Aight,
This is a total newbie question.
I have about 18 years experience of driving a stick shift car, and 1 month of riding a motorcycle.
When I drive my car, I am fully aware of what gear I am in, mostly based on the gear shift position. I dont even have to look down, just feeling where the gear shift is lets me know where I am at. I have found that this is different for a motorcycle. Of course, I realize what gear I am in as I accelerate, I can count to 5. However, sometimes I am cruising for a couple of miles in 4th gear...or, was it 5th gear, then I want to slow and make a 2nd gear turn. Sometimes, I cannot remember if I am to shift down 2 gears or 3 to hit 2nd gear. Ending up in 3rd gear for the turn wouldnt be bad, however, I really dont want to end up in 1st for a turn I am anticipating taking in 2nd gear.
How do most riders manage this? Its not a problem when I come to a stop, because I just click all the way down, and usually I can feel when I hit 1st, it feels a little different. Also, it wont go down anymore, so I know I am in first when I come to a stop, so it really doesnt matter what gear I was in when before I started slowing down for a stop. Also, I can downshift one gear at a time, release the clutch, and feel if that gear is appropriate with my speed. But when I drive my car, I could be in 4th, break hard while downshifting right from 4th to 2nd, let out the clutch, make the turn, and be on the gas. I also do this from 5th to 3rd in my car as well, depending on the situation.
I know my MSF instructor said that if you ever forget what gear you are in and need to find out, no matter your speed, you can shift all the way down to 1st, then back up and count the gears, but you need to end up in a gear that matches your speed before you let out the clutch. Is that how riders figure this out? I dont think my bike likes hitting 1st gear at speeds over 30mph, even without letting out the clutch.
Anyway, it would be nice to be able to have a repeatable method for doing this. I guess also if I had a tachometer, I could learn at what speeds matched with what gears at certain rpm's, as I have a good feel for this in my car as I drive.
Finally, I could increase my awareness of what gear I am in, and repeat that gear in my head for miles, so I didnt forget, and although that sounds easy and logical, it doesnt sound practical.
Any suggestions or methods you guys use for this would be welcomed.
This is a total newbie question.
I have about 18 years experience of driving a stick shift car, and 1 month of riding a motorcycle.
When I drive my car, I am fully aware of what gear I am in, mostly based on the gear shift position. I dont even have to look down, just feeling where the gear shift is lets me know where I am at. I have found that this is different for a motorcycle. Of course, I realize what gear I am in as I accelerate, I can count to 5. However, sometimes I am cruising for a couple of miles in 4th gear...or, was it 5th gear, then I want to slow and make a 2nd gear turn. Sometimes, I cannot remember if I am to shift down 2 gears or 3 to hit 2nd gear. Ending up in 3rd gear for the turn wouldnt be bad, however, I really dont want to end up in 1st for a turn I am anticipating taking in 2nd gear.
How do most riders manage this? Its not a problem when I come to a stop, because I just click all the way down, and usually I can feel when I hit 1st, it feels a little different. Also, it wont go down anymore, so I know I am in first when I come to a stop, so it really doesnt matter what gear I was in when before I started slowing down for a stop. Also, I can downshift one gear at a time, release the clutch, and feel if that gear is appropriate with my speed. But when I drive my car, I could be in 4th, break hard while downshifting right from 4th to 2nd, let out the clutch, make the turn, and be on the gas. I also do this from 5th to 3rd in my car as well, depending on the situation.
I know my MSF instructor said that if you ever forget what gear you are in and need to find out, no matter your speed, you can shift all the way down to 1st, then back up and count the gears, but you need to end up in a gear that matches your speed before you let out the clutch. Is that how riders figure this out? I dont think my bike likes hitting 1st gear at speeds over 30mph, even without letting out the clutch.
Anyway, it would be nice to be able to have a repeatable method for doing this. I guess also if I had a tachometer, I could learn at what speeds matched with what gears at certain rpm's, as I have a good feel for this in my car as I drive.
Finally, I could increase my awareness of what gear I am in, and repeat that gear in my head for miles, so I didnt forget, and although that sounds easy and logical, it doesnt sound practical.
Any suggestions or methods you guys use for this would be welcomed.