How do you get moving on your bike?

**delusionz** · 11th July 2007, 22:00

Originally Posted by FROSTY

Dude Im no expert but I almost always rest my right foot on the back brake when stopped at intersections. 99 times out of a 100 yep totally a waste of time --But tell ya what when the 100th time comes along its a bitch

I don't know how your bike is setup, but when I had a cruiser it had a fat rear brake pedal which was elevated higher than the right peg, when I was learning on this I used to use the rear brake. However on my Ninja I have to force my foot down hard onto the brake to lock the back which feels awkward when waiting for the lights, as does holding the clutch in for the whole cycle.

Anyways, on hills (come to think of it on any start really) I hold my front brake with 2 feet down, when the cross-light goes orange my left foot comes up and my clutch goes in.

**FROSTY:Me** · 11th July 2007, 22:10

Originally Posted by delusionz

However on my Ninja I have to force my foot down hard onto the brake to lock the back which feels awkward when waiting for the lights, as does holding the clutch in for the whole cycle.

Mate Given your earlier thread I REALLY wanna have a look at your bike.
The brake pedal is adjustable for height but more an issue is the question of whats goin on with your brakes --NO sarcasm here genuine concern

**McJim** · 11th July 2007, 22:36

I've only been riding just over a year so I'm a noobie compared to most.

I hold the bike on the front brake on the flat before moving off (coz I can release the brake without rolling while I apply throttle) and I use the back brake when moving off on hills.

Pretty much the same technique I use in a car except it's car foot brake = bike hand brake and car hand brake = bike foot brake.

**Lucy** · 11th July 2007, 22:51

Originally Posted by sunhuntin

i get on the bike, start her up and flip the stand up. !

So many times I start off and then hear a scraping sound - often forget to flip up the stand - doh! GN manual says this is not possible, that the bike will stop or not go if the stand is down, but I guess they left that feature off when production moved to China.

**jrandom** · 12th July 2007, 10:23

Personally, I like to slow down a long way before the intersection and wobble along at 1-2kph, madly waggling the bars from side to side in an effort to stay upright without having to flop both feet down before the lights change. When I do get a green, I most often panic and dump the clutch, either stalling or taking off in a cloud of smoke at a funny angle to the lane I'm in.

This tends to require over-correction and much flailing about of the knees.

Following my elite drag-racing start, I usually have to brake hard almost immediately. Another set of traffic lights is often coming up fast, requiring me to repeat the performance.

**limbimtimwim** · 12th July 2007, 11:36

Put your left hand on the nearest car.

Easy.

**gixermike** · 12th July 2007, 12:02

which foot stays on the floor and wether I use the front or rear brake for a hill start generally depends on the angle of the road, and the comparitive length of my legs (built like a frodo...). I can only just get the balls of both feet down on the flat, and usually just use one as it's comfier.

if the road is sloping right to left it the right one thats on the floor and the front brake just gets rolled off on pull away. if it slopes left to right i'll have the left foot down and use the back brake...

now riding a drz400 was a whole different ball game..involving keeping it and starting it in gear the entire time.......pulling away was more like getting on a horse

**sunhuntin** · 12th July 2007, 13:26

Originally Posted by Lucy

So many times I start off and then hear a scraping sound - often forget to flip up the stand - doh! GN manual says this is not possible, that the bike will stop or not go if the stand is down, but I guess they left that feature off when production moved to China.

ive had 2 gns... an 86 and an 06... neither of them had the shut off built in when the side stand was down... and neither do any of gns ive seen and watched take off with the stand down.
the virago does... first time dad rode it, he went into first, and the engine died. he was so worried! LOL.

**NotaGoth** · 12th July 2007, 19:17

When I was first practicing hill starts I tried using both front and back brake, kept misjudging, stalling, and falling over (bike landing on top of me)

I practiced and practiced using just my front brake and both feet down on hillstarts... Got that working out okay..

Then CBobR tricked me into a few hillstarts.. Eventually I was able to do hill starts using back brakes..

If I come to a stop on evenish ground I just use my front brake.. Really it just depends on what the slope/hill is like.. And whats comfortable for me at the time so that I am able to get going again..

**Lissa** · 12th July 2007, 20:56

When stopped at intersections I usually have both feet on the ground, in first, clutch in.. and just go from there. (use to put just one foot on the ground but got told to have both).

For hill starts.. shit, Ive tried everything, took me a while to get use to it.

I usually put the bike into first, front brake, put both feet on the ground, put right foot on back brake, releasing front brake, then give a little throttle releasing the back brake. God I hope I am doing it right? Maybe a little convoluted, but it seems to work.

**Balding Eagle** · 12th July 2007, 23:16

I did the CBTA course at Passrite. They taught us to use the back brake on hill starts. There is quite a bit of logic to this. Because the bike is trying to roll backwards, the back brake is more effective just as the front brake is more effective going forward. Secondly it only requires each hand to do one action so that everything is simplified. When you want to start off (assuming you have already selected 1st gear) you add revs with the right hand, release clutch slowly with the left hand, and when the clutch starts to bight and pull the bike forward, release the rear brake and lift the left foot. Takes the complexity out of the manoeuvre and the physics are right as well.

When I am stopped at lights and there is time to spare, I put both feet on the ground and both hands off the bars and have a stretch. Anticipate the change of lights and select 1st before the lights change. Right foot on rear brake (but that is just for something to do with it). Just lift the left foot as you take off. Piece of doddle really.

**Jorja** · 12th July 2007, 23:53

Some of the riding courses are NOT!! teaching hill starts and are teaching you to take off with BOTH feet on the ground. There is no use of the rear brake except for stopping. Both feet on the ground just doesn't work when you are on a hill and trying to pull out into traffic. As I discovered.

I was trying to use front brake and revs as a few people on here have described. But my hands are too small. Was in first with the clutch in. Was using front break and trying to get revs up to pull forwards across a reasonably big main road. (first time I had left the street I live in) Would have been fine if there hadn't have been a centre island. Bike rolled back a slight way trapping my right foot against the island where I couldn't remove it. I started to panic and lost my balance. Bike then proceeded to fall to the right ontop of me. Was more embarrasing and figured out later what i had done wrong and how to correct it.

Was a bit sore but carried on riding for the rest of the afternoon and finishing coming down state highway 16 with lots of traffic. Wasn't brilliant but did ok for my first proper ride.

Had never had to do a hill start so had never thought about how to.
Yes it is in the road code, but I was doing what I was taught to do at a ride school.

For me riding doesn't come easy but i love it. Even spending several days on crutches hasn't put me off lol Frosty might be having second thoughts though.

**delusionz** · 13th July 2007, 00:20

I'm going to wait and see what RRRS is teaching, but until then I am adamant that there is no right way to do it, Aslong as you do it without rolling back or falling over or stalling, then fine. I do it with the front brake every day at the top of queen st for example, never rolled back.

And opposite to a car but same applies, who says you need the handbrake if you're good enough with your feet?

Actually, hell, fuck the brakes, I could keep myself stationary on a hill with nothin' but clutch slip if I wanted to.

Sorry frosty.

**breakaway** · 13th July 2007, 01:10

Clutch slip to keep stationary for the hill is bad for the clutch.

However, what I do on steep hills is just wait with the front brake in, and when its time, revs up, clutch out to friction point (done simultantaneously). Never rolled back or stalled. With a bit of practice this will become second nature.

Originally Posted by Jorja

Had never had to do a hill start so had never thought about how to. Yes it is in the road code, but I was doing what I was taught to do at a ride school.

Perhaps you should go and practice it before you are forced to do it in a real world situation.