Total Motorcycle Community Forums

So I was just thinking. As you lean into a turn, the amount you lean is a factor of the radius of the turn, and your speed through the turn. More speed or smaller radius equates to more lean. What happens if you are in a turn and your engine dies or maybe you shift wrong and kill the engine? You look speed immediately. So is it easy to bring the bike back up, or will you inevitably fall?


Eric

There are several variables involved which could determine the outcome. Speed is one, for example - if you are in a relatively high-speed corner and the engine dies - just pull in the clutch, finish coasting around the corner, then get the bike off the road and find out why it died.

By the way - you should never shift while in a corner.

If you are executing a slow-speed corner, like a U-turn, and the engine dies, that's a little more precarious because you need the power of the engine to pull back out of the corner. Chances are greater in this scenario of dropping the bike.

One of the things we were taught in the msf was how to shift in a corner. So I'm not sure it's necessarily a bad idea to do so... especially if you have some good speed on you as you go around. I mean, I do it all the time from stop lights when I'm making a wide left. Of course you should be doing it as you straighten up.

As to having the engine stall at low speeds, you should have your hand on the clutch anyways, and be listening for the sounds of the engine starting to bog down. You can pull in the clutch briefly without worrying about falling over, rev a little higher and slowly let the clutch back out.

i was taught to shift through turns as well. havent had any problem doing so. ive had the engine die out(ran out of gas) while going through a turn. with the lean it just died without the usual warning sputting out first. wasnt a big deal at all, just pulld the clutch finished the turn and started it back up on resv. its not like without the engine the bike just falls over unless your going really slow. if your going slow just sit the bike up so your not leaning and finish the turn.

Where are you guys getting your "okay to sift in a corner" info? Jeff - you said MSF? I was told they teach just the opposite. I'm guessing it's because anything which effects the rear wheel will tend to unsettle the bike a bit, and could cause a newb problems if that occurs in a corner. I've always been told it's best to select the correct gear for the corner before you're leaned into it. Fine to shift right before, or right after, but not during.

Also if you're really leaned over in a left hander, trying to put that left foot under the shift lever can wake you up in a hurry.

(Don't ask me how I know that.)

I can see the MSF folks teaching not to shift in a corner... they teach the same thing in cage-school. But I think it is based on asscovering, lawyer-inspired paranioa.

For beginer and less skilled riders, shifting in a corner is probably a good thing to avoid. Try telling Rossi or Duhamel they can't shift in corner. They'll tell you the same thing I will..... you worry about your own bike and how to ride it, I'll take care of mine. And mine sometimes changes gears mid-corner.

BuzZz wrote:And mine sometimes changes gears mid-corner.

Mine does quite often too, but I wasn't going to admit it.

Toyuzu wrote:

BuzZz wrote:And mine sometimes changes gears mid-corner.

Mine does quite often too, but I wasn't going to admit it.

I figured it did. I think it's a natural progression of riding. When your ready to do it, you do it. I'd rather be in the right gear for the situation than worry about if I'm breaking a rule designed to keep beginers out of trouble.

BuzZz wrote:I'd rather be in the right gear for the situation than worry about if I'm breaking a rule designed to keep beginers out of trouble.

Same here, and that gear is usually whichever one will keep the engine spinning above 7000 RPM. (I ride a 600. )

I don't find shifting through a turn to big of a deal, but for a beginner maybe. A little too much throttle off a switch could be real bad. But realistically, if you're not really pushing it through a turn it shouldn't be a problem. If you're really down in the turn, I wouldn't even think about it myself.