Fail safe - Clutch

Ahh; so you were *trying* to appear stupid.
OK; that makes more sense then.

Elsie.

 

Brake, instantly. If my hand's holding the clutch my other hand is on
the front brake. (my feet are down so I'm holding myself stationary
with the front brake).
If I take my hands off the bars I've already changed to neutral.
Besides; the bike's only idling so it'd most-likely just stall anyway.
If the clutch is in and the engine's revving then I'm already moving-
off so there's no trucks in front of me.

Elsie.

 

No they didn't.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

I was taught (by a predecessor to Stay Upright et al) to put my brake-
foot on the peg after I'd put the bike into gear. I don't recall what
I was *taught* about the right hand but it's always there on the brake
when I'm in gear or starting off.

Elsie

 

I was going to say that too, but thought I might have had a senior
moment during that lesson.
Thanks Cam

 

They taught you what?

Theo

 

I wouldn't know if I have a problem with U-eys without a clutch, I've
never needed to do one.

Nev..

 

Why speculate? Go out and try it (don't make the cable snap, just sit
on the bike as if you were stopped at a red light and drop the clutch).

I have my money on the bike stalling before you get anywhere near your
brake or kill switch. It might lurch forward a few inches (depending on
the torque of the engine or whatever the force is which makes the bike
want to travel forward when it's in gear) and then possibly lurch back
an equal amount. Best to keep both feet on/near the ground ready to
maintain balance if required. I'd do it with the front brake on for
starters then progress to rear brake only and no brake, just to be sure,
to be sure.

Also, and this has nothing to do with the possibility of a clutch cable
snapping, I would suggest not stopping at a traffic light in such a way
that there are "trucks careening just past your front wheel". The white
lines are usually drawn in such a way that you have a few metres of leeway.

Nev..

 

I hope not.

- soakes

 

You mean, you actually did a Stay Upright course and they didn't teach
you that? Bullshit. Howsybout the "stop the engine and then hit the
killswitch too" one? Didn't get that one either?

 

No, none of that

 

There's a chorus of "clever" going on here but could somebody please
break ranks and explain what the actual problem is?

 

What's that about Andrew?

 

I'm confused Nev. Why'd you make a point of saying a clutch was
necessary for U-eys then?

(Has anyone else got any idea what's going on here? Andrew?? [you seem
to be the only one so far who's actually explaining his hypotheses]

 

I (like most people) learnt to ride clutchlessly because I suddenly didn't
have a clutch but if you do a little bit of practice while you still HAVE a
clutch it'll be a lot easier when (if) the time comes.
It's really very simple to change gears (high-revs for up-changes, low revs
for down-changes and always ";unload" the drivetrain for the change. i.e.
Just flick the throttle momentarily back and change in the slack moment when
the drivetrain is transitioning from accelerate to decelerate [or vice
versa])
It's actually pretty easy in cars too (probably even easier considering the
gearboxes have synchros).

If you can't get into neutral as you approach a stop (I'm looking at YOU
Kawasaki!] just kill it and restart it in neutral.
Starting off takes a smidge of effort. It's very easy if your legs are long
enough to paddle yourself forward while seated but it's still quite doable
with a one-foot push-off or even a push-along and leap-on. You'd be
surprised how slow a bike-engine can pull away from.
If you need to go VERY slow just jam on the back brake and roll on the
throttle and the bike will chug along quite happily at bugger-all revs.

 

Basically, all the established riding schools do, and have, for many
years, taught that you should stop and sit on the bike with right foot
on foot brake, left foot on ground holding bike up, in first gear, with
the clutch held in by left hand, and right hand on throttle, not front
brake.

Feet are, obviously, the other way round on old left foot brake, right
foot gear change bikes.

The theory is that, stopped in this way, you are ready to move off at a
moments notice, also, if you are hit in the rear, the bike will not
"fold" around the steering and fall over, and you'll have a chance of
not falling over.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

On 01/20/11 12:20 AM, Knobdoodle wrote:

If you are riding a push button start bike that's in good nick, already
warm, and hasn't a flat battery, select first gear, push the button, and
off you go......

Not particularly elegant, but easier than trying to paddle some forward
motion into a stationary motorcycle.


regards,
CrazyCam

 

*bloody hell* My girly left-wrist would never cope!

Thanks Cam.

Elsie

 

If you are riding a push button start bike that's in good nick, already
warm, doesn't have a clutch switch to lock out the starter if in gear and
clutch not pulled in and hasn't a flat battery, select first gear, push the
button, and off you go......


Cheers

 

Yes, well it's true that if you're sitting there for a while and you are
safe (with protecting traffic behind you) you can relax this "rule" and
put it in neutral.

- soakes