Stationary positioning.

[Hefty]

Went for a little rideabout with a mate last week, were both at the same stage.. riding on L-plates, passed theory, looking to book mod 1 within a month or so.
Anyways, as we parked up he mentioned my stance while sat stationary.. I've always kept my right foot down at lights, crossings etc. Just feels natural being my stronger side etc. My mate reckons the correct position is left foot down, right foot over the rear brake.. a 'safety' position. He even went as far as sayin I could be penalised on my test for it?
This wasn't brought up on my CBT, & i've beein doing this since may so its kind of a tough habit to break, if true. What he's saying does make sense I guess, but is there any truth to this? Do I have to switch legs or don't it matter?
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'13 Honda CBF125 // '99 Suzuki SV650s // '98 Honda CB600F Hornet

[nowhere.elysium]

Right foot on the rear brake does mean that if you're shunted, you won't fly off into the distance. However, it also means that moving off from the lights is that little bit slower, if you've put your bike in neutral. It wouldn't hurt to do it while on your test, but I don't see it being a massive issue in day-to-day riding: I tend to keep the front brake on when at the lights, anyway.
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[Hefty]

I rarely put her in neutral at lights etc, & yeah ive always got the front brake covered so didn't think it was an issue. Its made me a bit paranoid now!
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'13 Honda CBF125 // '99 Suzuki SV650s // '98 Honda CB600F Hornet

[The Shaggy D.A.]

I was told that right foot on the back brake meant you're slightly leaning to the left, so if shunted, that's the way the bike will fall - i.e. not out into the oncoming traffic.

However, now the red Ls are gone, it's both feet on the floor, bike in neutral, ball juggling.
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[stinkwheel]

I was trained in the era that taught the "Hendon shuffle"*.

They have since changed their mind on that but I do still try to slow and stop the last 5mph using the rear brake and keep on it while stationary.

Lets you drop right into controlled "slow riding" mode if you're in stop-start traffic too. This is very useful if you're on a big and/or heavily laden bike.

* Stop on back brake, left foot down, apply front brake, right foot down, left foot up, find neutral, left foot down, right foot up, cover rear brake, release front brake... *lights change* Cover front brake, right foot down, left foot up, engage first, left foot down, right foot up, apply rear brake, release front brake, ride away.

At every set of lights. I shit you not.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rogerborg]

That's the Hendon Shuffle. [UPDATE - damn, that'll learn me to waste time finding some history on it ]

You can read this 10 1/2 year old thread for some assertions that it's:

#1 Outdated advice (10 years ago!) from coppers doing it strictly by the book, and that DSA examiners don't give a stuff any more.

#2 A good habit to get into, especially when you get rear ended - and I submit that's become more likely in the past decade due to mobiles and mongs.

I was taught it casually on my CBT in 2008, didn't do it on my tests in 2010, passed OK, never got mentioned. I do occasionally do it now, if for no other reason than it's the only time the rear brake gets exercised.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[supZ]

i was taught left foot down, right on brake.

never bothered with neutral, just held the clutch in.

i dare say on a full licence test you'd be picked up on it.
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CBR954RR - Daily toy
CBR600RR - Trackbike

[-Matt-]

Always left foot down for me, very rarely use neutral unless stuck in a tight queue/waiting at long-delay lights i know the sequencing of.

[yaigi]

I was taught left foot down, right foot on the brake, and passed my test a year ago, so is fairly recent advise. However, I do recall a thread on here where someone had the same habit as you, did so in the test and wasn't penalised at all. I think it's a bit of a grey area, I do wonder if some testers are a bit funny about it and others aren't. I doubt you'd fail your test for it, maybe just a minor...
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What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[Hefty]

[sabian92]

I was told to keep my foot on the rear brake as it keeps the light on and makes you more obvious to the clown behind you.

Wasn't told to keep it in gear though, but I did anyway.

[-Matt-]

Not sure on the test-'rules' surrounding that but i would of thought going into neutral wouldn't be an issue, but perhaps keep your hand on the grip still so you can clutch in quickly when needed, maybe they could try say you were 'not in control' if you take your hands off and sit up on the bike etc if you get a nazi of an examiner

[stinkwheel]

[yaigi]

[MC]

Right foot on the rear brake if its on a hill, generally I have both feet down tho. Can't remember being told anything about it on my CBT, just read about using the rear brake online.
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I tend to do the Hendon, but man what a fucking faff it can be. Pull up, right foot down, select neutral with left foot, thus right foot up, then left foot down, followed by left up to select first, and therefore right foot down - then is it left foot back down and right foot up, prior to one final left foot up movement before finally pulling away?? Sometimes I just can't be arsed with it and do whatever I feel like - being the subversive non-conformist that I so righteously am at heart, I get a frisson of excitement at such anti-authoritarian "devil may care" footwork. On one such occasion, I remember an old man - who was making his way over a zebra crossing - noticing my improvised, sloppy routine and raising his walking stick and waving it in disapproval. Suffice to say I shook my helmeted head and snubbed him by riding away with nary a backward glance (excluding a cursory shoulder check, that is).
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[sidewinder]

Bike in first gear clutch in.right foot on brake and about 1/2 a cars length from the car in front...gives you a bit of safety room and enables you to take action if you think the car behind or in front is going to do something stupid roll back or not stop

[sidewinder]

Bike in first gear clutch in.right foot on brake and about 1/2 a cars length from the car in front...gives you a bit of safety room and enables you to take action if you think the car behind or in front is going to do something stupid roll back or not stop

[lukamon]

FWIW, I always put my right foot down, so ready to go into first and away.

I did my test 2 weeks ago (DAS) and neither my instructor nor mod 1 or mod 2 examiners mentioned it at all
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killa wrote: Im an ass man myself

[Mario_Kempes]

Was taught that under 10mph just to use the back brake. Think it's a decent habit.

Because of that I always naturally stand with my foot on the brake.

[metalangel]

Left foot down, right on brake... only neutral if the light has just turned red. Otherwise it's up to you if you think it's due to go green.

Leave a decent amount of space between you and the car in front. For one reason, in case the guy in front stalls, you have space to get around him. For another, in case you spot some mong coming up behind you at high speed, you have room to move up and/or escape.
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Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[pinkyfloyd]

We teach (like that, we teach lol) Rest or Safety position. Right foot on rear brake and left foot down.

Only time you will be in neutral is when you are getting off the bike. At lights, just before you stop, tap down into first and then rest or safety and keep the clutch in until you pull away.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Yeah I think that's what I was taught too - but I do remember once being "caught" doing the shuffle on a lesson, and sitting there in neutral, etc. and being told on that particular occasion it was acceptable because the lights took ages to change. The implication being that - at any other time - it was preferable to stay in gear with clutch in (and left foot down). As an old "cager" kinda feels wrong to me though, and I tend to get into neutral and off the clutch when I can - although I'll usually stay in gear w/ clutch in if it makes for a quicker pull away. *shrugs*
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[lihp]

I keep right foot on brake with left down but tend to stay in 1st gear
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covent.gardens: lihp is my most favourite member ever

[thepuma]