Covering the clutch.

[jazbug5]

What F5 Dave says about practising makes heap big sense; if anyone wants to hook up and have a group practise session, I'd be up for it. I have no sense of shame about messing up in front of others, and in a way having others about so we can discuss what we're doing might actually help.
And if we do practise the braking at high speeds thing, it's be good to have some folk about to scrape our gibbering remains off the carpark if it goes a bit pear shaped.

[Cajun]

or to point laugh and take photos jaz to get back at you later dc:<

[spudchucka]

This is a "big V-twin" thing. On the VTR, retuning the carbs slightly richer and upping the idle to 1300 stops the "clunk and die" phenomenon (haven't had that for over a year now), but if I blip the throttle I can still get it to backfire through the carbs occasionally. No problems with snatchiness though, apart from the clutch, which is why I can't 'dip the clutch' to pull wheelies. Just as well it wheelies off the throttle. Not that I'd ever do that, of course.

I never had the same problem on my 2000 VTR, it was really smooth. The TL's have a bad rep for snatchyness and low speed stalling, mines a classic example and you just learn to live with it. The problem can be sorted with a power commander, (I don't have one - too expensive) and the TRE mod apparently helps heaps too. I've been meaning to have a crack at making one but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Can you adjust the idle speed on the TL? Surely there is an alternative map available with a PowerCommander or the like to sort out the snatchiness?

Idle speed is adjustable, power commander as per above.

I don't cover anything except my arse: stay alert or die.

Good advice for any road user!

and I like the "BWAAOOORRRRRRRR!!!" from engine braking

Hell yes, I love that sound!!

[vifferman]

Well depending where the shocks are it does give a rising rate, what’s your point?

What's my point? WHAT'S MY POINT?!?!!
You're too young to understand. In the 70s, dirt bikes was relatively heavy and had crappy suspension. People (like me and my mates) played around with new ideas, like welding extra mounting points for the rear shocks, to play with various angles to see how we could improve the suspension. And the air valves were for the same reason: Sticking valves in the caps, and taking the springs out or putting lighter-weight ones in, you could then use air as the primary (or subsdiary) springing medium, which gave you rising rate springing: the more the forks were compressed, the more the air was compressed, and the firmer the effective spring rate was. And the more the fork seals tended to blow, and spray ATF all over the bike and rider....

[F5 Dave]

What's my point? WHAT'S MY POINT?!?!!
You're too young to understand. ....

Great way to authenticate an argument. Don’t try to argue with me, I’m older -therefore right.

In those days Mum & dad would slash into use with a breadknife. Bikes were old & crappy. Nobody knows the trouble I’ve known. . .

Poor you.

[vifferman]

Great way to authenticate an argument. Don’t try to argue with me, I’m older -therefore right.

In those days Mum & dad would slash into use with a breadknife. Bikes were old & crappy. Nobody knows the trouble I’ve known. . .

Poor you.

Do I need to throw lots of smilies into my posts so you know when I'm being silly? (which, BTW, is almost all the time, as I don't take myself too seriously at all...) Poor me? POOR ME!!???!

Bwahahahahaha!!1

Nah.
It's got nothing to do with being right - I was just reminiscing about the "Old Days", coz what Pete678901 and Motu reminded me of biking in the 70s. I don't give a crap about being right or not. What you threw in there may or mayn't have been right, but it derailed my twaddling on. Keep up the good work.
Tally ho, and all that.

[TwoSeven]

In my day - use't live in hole in't road. Bikes - us't dream about bikes. We had mules we did. We had t' get up at 5 am every mornin and carry mule t' pit so as not 't tire it out.

[vifferman]

In my day - use't live in hole in't road. Bikes - us't dream about bikes. We had mules we did. We had t' get up at 5 am every mornin and carry mule t' pit so as not 't tire it out.

Mules?!? Y'had mules!?? Pure luxury, that is! We had a dead dog, and had t'carry fleas 'round fer it. Used t' dream 'bout havin' a mule. But me Da' used to say "Transpor'??! I'll give y' ruddy transpor'!!" and give us a kick fair oop t' jacksie! Ooh, how we did larf!

[F5 Dave]

In my day - use't live in hole in't road. Bikes - us't dream about bikes. We had mules we did. We had t' get up at 5 am every mornin and carry mule t' pit so as not 't tire it out.

not bad

[Ms Piggy]

Now that we are on a soap box & slightly off the clutch topic (sorry CSL), but the one thing about braking is that practise is the only way to stay sharp.

I have been to numerous courses where practicing emergency braking from 100k was on the agenda. People were scared to do it. Yet happily rode on the motorway.

The more runs they do the dramatic improvement in stopping distance. At speed (even 50) every millisecond you are not using the brake you are travelling forward at pretty much the same speed. If you cover the brakes -& it might be that you only cover them in a situation is on the danger radar, but you will reduce the time it takes to get on the lever. Also you will be less likely to be making a ‘grabbing’ motion trying to get there quick.

The big thing with braking is to SQUEEZE. There is a feeling of modulating the lever pressure against the wheel so it in before the point of lockup that you must tune into. Once you have that feeling practised you can replicate it on most any surface & efficiently if it is practised.

You can also practise it in your brain when you are not riding. Yeah I’m serious.

If you haven’t practised recently then I humbly suggest; Find a carpark. Concentrate on keeping your eyes up & practise. Both brakes separately, then combined.

If the KB relative beginners want to they could organise a practise session in a safe comfortable environment. In wgtn if I have the time free I’d be glad to give a couple of pointers, but you might prefer to do it in seclusion.

Hey Dave - I'm glad this has progressed onto braking actually. I'd be very keen to get some braking pointers. As long as you promise not to shout

[F5 Dave]

No drama. Have to think of a decent venue what with Sunday shopping these days (oops that dates me a bit) I’ll PM you my cell number (or Lynda has hm no.)

[James Deuce]

Hey Dave - I'm glad this has progressed onto braking actually. I'd be very keen to get some braking pointers. As long as you promise not to shout

He makes a lot of sotto voce derisory comments and snorts quite a bit when provoked. His voice also raises in pitch a lot, indicating that he may well have some Newcastle ancestry.

[Jackrat]

Never thought this would turn into a heated debate-eeep.
I think someone hit it on the head when they say its a bike/rider combination thing -so On some bikes there is a real need to cover the clutch.
I;m from an era where jap bike brakes really diddnt work too well in the wet
The secret was to actually keep the brakes a fraction on and drying the disk.
I would cover the clutch for fear of seizing and also to get that fraction more brakes

Ha Ha Ha,From an era ya' reckon!!
I still need to heat an keep dry me front brakes today,Don't everybody???

[Posh Tourer :P]

What F5 Dave says about practising makes heap big sense;

Yes, him make heap big sense. Perhaps we should organise a working lunch to discuss it....

[F5 Dave]

He makes a lot of sotto voce derisory comments and snorts quite a bit when provoked. His voice also raises in pitch a lot, indicating that he may well have some Newcastle ancestry.

OOOh don't he speak right posh. I had to look it up, something to do with a small choir.

Newcastle? Maybe if we traced the mitochondrial dna there might be a link, but not in the last 4 generations.

Jackrat, try some heavily sintered pads & higher iron content discs might be nice. Those early jap ones were virtually stainless so they didn't rust.