To Shift Or Not To Shift
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77 Posts
you need to find out what is right for you. i downshift quite often, but there are times, if im going slow enough, and there are no cars comming up on me, i will just "coast" up to the light, stop, then drop it into gear. but it is always good to keep yourself out of harms way, and an excape route, for those idiots whoI have often pondered this question...
Should I down shift when slowing to a stop...or should I pull in the clutch and hold it in, come to a complete stop and then down shift...?
Are there any pro or cons to either...?
Thoughts...?
ONT SEE US, at stop lights, and flat run over you, unless you are in gear and ready to move out of the way. so dont end up a statistic.....keep that thing in gear, and ready to move at all times! rick
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1,405 Posts
Can't say what is best for the bike. I downshift for a few reasons
- like Rick said, I am always in a proper gear to accelerate if necessary
- got in the habit in part because the other bikes I have had are sometimes hard to shift
when sitting still. Worse yet because you have to do it 4 times.
I have had occasions where the light turned green, traffic behind me and still trying
to get it into 1st.
- it also saves on the brake pads. maybe not a big deal on Wings but I get 2 to 3 times
the life out of my Sabre as others with the same bike.
- like Rick said, I am always in a proper gear to accelerate if necessary
- got in the habit in part because the other bikes I have had are sometimes hard to shift
when sitting still. Worse yet because you have to do it 4 times.
I have had occasions where the light turned green, traffic behind me and still trying
to get it into 1st.
- it also saves on the brake pads. maybe not a big deal on Wings but I get 2 to 3 times
the life out of my Sabre as others with the same bike.
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123 Posts
I almost always downshift, for the reasons cited (being in the right gear to accelerate if I need to). I NEVER go to neutral at a light. Call me paranoid, but I watch my mirror to make sure the guy behind me, and the guy behind him, are going to stop. With the bike in first I've at least got a fighting chance to get out of the way if they don't.
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16 Posts
I always downshift when coming to a stop. It seems to me that it is easier on the transmission to do it while rolling rather than when stopped. I have no idea if that is true but that is what it feels like to me.
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9,845 Posts
Hi, my name is two wheel wing.... and I'm a downshifter....LOL..
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183 Posts
I second almost all of the above. Downshift as you are comming to the stop, its is easier to do as you are moving. Watch for your neutral light so you know that you have gone past neutral into first and leave it there. Now you are ready. If a car is ahead of you position yourself & the bike to the right or left of the car, that way you have an escape route.
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9,845 Posts
No "STINKIN" LED here... I like to be surprised and guess what gear I'm in....LOL
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26,270 Posts
I downshift and use the engine braking as much as I can, both for safety and saving my brakes (they are the last line of defense in most cases, and the power is the other). The only time I will use neutral at a stop is in extreme heat and then only if there is a sufficient barrier of traffic behind me so no bozo cager is going to ram me up the a$$. I've often thought an LED gear indicator would be nice, but then it's one more reason to take your eyes off the road. Almost t-boned a deer a couple weeks back by checking my speedo coming in to a reduced speed zone. You just never know.
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5 Posts
I always downshift. It comes from my days of riding bikes that only had drum brakes and didn't stop very well. Its also a good defensive measure. Holding the clutch in at a stop is hard on mechanism that disengages the clutch. I tend to go to neutral if its a long light.
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77 Posts
dont have it. kinda wish i did though. i think it would be cool. of course that would just be one more thing i wouldnt have to do on a wing, that may get me in trouble, by not having to THINK at all!!!! rick
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11,785 Posts
Downshift, it helps keep your attention on what you are doing!
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1,405 Posts
I was taught "NEVER" trust a light to tell you what the bike is doing. If the bulb goes out or an electrical short happens, you are going on bad information. There is one on my bike and I do look at it but I don't trust it.
I keep it in gear and end up in 1st. You test it by slightly releasing the clutch and you feel the bike tug forward. Intersections are the most dangerous and it is a chess game where you want to be 3 steps ahead playing "what if". One being, if the guy behind me doesn't stop, where can I go?
By the way, I pay extra attention to left turns or others turning left. 3 of 4 accidents happen where a left turn was involved that involved more than 1 vehicle.
If you never make a left, you just decreased your risk by more than half!!!!
I keep it in gear and end up in 1st. You test it by slightly releasing the clutch and you feel the bike tug forward. Intersections are the most dangerous and it is a chess game where you want to be 3 steps ahead playing "what if". One being, if the guy behind me doesn't stop, where can I go?
By the way, I pay extra attention to left turns or others turning left. 3 of 4 accidents happen where a left turn was involved that involved more than 1 vehicle.
If you never make a left, you just decreased your risk by more than half!!!!
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23,767 Posts
Gear position indicators are a great farkle. I can turn you on to a member on another site who custom installed one and even installed rear camera view to work through his display screen. Do you want to go there is the question ?
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217 Posts
Chopin...that sounds great...but I draw the line at fooling around with the display module...too much could go wrong...I did see but could not find on another post where someone had mounted the gear shift indicator (LED readout) behind the left front speaker grill...from the pictures it looked great....
I hate to admit it...but sometimes...you just come up on a light and stop the bike and forget what gear you are in...thought the readout might just be another benefit....if you want to pass on the thread that was on the other forum...I would be willing to look at it...
Thanks....Safe Rides...To All
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23,767 Posts
That would be " wesexcellence " on the GL1800Riders forum.
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49 Posts
I down shift everything. I drive a semi for a living, always downshifting it, as time permits. I even downshift my car, an Acura w/auto (just a habit) irritates my wife but I replace the brakes half as often on my car as hers. I beleive in letting the trans do the work, I let it shift up why not down. Seriously, it saves on brakes and if you do notice some idiot coming up fast behind you you don't have to fumble around to find a gear to get you out of there. I also tap on the brakes just enough to engage the brake lights in a flashing manor to hopefully get the drivers attention behind me.
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449 Posts
I also have to admit to being a downshifter.
As far as a gear indicator....I just can't see a need for one.
As far as a gear indicator....I just can't see a need for one.
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