When approaching a stop.. What do you do..??

[Hairyblackdude]

Team,

Just a generic question..

Whats your method for approaching red lights ??

Do you:

Pull in the clutch & downshift to a lower gear, let out clutch & repeat until youre stopped & in 1st gear?

OR​

Pull in the clutch & coast up to the stop while downshifting to 1st?

OR​

Pull in the clutch and coast to the stop & then downshift all the way to first after you've stopped??

Just curious to see what other people do & the reasoning behind it.

Thanks.
_marc

 

[TeeCat]

I gear down one at a time using engine braking, and use the front and rear brakes (simultaneously) as needed. I feel that I have the most control over the bike that way, as opposed to using my brakes alone to scrub speed. And if the light is in a turn, I am always careful not to brake too heavily, downshift abruptly, or otherwise upset the bike while it is in even a moderate lean. Bikes generally don't like sudden movements.

TC

 

[ann0yed]

I usually don't even use the brakes until after I've downshifted to 2nd, then I keep the clutch in, using both brakes to come to a complete stop and then shift to 1st.

 

[501Spanky]

I am with TeeCat on this one. I also use the engine braking until I drop to first before using the brakes. My Vulcan likes it better if I shift to first while still rolling a bit.

 

[weekendrider]

A or B. Never C.
None of mine seem to like shifting through the gears while completely stopped without "working/slipping" the clutch.
I try to avoid hard engine braking.
Have even been known to ride the rear(lightly) while creeping foward in first to avoid putting my feets on the pavement waiting on lights.
I just never understood the benefit of being the first to stop for a red light. There must be one though as lots seem be racing to do it.
Or completely stopping if you can time it otherwise.

 

[cros36]

engine brake, that way your good to go if it turns green or something comes up. and while at the light i wait untill there are at least two cars behind me stopped before putting it into neutral. some times it doesnt come to this, but i live in ann arbor and the lights are really long to allow time for the people walking to cross.

 

[grepper]

Like above, but usually I try to get to Nutral before I stop.

 

[mrpink]

I do whatever keeps me out of the intersection or the car in front of me. A,B,C, or a combination of any or all of them. Every situation is different.






p!nK

 

[Hairyblackdude]

I have a tough time finding neutral when the bike is running.. It likes to skip right over it sometimes.. I stopped even trying.

Im ALWAYS in first, hand on the clutch waiting for the light to go green.

I usually downshift thru the gears, but I dont like to downshift to first unless Im moving very slowly..

+1 for trying to keep your feet up when approaching a stop..

 

[retiredgentleman]

You should be in the gear that is appropriate for the speed you are driving. As you slow down, you gear down and use engine braking. That gives the best control of the bike.
That really applies in the mountains.

Why do you shift into neutral at a stop sign? You should have the bike in first gear as you come to a stop and leave it in first gear. If a vehicle in front of you decides to back-up, you can quickly drive the bike to the shoulder and prevent being run over.

This is an example of what I see quite frequently. A crotch rocket bike comes screaming up to traffic that is stopped for a light. The biker pulls right up as close as he can get to the next vehicle, and then selects neutral. This is even worse if the vehicle ahead is a large truck, because the trucker can't see the biker in his rear view mirrors. You should always leave a safety buffer area between you and the next vehicle, so you can manouvre out of the way if needed.

When I stop with traffic ahead, I leave 1 car length at least, and if its a large truck, I stay back whatever is required so that I can see the driver in his mirrors.

I drive defensively, but I suspect others will have different opinions.

 

[PrinceJ57]

 

[Stone Hands]

Team,

Just a generic question..

Whats your method for approaching red lights ??

Do you:

Pull in the clutch & downshift to a lower gear, let out clutch & repeat until youre stopped & in 1st gear?

OR​

Pull in the clutch & coast up to the stop while downshifting to 1st?

OR​

Pull in the clutch and coast to the stop & then downshift all the way to first after you've stopped??

Just curious to see what other people do & the reasoning behind it.

Thanks.
_marc

I engine brake till time to pull clutch and stop. Of course I have had the "OH Shit", butt clinch rapid downshift and both brakes to haul it down when surprised. Not often however.

 

[weekendrider]

RG good point about staying within the working range of a gear.
But we would agree there is a difference between doing that and aggressively using the drivetrain to slow you for a red light? I mean you are going to slow and possiably have to stop so why would you put undo stress on the chain and possibly bend the pushrod?
Several have done just that and posted the ugly results.
I guess it is a matter of what one thinks of as too aggressive. And while I don't mind running it up to 7K I don't see the advantage of 5-7K engine braking.

So OP what is engine braking? Easing it down through the gears so if the light changes you are at an engine rpm and gear that will allow you to accelerate(not engine BREAKING imo) or jamming the shifter down and dumping the clutch so the rear tire barks if you aren't throttling a higher rpm.
Break shoes are cheaper than motor parts and easier to replace.

 

[gggGary]

Pull in the clutch & downshift to a lower gear, let out clutch & repeat until you're stopped & in 1st gear?

And sometimes go for neutral before the full stop.

How much engine braking, depends on how aggressively I'm riding.

 

[ippytattoo]

Close my eyes, grab some more throttle and hope for the best!!! Just kidding. It's been awhile but I always used to tried to downshift as I was slowing down so that if the light changed i would be good to go. But as others have said sometimes you can get surprised so it can be a,b,or c depending.

 

[CDNTX650]

Always downshift a bit and engine brake. Always in Neutral at lights, to hard on the throw out bearing.. I watch my mirrors alot though.

 

[gemiller]

Funny because now that I think about it I do it different on all my bikes:

Street bike: downshift, normally because i'm going faster than should be coming up to the stop and it helps me slow down faster without nose diving

Cafe bike, pull in clutch and downshift to first while coasting

cruiser, pop it into neutral and coast, my cruiser i had before i started the xs had a jockey shift and it just because an easier thing to do.

 

[nj1639]

Pull in the clutch & downshift to a lower gear, let out clutch & repeat until you're stopped & in 1st gear?

And sometimes go for neutral before the full stop.

How much engine braking, depends on how aggressively I'm riding.

Yep, that's about right...

 

[Tia813]

It depends on the situation. If no one is in front I'll shift to neutral and coast. If I'm around traffic I do a lot of down shifting while brakes are applied

 

[jayel]

put feet on the back of the front wheel until tennis shoes start smoking then push the 5 gallon bucket of concrete attached to a chain (one end of chain cast in cement other end fastened to swingarm) off the seat behind me, working brakes are for sissies