could simply let gravity do the job as the bike has a certain weight and as we let off the throttle, the bike will slow down all by itself without any shifting or braking what so ever! However, this does not meet our control requirement! And it would be hard to calculate exactly when gravity would bring us to the stop, resulting in some yelling from fellow motorists! Slowing down is a combination of using all the controls and there is no exact science so we're back to control! If we simply used the brakes we would arrive at our stop still in the gear we started out in, leaving us vulnerable at the stop, or quickly downshifting at the stop to get back to first. Not ideal because if a vehicle comes in "hot" behind you, i.e. out of control, you want to be in some gear under conrol (remember to leave some escape room between you the vehicle in front of you) to quickly move away. In addition, most bikes are designed to downshift with some motion still happening, and there are some models that can really be hard to shift at a dead stop ... you literally have to rock the bike forward and backward to get that next lower gear to click in! Remember the sound we talked about before? Here's the deal on downshifting. So, I'm probably going to let off the throttle and bleed off a bit of speed with the brakes. Then I'm going to downshift once, but here I'll be letting that clutch out just to the edge of the friction zone (where the clutch starts engaging the system) and determine if I'm still too fast for that gear (I can feel and hear the action of that engage point) ... just right, let out the clutch fully so the gear begins slowing down the bike; too high and I'm going to bleed off more speed with the brakes before engaging that next lower gear. The throttle becomes my "fine tune" as I can add or subtract a little as needed. Gauging the distance to the stop then becomes the combo of a bit of braking and downshifting, approaching the last part of the stop in second gear (so I still have getaway power) and then with just a small amount of forward movement, going to first. On my bike I know I can click into first at a dead stop, so often that's what I do. Practice of course is the key to control, so finding a big empty parking lot is a good idea, or, if your neighborhood street is a safe environment, that would work also. Get up into third with a stop point you can clearly see, bleed off a bit with the brakes, downshift but use that clutch to feather the engagement, etc. One caveat ... brakes are always used gently ... in combination or just the front one when you're approaching a stop in a straight line. If you have to stop on a curve, a gentle use of the back brake only is best. Quick stops are best handled in a straight line. If you've put in your practice time, you'll have an idea of how quickly you can stop just using the brakes; you can also practice how quickly the bike can stop by braking and downshifting so that the engine aids in the stopping power. If you are in a curve of any kind, your first determination should be whether you have enough room to straighten up the bike and enough room in that pathway to stop upright rather than at a lean angle. Brakes should be never be grabbed at or jammed on. It can lock up the system, putting you into a skid. Is a skid ever good? Well, one could argue that if an object appears in front of you so quickly that your only choice is to lay the bike down or ram head first into the object ... the skid/laydown could potentially be less physically harmful, but that's a split second decision that no one can predict. Gears wear out just for the fact that it's a material subject to wear and tear. What wears out gears fastest is constantly running the bike at the top end of their range. Lack of maintenance can hurt also, as oil breaks down as it gets older, so don't neglect those oil/oil filter changes at the recommended intervals. So, unless you're racing around like a mad woman, your gear set will handle the normal range of riding just fine! Mama Thursday, January 10 For Jenny who has questions about downshifting correctly: Down shifting? That gun is loaded for bear. That is a great question and really is a matter of all inputs, just like Petra has said. It also comes down to your own comfort level with your bike, bike size and conditions on the road. Is it wet of has rain just started to fall? That is THE most dangerous time to be looking for stopping power. It seems as if the road is actually more slick than if it were soaked. There is a reason for that... there is just enough moisture to get between rubber and the road but not always enough to squeeze out as if the road were really, really wet. It seems like that can't be the case when you look at science but it is my experience that tells me to slow down a little and keep distance from traffic in front of me. Never, EVER cheap out on tires. Buy the tires that reflect the way you ride. A good medium compound or a little tougher is a good choice for MOST riders and will hold up pretty well in most conditions. I use a Dunlop Qualifier on the rear and a Sport Elite on the front of my old Yamaha. I used to run Pirelli's but I am older now and no long have the same need for speed but I want control. The best way to learn to downshift is very much as Petra has suggested. Go out and try it. You might find a quick shot of gas as you down shift will rev the engine enough to catch up with the now faster turning lower gear. You master this little trick and you won't get that hard clunk and the engine seeming to over rev once you let the clutch back out. Can down shifting hurt the transmission? Possibly if you abuse the bike. It is, as stated by Petra, a balance of all controls first and fore most. The great part of this way of slowing is that the rear wheel always stays turning. Is that a good thing? YOU BETCHA! Think about the commercials that show a car's anti lock braes working...the tire sort of stutter stops and lets the driver stay in control and all the while... the wheels slow the car. Downshifting is the grand daddy of anti lock. Use the engine to assist in slowing on hills and in the wet and in corners ( ONLY WHEN YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROCESS! ) and you will again experience the coolness that is control over your motorcycle! A motorcycle is an extension of all your skills and as you get more time in the saddle... you will get more skill. We all had to crawl before we could walk and walk before we could run and this is no different. This is a driving experience on so many levels and you won't get it in any car, anywhere, anytime. Period. Love the site, Petra. Ken, Biker Radio Magazine (note from Mama: thanks for expanding on the subject matter to include weather conditions and tires ... the first can be purposefully practiced as well and the second is well worth a lot of research time. I agree that the process takes many road miles and techniques should only be expanded on when the basics are first mastered.) Thursday, March 6 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Katie, If the reach distance is ok, but the controls are a bit higher than your new hand position, you typically can undo the handlebar clamp and rotate it down a bit. If the distance and height are just fine, then check your wrist angle. Put your hands on the control ... your wrist should not be at an angle of any kind ... each control can be loosened and rotated for a better overall fit. If the distance is in fact farther than comfortable, a pullback riser insert can bring the whole assembly back towards you ... check with a dealer to noodle this out further. After these adjustments, or determining all is well, then there are several products to consider. One is a Throttle Rocker, which attaches to the end of the throttle grip, which allows your palm to take the weight of the throttle action ... I love mine! There is also a Throttle Boss, but that has a smaller area to rest your palm in. You might also check into a throttle lock for longer distance cruising ... I'm not a fan of locking the throttle cable into position, but for some, it makes a huge difference. For the clutch hand, I'd check to see how much effort you have to make to pull that in. If it's a stiff action or wide grip, there are ergonomic solutions that will reduce the pull effort by as much as 50%. Again, the availability is by make/model, so ask the Parts Department of your local dealer to determine what's what. I wish you well as you contemplate possible changes ... I'll be contemplating my navel, but that's neither here nor there in the overall scheme of things! Mama Monday, March 24 Hi VTwin Mama, However, I was told that holding down the clutch causes excessive plate wear. I don't see how this is the case because I'm not moving, so it doesn't seem like I'm causing any friction. I prefer to shift down to first and leave my left hand on the clutch, but I don't want to wear out my plates excessively. Can you tell me what I should do/if this really does wear out the clutch? I was also wondering whether I should press the clutch down fully each
time I downshift or upshift, because it seems like most of the time I only
need to push down around 1/3 of the way. Is this "slipping the
clutch?" If I want to cause the least wear possible, should I press
the clutch down all the way or can I keep doing it the way I'm doing? Dear June, The majority opinion on this site has been that staying in 1st gear at a stoplight is the safest thing to do, because, as you note, if something awful is happening behind you, you have a chance of moving out of the way. Of course part of this equation must be that you always stop far away enough from the vehicle in front of you so that you can do a jog around if needed. I'll concede that at a longer city traffic intersection, where I know the extended length of the light change, I'll bump into neutral to wait it out. I suppose I'm still subconsciously listening for any squealing of tires way behind in the vehicle line-up, but who is to say if I would have enough time to jump to 1st and get out. This though is the reason that I tend to leave my hands at the controls rather than bring them down to my lap and that with both feet firmly on the ground, I can shift weight to hit the shift lever fast. Not perfect, but a reality. Now let's turn our attention to the clutch action. From The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance by Mark Zimmerman, "the major parts include a clutch basket, several drive and driven plates, a clutch hub, a release mechanism, clutch springs, and a pressure plate." With me so far? Most motorcycles have what are called wet multi-plate manual clutches, meaning they are bathed in oil, and while there may be more slippage possibilities than a dry clutch, there is also less friction overall. "When the clutch lever is pulled in, the clutch lifter mechanism presses the pressure plate through the lifter plate, resulting in a gap between the disc and the plates. When gradually releasing the clutch lever, the pressure plate begins to press the disc and plate by the tension of the spring, and the disc and the plates begin to transmit power by sliding contact and the vehicle will start to move. When the clutch lever is completely released, the disc and plates are completely caught between the pressure plate and the clutch center, and no longer mutually shop. The power is completely transmitted to the rear wheel." Yikes, so what does that mean in layman's terms? The question really becomes, what's the wear difference, if any, between being in neutral and sitting in 1st gear with the clutch in? Mark's email answer: "When the bike is idling with the clutch pulled in there is some slight additional wear placed on the release mechanism and clutch pressure plate and in some cases (primarily older vintage bikes) the clutch can overheat due to friction between the drive plates, which keep spinning, and driven plates, which are stationary when the clutch is disengaged. However, wear is minimal and no cause for concern where modern bikes are concerned. However, when I was learning to ride I was always taught that you never, ever stopped a bike in gear and held the clutch in because if the clutch cable breaks, and you were idly revving the throttle as many riders do, the bike would shoot forward into traffic. I understand the MSF now teaches the opposite, that you should stop in gear so that if an emergency arises you can scoot your way out of trouble. Bottom line ... stopping in gear and pulling the clutch in won't hurt a thing." So, there we have ... yes, there is an affect, but it so minimal that one can easily disregard it. Hopefully as well, you can see that pulling in fully and releasing the clutch lever fully is truly appropriate. One only stays in the middle friction zone to gain some control around slow turns or when creeping a bike forward in heavy traffic so that feet don't have to go down for a stop every few seconds. In this case you are slipping the clutch, meaning you're changing the dynamics of the plate friction and one only uses it when necessary. Mama Monday, May 19 Dear Petra, Dear Susan, Wednesday, June 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ginnie, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Barbara,
You pull up to Pt. A duck walk to B with the help of a bit of clutch/throttle, kick it into neutral, straighten out the front wheel, keep your face forward, and move it back in a straight line. The reason to go to neutral is so you don't have to hold onto the clutch lever ... you've got enough going on without needing that! Now, face forward sounds counterintuative, but the problem with your body turned a lot is that the handblebar easily turns to one side (full bar lock) causing all sorts of grief. So, if you need to look back, then check the bike's position, but return to face forward when you're actually moving the bike. One thing that can add to the challenge is if your feet are not firmly planted on the ground. It's hard to push yourself back on tippy toes and may even contribute to an easier lean to one side when you really need that bike centered and straight up. To practice, set up cones or other markers to mimic a bike on each side and practice. Or you can head to the far end of a Wal-Mart parking lot (or something similar) and practice backing into dead center of a parking spot. Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Vicki, Tuesday, June 24 For Vicki and anyone taking ownership of a bike: Yikes! While I am excited for Vicki I must say that I dont believe it is wise to ride around the neighborhood without being insured. Never mind that most accidents happen close to home - we just had a guy in the ER who was riding his motorcycle for the first time and did not make it out of the dealerships parking lot! He drove straight into a parked car and broke his leg. No registration, no insurance, and now no bike. Luckily no one else was injured. Just my opinion, MJ (note from Mama: wow! Now that's a cautionary tale if ever I heard one ... but a useful one!) Tuesday, June 24 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kelcy, I'm not sure if this is going to help, but this Total Motorcycle page on Motorcycle Sounds has sound clips of bikes being started, revving in idle, and then being ridden in successive gears. What you're listening for is the rhythm of the shift ... you'll hear the first gear as the noise ramps up, then the rider shifts, the noise drops in tone and then ramps up again, etc. A lot of these clips are sport riders moving fast, but the concept is still valid. I guess it's easiest to explain when to shift by coming at it backwards. If you're in first gear going along and then go to second gear, but it bogs down (not enough power) or feels sluggish, you've shifted into second gear too soon. If you're in first gear and shift to second and it lurches/hurls forward and you find yourself hanging on for dear life, you've shifted too late. You're looking for the middle ground. Practice enough and soon you'll shift just by hearing the sound of your engine (that's why listening to the sound clips helps you understand how to listen to your own). Hills are taken in the gear that gives you the power to move the weight of you and the bike up it, depending on the steepness. If the hill is steep and you're in fourth gear and there's no real power when you give it some more gas, you need to shift down to third gear and if the throttle is responsive (has power), you're good to go. Ok, try that! Mama Saturday, July 5 Dear VTwin Mama, I know that teaching myself smooth downshifting in the car will help me
get the feel for doing it on the bike too, but just for my own knowledge,
can I take this same stopping approach with my bike? The distribution is
about 30/70 with the back/front brakes and they are independent, single
rotor. I know that at higher speeds this would not work too well, but for
anything 40 MPH or less could I just shift into neutral and brake only to
slow down, or is this a bad idea? Dear Amanda, Certainly you can shift to neutral and glide/brake to the stop. The problem is this: unlike a cage (car), which offers a shell of protection, you are more vulnerable on a motorcycle. It is smarter to always have the bike powered/geared for a quick getaway. While this would be an oddball example, think about approaching a stop gliding in neutral and the car behind you loses all brake power ... they are gaining on you very quickly, hurling a lot of weight towards you ... you definitely want to be geared so you can get the heck out of their way! I had an interesting discussion with a friend the other day, who noted that a DMV question said the correct answer to what do you do first when getting ready to stop was to gear down ... we argued that braking first was the better answer. The reasoning is that it signals vehicles behind us that we're going to slow down ... as not all cage drivers really can tell that we're slowing down (we're trained to recognize brake lights as the indicator). So, flashing the brake lights and then gearing down is good. Most riders also advocate that you remain in 1st gear at a stop so that should you need to pull out of a stopped line of vehicles for any reason, you don't want to waste the seconds needed to clutch in and shift and then go. Remember to always stop at enough distance to the vehicle in front of you so you can pull out! Mama Thursday, July 17 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Tiff, No, other than some specific offerings for Harley-Davidson swap outs, going to an auto tranny is not done. Explore your auto tranny options and then sell the Nighthawk. Alternatively, call back your course provider and see if one of the instructors offers private lessons. I'm guessing within a few one-on-one sessions, you'll be clutching and shifting just fine. Another idea ... rent an ATV with manual transmission and get your practice on this ... takes the 2 wheel balance issue out of the equation until you've got the shift sequence down pat. My thought ... if you're just out of school, that is barely enough time to say hi to the new bike properly! Take a deep breath, think seriously and deeply on what you think is holding up your learning curve, and then do something about it. Example: you've got a friend helping you practice, but they can't explain what you're doing wrong and then the frustration on their part builds. Remedy: get a qualified teacher to assist you! Hoping this will jumpstart your learning pathway again ... Mama Friday, July 18 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lynda, If you notice an overall decaying ease of shifting, then you most likely have a bent shift shaft. This can happen when a bike is dropped on its left side during an oopsie. The previous owner may have dropped it or you may have had a bike nap situation. One needs to center the bike and then eyeball down the shaft to see if it's perfectly straight. If not, then a replacement is needed. Otherwise the problem will escalate until you can't shift at all. Mama Dear VTwin Mama, I did well in the MSF class but on the day I got my bike, I stalled out and while trying to re-start, I did something wrong and dropped it (somehow gave it too much throttle) and took a nasty spill. Nothing major but a laceration on my thigh that required stitches. As such, my confidence has been terribly shaken. I have been practicing in parking lots but I need help knowing WHEN to shift. If I am in gear and I just roll off the throttle, will the bike eventually just cut off from not enough power being supplied? Can you use the brakes without pulling in the
clutch??? I think I recall from my MSF class that this is a major NO-NO!!! Could you please expound more on engine
braking?? Thanks for all of your helpful tips!!!! I refuse to
give up although I am very frustrated right now. Dear Deb, Sit on your bike in 1st gear and the clutch lever pulled in. Give it gas. Is the bike moving? No. You can give that bike all the gas you want and it isn't going to go anywhere. The point I'm trying to make? Whenever you feel you're moving too fast or have accidentally given it too much gas ... pull the clutch lever in ... as this is what immediately removes the power from the transmission! With the clutch lever in, it doesn't matter if you goose the gas ... you still aren't going anywhere. Next drill. Slowly let the clutch out with no gas. See, you have forward movement, but then it will shudder, stall, and die because you didn't give it any gas. Now, how far could you let that clutch lever out before it happened? Is it right at the beginning of the full range of that lever ... more in the middle ... further out? This is important to understand. Start the bike up again and then let the whole clutch out in one motion ... it just stalls and dies ... but with an added jerking motion for your troubles. A better way ... give the bike a bit of steady gas and then slowly let the clutch out to the point where the tranny engages. If the bike starts shuddering, you're not holding steady gas. If the bike doesn't move forward smoothly, you still need to work on the amount of clutch you're letting out. Your goal is to duck walk (feet paddling on the ground at the side) in a steady and controlled manner using a bit of steady gas and "slipping" the clutch lever in and out of the engage/disengage point. Learning the engagement point and the amount of steady gas needy is important for all smooth starts and any slow turns you'll be working on as you polish skills. This cannot be over emphasized. I have traveled to teach riders on sports-style bikes and found this to be more "touchy" than say a cruiser-style motorcycle ... for the very fact that sport-style bikes are aggressively geared ... 1st is designed to really "get up and go." Keep at it though and you will learn the nuances. Now, when to shift. In this question I am now assuming you have never driven a stick-shift car. When I talk about listening to the engine, it's because you can hear a change in the sound as you pick up speed. You can also feel that the engine is reaching the end of its range. With a tachometer, one could call out a number range; without, it's by sound and feel. Here is a page of sound clips. Listen to the Honda Shadow, then listen to one that calls out a hard accelerate. Can you hear when each shift occurs? If you shift too soon, when you go to give it gas, it will feel sluggish. If you shift at the high end of the gear, all of a sudden you are propelled forward very quickly. Obviously we're aiming for a middle ground. The caveat is that sport-style bikes like the Ninja (repeating myself) are geared to move quickly forward, so the gear change is typically sooner than later (it reaches its high end sooner than a cruiser would). In your parking lot practice, with plenty of straight line room ahead of you, move forward in 1st gear and listen and feel. Yes, if you roll off the throttle, eventually the bike will sputter, stall and die ... unless you pull in the clutch lever. What determines if the bike gets jerky or leaps forward ... it depends on how touchy the throttle is and where in the speed range of that gear you are. At all times you are looking for smoothness. Again, it's a challenge, especially for a new rider. Yes, you can use the brakes without downshifting if you are just looking to bleed off some speed temporarily. Yes, you can pull in the clutch and brake all the way to a stop. But then you're still in some upper gear and not ready to start again in 1st. Bikes prefer to be in motion when shifted, so sitting at a stop light and downshifting to get ready is not the greatest ... what if the light changes before you're done? Take off in 2nd. Well, it isn't that you can't do it ... but try it in the parking lot practice and you will see that you'll have a sluggish response from the throttle ... remember that shuddering? There it is again. Now on to engine braking. Each gear has a range to it ... just as you wouldn't want to try to ride at 70mph in 1st gear, you wouldn't take off from a stop in 4th gear. Why? Because each gear is lined up in order and handles a range of speed. If you're cruising in 4th gear nicely in the midsection and downshift to 3rd, you'll be at the high end of the 3rd gear range. You'll notice that it takes a bit more throttle action from you to keep it at the same speed. If you're in 4th gear midsection and downshift without giving it much throttle, the bike will naturally slow down ... this is what is called engine braking. The gearing slowed you down, not the use of brakes. When approaching a stop, use your brakes slightly as this signals those behind you that you'll be slowing down. Downshift and move smoothly forward but slower. Still too fast, use a bit of hand/foot brake ... approaching nicely, downshift. There is no way for me to tell you exactly at what speed to do each shift ... if you're looking at the speedometer, you're not looking at the traffic and gauging your distance to the stop. It's a combination and only practice will get you to understand the various combinations you can use. None of this is going to hurt the bike in the short term while you're learning all the little nuances. Remember that with a lot of slow speed practice to rest yourself and cool down the bike every 10 minutes. If you continue to have real concerns about shifting and coming to a stop, consider calling the course and asking if any of the instructors offer private lessons. A few sessions may bring this all together for you more quickly and diminish the jitters ... Mama Thursday, September 25 For Deb who is learning on a Ninja 250 ... is it the wrong bike or even a "death bike"?: My MSF course stable was mostly Rebels but included a couple of Ninja 250s. I don't think they would put a death bike in the rider course. Only one person did not pass the test, and she was on a Rebel (and loaded up with lots of husband baggage). Fear not, Deb! Regards, Sarah (note from Mama: just about any bike can get a new rider in trouble ... I think it's more about polishing skills in baby steps than the actual bike itself ... but you've got to respect the process. I also know that when things aren't going right, seeking information on the Internet can be good ... like finding the VTM site! Who knows what experiences that rider had to call the Ninja 250 a death bike ... but I'm guessing it had more to do with not practicing in a planned out manner and thinking through how a bike actually works.) Monday, November 24 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear JP, I'll simply add at this point that if the problem is that you can't easily shift while at a stop, in some cases there are certain makes/models where this always seems more difficult. Bikes want to shift in motion ... the solution here is to rock a bit back and forth and you should be able to pop it where you want it. If shifting becomes increasingly more difficult over time, i.e. it just doesn't want to shift, the most likely cause is that the shift shaft is bent. This happens when a bike is dropped on its left side for whatever reason. Take the shift lever off and eyeball down the shaft to see. This isn't the only cause, but it's one of the most KISS causes. Mama 9Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Trish, It's not clear to me whether your uneasy feeling is because you had no previous manual transmission experience or if you do have that background and simply dislike it. If you've never driven a manual transmission vehicle, a lot can be gained by learning to drive a stick-shift car, whether from a family member or friend, or with a certified teacher at a private driving school. While the hand and foot controls aren't exactly the same, getting use to the necessary coordination is a plus. I recall that I had three lessons from a friend before I really got it and the learning didn't really leave me. When I got my first motorcycle, I was able to translate that experience. If you have the background, then it may just be a matter of more practice on your current bike. It does take a bit to get use to and the only way is to pile on miles. If I've not accurately divined what's at the heart of your unease, then write back and we'll keep noodling out thoughts! Mama Tuesday, February 3 I had a Ridley and a Legacy 250, both automatic. I thought I would be so much happier not having to worry about shifting. I wanted a Trike though, so bought the new Harley Davidson TriGlide. I am still learning to shift, but have since learned to love it. It is so much safer in my book. With the auto tranny it is go or stop. If you let go of the throttle it was supposed to put it in neutral, but I never felt like it did. Let me tell you, having the clutch to slow yourself down is WONDERFUL! I will never go back. Did you take the MSF course? I learned to shift there and that is when I realized I would be OK with having gears. I have also found out on the Harley that I don't like the rear shifter. I use the front only and that helped me. I just get confused going back and forth. Could that be what is troubling you? Joan (note from Mama: good points and clarification on how it eventually worked out for you! Hmmm ... that heel/toe shifter question might be part of the concern.) Tuesday, March 17 Dear VTwin Mama and Caressa, I have put about 15,000 on my bike since adding the apes. It's probably a matter of set up as much as anything for me that determined my level of satisfaction with apes. Although not all inclusive, I have some thoughts for you if you are considering apes. First, they work best for me if their height is shoulder level or a little less than shoulder level. For me, I'm 53 years old, 6'0" tall, and about 250lbs. I have had several minor back and neck injuries in my life that may have had some lingering effects. High school football, being broadsided by a deputy sheriff, and landing on my head on a trampoline to name a few. Anyway, mini apes and 6" risers work best for me. Second, for me the clutch and brake levers are nearly parallel with the pavement, sticking nearly straight out from the bars. I got on the bike with the levers snug, stuck my fingers straight out and brought the levers up until they touched. Third. Bar tilt. Mine are just shy of being perpendicular to the pavement. Tilted back ever so slightly. Again, sitting on the bike with the bars snug, I just grabbed the bars and put them so my elbows were just slightly bent and comfortable. Note, do this before you adjust your levers. Fourth. I do not have monster hands. The stock grips work best for me. If I vary from these suggestions, my fingers go numb, my back starts to ache after as little as 10 miles, and my neck gets cramped. But when I set apes up using the above suggestions I have no problems. In fact, this is the only type bars and setup where I have no numbness in my fingers or hands. I have tried other types of bars and setups. Many. As for handling, I've had the apes so long it may be that I just am used to them. But still, I think proper set up will help there too. I have helped some friends set up their apes and these suggestions worked for them too. Some final thoughts. I also spent a lot of time finding a seat that was comfortable too. Mine is a Mustang pillow type. Sorta looks like the classic king and queen seat of the 60's. It's very similar to the stock seat on a FXSTC. It has more lumbar support than most. I also have my footpegs two inches lower and two inches wider than stock. I hope maybe these suggestions may be of some assistance. Best Regards, Skipper Dear Skipper, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ernie, Get to a practice place and start from the beginning ... duck walks to get your clutch friction zone comfortable and then start/stop drills to relearn the mechanics of picking up both feet together and smoothly to the controls and then back to the ground. A few hours of practice should get you back into the saddle comfortably! Mama Wednesday, May 20 I bought a Sportster with after market forward controls. I was happy to have them, but there IS a learning curve. I was extra careful turning, stopping and until I put my feet up without having to "remember" to keep them forward, instead of in the middle, I walked my bike through even remotely tight turns. I took extra care taking off too, as the balance is different. I got used to it, and love it now. The forward position is good to help leg circulation as it creates more extension for your knees and that allows for better blood flow and longer ride times as well. Good luck, Trish (note from Mama: thanks for chiming in with first-hand experience of the change-over!) Sunday, July 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear June, Monday, August 24 Dear VTwin Mama, People ask me: so why did you get a motorcycle? What got you into it? It might be just me, but I have a hard time answering that question properly, so that they can understand' I don't want to toss off a careless, perfunctory answer just for the sake of answering. I've known for about 3 years now that I want to ride a motorcycle, and having saved up enough by this year, I took the leap of faith and bought a used Ninja 250. I didn't ride it for a full month even after I bought it, since I didn't want to kill myself or harm the bike, but signed up for a MSF class and waited to learn how to ride my bike (the wait nearly killed me with anticipation). Unfortunately, two days before the MSF class, I overstrained my shoulder and the stiffness in that shoulder proved to be my downfall by day 2 in the MSF class - I simply couldn't control the bike anymore with my left arm. The instructor told me to leave and come back after I lagged behind my classmates one time too many, which was a blow to my pride, albeit for the best. Even so, the short few hours I was on the motorcycle, speeding across the dismally grey parking lot were the best moments of my life! I was so glad when I realized motorcycling really was something I wanted to do, not just an adolescent whim; so I decided to take things one step at a time after my shoulder healed, and learn how to ride by myself before I decide whether to retake the MSF class. It hasn't been easy, since I live in a campus residential area, where the closest empty parking lot is many hills, intersections, busy streets, and weeks of experience away, so I've been practicing stopping and starting the bike without stalling it in the garage where I store it, as well as turning. I dropped my bike twice already (I'm so glad I bought a used bike!) -- once when I stalled the bike, and another time when I braked too hard and didn't straighten the handlebars. Still, I gained enough confidence to go out into the street (I go out at 4 am, when I know there won't be any cars or people out) once I overcame my braking and stalling issues. I just got back from my first successful venture beyond this neighborhood to a park a few minutes away, and tested out countersteering (press right, turn right; press left, turn left- it works!) and my shifting technique-- and my shifting is awful! Shifting up seems to be a matter of listening to the engine, but I have trouble downshifting- I pull in the clutch, shift down, and slowly release the clutch, but more often than not, the engine will rev loudly and the bike will lurch a little when I use the throttle - is this because I'm using the throttle too soon after downshifting? How can I downshift more smoothly? I was concerned and a little down lately because my practice rides until now have been filled with mistakes; I've stalled at intersections and while practicing braking; I've disregarded red lights and stop signs because I was too afraid of downshifting, braking, and starting back up (thankfully, I practice at times when no normal human would be awake); and invariably, my practice sessions would end with my right hand and arm cramping and hurting rather badly. It's been discouraging to learn on my own with only the internet for help (my friends who know how to ride are gone for the summer), but I'm getting a more positive outlook on my motorcycling future after tonight's rendezvous with the streets! (It helps that I stalled only once at an intersection) I think the best answer to the question of why I began motorcycling has to do with the feeling that I get when I ride. The powerful sense of freedom is gratifying, even if I don't know why I get that rush when I speed down the road. It feels like flight. I don't know if this answer is one that is universally shared among motorcyclists, but it seems like a good place to start and say: this is why I ride. All the best, Andy Dear Andy, I heartened to hear that you continue to work through the practice sessions. I know it feels like more steps back than forward, but there will come an AHA day where everything clicks and we won't be able to wipe the grin off of your face. Yes, it's easier to upshift because you can hear the revs ramping up. Downshifting is a learned skill and the high rev sound is because you've not bled of enough speed to be in the mid-section of the next gear down. The "lurch" can happen when you're at a certain speed and not in the mid-section of the right gear, whether too low or too high. For instance, try to take off in second gear and you'll feel the lurch and chug ... it's messy! Sport bikes can be a bit trickier because the gearing is different from a cruiser. And as I found out when I borrowed a BMW K75 years ago, the downshift from 3rd to 2nd really was tighter and faster. Try this: even letting the clutch out slowly after a downshift is not exactly right. Let it out to the engage point but when you feel the engine braking, pull the lever in again as the bike slows down, then let it out to the engage point, checking if you're now in the right range. It's not wrong to let the clutch all the way, but with tight gearing, that engine braking is very, very powerful. Again, let it out just to get the engine braking, pull it in, bleed off a bit more speed, engage again just a bit, and finally you'll be in the right section of that gear to use the throttle again. Gosh, if someone can explain that better, I'd love to hear from you! Mama Tuesday, August 25 Dear Readers, Cagers are used to seeing brake lights to clue them in that a vehicle in front of them is slowing down, for whatever reason. Often times a motorcycle rider will begin slowing down by letting off the throttle and downshifting only, thus letting the bike's engine bring the speed down. A cage driver doesn't perceive the small bleed off of speed as they are not used to gauging a bike's movement. It is always useful to tap the brake light when first starting to slow down and to do so a few times as you continue to slow down more. If you feel that a vehicle behind you isn't getting it, incorporate a big hand signal for a turn ... so that the brake light taps, turn signal, and hand movement snap them out of it to realize something is happening in front of them. It won't prevent all cagers from coming too close, as often times they are busy thinking only about getting to where they are going while talking or texting on a cell phone. But the brake tap is something everyone should remember to do. Mama
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