Are you stopped in first gear or neutral?

[itlives]

Do you sit at a light in first gear or in neutral?

I noticed when gearing down, I can go into first gear nice and smooth right before I stop.
If it's a long light, sometimes I'll put it in neutral while I wait, but I don't like the big "clunk" I get when it goes into first gear.

One of the tips I read over at ADvrider was to stay in first gear a little ways back from the car in front of you. That way, if you see a car coming up too fast (like they don't see you), you'll have a fast exit.

I like that idea plus the fact that I don't have to experience the "clunk". I can't help but think the ker-chunk into first gear is bad for the tranny.

Am I being paranoid about the tranny? Are they supposed to do it?

 

[dduelin]

Stopped in traffic I'm always in gear and ready to go at least until a safe buffer of cars are stopped behind me. When I pull up behind the vehicle ahead I stop behind a corner of it so I can move forward and slip into the escape route ahead - between lanes or beside the vehicle(s) ahead. No one likes being crushed between cars when the driver coming up from behind is got their head down in the cockpit texting or updating their Facebook status.

Watch your mirrors when last in the line of stopped traffic!

 

[670cc]

I hate the clunk. My bike is NEVER in neutral unless the engine is off and I'm rolling around manually to park or reposition it.

Some international places have customs such that a rider or driver of a manual transmission vehicle is being impolite if they do not put the machine in neutral at a stop. In the US, riders are taught to leave the bike in gear at a traffic light for the safety reasons stated above.

 

[tew47]

Always in gear, you might to get out of some ones way while they are texting.

 

[itlives]

I hate the clunk.. In the US, riders are taught to leave the bike in gear at a traffic light.

Me too on the clunk!
I was never taught to leave it in gear. I've never had a MSF course though. Maybe that's where it's taught?
I'll start keeping it gear.

 

[silverhound]

Stopped in traffic I'm always in gear and ready to go at least until a safe buffer of cars are stopped behind me. When I pull up behind the vehicle ahead I stop behind a corner of it so I can move forward and slip into the escape route ahead - between lanes or beside the vehicle(s) ahead. No one likes being crushed between cars when the driver coming up from behind is got their head down in the cockpit texting or updating their Facebook status.

Watch your mirrors when last in the line of stopped traffic!

^^^^Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[xrlke]

Always in gear. I never really thought about it much, just seemed natural to be ready for a shtf moment. Got to be ready for what many of the sheeple might do.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

Me too on the clunk!
I was never taught to leave it in gear. I've never had a MSF course though. Maybe that's where it's taught?
I'll start keeping it gear.

If you are a fairly new rider I suggest you take the MSF course. I could save your bacon some day.

 

[silverhound]

If you are a fairly new rider I suggest you take the MSF course. I could save your bacon some day.

And I will add that even if you're an experienced rider and have never taken the MSF basic course you should. I took it just for fun after riding for over 20 years and learned a thing or two. The advanced rider course was even better.

 

[CaptDL]

Saw a 3 car rear ender leaving the gym today. Car #1 hit #2 which was in neutral and no foot on the brake. Car 2 rolled @10 feet into car #3.

I'll put it in neutral for a quick hand/wrist flex, then right back in first.

 

[Ed Up]

My bike is always in gear. The only time I'm in neutral is when I first start it in the morning to let warm for a second and check all lights and turn signals. In gear and at least 2 escape paths when sitting at a light or stop sign. Always assume the worst and hope for the best. I've been involved with MSF for 13 years, and we tell experienced riders, if they don't leave the Basic Rider Course with something substantial, just tell me and they get a 100% refund, no questions asked. In 13 years no one has asked for their money back, and I have offered it to a few that I felt were really good prior to class. They declined. You can find the class nearest you at Motorcycle Safety Foundation Home Page if interested.

 

[agia]

Always in gear and watching the mirrors for what's coming behind me. Big lesson learned about 30 years ago -- was stopped at a light watching the mirrors, saw a car approaching rapidly behind me. As it got closer, I realized this car is not going to be able to stop behind me. Moved forward and over and the car came skidding past me right where I was stopped earlier.

 

[itlives]

I've been involved with MSF for 13 years, and we tell experienced riders, if they don't leave the Basic Rider Course with something substantial, just tell me and they get a 100% refund, no questions asked. In 13 years no one has asked for their money back, and I have offered it to a few that I felt were really good prior to class. They declined. You can find the class nearest you at Motorcycle Safety Foundation Home Page if interested.

Thanks to all of you that recommends this course. I will look it up and take it. It probably would have prevented my get off last month!
I was a much better rider when I was riding 30+ years ago. I'm brand new again.

 

[mahbin]

First gear, ready to go or get out of the way!!!

 

[wozza]

It's a little tricky here as the training schools in the USA teach you differently than what they do in the UK.
I believe in the USA you're taught to sit at a traffic lights etc with the bike in gear, whereas in the UK, the opposite is true.
A guess on my part, but some of this thinking maybe down to the fact that in the USA most cars are autos, whereas in the UK they are manual.
If a traffic light turns to red on my approach I will always go into neutral on a manual bike. However, if I feel when I approach the lights they about to change I sometimes will leave my bike in gear, but as a rule I would normally go into neutral.

 

[johnakay]

it wont matter with our bikes Wozza as ours are DCT.

 

[Fuzzy]

My DCT is left in gear when stopped at lights.

 

[anglachel]

In some states there are laws saying a manual transmission has to be in gear when on the road.

I leave it in gear most of the time, longer lights when I have a buffer car behind me that left plenty of space I'll put in neutral for a stretch...
If I'm in neutral I try to keep my left foot up so I can quickly get back into gear, which means my right hand needs to be on the handle bars to hold the brake (always hold the brake when stopped) because both feet can't be up... only when it is a really long light will I put the bike in neutral and use the rear brake to free up both hands for a stretch.


As with others, I highly recommend the MSF course, I took it with out having ever ridden before as did many in my class, it's amazing how quickly you end up zipping around that parking lot (as in short time to learn, not as is doing 60 mph around the parking lot), My neighbor did the MSF after not having ridden in a long time, and he said it should be mandatory to get the license after finishing the class... My father took it after not riding for ... I don't even know how long (my entire childhood, and that of my siblings). He went back and did the advanced course with my mother as a passenger on his gold wing, and learned how to maneuver a half ton of bike through figure eights in a space not much larger than a pair of parking spaces (it's really something to see a big bike like that make those slow tight corners).

I'll probably go back and do the advanced course at some point (maybe after I can convince my wife to ride with me some more, cause I'd love to have her along to learn how to be a passenger) and after a recent experience in a construction zone, I think I want to do an off road course at some point (though I was technically still on the road, it was just that the pavement had been removed prior to my arrival.)

 

[We Go Ga]

In gear.Left foot down.Right foot on brake.Frequent mirror check.Wiggle right and and fingers while resting on throttle to help circulation.Scan left-right-left before crossing intersection. I know this sounds "busy" but just STAY AWARE of what is going on around your traffic envelope. Don't just stare at the traffic light or rear bumper of the vehicle stopped in front of you. Be ready to move and know where an escape route is if needed. BTW. The NCX tyranny is MUCH smoother and less clunky than my Pacific Coast PC800.

 

[Chestnut]

I always stop in first gear, whether on bike or in car (I don't do automatics). I want to be prepared when it's time to move. Occasionally at a long light with plenty of buffer I'll shift into neutral to stretch my hand or adjust something, but she goes right back into gear.