An underrated aspect of learning how to ride a motorcycle goes beyond turning and popping wheelies. No, it’s something seemingly much more simple than that. Do you shift? Sure, shifting gears should be easy, because it’s a basic function; but shifting gear does have a layer of complexity that beginning cyclists could have problems mastering right away.
Here’s everything you need to know about shifting gears on a motorcycle.
Motorcycle Gears Basics
The three basic controls are ones that you might already know—the throttle, the clutch, and the gear selector. You use the throttle to rev the engine, the clutch to engage and disengage the brakes (transmission), and to select gears. For instance, if you pull the left hand clutch towards you, the engine revs without ever moving the bike.
The gear pattern can be clicked through by using the gear selector lever and is moved by your left foot. Most bikes have the following gears, starting with the lowest first:
• First gear
• Neutral
• Second gear
• Third gear
• Fourth gear
• Fifth gear
• Sixth gear (depending on the bike)
As you can see, shifting fears is sequential. Up or down, neutral (N) is always put between 1st and 2nd gear.
Technique For Motorcycle Shifting
It’s best to learn the proper technique required to maneuver through shifting gears before learning how to do anything else.
Steps of the proper shifting technique:
- Disengage the clutch. Use your left hand to pull it towards you.
- Select the correct gear by using your left food on the shifting lever.
- Slightly rev the engine if shifting up.
- Gradually release the clutch. Don’t pop it.
- Feather the throttle while releasing the clutch to accelerate smoothly.
- Continue revving if you which to switch to another gear in succession. Otherwise, find a nice cruising speed to maintain.
Shifting With Sound and Feel
Have you ever heard wailing motorcycle engines on the road? You’ve probably thought to yourself, “Is that rider even shifting?” That’s you using the basic rule of sound. In basic terms, if an engine starts to scream, you shift to an upper gear. If the engine starts to grumble, then shift the engine lower.
There a many methods to help you do this properly. Beginners should only focus on the simplest method. Afterwards, you can experiment.
Start off by riding in first gear. Try to sense to point when you need to switch to second gear. This means the engine isn’t yet screaming, but you are feeling the natural inclination to gain more speed. The clutch will disengage easily.
Should the engine start to scream, this means you’ve hit the red line, otherwise known as the built-in limiter. The limiter is placed in the engine to ensure the bike doesn’t overextend itself and burn up.
If you shift a gear up too soon, the bike could stall or choke. Restart the bike. Try again. Keep working through the gears until you can hear and feel when it is time to gear up.
Shifting Smoothly
You will notice that there’s no mathematical equation to figure out the “when” behind shifting. Every bike has a unique behavior that depends on how you handle it. For instance, if the bike jerks when you release the clutch, you’re being too abrupt. If the bike tends to lurch during shifts, you’re applying too much throttle. If the motorcycle’s speed dips during shifting, you need to rev the engine more between gear changes. Pay attention to the clutch, throttle, and gear selector, because these all interact and are dependent on one another.
Mechanics of Movement
Let’s back-up for a moment. Now that you have this idea in your mind that you need to listen and feel and understand with muscle memory what to do when shifting, it’s time to talk about what is happening inside the bike while you’re doing the actions.
The clutch is the first thing you touch when it’s time to shift gears, unless you have an automatic motorcycle or a quick shift. Once the clutch is engaged, meaning the lever is out and power is send to the rear tie, little springs press on the clutch plate that connect the primary drive to the part that rotates from the pistons going up and down.
When you pull the lever, the plate separates and releases the connection to the motor. In this moment, you can change gears.
That’s when you take your foot and move the gear selector. On the gear selector is a piece called a collar that has “dogs.” This dogs mesh together with the fork in the same way you interlace your fingers. When you move your foot up and down on the selector, the dogs and fork connect to help change the gear. Then, you find the right gear and accelerate.
Keep this in mind while reading the next two sections about upshifting and downshifting.
Upshifting
Most of this article has been devoted to upshifting. Upshifting is easier than downshifting, because you are accelerating. This means that if you do any of the steps of shifting a little too quick, there’s less of an impact. Of course, this could result in a sudden jolt of power to the rear wheel, causing the front tire to come off the ground.
(Note: You should only practice stunts in a controlled environment and when you have gained enough experience.)
Downshifting
On the opposite end of upshifting is downshifting, which tends to go a little less smoothly. If you release the clutch too quickly while downshifting, the sudden downward change can cause the gear to slow down the rear tire, compressing the front end, and causing a lack of traction in the back end. You need to be able to control the release of the clutch.
Be careful when rounding corners and decreasing your gears for this reason. You don’t want to suddenly lose traction right when you need more grip on the asphalt. That could cause the bike to skid to the side.
False Neutral
When downshifting, you could accidentally hit a false neutral. This can happen anywhere there shouldn’t be a neutral, including between 3rd and 4th or 4th and 5th and so on. This could happen if the dogs don’t connect with the fork when selecting gears. There is power loss to the rear wheel.
If you end up in a false neutral, pull on the clutch, and put the bike into a higher gear. You can prevent excessive damage to the bike. Be quick and make sure you move into the correct once you get out of false neutral.
With that, you should be able to master the basics of shifting. Practice the timing of the clutch release and working with the gear selector for a bit. You will soon be able to shift between gears like someone who has been riding for many years.
Liked this article and want more beginner motorcycle tips? Check out my YouTube channel and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button.
-
21 Summer Motorcycle Rallies for Summer 2018
What’s better than the open road and a summer breeze on your face? At RumbleOn, we believe that it can only be beat by joining thousands of others who live and breathe for the same experience. This summer, don’t miss your chance to join a community of riders from across the nation by checking out this list of 25 events in 2018. Make lifelong connections, show off your ride, or even buy or sell a bike of your own!
Looking for more ways to adventure? We’ve also compiled the Best Biker Bars and Food Spots, Best Sights to See, and Best Roads to Ride for you.
July Events
Monday, July 9, 2018 – Thursday, July 12, 2018
Bowling Green, KY
32nd Annual Women on Wheels International Ride-In™
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 – Thursday, July 12, 2018
Johnson City, TN
Hell’s Canyon Motorcycle Rally
Thursday, July 12, 2018 – Monday, July 16, 2018
Baker City, OR
Monday, July 16, 2018 – Friday, July 20, 2018
Provo, UT
2018 Cascade Country Rendezvous and GS Rally by BestRest
Thursday, July 19, 2018 – Sunday, July 22, 2018
Republic, WA
ABATE of Indiana’s 38th Annual Boogie 2018
Thursday, July 19, 2018 – Sunday, July 22, 2018
Springville, IN
Thursday, July 19, 2018 – Sunday, July 22, 2018
Muskegon, MI
North Dakota Ladies Run – 31st Annual
Friday, July 20, 2018 – Sunday, July 22, 2018
Dickinson, ND
South East Raider Rally – 10th Annual
Sunday, July 22, 2018 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
Maggie Valley, NC
CMA Florida Summer Springs Fling
Friday, July 27, 2018 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
Ft. McCoy, FL
GWRRA Montana District Convention 2018
Thursday, July 26, 2018 – Saturday, July 28, 2018
Missoula, MT
Friday, July 27, 2018 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
Las Vegas, NM
August Events
Thursday, August 2, 2018 – Sunday, August 5, 2018
Black River Falls, WI
Friday, August 3, 2018 – Sunday, August 12, 2018
Sturgis, SD
Apple’s 15th Annual East Coast Motorcycle Rally
Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – Sunday, August 12, 2018
Little Orleans, MD
GWRRA Kentucky Blast District Convention 2018
Thursday, August 16, 2018 – Saturday, August 18, 2018
Cave City, KY
12th Annual Surfside Beach Bash
Friday, August 17, 2018 – Sunday, August 19, 2018
Oyster Creek, TX
Winding Road Ranch Biker Party 2018
Friday, August 24, 2018 – Sunday, August 26, 2018
Rush Springs, OK
Pennsylvania Rally on the River – Summer
Thursday, August 23, 2018 – Sunday, August 26, 2018
Northumberland, PA
September Events
Thunder in the Rockies Motorcycle Rally 2018
Friday, August 31, 2018 – Monday, September 3, 2018
Loveland, CO
Friday, August 31, 2018 – Monday, September 3, 2018
Pioneer, OH
Haley Cunningham
RumbleOn Marketing Content Manager
-
How To Start A Yamaha R6
Starting a motorcycle is easier than it used to be, thanks to technology. While there are various kinds of bikes, starting a Yamaha R6 or other fuel-injected motorcycles is more or less then same across the board.
Here is how you start a fuel-injected motorcycle, like the Yamaha R6:
How To Start A Yamaha R6 Starting The Engine of a Yamaha R6
You can find this information in the owner’s manual of your bike, too. Before starting the bike, make sure you have done the following:
- The transmission is in neutral.
- The transmission is in gear, the clutch is pulled, and the kickstand/sidestand is stowed. Some modern models, Yamaha included, have a safety feature that will prevent the bike from starting if the sidestand hasn’t been raised.
Next, follow these steps precisely:
- Insert the key into the ignition.
- Turn the key to the ON position. Make sure the engine stop switch is set to the correct position.
- Warning lights and indicator lights should illuminate momentarily then disappear if conditions are satisfactory. These lights include:
- Oil level
- Coolant temperature
- Fuel level
- Shift timing
- Engine problems
- Immobilizer system
- Shift the transmission into neutral. The light should come on. If not, you might have an electrical circuit problem.
- Start the engine with the start switch.
- In the event of failure, wait a few seconds and try another start. Don’t draw out the time trying to start the engine to preserve battery power. Do not extend for more than 10 seconds.
General Instructions for a Fuel-Injected Motorcycle
Here’s some instructions to follow if you don’t have the make/model mentioned above:
How To Start A Motorcycle
- Put the motorcycle in neutral. Neutral is always located between 1st and 2nd gear.
- Put the key in the ignition if necessary.
* Note: Fuel-injected motorcycles have an engine management system. This means you don’t have to worry about using the choke lever. Only a small amount of throttle will be needed, regardless of engine temperature. - Start pulling the clutch near the left handlebar. Some riders choose to pull the clutch and front brake simultaneously, but the choice is yours.
- Press and hold the start button. You will find this on the right handlebar. Maintain your hold on the clutch.
- The motorcycle should automatically catch and start.
- If the engine doesn’t turn over and start immediately, you can try using the throttle while pressing the start button. Make sure you are holding the clutch.
- Remember to never crank the engine for more than 10 seconds clips at a time. Otherwise, you’re wasting battery power.
- You can slowly start to release the clutch.
Now, you’re ready to ride!
Final Thoughts
Unlike carburetor motors, fuel injection systems rarely fail. To prevent the pump from failing, do some routine maintenance. Get into the habit of listening to the bike and know what a healthy running engine sounds like. That way, if something unusual happens, you will be able to tell whether or not something is wrong with the pump fuse by sound alone.
Modern fuel-injected motorcycles are easy to start. Follow the instructions in this article, and you will have no problem.
For more information about how to start, ride, and care for your motorcycle, check out my YouTube channel. Hit the subscribe button for notifications whenever there’s an update. -
The Ultimate List Of Female Motovloggers On YouTube
What Is A Motovlog?
Simply put, motovlogging is when you attach a camera to yourself or your motorcycle and record your ride. Wikipedia defines it as:
A motovlog is a type of video log recorded by a person while riding a motorcycle. The word is a neologism and portmanteau derived from “motorcycle”, “video” and “log”. A rider who creates video blogs known as a moto blogger, and the action of making motovlogs is called motovlogging. Most motovloggers upload their videos on YouTube, and the network of motovloggers here is known as the motovloggers community.
Are you looking for motovloggers to follow?
While I’m positive this isn’t a complete list, I’m sure you’ll find a channel here that will peak your interest. Make sure you check back frequently because I’ll be adding to this list.
If you’re a motovlogger that would like to added to this list simply follow me on YouTube and fill out my contact form and I’ll get you added!
Coming Soon:
- The Ultimate List Of Motovloggers
- The Ultimate List Of Instagram Motovloggers
Shout Out To PhatboyR6 and No.Bumpers for helping me come up with this collection of motovloggers. So here they are in no particular order!
