NSR 125 Tomorrow - How to ride it?

Star La · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Karma :

Hi.

I regret not taking a geared bike when i had my CBT last year because now it's come to a situation where I'm going to need to know how to ride a gear bike. (I've only got experience on automatics)

I'm expecting delivery for my NSR tomorrow so I would be very grateful if someone could advise how it works.

I know how to drive a manual car and I've been told it's easier on a bike but I would rather play it safe and erm..cool (incase anyone is watching) Embarassed

So far I know to have it on Neutral then pull in the clutch and then hit either down or up, ?? -

I've used the search function and read that you can ignore the clutch for going down gears when on 4th gear for example. I don't think I'll do that just yet..

Thanks!

SilvaRizla · Spanner Monkey Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Karma :

I really think you should take a couple of lessons £40-ish
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Makaveli_Rydah · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Karma :

2 lessons or 4 hours teaching should be suffice to sort you out - really is worth it mate otherwise your most likely to break something on the bike - i.e the gearbox
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Bike History:- Vision / Phantom 100 / Aerox 100 / Runner VX125 / Honda VFR400 NC24 / Kwak ZX9R B3 / Honda CBR600 F / ZZR400 & K2 GSXR 750 / Suzuki VZ800

butterob · Spanner Monkey Joined: 10 May 2006 Karma :

I dont think you will need lessons

I taught myself to ride a 125 manual and its a piece of piss!!

As long as you are familiar with all the controls around you and make sure you have decent brakes u will be fine

REMEMBER!!!

Bike in neutral, pull clutch in, click down on gear lever (left side of bike), Can release clutch about 1/3 of the way out and apply revs (much like in a car), starts to pull away, when revs have built up release throttle and pull clutch in and shift up to move into 2nd. Continue to shift up for higher gears and down for lower gears.

When slowing down for junctions use 2nd gear if you are going about 10-20ish and use the clutch to prevent the bike jerking as you put more power on into the bend.

Rear brake is on the right hand side and front break is on the right handle bar.

AS you have got the NSR, they are pretty nippy for 125's so take it easy on the throttle for a while... particulary on the lower gears!!

HAVE FUN

Star La · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Karma :

SilvaRizla, Makaveli_Rydah -

I agree with what you're saying but I'm very limited on funds and not to mention that I did not expect my NSR to be arriving tomorrow morning, an hour before I need to go somewhere so I am limited to time as well as I plan to use the bike immediately for my journey.

butterob,

so how is the gears set?
5
4
3
2
1
N

? or is N and 1 swapped and does that mean i have to flick down to go 1st then back into N and then 2? I noticed through my searches that someone listed the N between the 2 and 1 which I don't get.

Much appreciated!

Smithy · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Karma :

Ive never owened a nsr so dunno if they have 5 or 6??
5
4
3
2
n
1

Click down, its half a click up into N , which i still find bloody difficult on my bike, can always get it into N when im out and about, but not when needed. I would suggest a lesson, but if you feel you can pick it up by yourself, when i attempted to teach my mate how to use a manual bike he ended up on his arse and bike rolling away. He's used to driving a car so he thought he could do it, just make sure your familiar with the controls, and dont panic. If you can try to get someone with experience to help you.
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Star La · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Karma :

Alright, Thanks for that - I'm confident I can teach myself - I know a very quite road so I'll be giving it a go around there.

I'll update this thread tomorrow. Thumbs Up

tokarev · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Karma :

Hi,

Pretty sure that it is 6 gears. Here is some quick tips to get you started (practice in an open space or somthing, you should pick it up after about 30 minutes to an hour).

Turn on ignition and make sure the green neutral light is on

If on then click down the gear lever to put bike into first whilst holding in the clutch (make sure sidestand is up before you do this or the safety mechanism will cut the bike off if you try and engage a gear whilst sidestand is down)

Give the bike some revs (say about 4000rpm) with clutch still held in

Start slowly releasing the clutch until you feel the 'biting point' - (where you can feel the bike just starting to pull)

You should then start moving off slowly, keep releasing the clutch slowly (otherwise it will jerk you forward) unitil it is fully out and you will be riding around in first gear.

To change into second let off the throttle, pull the clutch all the way in and click up on the gear lever once. Just release clutch and then continue to use the throttle.

To get back into neutral, pull in clutch and click down through the gears until cant go down any more. Then do a very slight upwards push on the gear lever to get into neutral (can be tricky as the movement has to be a light tap up)

Couple more tips, so you don't make the same mistakes I did!

Fuel Tap. OFF: Horizontal position means it is off and no fuel will pass. ON: Twist fuel tap clockwise until it is left ridge is vertical and then fuel is on and can pass. RES: Twist fuel tap anti clockwise until right ridge is vertical and you will now be on reserve. (There are markings on the fuel tap at the positions mentioned above; On, Off and Res).

Starting bike from a long stand. Make sure fuel tap is on and bike in neutral. Pull out the choke (on the left just under the tank) and then press ignition. Bike should start and revs will rise. Adjust choke to half way and the bike revs will be around 2-3k, then let the revs die down a little and put choke in/off. Blip the throttle a little to about 2k/3k to make sure bike doesn't die.

If you have just got off the bike and want to start up again then you wont need to use the choke, just use ignition and a few revs to start it.

Good luck! Mr. Green

code guru · Brolly Dolly Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Karma :

its easy 2 ride a geared bike , it will take some time 2 get use 2 it but u will get the hand off it.
gears r like this
1
N
2
3
4
5
6

2 start the bike make sure u aint got kill switch on and that u have the side stand up, warm the bike up and wait for the the needel 2 go out side the blue area on the temp gauge. then clutch in and foot down on the gear leaver into 1st, rev the bike 2 4-5k revs and slowly let the clutch out, u will feel the bike bitting then rev a bit more and let the clutch out a bit more then u will start moveing then more throttel and let the clutch out then when u whant 2 change let go off the throttle and clutch in gear up into second clutch out with a bit off throttel. u will get use 2 it

code guru · Brolly Dolly Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Karma :

2 get back into N when in 1st push pull the gear leaver up half with the clutch in then u will hear the click and your N light will come on. on my nsr i cant get my bike into nuetral when the bike is running and on some 125's its hard
when u go from 1 to 2 u push the leaver up all the way and 1to N u push the leaver up a bit

jay_666 · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Karma :

Code guru - its like this:
6
5
4
3
2
N
1
As its 1 down, 5 up Wink

but yeh, i know what you ment, just saves confusion.
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code guru · Brolly Dolly Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Karma :

Star La · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Karma :

thanks Tokarev, jay666 & code guru.

Well, I recieved my bike this morning at 7.30 - I was quite nervous as i sat on the bike having a look over the controls and such - I took the bike around back roads and practised slowing down, stopping and going off again.

I then proceeded to go on to the main roads during busy times - I stalled it about 4/5 times on my way to the physio but on the way back I didn't stall it which was okay.

I found it much easier to keep it at Gear 1 when I'm at the lights rather than kicking into N then back to 1 as it seems there is a thin line between 2 and N. - I still don't see why they couldn't of just put N at the bottom of the system. ? maybe i'll see why in a few months time.

I'm gonna ride it more later - The bike looks good and I feel comfortable on it - much better than the DNA. Thumbs Up

Thanks for the help people, really appreciate it.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Jamie. · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Karma :

Just make sure when changing from first gear into second that you pull the gear lever right the way up so you dont go into neutral by accident, when I was learning to drive a motocross bike when I was around 10 that was my biggest mistake, and you DONT want to do that while going round a bend as its easy to topple over Mr. Green

code guru · Brolly Dolly Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Karma :

i whent from a dna 2 an nsr. lol my dna woz a 125 and it woz heavy as fook nothink like the nsr. i love my nsr its much better in every way. yer when i picked my nsr from b'ham i had 2 drive all the way back 2 romford in essex 120 mil and i never been on a geared 125 before well i had but it woz a 4t a/c 125 crap thing and iv been out for like 5min on my rieju rs1. so it woz a big step doing 120 miles home but lucky my cuz lives half way in MK so i stayed there the night. and didnt even stall it once on the way 2 mk but i did on the way home Laughing

StottyB · Trackday Trickster Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Karma :

I'm in the same situation as the fella who started this thread so thoguht it wasn't worth starting a new thread. Say i've put it into 3rd and i'm going 50 but i want to drop down to 20. What do you do?

When i drop it down the revs go way up, confusing!

My dads friend trains police riders so he's giving me a few lessons soon but i'd like to be comfortable with the basics first!

Thanks Very Happy

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2005 Gilera Stalker 50DT ---> 2003 NSR125R ---> **1999 Honda Hornet 600**

sunbear · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Karma :

50-20mph? I think it depends on the revs you have going. If you are in high revs and you drop down a gear the bike will slow down but the engine will not like it (will rev the eff out of it!) . Just tap the brake a little to let the engine slow down, then knock down a gear and let clutch out slowly Thumbs Up

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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 !

StottyB · Trackday Trickster Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Karma :

why let the clutch out slowly?
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2005 Gilera Stalker 50DT ---> 2003 NSR125R ---> **1999 Honda Hornet 600**

sunbear · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Karma :

So the back wheel doesnt do anything stupid . If you suddenly drop a gear and let out the clutch immediately in high revs, the engine will scream its lovely little head off. I have had the back wheel lock up for a split second when i first started riding geared bikes through letting out the clutch too soon. Let the engine revs match the speed you are going Thumbs Up

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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 !

StottyB · Trackday Trickster Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Karma :

ahh happened to me yesterday, dropped a gear let the clutch out as i would if going up a gear, screamed!!!

So if you drop a gear you should slowly release the clutch to match so it dusn't just start revving frantically?

Going up gears is fine for me but its slowing down and going down gears i just don't understand!

Cheers
____________________
2005 Gilera Stalker 50DT ---> 2003 NSR125R ---> **1999 Honda Hornet 600**

h00dwink · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 May 2006 Karma :

using the engine break isn't totally the same as using it on a car. like, you're used to just being able to drop from 3rd to 2nd in a car, and little will come of it. you do that on a 125 at a fair speed, and you'll lock the back wheel, which if you're turning at the same time. will scare the shiz out of ya Laughing

when i first got on a geared bike, i didn't like it. having no prior experience. then i got a TAG 125, and got used to how the accelerator worked. then with knowing how cars gears worked, i managed to apply that to a geared bike. got one in january this year, took a few stalls but managed it fine within an hour and a half.
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StottyB · Trackday Trickster Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Karma :

I don't drive a car so it's all new to me!

Will i just learn at what rev in say third i can drop it into second with if you get what i mean?
____________________
2005 Gilera Stalker 50DT ---> 2003 NSR125R ---> **1999 Honda Hornet 600**

sunbear · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Karma :

You will get to know your bike . Give it time and take it easy untill you are totally confident Thumbs Up

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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 !

kn76cbr · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 28 May 2006 Karma :

get that rear locking and wot good fun you will have round town!