do you remember when you first learned to switch gears?

[espro]

Pretty young, was probably 12 or 13 on a dirt bike. It's something that's just come naturally, though I have done the first -> neutral many times You'll know it immediately and then it's just a matter of clutching in and going to second, nothing to panic about

[Ritchard]

I learned when I was about 10 or 11. At that age, it's easy 'cuz you know no fear or embarrassment. Of course, I had had lots of experience driving farm machinery and the like by then as well. And the gears, being still carved from stone back then, were easier to master.

[evang]

I understood the concept of manual transmission, but didn't "know" how to drive one. a had a buddy take me out into a parking lot and show me how to do it. then i kept practicing. within a couple of weeks it was pretty easy. now it's second nature. don't even think about it.

[Vlad]

Sorry, can't remember, it was more than 30 years ago

I do remember the first time I tried to take off on a friend's 90cc bike though. I kept stalling it and eventually gave up that day.

On second thought, shifting up/down came pretty naturally if my memory serves me. Blipping the throttle when downshifting too. I was already driving a manual car by that time, so it may have helped.

My first and so far only Brit bike (1961 Triumph Boneville 650) was very awkward for the first couple of days or so (shifter on the right). After I got used to it I could switch between right/left shifter bikes with no problem whatsoever. Weird.

[Petraeus]

Have you ever driven standard before? If not well ... maybe go practice in a car.

Other than that, I just suggest learning how to "feather" the clutch. If you don't know what this mean ask your instructor. This is perhaps the #1 skill you can learn at a motorcycle training course.

What problems are you having shifting anyways? Listen to/Feel the motor and when the rpms start jumping with a noticeable drop in acceleration means you've maxed out that gear and its time to shift.

The same goes for downshifting, except in reverse. Rpms start high and when the engine is about to stall from low rpms its time to shift to a lower gear.

Practice makes perfect.

[skapan]

It's certainly easier now, all bikes have the shifter on the left and the same "down for first and up for 2,3,4,5,6". Imagine the shifter on the right, and the pattern reversed "up for first, down for 2,3,4" that was Norton's pattern. Or Triumph/BSA "down for first, up for 2,3,4". I also remember Kawasaki had a rotary shifter on their old bikes, shift up one more time from fourth and you're back in first. eeek. As others have said, that was back when gears were carved from stone.

[omnivore]

I do remember. I was 8, and learned on my neighbour's XR80....AFter one hour on his bike, I knew I wanted a dirtbike more than anything.
Saved my paper route $ for a yr and got myself a CR60 the following summer.

[vszutu1]

its all about practice! when i first did my m2 i kept stalling the crap out of the bike but it comes with experience just hold the clutch in more and slowly release then you will get to know the motorcycle more and know the feel when to release it and where the bike engages! comes with time no worries! When i picked up my first bike i and rode it around for the first week i stall it like twice a day bit then with time i dont stall it at all! keep at it

[promac]

31 years ago on a dirt bike while visiting relatives in Scotland. I was 14 at the time, and picked it up pretty quick - remembering to shift up or down took a little longer. To this day, I get messed up on the ATV because it's all *** backwards.

[skip]

Few weeks, after 16+ years of riding I don't think about shifting anymore. It will come. Just practice.

[rukus]

i was about 7 or 8. it took my wife the third time on a bike until she was comfortable clutching in/out while shifting up/down.

[smergy]

its an awkward thing to learn at first, but don't worry, just keep at it. Don't measure yourself by what others can/can't do since everyone's prior level of experience is different. Even if you keep stalling it, just keep working away at it. Easiest way is to hold revs constant (a little more than idle), and slowly release the clutch until it starts to grab, then continue to slowly release the clutch. If it stalls, you released the clutch too fast or you did not have enough rev's. The 250's used for most courses, you don't even have to use any throttle and they will go without stalling, if your slow enough releasing the clutch. Just know that a slow clutch release is hard on the clutch, but ok your just learning.

Downshifting is a little tricker. Being a smooth downshifter takes time to learn how to rev match/throttle blip takes time (when your not coming to a stop, although i recommend blipping throttle through each gear as you slow to a stop, you never know when you need to get out of a trouble situation and need to get on the gas again. You don't want to find out you missed your rev match, let out your clutch with the rev's too high, and the rear locks up on you unexpectedly the moment you need to get on the gas. Safety first. )

Just remember, its not about being quick, its all about being smooth.

[getfunky]

I've never driven manual stick shift car before. The only knowledge I had was from Gran Turismo game haha. So when I was at Learning Curves learning for the M2, I was the only guy stalling in the parking lot on day 1 while the rest were doing laps. When lunch time came I was all ready to quit, but I don't know if it was the hunger or what because when I came back everything fell into place. I didn't stall anymore and was switching gear smoothly and when it came to the test. I believe I had one of the top three times amongst everyone.

So bottomline, don't give up. Just take a little break, refuel on a snack and you'll do just fine

[drmoocow]

At the risk of sounding stupid... why is neutral between first and second instead of before first?

[soto]

At the risk of sounding stupid... why is neutral between first and second instead of before first?

I've been told that it's so that you'll be in gear after emergency braking tapping down the gears. I have a feeling there may be a technological reason as well, such as gearbox may be cheaper or smaller that way.

[soto]

When I took the course they told us to use all four fingers for the clutch and pull it all the way in. At some point I realized that I only need two fingers and can keep two fingers on the bar and since then my shifting and launching went to another level - everything became a lot easier. Not sure why they taught us otherwise at the course...

[thowe]

I save my 1st gear for tunnels.

hells ya!

[Lynart]

gearing up and gearing down. how long did it take you to get fully comfortable with this? cause i'm feeling like a total retard right now for not getting it as quickly as the others in my m2 course.

Take your time. I took the RTI course and already knew one of my biggest weaknesses was going to be shifting. I have driven manual vehicles (cars) in two scenarios:

#1 Simulations (Gran Turismo, NFS: Shift, etc.)
#2 In a GTR on a track

I know on the road you are not supposed to redline shift or downshift at 9 but it's been hammered into my skull. I'm just taking it slow right now through neighbhourhoods. And If you ever forget what gear you are in, my suggestion is to tap down until you are in first, slow the bike down to first speeds and go that way. People might get ****** at you, but it sure as hell beats something horribad happening if you are trying to do 80 in 2nd gear on a beginner's bike.

[SeaBreez]

41 years ago, (as a kid) on my friends farm tractor. LOL. Then his dad's mini that afternoon - tearing up the fields. Catfish fishing, Jumping in the hay loft. Don't worry we all stall and pop the clutch.

[buttarcup]

gearing up and gearing down. how long did it take you to get fully comfortable with this? cause i'm feeling like a total retard right now for not getting it as quickly as the others in my m2 course.

I just did my M1X course and one of the most important things I learned was RIDE THE CLUTCH, til you're super comfortable with the friction zone. It's not your own bike anyway in the course And throttle that bad boy.

Also remember, a lot of people in the course are not new riders. There were 5-6 people in my course riding to class in their own bikes, one even had a supersport :S