Find solution
How do you learn to ride the motorcycle?

How do you learn how to shift gears on a motorcycle? I want to ride but I'm afraid I'd break the engine.

  • I want to buy a Motorcycle and learn how to ride but I'm not experianced. Is there anyway to get an automatic? How many gears are there. and What happens if you don't shift right or don't shift at all? Does it go by sound?

  • Answer:

    I think this is the scariest part of learning to ride. It was for me. BUT....if you take the MSF safety course, they'll teach you that and more. And you'll find that it's nothing. You'll be laughing at yourself for worrying. Trust me on this! I was really freaked about it. I couldn't imagine how you could possibly work a clutch with your hand and shift with your feet and do BOTH at the same time. But it really turned out to be the easiest thing to learn. So - take the safety course. You'll be fine. To answer your other questions - most bikes are either 5 or 6 gears. Is that right? I'm having a brain fart. To know when to shift you can watch your tach, just like you do in a car, but you mostly do it by feel/sound. You really won't do any harm to the engine unless you put off shifting until you're in the red zone. But you're not going to do that by accident; the engine will be winding and whining long before you get that far. You can't really shift wrong - I've sometimes missed a gear, or gone up or down more than one at a time. If you do something like that, you just keep the clutch in until you get it back together.

Trinity at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

Was this solution helpful to you?

Other answers

It goes by revs, the engine will let you feel when its time to shift. And its simple. Press the clutch (left handle) and push the gear shifter all the way down. That's first gear. a little up it's neutral. when you're riding to change from first to second push the shifter up hard and it will skip neutral and go to 2nd. Keep going up to 3rd, 4th and 5th. and viceversa. You want to practice somewhere like in an empty parking lot first. There are automatic transmission motorcycles, but anyone will tell you shifting gears is a big part of the experience. http://ridleymotorcycle.com/html/main.htm

joseguate22

1 down 4 up

{[Thom]}

For starters if you have a car licence and drive a manual then you know when to change gears already and really its not much different on a bike except they run in sequence (hense the name sequencial gearbox) The easiest way is to find someone you know that has a trail bike or quad and learn gear changes on that first, cause there is also balance and the brakes to learn. But lets face it, kids can do it, asians with three kids and a dog can do it, so i'm sure you can too. Go the dirt if possible, less damage to you and the bike when you fall over. And don't worry we all have , its part of the fun.

neil_morgan_australia

There are courses out there that will teach you how to ride a motorcycle. Right from starting it up, and up to riding it. The course is called "Beginners riders course. They also have an advanced one, or Experienced riders course. BUT you would have to start at the beginners level. Here in MA (USA) taking the course saves you 10% on your insurance. It may vary from state to state. If you contact a riders group LIKE the AMA, or HOG, they will most likely be able to get you the information you need to get enrolled in one. There is a cost for these courses but they are well worth it. Good luck and Ride safe.

GRUMPY

Take the course BEFORE you buy the bike. That way if you decide it is "not for you" then you're not out anything except the course fee. Also buy a beater bike for your first bike-- something mechanically sound but maybe not pretty--- a used bike because all beginners are hard on the clutch and starter, and you'll probably drop it, either while riding or from parking wrong, and it's a lot better to get that over with on a bike that is already beat up instead of a brand new one.

dcgirl

Pepperdine University

It's a piece of cake. Look around at who's riding, we're not talking Rocket Scientists here. Good Luck!

hulaguy43

well say u r starting off at a stop sign in neutral what you would like to do first is hold the clutch all the way down then press the gear shifter down u r in first gear. Now depress the clutch slowly since u a beginner and u r going to feel the bike move as you let go of the clutch gas the engine and you will move faster. Then your going to have to shift into second gear by shifting up and skipping neutral. Never forget were your breaks are.In my opinion turning is the hardest ( im 16, when i first took my dads bike out i fell at the corner and had to find a store quick to replace the part b 4 he found out.) As soon as you understand how to go str8 work on turning. Im sure you will do well

NyCz BlK BoI

Take a riding course PERIOD

jafnarf

Load more

Related Q & A:

Just Added Q & A:

Find solution

For every problem there is a solution! Proved by Solucija.

  • Got an issue and looking for advice?

  • Ask Solucija to search every corner of the Web for help.

  • Get workable solutions and helpful tips in a moment.

Just ask Solucija about an issue you face and immediately get a list of ready solutions, answers and tips from other Internet users. We always provide the most suitable and complete answer to your question at the top, along with a few good alternatives below.