Leaving a stop - both feet up.

[maverick0716]

Originally Posted by Süsser Tod

The whole point of leaving the right foot on the brake is so you can have the right hand "free", you don't really need both brakes to keep the bike from moving at a red light.

Oh I agree. It was just the way you worded it saying you don't understand the left foot down thing.

[VAZX6R]

Awesome, that's one of the exercises from the motogymkhana website! They are challenging. I'm afraid to do exercise #4 without shattering my plastics on the ground and becoming the joke of the intersection


From the website below:

Show Posts - Motogymkhanaman

On-Bike Exercise

When you are all kitted up and ready to go, sit astride the bike and start the engine. Engage first gear but instead of leaving your foot on the footrest, place it back down on the ground.

Exercise #1. Raise both feet simultaneously and place them on the footrests before you release the clutch. This will feel very strange indeed and you will have an overwhelming desire to get at least one foot back on the ground as quickly as possible. This feeling must be resisted as the intention of the exercise is to ensure that you are happy and relaxed with the natural balance point of the bike.

Exercise #2. Sit on the bike with the engine running in neutral but with the clutch in; repeat the exercise as above only this time you will have to engage the gear before pulling away.

Exercise #3. Sit on the bike with the engine running in neutral and with both hands placed gently on the tank. Repeat the exercise only this time you will have to move your hands to the bars before operating the clutch and putting the bike in gear.

Exercise #4. Repeat exercise 3, but without the engine running. As soon as you lift your feet onto the footrests you will operate the starter, pull in the clutch, engage first gear and smoothly ride away.

With dedication and practice you should be able to do exercise 4 every time you go for a ride on your bike. This will have a profound effect on your ability to know instantly whether or not you are in perfect balance.

To further enhance your ability, it is a good thing when coming to a halt to always leave your feet on the footrests until the bike has stopped completely. After time you will be able to bring the bike to a complete halt and without putting your feet down, move smoothly off again without any wobbles.

[justinakajuice]

I've done the musical-feet maneuver and I've also just kept it in first. Kind of a rare event to begin with.

[UltimateOG]

I can do the first two exercises of that coming to a stop (California Stop & Roll), but not form a dead stop.

[arcticamt6]

Originally Posted by UltimateOG

Yea...never had that issue with either of my ninjas.

My second Triumph is pretty difficult to get into Neutral usually. The first Daytona I had was better. Oddly enough, the first one had notchier shifting and the second one is smoother. Whatever. Not a huge deal since I'm rarely in Neutral.

[UltimateOG]

That is what scares me sometimes with trying other bikes or going to other bike brands. I have gotten so used to my ninjas that other bikes feel weird. When i went through the MSF course and had to use the school Hyosung bikes, it was a huge pain in the butt finding neutral.

And while we are on the topic of nuetral, i hate it when you start moving from a stop and when you shift up to second gear, it doesn't catch and you are going through a turn or intersection with a bike screaming and rolling in motion.

[kevin_stevens]

Originally Posted by UltimateOG

Yea...never had that issue with either of my ninjas.

Kawasaki has a patented feature that only permits shifting from first to neutral while the bike is stopped. It's described in your owner's manual. They've been using it since the '80s at least.

KeS

[Tony216]

Originally Posted by kevin_stevens

Kawasaki has a patented feature that only permits shifting from first to neutral while the bike is stopped. It's described in your owner's manual. They've been using it since the '80s at least.

KeS

They had a positive neutral finder in my '79 KZ750. It ruined me!!!

I thought pre-2000 GSXR's were pretty easy to find neutral in, as well as my DRZ. But, I can't find neutral with the engine running on my Buell, period. It sucks when you're supposed to keep your hands in the air for the "2" board. I end up just putting one hand up. And my Husky would only find neutral when shifting from first to second.

[UltimateOG]

Originally Posted by kevin_stevens

Kawasaki has a patented feature that only permits shifting from first to neutral while the bike is stopped. It's described in your owner's manual. They've been using it since the '80s at least.

KeS

This I knew already, I was trying to "lightly" brag about it.

[Jaxx]

Practice makes perfect. I learned in MSF to always pull away with your left foot down but over time I've learned to do it with my right foot down and it almost feels second nature now. I will still only do the right foot boogie if I have to shift into neutral at a light.

[iquack08]

What I do depends on the circumstances: inclined or flat, position in line, ability to see the side traffic lights, etc.

I usually click into neutral before stopping and have two feet on the ground (I've always said, there are no advantages in being short), if the street is flat, and I'm in the very front or behind enough cars to not hold up traffic when I shift into 1st.

Regarding your specific question, if I'm on a street that's slightly inclined, I'll be in neutral, left down, right up. When I want to go --> front brakes, left up and shift into 1st and right down simultaneously, then left down --> go. I still put both feet on the ground before going. I can go with left still up, but I figure I'm less likely to drop the bike if I were to stall, so why not keep both feet on the ground?

I always felt there must be a better way because the way I'm doing it takes too long. So on a major incline, I stay in 1st. If I can't see the side traffic lights to predict when the light will turn green or I'm not far back enough in line, then I'll stay in 1st.

I would never do your alternative. Not worth the risk of dropping the bike.

[JustSaying]

I've done it both on my 250 and my R6. It feels way easier with the R6, obviously because of the wider tires and better weight distribution through out the bike.

[GUTTERbOY]

Originally Posted by iquack08

I would never do your alternative. Not worth the risk of dropping the bike.

Well, I think the unwritten implication is if you try that method and the bike isn't stable, you should put your foot back down rather than just topple over.

[kevin_stevens]

Originally Posted by GUTTERbOY

Well, I think the unwritten implication is if you try that method and the bike isn't stable, you should put your foot back down rather than just topple over.

It's really not that easy. Once you've picked up your left foot, you've placed it over the peg and transferred weight to it in preparation for downshifting out of neutral. You can't get it back down to the ground without changing direction, lifting it back UP off the peg, and moving it over again. All this with no way to propel the bike forward. Once you lift that left foot, you'd better be ready to commit to a couple of seconds of balancing a stationary bike. I'm surprised to see so many people respond that they do this routinely.

KeS

[maverick0716]

Originally Posted by kevin_stevens

....I'm surprised to see so many people respond that they do this routinely.

KeS

They either don't understand the question or they're lying, lol.