gear questions

[ncrn]

Ok I'm going to be doing my 125 cbt soon, and I have never used a bike with gears (just a scooter) so I'm honestly very confused. I've looked about a bit but I've just confused myself more really.

How does the clutch work? By looking about its either done using the back break lever, or another lever under the break?

How do you tell what gear your in? I can't find any way of knowing apart from memory?

Ive also heard you can change gears without using the clutch, is this accurate?

If someone can enlighten me that'd be a great help :)

[PsychoHippy]

The clutch is the leaver on the left handlebar, so it is operated by your left hand. The only way you know what gear you are in is by experience, but if you are in the wrong gear you will know

Yes, it is possible to change gear without using the clutch, but don't try it while you are doing your CBT, it'll only give you something else to think about, and you don't need that.
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I spend all my money on bikes and beer, the rest I simply waste!

[ncrn]

ahh that clears a bit up, I thought the clutch was built in with the back break, and I couldnt understand how you could then use the back break without activating the clutch.

so its just a memory thing with the gears?

and could you explain how (vaguely if you wish) you would change without the clutch?

thanks for the quick response :)

[Itchy]

clutch is the left one , pull in before changing gears ,

its a mechanism that connects the engine to the wheels , fully out = full connection , fully in = engine disconnected.

gear sequence on non race bikes is 1 N 2 3 4 5 (6)

when you start off you fire up the engine , pull in the clutch and press down on the gear lever on your left foot, this puts you into first,

to move off give it some gas , and slowly release the clutch , you can quickly releqse it but it may stall or jerk violently.

more connection = more of the engines power gets to the wheels.

when you get to a good RPM , roll off the gas and pull in the clutch push with your foot UP on the pedal to go up a gear,let go of clutch slowly unless you like jerky changes and so on and so forth down a gear is down on the lever. Changes are signified by a crunch sort of feeling, if you don;t give it enough welly you can get between gears and it;'ll jump out.

you can change sans clutch but it might bugger it Stinky does this and recently changed his GPZ clutch.

memory helps you determine what gear you are in unless you want a suzi GN which tells you what gear you are in via a little extra intrument though I can start off in any gear cus I'm a lazy sod.

Its all sequential so you hafta go into 1 or 3 id you are in 2 and if you get lost , just tap down as many times as possible and you should be in 1



When you stop for say traffic lights yo uwanna be in first so when stopped with clutch in just tap down until you hear or feel no crunch
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[ncrn]

wow thats two incredibly helpful posts in less than 5 minutes

thanks for the help I now get the concept of gearing, however if I can actually do it will be another story

thanks for the help again

[Itchy]

as an extra bit of advice many bikes now if any do not allow you to be in gear and have the side stand / centre stand down , it stalls the engine automatically for safety reasons.

hence you can fire it up in Neutral and it be happily chugging away in neutral , but when you change gear clutch used or not with the side stand down it will die , this may save some embarrassment.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[h00dwink]

[ncrn]

i'll watch out for that, i tend to tike mine of the stand before i turn on the engine anyways so i might not have that happen to me, but never know.

[alex_t]

yup, all great answers but no-one has mentions the rear brake is under your rightfoot seen as u thought it was still left leaver u will get used to it no problem dont worry also some bikes wont start unless u hold the clutch in incase ur in gear n the bike pulls away

Alex
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[CBT - passed 29.04.06] [Theory - passed 19.05.06 *34/35*] [DAS - passed 09.06.06]

SV650, blue

[ncrn]

its under my right foot?

well thats totally different to what im used to lol, hopefully I wont start grabbing the clutch in an emergency stop lol. (although I imagine youd want to)

[SilvaRizla]

You would want to, esle it'll stall. No big deal though I'm sure at the time there'll be other things on your mind, such as removing your lid and using your swear dictionary
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I'm Ivan Dobski the Meatsafe Murderer only I never done it, I only said that I done it so they'd take the truncheon out of my bottom

[ncrn]

well i guess im just gonna have to learn to get used to that lol, a scooter is a lot easier by comparison, guess thats why they call them twist and go.

[MRX Steve]

Dont worry about the clutch, its a lot easier to use than it sounds. Also some thing i dont think any one has said, if you stall when you are out on the road dont panic. Just get your bike back into first gear then slip into neutral, it may be a bit difficult to find neutral as its about half a change between 1st and 2nd so it may take you a few attempts to find it.
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Rieju MRX 50 Castrol Edition

[ncrn]

ok, well panicking has never helped so far so I'm gonna try to not start now. and if things go completely wrong I can always pull over and sort it out,

I guess it'll get easier with experience.

[Lawnie]

I find you can tell what gear you are in by looking at the speed versus rpm. But after a while, you'll know just by the sound and throttle response.

[Lawnie]

[alien.46.uk]

Yer Dont worry about it too much, i go on my 125 in a bit of land i got as im not quite 17 yet and withing about 2-3 hours total on it i can pull away nearly everytime without stalling and when i brake i use the front and mileyseconds after press on the rear.

Still practicing my Emergency stops with sliding as the land im on is a bit rough so i almost turn corners like a scrambler, lol ...

At leats emergency stops arn't in your CBT or i hope not :p (Doin it on a TAG though, lol) ...

You'll get used to it ... I am
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2007 Kawasaki ZX10R :: 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R - SOLD
1998 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer - SOLD :: 1994 Aprilia Pegaso 125 - SOLD

[sunbear]

Trust me, when you know your life is now down to remembering that your rear brake is on your right foot you will press it automatically . Just relax on the thing. For the gears you dont really need to know what gear you are in . You can tell by the amount of pull the bike has and the level of sound coming from the engine . You will get used to that within a couple of hours. When you come to a stand still, just tap gears all the way down , and then once more to be on the safe side so you know you are back in first. Good luck on the CBT . Just relax and enjoy it. No need to be nervous, they put you on 4 stroke bikes which dont have much power at all
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Bikes had : BMW F650, suzuki tr50, gt125, SV400, GSXR600 SRAD. Honda CBR900RRP, CBR600FX, CBR1000F, VT600, Transalp 600, mtx125, nsr125r, CB500T, Yamaha fy50, tzr125, tdr125, XV535, Diversion 600, Fazer 600, TDM850 MK1 & MK2, Majesty 400, XV 1100. Cagiva mito evolution, Aprilia rs125, Piaggio x9 125. DNA 125 . Suzuki Bandit 600, GZ125 Marauder, RF600 , RF900RS2, Kawasaki ZZR400, ZX6R Ninja, ZZR600 . Ducati 750 Sport . Triumph Tiger 955i. CURRENT : 2004 Kawasaki Z750 and LOVIN IT !

[ncrn]

thanks, all good advice im sure i'll get used to the whole gearing thing in time, and if not i can always buy another scooter

the cbt center doesnt open bank holidays or weekends so im having to wait until tomorrow to call, probably should have booked this earlier.

[sunbear]

Yeah you might have to wait for a cbt cos of the time of year. But you might get lucky
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Bikes had : BMW F650, suzuki tr50, gt125, SV400, GSXR600 SRAD. Honda CBR900RRP, CBR600FX, CBR1000F, VT600, Transalp 600, mtx125, nsr125r, CB500T, Yamaha fy50, tzr125, tdr125, XV535, Diversion 600, Fazer 600, TDM850 MK1 & MK2, Majesty 400, XV 1100. Cagiva mito evolution, Aprilia rs125, Piaggio x9 125. DNA 125 . Suzuki Bandit 600, GZ125 Marauder, RF600 , RF900RS2, Kawasaki ZZR400, ZX6R Ninja, ZZR600 . Ducati 750 Sport . Triumph Tiger 955i. CURRENT : 2004 Kawasaki Z750 and LOVIN IT !

[Jenks]

I did my CBT recently , and if you can't get used to the gears, ask for some advice or "Tips"...
You do tend to know what gear you are in, either by the sound... How well its pulling, or not pulling... And when at lights and things, just click and engage every gear back down to the bottom to get 1...

It's quite simple - but it is a little bit hard for me to explain. As you know, the CBT is training, you will learn.

[Lawnie]

You'll know when you've clicked down enough to be in first gear as the shifter wont move down as much.