I keep finding neutral

https://lemmy.ca/post/50089858

I keep finding neutral - Lemmy.ca

I go from stop to start in first gear. All is nice. I then shift up and my bike roars. This is because I’m in neutral instead of second gear. Does anyone else struggle with this? I’m new. Any tips or is it just a matter of getting good?

On most bikes, neutral is a “half click” above first, where you have to be pretty deliberate to find it.

On mine I sometimes struggle to find neutral when i want it.

Try being firm when you shift into second, and if that doesn’t work, you’ll just have to learn the feel of getting past into second.

All bikes are a bit different, so it’s less about getting good, and more about learning the machine.

When you shift, do you bring your leg upwards or just tilt your ankle?

Again depends on the bike. I have big feet, so it’s really nothing more than a flick of the ankle to change up, and changing down is a tap similar to tapping your foot to a drum beat.

You never want to take your foot off the pegs / floor boards when operating the controls.

Looks like I need stronger left ankles then!

Are you wearing motorcycle footwear? They have a reinforced sole and usually a reinforced upper that is far more rigid than a regular shoe to aid in shifting and also safety. Using the foot peg as a fulcrum point it shouldn’t take much force at all. I’ve seen people ride in flip flops but it’s harder.

The other thing I’ll mention is shifting should be a short deliberate action. Pull the clutch and tap(I don’t really like this word but as an over exaggeration ‘flick’) the shift lever upwards. Some people have a tendency to ‘press’ into the shift lever for way longer than needed.

Yeah I’ve got the right footwear for it. I’m pretty sure it’s my technique. Might be going too gently.