This whole clutch thing is a bit new still. I never have problems shifting except starting out, where I tend to stall the thing about 25% of the time. I guess that’s pretty good for my first day on a cycle (and I’ve never driven a stick), but I’m still kind of impatient. It seems like such a noob mistake, and is also kind of an all or nothing deal. I can’t handle traffic until my chances of stalling it are only a few percent. I really can’t be stalling as I’m entering an intersection, since that would be….well, shitty. So I’m relegated to the neighborhood for the moment. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll figure out how to do it right.
Congratulations, man! Welcome to the club! Just a bit of advice. Take a basic rider’s class and learn what you can. I bought my first bike last year and I failed my basic class. I wasn’t going to allow that to cause me to give-up. I went to the local DMV and too the written test and go my learner’s permit which allowed me to ride with friends. A few weeks later I had a friend escort me to the DMV and took my road test. I passed by the hair on my ass. I’ve been riding now for a bit over a year and I’m getting ready to leave on a cross-country ride.
Keep with it Brother/Sister. Just remember to ride within your abilities. Just because your friends are show-offs and do wheelies and stoppies doesn’t mean that you have to do the same. I guarantee that you will be picking them off the pavement, not the other way around.
Yeah I’m definitely going to do the MSF course, only problem is that every scheduled course in all of southwest Idaho is completely full. I’m going to try to get in as a walk-in in case someone doesn’t show up, but I know of several other people in the same situation, so it’s not looking so great at the moment.
I went out yesterday and today again and I’m doing much better, I’m stalling it only about 5% of the time or less, my shifting is way smoother, and I’m basically just feeling better about the whole thing.
The advice that I’ve gotten from every one of my riding friends is to take it easy and don’t do stupid shit- you want to live to see your second riding season, and most of those guys are the fearless, never back down type, so I’m taking that advice to heart, without a doubt.
Thanks for the kind words and stay safe.