Mastering the Roundabout...

[collian1]

Ok so roundabouts are kicking my "O Ring". In order for me to safely cruise through these things I'm having to come to a full stop instead of yielding and entering. My problem is when I enter I seem to always choose the wrong gear if I don't stop. I'll be in 2nd and I end up stalling in the circle. A few times I just knocked it all the way down to first and bucked around the circle. It seems I'm going in at a speed that is a little too fast for 1st and a little to slow for second if I loose speed. I've just been stopping complete and starting off from zero seems to be the safest thing I can do right now. I am riding in the middle of the circle since I've been told all the sand and dirt is usually pushed to the outside of it. Any tips for this would be greatly appreciated.

[Wrider]

If it's too slow for even first, go in and ride with the clutch disengaged, or slipping it a little to keep the RPMs up and your speed down.

[mogster]

Sounds like you need to master clutch control at slow speed. Have you done much slow speed practice? If you have not done a class think about finding one. Otherwise go to a quiet parking lot & get to know your bike really well at slow speed.

If in the meantime you feel happier stopping at give way signs & then selecting gear just do that & keep safe!

I sometimes too find roundabouts unnerving, particularly if they have a steep camber.

The other thing I have noticed recently is that cagers seem to expect bikes to take roundabouts quick & tight so they often creep forward into my wide line & it feels they are crowding me.

[collian1]

I'm doing fine in the parking lot. Of course I never get out of first. I'm just walking the bike using the clutch and no throttle and doing low speed u turns. Gear selection seems to my problem I think. I want to shift a little early especially if I'm about head into something that turns.

[dr_bar]

In the parking lot, do the real slow speeds without "walking" the bike. Practice your figure 8's and tight circles with your feet completely on the pegs. Look where you're going, not right in front of your bike. Practice feathering the clutch to keep your revs up so that when you do need to speed up, you're not lugging the engine and leading to a stall.

[collian1]

Well I should have been more specific I meant riding the bike at walking speed. Not duck walking the bike.

[Johnj]

In a parking lot. setup the roundabout your having problems with (with cones, etc.), so you can practice.

[jstark47]

My problem is when I enter I seem to always choose the wrong gear if I don't stop. I'll be in 2nd and I end up stalling in the circle. A few times I just knocked it all the way down to first and bucked around the circle. It seems I'm going in at a speed that is a little too fast for 1st and a little to slow for second if I loose speed.

Most bikes should be able to even start from a dead stop in 2nd gear (with a little clutch feathering). So if you're going 10-15mph, 2nd gear should be fine with no stalling, maybe just a little clutch action if the engine is laboring. Because of the problem with 1st gear being sensitive to throttle manipulation (as you noted), at anything above a walking speed I typically short-shift up into 2nd and smooth it out with a little clutch if necessary.

How fast are you going around the roundabout? And what kind of bike are you riding?

[collian1]

Riding a G650GS. If I'm trying just to yield and enter the flow 15-20km/h.

[sunshine229]

Roundabouts are tough, there's no doubt about it. Cars give you no respect as they expect you will whiz in and out before they've even blinked. I've even been in situations where two cars are paralelling in the roundabout with me stuck in between them... not a nice place to be. The only reason why I've survived is that I had years of riding under my belt in Canada before riding in the UK. If I tried to learn in the UK I'd probably have given up by now...the traffic is just too horrible and cars are too unforgiving. It's not fair for riders here but that seems to be the way of it.

Don't be ashamed to come to a stop at the roundabout. After all, that is the law (even though nobody else does this).

Best of luck!