[Spacekatgal]

I'm feeling pretty confident on my bike these days. I haven't taken the Boston T since getting it. Yesterday I drove it all the way down to Cambridge through rush hour traffic. Good times!

The one skill I want to build is getting a quick, smooth acceleration from a stop. I'm not talking about showboating or racing, but getting up and moving briskly in traffic. Right now, I tend to let it roll forward slowly in the friction zone which takes a second or two to get up to speed. It's fine on my own, but it's obnoxious in traffic.

Is the idea to give it more throttle in the friction zone and and then slowly release the clutch? I'm worried that I'm doing it wrong if I power through 1st with the clutch partially depressed.

Bri

 

[redlinernyc]

for beginners I advise them to let off the clutch till the bike starts moving then slowly give it more gas while letting off the clutch. But once you get the concept down you'll know where the clutch "engages". So at a light, keep it at that engagement point and give it gas while letting off the clutch. You'll get it in time.

Dont worry about power wheelies by mistake. Only thing that could go wrong is giving it gas while keeping the clutch it and popping the clutch out suddenly. Dont do that lol.

 

[outty]

I can only tell you how I do it - not sure if it's the only way.

I give it a little gas, 2-3000 RPM and keep it steady, slowly letting the clutch out to the point where it starts to engage, keep that throttle steady and smoothly release the clutch lever as you begin to open the throttle.

You will notice that when you let the clutch out, you lose RPMs, it's at that very moment when you should be giving it more gas

It's mostly a feel thing - you get used to where the engagement point is on your clutch and you get a muscle memory in your clutch hand over time.

Go to a parking lot and practice it a few dozen times and you will find your feel.

 

[Spacekatgal]

I can only tell you how I do it - not sure if it's the only way.

I give it a little gas, 2-3000 RPM and keep it steady, slowly letting the clutch out to the point where it starts to engage, keep that throttle steady and smoothly release the clutch lever as you begin to open the throttle.

You will notice that when you let the clutch out, you lose RPMs, it's at that very moment when you should be giving it more gas

It's mostly a feel thing - you get used to where the engagement point is on your clutch and you get a muscle memory in your clutch hand over time.

Go to a parking lot and practice it a few dozen times and you will find your feel.

Cool. Just knowing a method that will work is enough for me to develop this skill. It sounds like I do need to be giving it more throttle. You know how sensitive it is, and I tend to be very conservative with it.

Bri

 

[outty]

Have you ever driven a cage and tried operating the brake with your left foot? If you aren't one of those freaks who does it all the time - it's jerky and difficult to brake smoothly.

It's the same deal with your clutch lever - over time you'll be a pro with just a little practice.

 

[fallingbomb]

How long have you been riding now?

I think its something you will just figure out with some more experience.

 

[1/4milecrazy]

you have to ride the clutch a little bit, keep it in the friction zone. you have to find the spot where the you are accelerating hard enough with enough throttle but also not totally wasting your clutch. i would not try doing acceleration practice in a parking lot you can run out of room really fast. a nice long back road with little/no traffic would be a lot smarter.

dont be afraid to give it more throttle, just be careful when letting out the clutch to fast. another good way to practice is pointing up hill, once you get the hang of starting on a hill just try doing it with a little more RPM just keep in mind that when facing uphill when you try to accelerate too hard it will lift the front tire a lot easier than on level ground.

 

[Spacekatgal]

How long have you been riding now?

I think its something you will just figure out with some more experience.

I rode my Vespa for a year, which was good training for establishing your space in traffic, keeping aware of what's around you, etc. But I've only been riding my CBR for a month.

Bri

 

[Spacekatgal]

dont be afraid to give it more throttle, just be careful when letting out the clutch to fast. another good way to practice is pointing up hill, once you get the hang of starting on a hill just try doing it with a little more RPM just keep in mind that when facing uphill when you try to accelerate too hard it will lift the front tire a lot easier than on level ground.

I'm about to go practice now! Time for a trip for afternoon coffee!

Bri

 

[1/4milecrazy]

I'm about to go practice now! Time for a trip for afternoon coffee!

Bri

have fun and be safe!!

i already had my afternoon cup

 

[outty]

let us know when you want to learn how to whoolie!

 

[Spacekatgal]

let us know when you want to learn how to whoolie!

Haha. That's straight up Squid behavior. I'll learn to do that as soon as I start riding in flip flops and short shorts.

Bri

 

[outty]

smart ass

 

[Snow]

Haha. That's straight up Squid behavior. I'll learn to do that as soon as I start riding in flip flops and short shorts.

Bri

:shakehand good thinking

 

[newbie04RR]

Haha. That's straight up Squid behavior. I'll learn to do that as soon as I start riding in flip flops and short shorts.

Bri

+:crackup:i'm sorry but that was funny.

 

[Spacekatgal]

Well, I should clarify. I'm sure there are people that can do wheelies that aren't Squids. But, I have a month of experience. It would be very foolish at this point.

I give it a little gas, 2-3000 RPM and keep it steady, slowly letting the clutch out to the point where it starts to engage, keep that throttle steady and smoothly release the clutch lever as you begin to open the throttle.

Hey, thanks for this tip. I worked on this tonight for a good hour in the parking lot next to my house. I stalled a couple of times, but I'm starting to really nail it. Thanks again!

Bri

 

[AZBob]

Starting from a stop is all about the clutch, not so much the throttle. You regulate the speed at which you take off using the clutch lever. Just set the throttle to somethig, like 3 or 4k rpm and let the clutch out smoothly.

As you become more and more atuned to your motorcycle and clutch engagement (everyone's is different), you'll learn how fast you can let the clutch out and what you need to rev it to before letting the clutch out so that you don't stall. You can literally just set the throttle and not worry about it until the clutch is all the way out if you rev high enough. Control over the clutch is what will or won't cause you to pop the front end or stall.

And don't worry about taking too long to take off from a stop. You're on a bike, after full clutch engagement, you can get out of their faster than anyone behind you.

 

[outty]

Well, I should clarify. I'm sure there are people that can do wheelies that aren't Squids. But, I have a month of experience. It would be very foolish at this point.



Hey, thanks for this tip. I worked on this tonight for a good hour in the parking lot next to my house. I stalled a couple of times, but I'm starting to really nail it. Thanks again!

Bri

You are most welcome

Keep in mind that even seasoned veterans stall every once in a while :thumbup:

 

[ShiznitForBrains]

Keep in mind that even seasoned veterans stall every once in a while :thumbup:

Yeah.. Like on a freeway on-ramp, on a hill, in traffic, with a dead battery.. I had to push my bike to the side of the road,then roll it backwards down the on-ramp to bump start it..

 

[d0ntg0m0ng]

I had a similar prob when I started learning stick on a car. I think you have more than enough experience with shifting and something I have learned is that you have to be more confident. I am not saying go and pop wheelies and sheeit like that but when i started off driving I knew how to drive stick but i still accelerated slowly like you. After a while I got used to it and got the hang of it. Then i would say a year later I drove my friends car stick also and my shifts were all messed up and was pretty embarassing to say the least. Well I kept driving and got used to it. I guess you could say it was a dif car but I have notice if your not confident with your shifts you throw off your timing and thats key to driving smoothly. Just something to think about. hopefully this helps