I keep finding neutral
I keep finding neutral
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.
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.
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.