How to get into gear?

[Breed777]

ok so here is my dilemma.....

I have started to get the hang of engine braking, and put a little front brake on also to put my brake light on so people can tell im braking...
say Im in 4th and slowing down, I change to 3rd, then to 2nd and sometimes I come to a complete stop in 2nd cause if i change to 1st before i stop it revs real high and sounds bad....

so my question is, I have come to a complete stop in second, clutch in and i go to change to 1st to get ready to take off, and cause the bike isnt moving, sometimes its impossible to get into 1st. I dont wanna sit at the lights panicing cause i cant get it into 1st.... whats the best way to overcome this? is it the same for all bikes?

[Ryan432]

Rock the bike back and forth as you try to change gear, should pop in quite quickly after that..

[Ooky]

can just roll it forward a little and re try to engage it

[disenfranchised]

Does it fail to change gear at all, or does it just go to neutral?
You might need the clutch cable adjusted/lubed a bit.

Other than that, you can always roll forwards/backwards a tiny bit and ease the clutch off as you kick down...you only need the tiniest amount of roll to make things click into place.

Or If it's going to neutral and staying there....once in neutral...release the clucth completly, and then do the same tiny roll forward/back while in neutral, then re-clutch and try and change down again.

But try the adjustments first.

[vifferman]

Yeah, what they said. All you need to do is get the cogs in the gearbox to move very slightly, so just roll it forwards or back a cm or three while pressing on the gearlever. Sometimes letting the clutch out a little while pressing on the gearlever will do it too, if you can't move the bike.

[Taz]

Or you can let the clutch out a little while trying to select first but easiest way is to change into first just before you come to a stop.

[Reido]

letting the clutch out a bit? you'll feel it "bite" then click down again.

[discotex]

The last thing you do before you put your foot down is pop it into first (even if you don't let the clutch out).



And while we're at it here's a tip that will make the bike fall on whichever side you want when you come to a stop. At the very last second turn the bars a little to the right if you want to put your left foot down and vice versa. Try it

[Harvd]

And while we're at it here's a tip that will make the bike fall on whichever side you want when you come to a stop. At the very last second turn the bars a little to the right if you want to put your left foot down and vice versa. Try it

Can we start a thread about this? i think ive heard what its called

j/j

[awayatc]

Thought it was about getting into gear....
You know somebody else's gear......

Must have Misread the thread title again I believe.....

[Howsie]

Well i tend to start with my pants followed by my boots. Then comes the jacket, helmet and gloves (in that order) unless i have forgotten the balaclava in which case off comes gloves and hemlet, on goes balaclava, helmet and then gloves.