Motorbikes

[Eps]

For serious - supermotards might not be as glamorous as pure-bred sportbikes in the eyes of the public, but they're perfect for taller riders as well as being huge fun. Plus, of course, you can go off-road a little bit with them, which you'd be a total fool to try with any of the "crotch rockets" owned by us lot

[^Katsu]

OK so I survived medium rain...
Now I saw a video on youtube saying you need not use the clutch, nor de-acceleration to change up a gear? True or False?

Also opinions on High visibility or Non high visibility clothing please... As a paid a lot for a jacket that I assumed was reflective but apparently not

[MartyG]

It's true you can change gear without the clutch going up through the box quite easily, you just need to put a little pressure on the lever and back off throttle, click up and back on the throttle. When you back off, it gives enough slack in the transmission to slip the next gear in. It speeds up gear changes and can make gear changes a little smoother. Harder to do 1st-2nd because of the gap, and it's easier at the higher ratios, so I'd try this in 4th gear up for the first time.

I wear a high-vis jacket because my leathers are black. There are two parts to it. The reflective strips are only any good when it's dark and people have lights on. The yellow fluorescent that makes up the rest of them makes you more visible in the day.

People see by recognising objects - people don't look so much for bikes, but they are more likely to recognise emergency service folk who wear such jackets, and so it helps making you more visible. There's no substitute for defensive riding though, it's just another aid to be seen.

[^Katsu]

It's true you can change gear without the clutch going up through the box quite easily, you just need to put a little pressure on the lever and back off throttle, click up and back on the throttle. When you back off, it gives enough slack in the transmission to slip the next gear in. It speeds up gear changes and can make gear changes a little smoother. Harder to do 1st-2nd because of the gap, and it's easier at the higher ratios, so I'd try this in 4th gear up for the first time.

Cool, seem to struggle with accelerating going from 4th to 5th so i'l give that a whirl. Then hopefully I can push the bike a little on a safe straight road

[charlesr]

If you are extremely bored, you can do clutchless gear changes on the way down the box as well (by increasing the revs slightly whilst putting pressure on the pedal). It's pointless though, whereas on the way up, it's useful.

Other things:
Balls of your feet on the pegs - NOT your instep. It's more comfortable long term, you have more control over your bike position and won't kick the pedals by accident.

To initiate a change of direction quickly, steer the wrong way (you do this anyway at the beginning of any turn, but thinking about it is the best way to ride).

If you can't see round a corner, don't go round it fast or eventually, you'll meet a parked tractor whilst banked over which isn't cool.

Warning - what comes below could cause you to fall off if you aren't concentrating and should only be tried if you are relaxed and confident. If you fall off, don't blame me:
Experiment with locking up the back wheel briefly (in a straight line). This lets you know what it feels like when you do it in a panic. The engine will cut out and then restart once you let go of the brake. You can do it with the clutch in to stop the engine stopping and this helps tell you how much grip you have - useful on a cold morning.

Experiment with locking up the front wheel - danger danger! I reckon they should teach this in CBT, but it's scary stuff. If you grab the brake fast and hard, the suspension compresses really quickly and when it reaches the end of its travel, the tyre will get a sudden load that it can't possibly hope to grip and so the front slides. You instantly need to let go of the brake. If you don't, you'll be sliding down the road. Don't confuse this with grabbing the brake progressively and hard, which will not break the grip and will send you into a stoppie or over the bars depending on when you decide to let go of the brake.

Also:
Experiment with suspension settings. I don't do this nearly enough. I'm sure my bike could be better set up. Choose a direction, say clockwise. Turn the adjusters clockwise until they reach the stop while counting the number of clicks (or half turns if it doesn't click). Return it back the same number of clicks. Write each setting down. Then try adjusting one setting by a click at a time and see if you can feel the difference on roads you know. Is it better or worse? Does it run wider or tighter over bumps? Keep writing everything down. Preferably do this after reading about compression damping, rebound damping and preload and understanding which does what. For example on my mountain bike, it was very nervous round corners over tree roots. This was because the forks were compressing over the roots, but rebounding to full length far too quickly and putting too much pressure on the tyre after the root. I increased the rebound damping and suddenly I could track a line better everywhere.

[Eps]

OK so I survived medium rain...
Now I saw a video on youtube saying you need not use the clutch, nor de-acceleration to change up a gear? True or False?

Also opinions on High visibility or Non high visibility clothing please... As a paid a lot for a jacket that I assumed was reflective but apparently not

Clutchless gear changing is possible, as described on this thread, but it's really not all that useful. It's one of those "only makes a difference if you're already a really good rider, and even then only on the racetrack" things. I'd be more inclined to save my clutch on the street and just change gears normally; it's not like it's a really laborious job.

High-visibility clothing definitely doesn't hurt. I ride an eye-busting lime green bike (Kawasaki race green ftw ) with similarly loud flourescent green jacket. I also have a black mesh jacket* that I use when it gets really hot. It might just be me, but I do seem to notice a difference at night in terms of cagers ( = drivers) noticing the green jacket more.



* - In the UK the choice is pretty much leather vs solid textile. In hotter climes, like here in Florida, textile mesh jackets are also occasionally worn. The idea is that the slight hit on protectiveness is made up for by the far increased comfort and therefore greater concentration, which is a valid point... in this climate. I wouldn't wear one in the UK!

[^Katsu]

Cheers,
The only reason I ask about the gear up thing is IIRC ......
My small bike looses power when I get into 6th? Im changing from 5th into 6th at around 55-60 Mph ish and it slumps to 50 ish & refuses to return?

[Eps]

Are you maybe letting the revs drop a bit too much when you shift? I shift up (using the clutch) in about half a second for road riding; that seems to give me just the right amount of drop on the tach to nicely match the rear wheel to the next-higher gear, assuming no significant loss of speed. Obviously you're shifting at a fairly high RPM in the first place to be in 60 in 5th, given that the CBR's top speed as I recall it is a little over 70.

[charlesr]

Not sure I agree with you there Psi. Clutchless gearchanges will save the clutch because it doesn't disengage, so you aren't wearing it down and apart from 1st to 2nd, I always just snick it up to the next gear. I haven't used the clutch for 2nd upwards since I did my test 7 years ago. I'd say Katsu should go for it.

Then again, I've read that top speed on the cbr isn't much more than 60 anyway, so you could just stay in 5th.

[Alastair]

I've also read before that a lot of the 125's actually give peak power and top speed in 5th rather than 6th.

As for clutchless shifts, I don't use them, but I may try on the way home later! What's the main aim, to match revs with road speed first. Marty mentions applying gentle pressure to the lever (gear lever) and then clicking up when you back off the revs, is that just a feel thing so it slots in easily when you back off? And when talking of backing off are we just letting off a little or closing the throttle?

[Alastair]

Had to pop out for 15 mins at lunch so gave it a go. Why wasn't I doing this sooner?! It's so easy and makes upshifts so much smoother from 3rd gear up. My bike wasn't too keen from 2nd -> 3rd and it was a bit jerky, but from 3rd ->4th and up was super smooth and really quick. Will def be doing this from now on.

Thanks for the tips guys.

[TheForce]

I always upshift without the clutch when I'm going for it, it just works better on the track, you can shift faster and you keep max grip on the handlebars.
When I'm "cruising" though I use the clutch to shift gears.

[Eps]

Not sure I agree with you there Psi. Clutchless gearchanges will save the clutch because it doesn't disengage, so you aren't wearing it down

If you can match RPMs to the nearest 1 RPM, maybe plus or minus 5 RPM, sure. Otherwise, you're still wearing out the transmission. I know plenty of people who clutchless shift, but I don't usually meet anyone who says that clutchless shifting is better for the tranny than shifting using the clutch!

[^Katsu]

If you can match RPMs to the nearest 1 RPM, maybe plus or minus 5 RPM, sure. Otherwise, you're still wearing out the transmission. I know plenty of people who clutchless shift, but I don't usually meet anyone who says that clutchless shifting is better for the tranny than shifting using the clutch!

Eeek I don't do trannies
Er actually there was one her the other day a she he & girlfriend dont'cha know...

Back on subject, 6th on my CBR 125 is pap in comparison to 5th? Am I needing to be revving the arse of prior to shifting up?

[Pavey]

When are you shifting? Do you need 6th? Just rev it man.