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I went in not knowing a single thing about shifting and manuals. I learned fine. The biggest problem was the area between the peg and my shifter was too short and I had a hard time getting my boot in that area to shift up.

So watch out for that (if you can) when you pick a bike.



I STILL don't own a bike (took the MSF last october) but the way I figure it is that shifting will, eventually, just become second nature to you. When I first started driving (granted it was an automatic) I was nervous about everything. Will I stop soon enough? Am I gonna hit that curb? What's that red octagon mean? Am I gonna hit that car? etc.

Now it's all second nature and I drive without really paying attention to all those variables and keep my eyes looking out for unexpected stuff.


I reckon that's how motorcycling will be. You'll get used to all the dynamics of the bike and eventually just pay attention to the road, controlling the bike as you go without paying much heed to how much throttle you're applying, if you're shifting right, etc. and be looking out for that left-turner.


The trick is to get the dynamics down as best you can before you go out on the roads. Which is why god invented parking lots.

Which is why god invented parking lots.

Haha, that made me laugh. It's funny on like two different levels.

flynrider wrote:

dieziege wrote:Truth be told... 'cause I wear glasses and the speedo on that little bike came out way below the bottom of my "corrected" field of view.

I had to do a double take on your post. I read it as "I wear glasses and a speedo on that little bike"

You mean I wasn't supposed to wear a speedo? I thought the ridercoaches were lookin at me a bit funny but nobody said anything.

I appreciate the stuff about shifting, seems like my nervousness has drifted away and now I can't wait to get there! This is gonna be a great summer!!!

For those of you have had custom paint work done...how much do you think it would cost to have the gas tank painted like the British union jack here in the U.S.?

Your life.

And your body, too.

ofblong wrote:I am under the impression it is just like shifting an ATV then.

Exactly. If the ATV has the conventional manual clutch and dual brake controls(some don't). Though most ATVs have a thumb throttle instead of a twist throttle, I've seen some converted to twist.

That's why I got on and rode my bike easily without any instruction, as far as clutch/shifter/front brake/rear brake/throttle coordination were concerned. They were already programmed into my brain.

Might have to sign your house over too.

Got a girlfriend?

fiveoboy01 wrote:

ofblong wrote:I am under the impression it is just like shifting an ATV then.

Exactly. If the ATV has the conventional manual clutch and dual brake controls(some don't). Though most ATVs have a thumb throttle instead of a twist throttle, I've seen some converted to twist.

That's why I got on and rode my bike easily without any instruction, as far as clutch/shifter/front brake/rear brake/throttle coordination were concerned. They were already programmed into my brain.

hehe cool then (other than twist throttle my atv had thumb).