rewplayff Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Who does it? When I was on my permit I stayed in neutral a lot. After I took the msf course my instructor was telling me to always be ready to jam out of the way if all hell breaks loose behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photomoto Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I am 99% clutch in at lights. Just doesn't seem like a good idea to put another obstacle between yourself and safety, you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psumech Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I was taught to clutch in at lights, and only go to neutral after a car comes to a complete stop behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 If you did this in a car with a dry clutch and a throwout bearing that's only got so much grease from the factory, you'd toast that bearing before the clutch gets worn out. It's almost the same labor to get at that bearing as it is to replace the clutch. In some cases the entire motor/gearbox assembly has to be pulled. On these bikes, that bearing runs in oil instead of a one-time grease load. But they are still not designed to have load from the springs and spinning for minutes (sometimes many minutes) at a time. Fortunately, it's easier to replace them on the bike. Just sayin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member hippiebikerchick Posted April 10, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks rick. I grew up driving a manual transmission car and it was drilled into me not to leave it in gear with the clutch in at a light. I now have a hard time doing that on my bike even though I know the clutch is different. Illegitimi non carborundum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member hobbs Posted April 10, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 10, 2015 I was taught to clutch in at lights, and only go to neutral after a car comes to a complete stop behind you. I do this. Everything went braap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2gro Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Always clutch in even if the car is stopped behind me. What if he accidently let's off the break and starts rolling forward without knowing? I'm always in a position to be able to bail if I need too. As in never right behind a car, always facing a little off to the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator Guru Posted April 10, 2015 Global Moderator Share Posted April 10, 2015 I always clutch too. With both cars and bikes. And have been doing this for a couple of decades now so I doubt that will change. Old habits die hard. Never had any problems with throwout bearings though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewski Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 95% of the time I am in neutral on both my FZ and Roadstar. Longtime habit and gives me a chance to relax my hand, stretch out, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fzhooligan Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Never. I also had the "only touch the clutch when you need to use it" philosophy burned into me. The way I look at it, heat from engine plus metal springs compressed equals springs losing proper tension over time. Obviously this could take 10 years and plenty of clutch changes before it affects anything but hey, why put it through that stress? Same with starting with the clutch in, every manual transmission car I've ever owned has had the clutch switch disabled so that I could start it without the clutch. (dry bearings on a cold engine with pressure from throwout bearing pushing forward on the crankshaft? no thank you) On the subject of being prepared to bug out if SHTF behind you, i'm constantly checking mirrors when stopped and it takes me less than half a second to clutch, jam shifter, and moto GP off the line. If something's gonna happen faster than that, I don't think even being prepared with the clutch in would help much. '15 FZ-07 '93 Honda XR650L (supermoto/pig) (SOLD) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator mjh937 Posted April 10, 2015 Global Moderator Share Posted April 10, 2015 I am always clutch in and foot on the brake at stoplights. And I always have an escape path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member grahamfz07 Posted April 11, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 11, 2015 I am always clutch in too on the bike, as taught in the msf course. In the car its a different story 99% of the time in neutral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haze87 Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Clutch in on short lights for entirety. For longer lights, I'll wait until traffic settles behind me. At that point, I'll put it in neutral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Clutch in at all lights and the bike positioned in the lane for a quick exit reaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cborcafz07 Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Clutch in till I get atleast one car stopped behind me, then I'll go neutral. It's just good sense. For those who don't, well it's your life. I also don't stop directly behind other vehicles. I almost always line up my front tire with the rear bumper of the car in front of me, provided there is one, to either the left or the right, kinda like if I was going to lane split, but since I can't in Florida I resume behind the car in front when traffic moves. Being the motorcycle in a cager sandwich does not appeal to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she3pdog Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I clutch in at most lights as I rarely stop for long with lane splitting in CA. When I am stopped for a while though, I just make sure that there isn't too much action going on behind me and go into neutral. I always check my mirrors while stopped. I enjoy living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyvto Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 In Texas vs up north peole are out to get you. Cover the break clutch hardley get a chance to put both feet on the ground. Cages are always on your pipes even a foot away ..yesterday after work no 9ne on the road but 1 car...a girl on her phone...at the light I swear I had a stick I could look her lights. After green I moved over and watched her disappeare in the mirror..Thankful I have them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromthecage Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I am about 95% clutch in. If i know the light and it's one that I wait for a lot, I will sometimes go into neutral for a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member so1102 Posted April 11, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 11, 2015 I am about 95% clutch in. If i know the light and it's one that I wait for a lot, I will sometimes go into neutral for a bit. this -- but I will only go into neutral if someone is already behind me (stopped) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I am about 95% clutch in. If i know the light and it's one that I wait for a lot, I will sometimes go into neutral for a bit. this -- but I will only go into neutral if someone is already behind me (stopped)Was in traffic once and 2 cars behind me got hit from behind. The guy behind me got tapped, thankfully he had his foot solid on the brake. Never saw it happen, couldn't see it coming, just heard (thankfully not felt) the outcome. Ever see a bug out in front of you while riding and just as your brain says "duck!" that bug is squished on your faceshield? I guess it makes sense to be "prepared". Just not sure if it's gonna happen, I'd be quick enough to do anything about it. And with sooo many people DWLD (Driving While Looking Down), having a spiritual moment with their cell phones in rush hour traffic, I stopped riding to work years ago. It's just no fun anyway . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Kipawa Posted April 11, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 11, 2015 Clutch in on short lights for entirety. For longer lights, I'll wait until traffic settles behind me. At that point, I'll put it in neutral. Same! Pretty much the same on all manual cars I have owned as well. Never had any issue keeping clutch down and honestly never heard that there's and issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 You can go to forum after forum and find the same yeah/nay discussion. Guess it comes down to how you were taught at 16. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member phicurious86 Posted April 12, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 12, 2015 Clutch in unless it's a really long light (light rail lights >_< ) and there's already a car stopped behind me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member tino206 Posted April 12, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 12, 2015 I clutch in unless I am going to be stopped for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanMug Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 clutch in and foot on rear brake all the time. This way when you come to a stop on a hill, you are all ready to take off and you wont fall over or roll backwards cyz you left it in neutral. RRokay Raggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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