SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> First Gear
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1159669058

Message started by mavrik on 09/30/06 at 19:17:38

Title: First Gear
Post by mavrik on 09/30/06 at 19:17:38

Hello All: New rider question here re: first gear. Sometimes I hear a grinding sound when I shift from neutral to first when stopping, this can't be good so should I wait till I'm stopped before shifting to first? the only thing is I gotta release the clutch a bit to get the bike in gear and this takes time which is no good in traffic.

My inexperience is the culprit, when I get more saddle time there won't be any more grind, just would like your thoughts on this.

Some of you have the throttle gizmo that acts as a cruise control. Is it expensive? and how easy is it to install? thanks for all your help Cheers
http://w1.bikepics.com/pics/2006/08/16/bikepics-657768-800.jpg

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by curlyhairgirl on 09/30/06 at 19:30:31

I have experienced this as well and I am also a new rider. I cringe when it happens because like you said, it can't be good for the bike. What are we doing wrong? It doesn't happen all the time.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by mavrik on 09/30/06 at 19:50:33

Hi Curlyhairgirl: I guess we just gotta stay posted, these people know everything, I heard SavageRob knows where Bin Laden is hiding but he's waiting for a higher bounty. With DOG in jail in Mexico he's got no competition. Cheers

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Trippah on 09/30/06 at 19:59:03

Don't sweat the grinding- its shaving weight from the bike..You should be almost stopped before shifting into first, like less than 2-3 miles per hour. Try shifting downjust before putting down your other (right foot) at the stop. Once you got it smooth, (couple of 100 miles :D)shift down and then put down same LEFT foot at stop; which will allow you to hold the bike at stop light with rear brake applied by the right foot(e).

When downhshifting to first (or downshifting in general) its good to blip the throttle just as you shift, higher rpms help the gears mesh.

Enjoy the ride...

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by curlyhairgirl on 09/30/06 at 20:05:18

Thanks Trippah for the advice. Perhaps that is what I am doing wrong....downshifting into first too soon on occasion which would explain why it doesn't happen all the time.

I will pay attention tomorrow when I am out riding and see how I do.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by thumperclone on 09/30/06 at 21:30:19

shifting becomes second nature with saddle time that said this topic got me wondering so i looked it up in my owners manual it shows a shifting up schedule ( these are minimum speeds m.p.h.) 1-2 12,2-3 19,3-4 25,4-5 31....
shifting down schedule 5-4 19m.p.h. only spec shown..
also states "Disengege the clutch when th motorcycle speed drops below 12 m.p.h."..
max recomended engine speed (since there is no tach)
after 1000 mile break in 1-35,2-55,3-75,4-90, 5-100...
ls 650 owners manual,june 2005

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Fido_the_Cat on 10/01/06 at 18:46:03

Try it at slow speeds and I bet you won't get the grind. Saddle time is the answer. You will be surprised how smoothe your shifting will become with the help of the "blip". See Trippah.
Thumperclone, your information is absolutely correct. The problem is reading the notebook at 45 mph. I was the same way in the begining. Relax. Listen to the bike. Be the bike, and all that stuff. Granted you must be aware of how the bike is running. But with proper maintenance regular visual inspections and pretrip checks, you can pay more attention to the ride and let the bike do it's thing. You will learn to respond to sound and feel instead of what comes next. The best is yet to come. Ride safe.
CLARIFY: My appologies to you Thumperclone, I did not realize that you were giving information to support shifting ranges. You no doubt have enough saddle time to understand my point.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by georgekathe on 10/01/06 at 19:10:14

thought maybe I've been doing it wrong for many years reading about downshifting to to 1st from 2nd/neutral while on the move. the last part of thumperclone's quote about disengaging clutch below 12 mph (can't say exactly what speed I do it @ though) seems like I (may) have been doing it per that book @ least.

I then go into neutral when @ a stop (I was always told having it in gear with the clutch lever to the bar while waiting @ a light would prematurely wear the clutch out).

I go from neutral to first when the light changes, sometimes having to rock the bike into 1st if it won't go in easily (much easier to demonstrate than explain, I think), never just slamming it in to first with resultant gnashing of (gear) teeth!.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Dynobob on 10/01/06 at 23:06:05

mavrik wrote:

Some of you have the throttle gizmo that acts as a cruise control. Is it expensive? and how easy is it to install?

Vista Cruise makes a decent throttle lock that isn't very expensive. It's not too hard to install - you just have to remove the right hand grip. It's $40 at cruisercustomizing.com.

http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/images/image_9481.jpg

There's a fancier one called a Brakeaway for $190
http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/images/image_9577_200.jpg

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Guido on 10/02/06 at 14:35:30

If these are new bikes your talking about, mine made some pretty nasty noises til I got it over 1k miles. After that things have smoothed out. Just new tranny wearing in I guess. Seat time and miles will usually fix it.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by thumperclone on 10/02/06 at 15:16:04

Guido wrote:

now over 5k on the od been using amsoil since 4k shifting is better sometimes when really puttin slow i find neutral from 1-2..
i like sittin at lites in neutral also,when shiftin to frist from there sometimes have to goose the throttle definently no mashing...

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by franch on 10/02/06 at 17:17:32

sitting in nuetral at lights has got to save on the clutch springs but sometimes it's so darned hard to get it into 1st gear it just isn't worth it

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Fido_the_Cat on 10/03/06 at 15:40:47

Not always but usually I know the lights that I'm at, (actually prefer the backroads) and I know how long or I check the opposing light to see when it's my turn. Then I go from neutral to first gear. The idea of having it in first gear is so you can move quickly should it be necessary.
Riding habits change as situations change. Being aware of your surroundings will give you and edge at intersections and on the road.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by luken on 10/03/06 at 18:10:04

In my motorcycle handbook given to me by the state it says to stay in first gear at lights so that you can get out of the way if someone is coming up from behind and doesnt slow down. Makes sense to me, plus sometimes when im in neutral it wont shift unless I give the bick a little push and it makes me look dumb in trafic.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Savage_Rob on 10/04/06 at 11:04:03

luken wrote:

In my motorcycle handbook given to me by the state it says to stay in first gear at lights so that you can get out of the way if someone is coming up from behind and doesnt slow down.

They taught the same thing at the MSF course I attended a couple years ago.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Island_Biker on 10/05/06 at 07:23:53

I've been rear-ended (get your minds outa the gutter) in a car sitting at a red light, and a friend of mine was stopped behind a school bus on his bike - some idiot was coming up fast behind him, so he gunned toward the ditch & joker plowed into the back of the bus.

I always keep my bike in gear at lights.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by serowbot on 10/05/06 at 09:47:21

If you end up stuck in neutral at a stop, try releasing the clutch and pulling it back in. That works for me.

Title: Re: First Gear
Post by Savage_Rob on 10/05/06 at 11:43:55

Shifting always works best when moving. If you're stopped and didn't shift to 1st already, don't stomp the shifter to make it shift. Instead, try feathering the clutch to engage the current gear and then try shifting to the next one... lather/rinse/repeat until you reach 1st gear. Stomping will just wind up bending a rod in your linkage and then you won't be able to downshift at all. It's a relatively inexpensive part (about $5, if I remember correctly) and I keep a spare since I bent mine once, but it's cheaper and easier to avoid replacing it at all.