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So I have things going pretty good, even found about a 45 minute window in the rain today to get out and do a little riding. I am becoming much more comfortable going downhill at the speed limit at a turn... that still gives me a little heebie jeebies .

The one thing though that is completely a skill issue is starting on an incline. I just cannot do it. Fortunately, despite living on a plateau (curiously enough an area locals call "The Plateau") I have a couple ways on/off that have no lights/stops . BUT! I obviously need to master this skill. I think my problem is coming off the clutch too quickly, I have a hard time finding the friction zone on the GS500, even on flat ground sometimes (still stall out, but made strides in the few days I have been riding it). Finding it on a hill is impossible. Yesterday it took me seven or eight tries on one hill .

I have read a few things about it, I think I have the principle and just need the practice. My question is this. One of my fears is the stall-stall-stall-stall is bad for the engine. Is this accurate? I just thought of a good parking lot on a hill I can go to and practice, but I am not sure if sixty minutes of frequent stalling is going to be murder on the engine?


There is a place nice and close I have been using (broken up by a five minute loop), but not only is it a street (not too busy in the day) but surrounded by houses... parking lot will be good for my vanity . But obviously being far away if I go there its to practice for a long period of time straight.

Everyone stalls, heck I still occasionally stall my bike and my jeep. Learning to drive a car manual was far harder than the motorcycle though.

Yea, but if I go spend an hour practicing starting on a hill, and as a result stall a million times in a row- is that really hard on the engine? Damage wise? I don't care if I will just have to change the engine oil sooner.

I have this little loop I have been doing around my neighborhood because despite the slow speed and sort of lame nature, it actually allows me to practice several things. Including "s" curves, steep downhill while turning, hard right turns, long lefts, and of course starting on an incline . I figure if I stall seven or eight times and then go on for five or ten minutes, maybe that is better for the engine than stall-stall-stall-stall-go for thirty seconds-stall-etc. for an hour straight.

I still stall when I get on a bike I'm unfamiliar with power-wise.

If facing up a hill I was told to hold the back brake that way my hand would be free to work the throttle. Facing down hill and you could use gravity for an extra push and the front brake is more effective in that position. Just make sure the clutch is adjusted to spec in terms of slack and then concentrate on the throttle hand and how much is required to pull away smoothly. Some clutch slipping is necessary.

Direct copy-past from my cross-thread just in case someone with similar problems stumbles upon here...


Think I got the hang of it today. Finally got a good break in the rain to get out and do some proper riding, hit the freeway for the first time too. I can tell it will keep coming with more practice but when I got to my last practice area (most significant hill) I had zero problems! I started with a little practice with the clutch on flat ground, then realized there was not any reason I could not practice on flat ground with the brake- and wow did I see that was my problem. The addition of the brake... it is one of those things that is hard to really know whats going on when you think about it (just like my dad swore he only used front brake on hills, and then today said once he started paying attention it is actually always rear brake)... anyway I think I was not able to control the clutch and brake individually, and I think that was my problem.

I also got into a sharp enough lean to run my toes on the ground, what a thrill .