How do you get moving on your bike?

[FROSTY:Me]

After an "interesting" experience this weekend I'd like to ask what your riding instructors are teaching you re getting moving on your bike.
What are your hands and feet doing?. What are they soposed to be doing??
This question is for newbees or recently newbees

[FROSTY:Me]

No mention of using the rear brake --actually for that matter no mention of brakes at all. How in hell can ya do a hill start without that basic.

[rwh]

This is in the NEWBEE forum dude--as in its for LEARNER riders. Jeez boy get with the program

I got the hill start technique from the road code, plus a bit of common sense. The only lessons I had were the 2 hours before my BHS, and hill starts were not touched on. They didn't come up in either of my practical tests, either.

In my lessons, I was (initially) told to start with both feet down, and pick them up as I started to move. I don't remember being told any more than that later. Now, I often still do the same thing, or sometimes put my right foot up (especially if I need it on the brake, of course). I almost never start with my left foot up - which means I'm almost always sitting at the lights with the bike in gear, which I've heard isn't so good for it. I think most of my reason is that that is how I always started on a pushbike - push down on the pedal with the right foot, while pushing off with the left.

Richard
(riding about 1 year now - with a 3 month gap with no bike (almost the whole of my 6R))

[justsomeguy]

From what I remember from Brian Parker from Passrite. He has been riding for centuries and is the most senior instructor there.

1. When stopping use both brakes, more of the front, practice, practice.
2. Put the bike into neutral after you've stopped.
3. Put your left foot down first and cover the bike with the back and front brake while stopped, reason being if shunted you don't roll into the traffic ahead as easily.
4. While taking off always cover the back brake as you leave, regardless of whether or not you're on a hill. Conduct the appropriate over the shoulder/under the skirt head checks, etc.

Newbies if deciding to take riding courses, I'd highly recommend him. He also trains car drivers and does advanced driving courses for professional drivers.....feck wish I was on commission.

Hope this helps Frosty.

Take care bud

[Mystery]

After an "interesting" experience this weekend I'd like to ask what your riding instructors are teaching you re getting moving on your bike.
What are your hands and feet doing?. What are they soposed to be doing??
This question is for newbees or recently newbees

Hi Frosty
Clutch in, put into 1st, then with both feet on the ground, get rev's up, slowly release clutch and when bike starts pulling increase throttle, both feet straight onto pegs and slowly release clutch fully, and I'm off
This does not work when I panic at intersections.

[FROSTY:Me]

so who in hell was the fuckwit that taught Jorja that ya DON'T need to cover the back brake when starting??

[FROSTY:Me]

Hi Frosty
Clutch in, put into 1st, then with both feet on the ground, get rev's up, slowly release clutch and when bike starts pulling increase throttle, both feet straight onto pegs and slowly release clutch fully, and I'm off
This does not work when I panic at intersections.

What about a hill start or even a slight slope??

[breakaway]

Using good clutch control, and strong legs with a sprinkling of technique developed over time?

QFT. Never was a fan of using the rear brake for hill starts, and still don't use it unless the hill is very steep.

so who in hell was the fuckwit that taught Jorja that ya DON'T need to cover the back brake when starting??

Why do you have to cover the rear brake when you start off?

[justsomeguy]

so who in hell was the fuckwit that taught Jorja that ya DON'T need to cover the back brake when starting??

Don't tell me it's this Brian Parker fella?? Tut, tut.......

[rwh]

1. When stopping use both brakes, more of the front, practice, practice.
2. Put the bike into neutral after you've stopped.
3. Put your left foot down first and cover the bike with the back and front brake while stopped, reason being if shunted you don't roll into the traffic ahead as easily.
4. While taking off always cover the back brake as you leave, regardless of whether or not you're on a hill. Conduct the appropriate over the shoulder/under the skirt head checks, etc.

At what point do you put it back in gear? That would generally require a break in the covering of the back brake, right? Unless you're good at balancing ...

Richard

[rwh]

so who in hell was the fuckwit that taught Jorja that ya DON'T need to cover the back brake when starting??

You'd recommend that every time? I don't usually bother - I usually have the front brake on until I'm ready to go, and often don't bother with the rear on a downhill start either - just let it roll away as I engage the clutch. The only time I definitely use the back is for an uphill start.
Oh, and if I want a stretch, I put it in neutral and put my foot on the back brake, so I can take both hands off the bars and sit up straight. Would probably do that with both feet down on the flat.

Richard

[Mystery]

What about a hill start or even a slight slope??

Right foot on back brake, clutch in, rev's up (more than for a level start) slowly release clutch and as soon as bike is pulling, release back brake/increase throttle/smoothly release clutch (it kinda all happens at the same time) as soon as Im moving, put left foot up and Im away

[FROSTY:Me]

For a new rider yep I'd recomend foot on rear brake.

[Holy Roller]

well you put your feet behind your pegs, and let the weight of the bike rest on your shins of course ... geez doesn't everyone know that?

Try doing that on any sort of incline with a 340kg machine

[justsomeguy]

At what point do you put it back in gear? That would generally require a break in the covering of the back brake, right? Unless you're good at balancing ...

Richard

The front brake is always on until you decide to move on. So it's just a matter of putting your right foot down, changing into 1st, then cover your back brake and take off. With practice this becomes a subconcious action.

Most confident riders will be able to start off without covering the back brake and only modulating the throttle and clutch and quickly catching the bike before it rolls back no matter how steep the slope.