Just got my 1st bike! A few questions....

[RocketON]

Hey everyone, I just got my CBR250 yesterday and it's a lot of fun. I have a lot of practice to go and areas I need to improve on. For example smooth shifting, I'm still jolting when I shift. Sometimes it's smooth and sometimes it's not. Also dealing with dumb drivers. The posted limit is 50 and I'm going 60, but I'm still getting tail gated occasionally. So that part sucks.

Oh and stopping and going at Stop signs/lights, I'm not as fast as I should be. And I'm still getting the hang of nodding at other riders. It's funny, why do some riders nod and others do a hand pointed down? What does that mean? I hope they are not offended if I don't respond, I just don't know what to do. hahaha.

Alright, this is probably a stupid question on shifting but. Say I'm on a road and going at 80km by this time on the 6th gear and am coming to a stop. Is it alright if I shift from 6th to 1st right a way? Or should I be shifting 6 to 5, ride a bit, 5 to 4, ride a bit, 4 to 3 ride a bit, so on and so on. I know with manual cars, it's 'recommended'.

[Sundie]

Shifting down in place not recommended: it isn't? Never heard that. You *should* be downshifting as you approach a stop, but if you get to the stop is, say 3rd, it's okay to sit there and keep ratcheting down to first.

As for your shifting up being jerky - you might want to try shifting higher up - wind the engine out a bit. I'm not familiar with the redline on your bike, but it's probably fairly high, being a 250 - they love to rev. going halfway to the redline before shifting is probably a good start.

as for starting form a stop - it's all about clutch control, and practice practice practice.

[Jonnie]

Congratulations on your new acquisition!

As a rider who's been riding a couple of months, maybe I can share a few things I've picked up along the way.

- Shifting smoothly will come with practice and being familiar with the speed/RPM at which you should shift.

- Never go faster than what you're comfortable with. If you're doing the legal limit (or slightly over), you have no obligation to start speeding just to please a cager. Plan your routes ahead of time (based on traffic), hand signal to the cager to slow down or pass or switch lanes if you have to.

- Stopping and going will also come with practice and knowing your clutch. With time you'll get better at slow speed maneuvers, and will be riding the clutch and using your foot brake.

- As many threads on gtam have concluded, there's no right or wrong way. Ideally you want to always be in gear so you can execute an emergency maneuver and benefit from the traction that the engine provides. Like in the m2 course you took, during emergency/quick stops you can pull in the clutch and down shift straight to gear 1 while you apply the breaks. If there is room/time, it's good practice to cycle through all the gears as you down shift. Downshifting becomes a pretty quick action as you practice more and start rev matching.

[short stop]

Congrats on the new ride! Hope you're enjoying the new CBR250.

Hey everyone, I just got my CBR250 yesterday and it's a lot of fun. I have a lot of practice to go and areas I need to improve on. For example smooth shifting, I'm still jolting when I shift. Sometimes it's smooth and sometimes it's not. Also dealing with dumb drivers. The posted limit is 50 and I'm going 60, but I'm still getting tail gated occasionally. So that part sucks.

Shifting faster and smoother will definitely come with time an practice. As for tailgating - yeah, it sucks. It's definitely more noticeable when you're sitting on a bike, but don't let drivers bully you into going faster than you're comfortable.

Oh and stopping and going at Stop signs/lights, I'm not as fast as I should be. And I'm still getting the hang of nodding at other riders. It's funny, why do some riders nod and others do a hand pointed down? What does that mean? I hope they are not offended if I don't respond, I just don't know what to do. hahaha.

Hands pointing down is another type of wave. At least I hope so! I get that wave quite a bit.

Alright, this is probably a stupid question on shifting but. Say I'm on a road and going at 80km by this time on the 6th gear and am coming to a stop. Is it alright if I shift from 6th to 1st right a way? Or should I be shifting 6 to 5, ride a bit, 5 to 4, ride a bit, 4 to 3 ride a bit, so on and so on. I know with manual cars, it's 'recommended'.

The general recommendation is to try and have the engine engaged and geared for the appropriate speed. So yes, gear down and release the clutch for each gear as you slow down. The exception to this would be an emergency stop, where you pull the clutch and bang those gears down as quickly as possible like you learned in your course.

[inferno]

Congrats!
Ill pass on something i learned recently. spend $3 and get a tire pressure gauge from wallmart. your tires will love you.

[VicRR]

Congrats!
Ill pass on something i learned recently. spend $3 and get a tire pressure gauge from wallmart. your tires will love you.

+1 .. Get a tire pump thing from Canadian Tire acts as a gauge and you can inflate. I find i put air in about once a week.

About waving, always wave near the handle bar, with the left hand, this way you can reach the cluch quickly. Sometimes it's not a good time to wave (car slowing infront of you, ect), this is when i nod.

[Nwhiteside]

For example smooth shifting, I'm still jolting when I shift.

+1 on rev a little higher before shifting, and back off the throttle just before releasing the clutch if upshifting.

Also, go to a parking lot and just sit there in first -- slowly letting the clutch out without applying gas, and pulling the clutch back in again to learn the friction point on your bike.

I'm still getting tail gated occasionally. So that part sucks.

Great tip from the m2 course I took was to slowly drift left/right (in your lane) to keep yourself directly in front of the driver behind you; most tailgaters shift a little left/right of you to see around you -- if you keep 'accidentally' sliding back directly in front of them you block their view, they tire and pass.

It's funny, why do some riders nod and others do a hand pointed down? What does that mean? I hope they are not offended if I don't respond, I just don't know what to do. hahaha.

As a newb myself I try to nod, so I can keep my hands on the controls.

Alright, this is probably a stupid question on shifting but. Say I'm on a road and going at 80km by this time on the 6th gear and am coming to a stop. Is it alright if I shift from 6th to 1st right a way? Or should I be shifting 6 to 5, ride a bit, 5 to 4, ride a bit, 4 to 3 ride a bit, so on and so on. I know with manual cars, it's 'recommended'.

Ideally you are always in gear, for the speed you are going, for when a cager cuts you off, pulls out in front of you, etc; you have an accelerate/avoid option in addition to braking for dear life.

I suspect if you are going 80km and shift down to first from sixth to stop you may not be looking far enough ahead and anticipating when you will need to decelerate?

An added bonus I am starting to find in doing this is if I reach an intersection when the light changes to green just as I arrive, I am good to continue rolling through -- as opposed to stopping at the new green, putting a foot down, etc first...

[Jayell]

And I'm still getting the hang of nodding at other riders. It's funny, why do some riders nod and others do a hand pointed down? What does that mean? I hope they are not offended if I don't respond, I just don't know what to do. hahaha.

You're a new rider, concentrate on the task at hand. Forget about waving and nodding for the time being. No one will be offended. Sometimes things get busy on the road, lots of decisions to be quickly made. Waving or nodding to fellow riders should be the lowest priority.

Have fun and ride safely!

[Wose]

hey dude congrats!
I was in your shoes few weeks ago except it's not my bike but my buddies First time on the road you realize how rusty all your skills are lol.

I pretty much had the same problems as you: clutch control, being tailed, whether to downshift or just pull the clutch when coming to a stop, reaching for the turn signal switch under braking or holding the clutch.

For clutch control and shifting i just practise in an empty parking road/parking lot late at night, sometimes my friends just sit and watch and chitchat lol. Are you counting to 3 while lettin the clutch out? That's what was taught at RTI and i found it makes for smooth shifting. As for tailgaters i just switch lanes and let them pass.
Initially I just pulled in the clutch when coming to a light or sign and tapped to first, but I'd be kinda screwed if it turned green cuz i'd have to kick back up or i wouldn't know which gear to be in at all. So after a lot of practicing i learned to rev-match when slowing down and it's soo fun when you get it smooth, plus on the bigger 600cc bikes it sounds baaaadass.

[RocketON]

Congratulations on your new acquisition!

Thanks!

+1 on rev a little higher before shifting, and back off the throttle just before releasing the clutch if upshifting.

Also, go to a parking lot and just sit there in first -- slowly letting the clutch out without applying gas, and pulling the clutch back in again to learn the friction point on your bike.

I will try that. I guess I get bored running in the lot, an I just end up cursing around the city.

You're a new rider, concentrate on the task at hand. Forget about waving and nodding for the time being. No one will be offended. Sometimes things get busy on the road, lots of decisions to be quickly made. Waving or nodding to fellow riders should be the lowest priority.

Have fun and ride safely!

HAHA, I know, I know.

hey dude congrats!
I was in your shoes few weeks ago except it's not my bike but my buddies First time on the road you realize how rusty all your skills are lol.

Are you counting to 3 while lettin the clutch out? That's what was taught at RTI and i found it makes for smooth shifting. As for tailgaters i just switch lanes and let them pass. So after a lot of practicing i learned to rev-match when slowing down and it's soo fun when you get it smooth, plus on the bigger 600cc bikes it sounds baaaadass.

Counting to 3? I don't know what you mean by that.

[RocketON]

I have also noticed that my left turns, suck, I mean they are just sluggish. Had the driveway been a foot shorter I would have hit the curb! I think I know my problem, I forget to keep my eyes up and to look beyond the turn, once I'm close to the curb and realize that I'm about to hit it, I swear, I imagine my past trainers in front of me yelling "eye's up! eye's up!" LOL. And I force my self to look up and all of a sudden I have cleared it.

Another thing...going downhill. Last time, I just pulled in the clutch and rolled down the hill, but once I was getting toward the end, I let the clutch go and the bike jerked, since I was in a lower gear than the actual speed. I guess my question is. Should the throttle always be opened when going down hill?

[Jonnie]

Another thing...going downhill. Last time, I just pulled in the clutch and rolled down the hill, but once I was getting toward the end, I let the clutch go and the bike jerked, since I was in a lower gear than the actual speed. I guess my question is. Should the throttle always be opened when going down hill?

As you correctly noted, your gear was too low for the speed you were going. You can ride smoother by easing off the clutch gently (engine braking). Or rev match (retains your speed) when you get more comfortable with your bike. Or apply the breaks to slow down and then ease in the clutch. Regardless of what you do, remember to be in the right gear corresponding to your speed/rpm.

Also, it's not recommended to coast with the clutch pulled. You want to be connected to your engine as often as possible, in case of emergencies and to get the most traction.

[short stop]

Another thing...going downhill. Last time, I just pulled in the clutch and rolled down the hill, but once I was getting toward the end, I let the clutch go and the bike jerked, since I was in a lower gear than the actual speed. I guess my question is. Should the throttle always be opened when going down hill?

Why pull in the clutch in the first place? Don't do that. Keep the engine engaged, and adjust your speed/gears accordingly.

[RocketON]

As you correctly noted, your gear was too low for the speed you were going. You can ride smoother by easing off the clutch gently (engine braking).

Hey, I tried that going down hill while giving a bit of throttle. This time the ride down was fun and smooth vs jerky.

Does anybody's seat get warm after riding? I don't know why, but today I noticed my seat was hot?

[houleskis]

I have also noticed that my left turns, suck, I mean they are just sluggish. Had the driveway been a foot shorter I would have hit the curb! I think I know my problem, I forget to keep my eyes up and to look beyond the turn, once I'm close to the curb and realize that I'm about to hit it, I swear, I imagine my past trainers in front of me yelling "eye's up! eye's up!" LOL. And I force my self to look up and all of a sudden I have cleared it.

As a newb myself, this is what I'm finding makes the biggest difference. This is a lesson I learned years ago in drivers ed/ski racing but making sure I always do it while riding a bike is the hard part. It so much easier and makes you feel safer when you just look ahead (although that's really not how it is). The ability of a motorcycle to lean over and turn still astounds me so I'm learning to trust my bike more and more. Why do you ride out of curiosity? Best of luck figuring out all the kinds man (or lady). Ride safe (aka the hand signals).

[Rocco916]

A couple of the best ways to deal with someone tailgating you is quite simple. Change lanes if you can safely do so. Second, increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. doing so will reduce or eliminate the chance that you may have to make a sudden stop as a result of that vehicle in front of you. If reduce the chance of you having to make a panic stop it also reduces the chance the vehicle behind has to also.

Enjoy your new ride.......be safe and enjoy!!!!
Cheers

[RocketON]

The ability of a motorcycle to lean over and turn still astounds me so I'm learning to trust my bike more and more. Why do you ride out of curiosity? Best of luck figuring out all the kinds man (or lady). Ride safe (aka the hand signals).

Same here, I'm still not convinced that my bike can lean very far. Even though I see others do it. There are a bunch of reasons why I ride but I'll narrow it down, it's a pretty awesome and amazing/rewarding feeling I get while I ride. Isn't that why we all ride? Pure joy and fun! It's man. LOL

A couple of the best ways to deal with someone tailgating you is quite simple. Change lanes if you can safely do so.

Well I know that! hahaha I mean one way lanes. But recently, the pressure to speed up has faded. I try to maintain a good amount of space all around me.

[dricked]

If I'm already speeding and the driver gets too close for my comfort I'll accelerate a little bit and then if they close the gap again I'll turn right around and look at them (don't do this in the city!) or give them the bird if it's the second look. Don't worry too much about what's behind you but be aware that you have an idiot back there and don't stop too hard.

[Baggsy]

Bike speedometers don't always register the correct speed. Get a car with a gps to cruise along at the speed limit and you can see how far out your speedometer is at that speed.

For smoother shifts you need to be able to find the friction point easily. Once you get to it you can ease the clutch out. You can shift 5 gears at once as long as you are going the appropriate speed when you let the clutch out.