This shifting thing......
- OoJRod06oO
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I was thinking and I started to wonder if I'm shifting right on an uphill.
Usually what I do is I hold the front brake in while giving it gas and easing off the clutch until the front shocks begin to compress and I let of the brakes slowly. Is this the right way to start off on an uphill, or is there a better way? how do you guys do it?
Usually what I do is I hold the front brake in while giving it gas and easing off the clutch until the front shocks begin to compress and I let of the brakes slowly. Is this the right way to start off on an uphill, or is there a better way? how do you guys do it?
- jonnythan
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I'm a total beginner, but the way I did it was to sit on the rear brake while revving the engine, and simultaneously ease off the brake while letting out the clutch. If this is the wrong thing to do, I'd like to be correctedOoJRod06oO wrote:I was thinking and I started to wonder if I'm shifting right on an uphill.
Usually what I do is I hold the front brake in while giving it gas and easing off the clutch until the front shocks begin to compress and I let of the brakes slowly. Is this the right way to start off on an uphill, or is there a better way? how do you guys do it?

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I do it the same way I do in a manual car. I don't touch the brake, other than stopping, but I give it a tiny bit of gas and ride the friction point on the clutch, while continuing to give it gas, thus using the engine to keep it in place. I roll backwards slightly after stopping whilst getting off the brake, but I can smoothly let the clutch the rest of the way out and roll on the throttle without any issues.
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- Nalian
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This is how I do it as well. Probably a carryover from driving a standard car.MetricRider wrote:I do it the same way I do in a manual car. I don't touch the brake, other than stopping, but I give it a tiny bit of gas and ride the friction point on the clutch, while continuing to give it gas, thus using the engine to keep it in place. I roll backwards slightly after stopping whilst getting off the brake, but I can smoothly let the clutch the rest of the way out and roll on the throttle without any issues.
- jonnythan
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So if you're at a stoplight on a hill, you sit at the stoplight with the clutch mostly depressed and the throttle slightly twisted?MetricRider wrote:I do it the same way I do in a manual car. I don't touch the brake, other than stopping, but I give it a tiny bit of gas and ride the friction point on the clutch, while continuing to give it gas, thus using the engine to keep it in place. I roll backwards slightly after stopping whilst getting off the brake, but I can smoothly let the clutch the rest of the way out and roll on the throttle without any issues.
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- Nibblet99
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Biggest tip I can give is to not shut the throttle off completely. Until everything comes naturally, blipping the throttle is just complicating things. Where as if you have the throttle almost shut off, but not quite. When you pull the clutch in, the revs will naturally start to rise a little to cope with the change. Then just let the clutch out slowly, and it should all be nice. The trick is learning how much to have the throttle open, and that depends on the bike, and the speed at which you shift. for some, that is a nearly imperceptable move of the hand away from completely shut.
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While at the stoplight itself I have the clutch in and the break in, and watch the cross light. When it turns yellow I ease off the break and the clutch - putting the clutch right to the point where the friction zone starts to engage the rear tire. This puts enough power into the wheel to maintain my position while the break has been released. Then once the light changes I open the throttle some to start the actual forward momentum.jonnythan wrote:So if you're at a stoplight on a hill, you sit at the stoplight with the clutch mostly depressed and the throttle slightly twisted?MetricRider wrote:I do it the same way I do in a manual car. I don't touch the brake, other than stopping, but I give it a tiny bit of gas and ride the friction point on the clutch, while continuing to give it gas, thus using the engine to keep it in place. I roll backwards slightly after stopping whilst getting off the brake, but I can smoothly let the clutch the rest of the way out and roll on the throttle without any issues.
Does that make sense?
- OoJRod06oO
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- jonnythan
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Perfect sense! Thanks.Nalian wrote:While at the stoplight itself I have the clutch in and the break in, and watch the cross light. When it turns yellow I ease off the break and the clutch - putting the clutch right to the point where the friction zone starts to engage the rear tire. This puts enough power into the wheel to maintain my position while the break has been released. Then once the light changes I open the throttle some to start the actual forward momentum.
Does that make sense?
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ease out the clutch on downshifts, take your time finding that friction zone, get to it when downshifting and ease right on out of it, dont just open hand, ease hand open. you will get the throttle control at some point, dont worry about it. you will get the smoothness eventually if you want it, just focus on taking your time with the shifting, be deliberate with the clutch. and try letting the rpms drop a little lower before shifting to avoid the rear wheel skid deal
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