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

I downshift to the right gear as I slow while some slight braking. I try to be in first to make an escape if necessary while at the light. Seems to me I might have been taught that in the MSF course when getting my motorcycle license. Leave plenty of room too. My kids always make fun of me when they drive in the minivan with me as I always leave room too. Old habit from driving the firetruck as you always leave an escape route if you get a call and have to go around on the wrong side of the street.

Ah, from the MSF Course handbook. . I guess I DID learn something.

" When stopped, waiting to turn or for a light to change, check behind you occasionally for vehicles approaching. Flash the brake light as someone approaches from the rear. Have an escape plan and remain in 1st gear. When pulling out into an intersection,
wait a second or two in case someone crosses after their light changes to red. "
 
I gear down as I slow down so I can go if need to. I use more brake than clutch, same with my pickup and truck. Brake pads are cheaper than clutch pads and eazer to swap out.
:D :shrug: :bike:
 
I do: Pull in the clutch & downshift to a lower gear, let out clutch & repeat until youre stopped & in 1st gear

Most of the time. Saves brake pads.
 
I've gone through several MSF courses and I agree with their take on it. Downshift, braking, left foot down first, then both.
I use the engine to slow me. Down shift correctly without blowing a valve off or locking up the rear tire. That can be bad. Of course I just cruise around and am not racing from light to light. I have yet to use my rear brake. I can slow enough that I only need a little front to actually stop me.
As I drift I put it in neutral and stop, with distance from the vehicle in front of me. I don't "creep" at a light either. I hate that. Just stop at the damn light. One guy does it, then the next, then the next, then some ass get's pissed at me 'cuz, now, I'm 5 car lengths from the vehicle in front of me due to "creepers".
Oh, and I put my feet down. Saw a guy not to long ago doing the "feet up stand still" on his bike at a light. As he was fighting the bars back and forth to keep upright his front wheel slid out in that puddle of fluid at the light. You lose all coolness when your bike is tits-up. I also saw a guy holeshot from the light last week. Must have been another puddle 'cuz he looped it good, got a case of the swaps and almost went into oncoming traffic. Luckily the truck in the other lane was able to stop.
I'm telling you. Look for those puddles at a light. Cars/trucks sitting at a stop for a couple minutes lose a bunch of shit that you ride right through.
 
A or B. I'm a noob to the riding business so I'm trying to keep every advantage I can. If it's a stop sign or I just got to the light I'll leave it in 1st. If the light is taking a while I'll drop it in neutral and save the clutch.

My bike must be weird, it's stupid easy to find neutral and 1st takes a serious boot. I've been left at stoplights revving my engine in neutral by this silly beast.
 
A couple of posts have mentioned going into neutral at lights to save wear on the clutch. I've never heard that before. Can someone explain to me how this saves wear on the clutch?
 
I downshift while applying both brakes. A little more rear than front, say about 60/40. I usually stay in gear when at a dead stop. Neutral is sometimes elusive on mine as well. I've only aggressively engine braked when I had a critter in the middle of the road at night which quickly came up on me.
 
Retiredgentleman that thinking is probably from the trucking industry.
The friction drag is like the XS's in that even with the clutch disengaged you have a certain amount of drag. BUT the clutch and pedal springs in a large car get tiresome on the left knee. So drivers started slipping in neutral claiming it saved the clutch. Or that maybe the best BS you've heard all day:)
 
Down shifting through the gears while tapping the brakes just enough to get the attention of the cager screaming up behind me. Throw in a couple quick shoulder checks as I stop if its a full moon ;-)
 
weekendrider said:
Retiredgentleman that thinking is probably from the trucking industry.
The friction drag is like the XS's in that even with the clutch disengaged you have a certain amount of drag. BUT the clutch and pedal springs in a large car get tiresome on the left knee. So drivers started slipping in neutral claiming it saved the clutch. Or that maybe the best BS you've heard all day:)
Click to expand...

Yeah, weekendrider, saving the clutch sounds like BS to me. I can respect an honest answer such as saying they find it too tiring to hold the clutch lever during a stop light. But then again, if you find it hard to hold the clutch lever in, maybe you should be looking for an automatic tranny bike or a scooter.:shrug:
 
well with the bike in gear and the clutch pulled in it's a bit like slipping the clutch, as the friction plates are spinning from the motor running and the steels are not moving from being stopped in gear by the transmission and we all know a slipping clutch is rarely a good thing... plus keeping the clutch cable under tension, I say kick it into neutral if it a long light but watch out for some idjit running into you from behind. I'd leave enough space in front for a escape route or move to one side, hopefully they run into the back of the car up front instead of making you a jam sandwich
 
Hairyblackdude said:
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
Click to expand...

I roll off the throttle while downshifting down to 2nd gear. I then try to figure out how long i will be stopped at red. If i feel that im going to be stopped for more than 15 seconds or so as i roll to a stop, i try to hit neutal, if just a quick stop, say like a stop sign, I go right to first gear just as i roll to a stop. If its a quick light its fun to roll in and try not to put your foot down. :bike:
 
If I have been racking up the miles. I find neutral when I stop and stand up and stretch, twist, shake, what ever it takes to relieve muscles that have been in one position for a long time.
As long as we are having useless arguments;
When stopped taking a left turn I crowd the center line. My thinking is if dipshit doesn't see me I at least stand a chance of them missing me anyways. Knew a guy and his wife that died while stopped for a left turn on their gold wing. The killer didn't see them.
 
gggGary said:
If I have been racking up the miles. I find neutral when I stop and stand up and stretch, twist, shake, what ever it takes to relieve muscles that have been in one position for a long time.
As long as we are having useless arguments;
When stopped taking a left turn I crowd the center line. My thinking is if dipshit doesn't see me I at least stand a chance of them missing me anyways. Knew a guy and his wife that died while stopped for a left turn on their gold wing. The killer didn't see them.
Click to expand...

Gary,around Calgary, if I hug the centre line at an intersection, a car would likely try to pull ahead and take over the spot he thinks I vacated. I'd rather maintain ownership of my spot in the lane.
 
I downshift and brake at the same time, but I always match revs while doing so to save the clutch a little. I really only use my middle finger on the front brake unless it's hard braking, then I use two fingers. And I agree with what was said above, keep to the side with it in first until a few cars or a large truck gets behind me.
 
I use my middle finger a lot, but not for braking. People are sooooooooo stupid. "sorry" doesn't "un-kill" someone. (yea, I made that up)...

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