Clutch = Anger

[niterider]

The other day I was going to leave from work and my bike kept stalling on me every time that I would release the clutch, I had left the stand down. Did you raise the stand???

[Dragonhawk]

The other day I was going to leave from work and my bike kept stalling on me every time that I would release the clutch, I had left the stand down. Did you raise the stand???

[dieziege]

Stand down is a good point... but...

I think the MSF clutch feel exercise is a good one in this case. I find myself doing it every time I start out, just to make sure the bike is warmed up and everything is operating as expected....

Clutch in, 1st gear, hands off the brake...

Both feet on the ground, as far foreward as you can have them, heels down as though bracing against foreward motion.

Ease the clutch out and add throttle... you'll feel pressure building through your legs... don't fight the bike too hard, but feel the friction zone... let the motor pull the bike foreward until your legs are pointing down instead of foreward...

Pull the clutch and use your legs to push the bike back to the starting position.

Repeat.

You'll do that on your first range day at the class... but as I said it is also a good check to make sure the bike isn't going to die as soon as you try to accelerate away in the morning... and to make sure you are really in 1st gear at a stop light if you have any doubts.

[anthonyjwhite]

The best advise I can give on not stalling out is to let clutch out slowly with a little throttle, when the gear starts to move the bike forward adjust the throttle to a nice smooth forward speed. If it even starts to stall engage the clutch again. The bike will not stall if the clutch engaged. A few times of this and you will get to know the proper throttle level for starting out.

A word of warning though, have a nice clear area to experiment in and always be ready to brake or cut the ignition switch if you have to much throttle starting off. You should be able to learn these skills very quickly. Remember, the bike will not stall if you have the clutch lever all the way squeezed.

[VermilionX]

i haven't stalled on my new 750 yet. which is cool since at least i didn't get too rusty.

what i did before was just let the clutch out slowly. it will not stall even if you don't use the throttle, unless you're in a steep upward slope.

that will teach where the friction zone is. then later add throttle for a better start.

[blues2cruise]

Yamahas are known for their small friction zone. You will get the feel of it. Don't worry. It's common for newbies to keep stalling in the beginning.

Try this.
Sit on your bike. Put it in first gear. Don't use the throttle. Just get used to the feel of the clutch.
Let out a bit of clutch until you feel the bike move. Hold the clutch at that point and your bike will drive itself. When you feel the bike about to stall, pull in the clutch.
Repeat until familiar with the friction zone. After a while you can start to add a bit of throttle but keeping in mind the shallow friction zone you should now be getting the feel for.

[buddhacide]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm gonna print this page before i go home from work tonight, and maybe get back out in the ally if I have time.

Perhaps someone could enlighten on why a bike needs to be started like this? I mean would it be so bad for a bike to start using just the throttle (like some bikes I've been on), and then once the bike is going the clutch could be used to change the gears.

Why is releasing the clutch to start moving necessary?


Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

[VermilionX]

Why is releasing the clutch to start moving necessary?

Thank you all for your patience and understanding.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/clutch.htm

[Kal]

Thanks. My problem I think is that I'm psychologically bound to the throttle, and not the clutch, as the means of making the bike move. I'm going to have to get over this it seems.

I can remember being there too

A clutch isnt an on/off switch

If the clutch isnt fully released the bikes speed is controlled by the throttle, until you are through the friction zone.

Low, low speed maneavouring is best done using the clutch for fine control of speed.

[CNF2002]

You need to learn how to balance your throttle vs your clutch.

An exercise that worked for me when I was learning to drive stick was to find a small hill, roll up on it and (in this case with your feet barely touching the ground) use the engine and clutch to roll yourself up and down the hill, and make it stop and hold it still on the hill without using the brake.