I will pass on the bridge offer but would you like some ocean front property in Arizona? Lots are going very cheap!
Non Mechanically Minded Female Rider Question
Sorry, this is probably a dumb question… Please don’t flame me
I’ve been riding a while but not mechanically minded at all. I just brought a new KTM 890 which is great. I’m still running it in so trying to do everything right.
Today, for some reason, I totally forgot I was in 1st gear (brain fart) at a traffic light and just let my hand off the clutch. The bike lurched a bit and then stalled out. I actually have a bad left shoulder so it yanked on my shoulder a bit which probably made it feel worse.
The bike was at operating temperature and at idle. My question - Is there any risk of damage to the clutch or transmission in the scenario? I know it was basically a stall, but usually, in a stall, you wouldn’t just release the clutch all at once.
TIA - Lilly.
I’ve been riding a while but not mechanically minded at all. I just brought a new KTM 890 which is great. I’m still running it in so trying to do everything right.
Today, for some reason, I totally forgot I was in 1st gear (brain fart) at a traffic light and just let my hand off the clutch. The bike lurched a bit and then stalled out. I actually have a bad left shoulder so it yanked on my shoulder a bit which probably made it feel worse.
The bike was at operating temperature and at idle. My question - Is there any risk of damage to the clutch or transmission in the scenario? I know it was basically a stall, but usually, in a stall, you wouldn’t just release the clutch all at once.
TIA - Lilly.
21 - 40 of 62 Posts
Sorry, this is probably a dumb question… Please don’t flame me
I’ve been riding a while but not mechanically minded at all. I just brought a new KTM 890 which is great. I’m still running it in so trying to do everything right.
Today, for some reason, I totally forgot I was in 1st gear (brain fart) at a traffic light and just let my hand off the clutch. The bike lurched a bit and then stalled out. I actually have a bad left shoulder so it yanked on my shoulder a bit which probably made it feel worse.
The bike was at operating temperature and at idle. My question - Is there any risk of damage to the clutch or transmission in the scenario? I know it was basically a stall, but usually, in a stall, you wouldn’t just release the clutch all at once.
TIA - Lilly.
Just a bit of advice, you should stay in first gear when stopped and watch your mirrors. If someone doesn’t see you from the back you can take off fast to avoid getting hit. It’s called an exit strategy. FYI. Stay safe out there.
Excellent advice ^ . Always leave yourself an out .Just a bit of advice, you should stay in first gear when stopped and watch your mirrors. If someone doesn’t see you from the back you can take off fast to avoid getting hit. It’s called an exit strategy. FYI. Stay safe out there.
It shouldn't hurt it. Not habit you want thoughSorry, this is probably a dumb question… Please don’t flame me
I’ve been riding a while but not mechanically minded at all. I just brought a new KTM 890 which is great. I’m still running it in so trying to do everything right.
Today, for some reason, I totally forgot I was in 1st gear (brain fart) at a traffic light and just let my hand off the clutch. The bike lurched a bit and then stalled out. I actually have a bad left shoulder so it yanked on my shoulder a bit which probably made it feel worse.
The bike was at operating temperature and at idle. My question - Is there any risk of damage to the clutch or transmission in the scenario? I know it was basically a stall, but usually, in a stall, you wouldn’t just release the clutch all at once.
TIA - Lilly.
Hi, we have all done that and quickly looked around to see who’s been watching. Any abnormal load on an engine can possibly have a detrimental effect; however, what you’ve described is probably not going to cause a problem. Just be careful and remember in future to check before you drop the clutch or start off in the wrong gear. Make it a practice to go through the checks each time you stop, slow, or take off.Sorry, this is probably a dumb question… Please don’t flame me I’ve been riding a while but not mechanically minded at all. I just brought a new KTM 890 which is great. I’m still running it in so trying to do everything right. Today, for some reason, I totally forgot I was in 1st gear (brain fart) at a traffic light and just let my hand off the clutch. The bike lurched a bit and then stalled out. I actually have a bad left shoulder so it yanked on my shoulder a bit which probably made it feel worse. The bike was at operating temperature and at idle. My question - Is there any risk of damage to the clutch or transmission in the scenario? I know it was basically a stall, but usually, in a stall, you wouldn’t just release the clutch all at once. TIA - Lilly.
Hey! You leave my beach-front property alone! Not a whole lot to go around!I will pass on the bridge offer but would you like some ocean front property in Arizona? Lots are going very cheap!
WELCOME LILLYSTAR ! .
Not a dumb question at all .
I hope your shoulder is doing okay .
The fine folks here have been able to answer any question I've asked so far so don't be shy .
Not a dumb question at all .
I hope your shoulder is doing okay .
The fine folks here have been able to answer any question I've asked so far so don't be shy .
I contend you may have broken some sticking clutch plates loose, therefor increasing the life of the clutch. Just sayin', everyone should pop their clutch once a year.
Lillystar,
I'd like to read a ride report on how you like your bike, and if you don't mind my asking, how tall are you? You must fit the bike well or you wouldn't have bought it!
I love leg room and that 890 seems like a great bike?
I'd like to read a ride report on how you like your bike, and if you don't mind my asking, how tall are you? You must fit the bike well or you wouldn't have bought it!
I love leg room and that 890 seems like a great bike?
I think I’m the President.1) Not enough throttle and too quick off the clutch release and stall out from a stop. 2) Release the clutch neglecting to check if it is in neutral, stall the bike. 3) In neutral, bike is warmed up, tap the shift lever inadvertently without pressing the clutch lever, stall the bike. Each one the bike jerks forward a bit, and everyone within 10 miles of line of sight is watching me, especially other riders and my wife on the back chuckling. I don't know how many time I have done all three over the almost 60 years of riding, but more than I'm willing to admit.
So there is a club for this, member classifications are: 'those that will', 'those that have', and 'those that will again' I'm a senior member of the last listed classification. So, @Lillystar no harm, just keep riding you are doing fine. Great bike by the way, I like them. I think I am jealous. Not sure if it is jealous that I don't have an 890, or jealous of you only stalling your bike once.....maybe I'm jealous of both
No, won't damage the clutch or tranny. Perhaps my habits are different. When at a light, leave the bike in neutral. Seriously, why hold the clutch lever in for sometimes 2 minutes. Really it allows you to relax, then clutch in, pop into 1st and your off. I'm not telling you how to ride, just making a suggestion. I sold motorcycles in the 80s and 90s, sponsored rider training. Providing 2 or more smaller bike a year to the local classes. I didn't necessarily agree with every move a trainer used. I started at 8, I'm 61 and had a lot of motorcycles, both dirt and street. I had to part with my favorite, 87 FJ1200. Sold it to myself new and recently it went to a friend's. Biggest problem is getting parts for a 36 year old bike.Sorry, this is probably a dumb question… Please don’t flame me
I’ve been riding a while but not mechanically minded at all. I just brought a new KTM 890 which is great. I’m still running it in so trying to do everything right.
Today, for some reason, I totally forgot I was in 1st gear (brain fart) at a traffic light and just let my hand off the clutch. The bike lurched a bit and then stalled out. I actually have a bad left shoulder so it yanked on my shoulder a bit which probably made it feel worse.
The bike was at operating temperature and at idle. My question - Is there any risk of damage to the clutch or transmission in the scenario? I know it was basically a stall, but usually, in a stall, you wouldn’t just release the clutch all at once.
TIA - Lilly.
Good luck, be safe
Never, never, never put the bike in neutral. If someone is going to hit you from behind and you need to exit in a hurry, those extra couple of seconds can mean the difference between life and serious injury or death. It does not hurt the clutch to keep it engaged and once you have it in, it takes very little energy to keep it engaged.No, won't damage the clutch or tranny. Perhaps my habits are different. When at a light, leave the bike in neutral. Seriously, why hold the clutch lever in for sometimes 2 minutes. Really it allows you to relax, then clutch in, pop into 1st and your off. I'm not telling you how to ride, just making a suggestion. I sold motorcycles in the 80s and 90s, sponsored rider training. Providing 2 or more smaller bike a year to the local classes. I didn't necessarily agree with every move a trainer used. I started at 8, I'm 61 and had a lot of motorcycles, both dirt and street. I had to part with my favorite, 87 FJ1200. Sold it to myself new and recently it went to a friend's. Biggest problem is getting parts for a 36 year old bike.
Good luck, be safe
Well obviously opinions differ. While at a short duration light I will agree, your statement is possible.Never, never, never put the bike in neutral. If someone is going to hit you from behind and you need to exit in a hurry, those extra couple of seconds can mean the difference between life and serious injury or death. It does not hurt the clutch to keep it engaged and once you have it in, it takes very little energy to keep it engaged.
I was really focusing on a long duration stop, generally you end up with a lot of traffic behind you.
I don't love highway riding, it's just boring.
I like back roads and corners but I have always been either Sport Bike or really more Sport Touring. I see you ride a Gold wing, I rode those up to the 1600 H6. Very pleasant, I have not ridden the 1800s. Obviously they hit 140 mph or 225.308 Km, I like Canada. This is much faster than I've seen a full blown touring bike go and some are faster.
Really her bike is a bit more nimble.
I had considered a BMW R1250 RS, shaft would be convenient.
I have ridden the FJR1300 and it's nice.
I still like to dive into corners but I'm beat up so it's not like being in my 20s-40s.
I understand your point BTW, however you do need every second on a much larger heavier bike. Plus you are a large target with the width a Wing or any Hard bag dresser requires.
I stop at red lights and stop signs and I move quickly if you can go right on Red. Stop sign intersections are the absolutely, be at guard situation's.
I just want to be clear about long duration versus short duration stops.
Ride safe
Never, never, never......ever? More important than the "Never, never, never" is having an escape route otherwise keeping it in gear isn't going to save you. Then there is that part about being in position and able to detect a car that may rear-end you. And, then there is that part of the odds -vs- risk. Grand pappy used to say, "Never Say Never", which he did!!!
Short duration or long duration, it doesn't matter. Your statement of generally is "generally" true. However, we don't know that. It is just an unsafe practice to get into and something experienced riders should not be suggesting. As you ended your last post, "ride safe", I will add, "ride as safely as possible", which includes keeping your clutch engaged.Well obviously opinions differ. While at a short duration light I will agree, your statement is possible.
I was really focusing on a long duration stop, generally you end up with a lot of traffic behind you.
The two definitely go together. I didn't mention that as I don't like to get into a long wordy post but thanks for adding this important fact.Never, never, never......ever? More important than the "Never, never, never" is having an escape route otherwise keeping it in gear isn't going to save you. Then there is that part about being in position and able to detect a car that may rear-end you. And, then there is that part of the odds -vs- risk. Grand pappy used to say, "Never Say Never", which he did!!!
Well, if you are going to talk safety and technique, I would think you should use as many words as it requires. I'll start with some of the negatives (No's) and you can jump in with some positives if you feel so inclined.....
When stopping behind a cage, if you don't stop with at least two cars lengths distance, you will not have enough forward free area to move and avoid being hit from the rear by the more common rear end, so being in gear isn't going to save you.
When you stop in traffic if there is a car in front and one to each side you are trapped like a sardine in a can. The little bit of movement you may have isn't going to save you by being in gear!
If you wait to hear the screeching noise of tires behind you, it's too late to move, being in gear isn't going to save you.
If you are enjoying the open air of riding so much you are not paying attention to traffic, being in gear isn't going to save you.
That's just a few @Steadfastly, your turn.....
When stopping behind a cage, if you don't stop with at least two cars lengths distance, you will not have enough forward free area to move and avoid being hit from the rear by the more common rear end, so being in gear isn't going to save you.
When you stop in traffic if there is a car in front and one to each side you are trapped like a sardine in a can. The little bit of movement you may have isn't going to save you by being in gear!
If you wait to hear the screeching noise of tires behind you, it's too late to move, being in gear isn't going to save you.
If you are enjoying the open air of riding so much you are not paying attention to traffic, being in gear isn't going to save you.
That's just a few @Steadfastly, your turn.....
A drunk rear-ended me at a red light one time. I had the bike in gear and was holding the clutch lever in. The bike was knocked out from under me and my left hand was Ripped away from the bar/lever. Took a few months for my left hand to recover as I had a solid grip on the bar (holding lever in) when the bar was Ripped Out of my Hand.
Sometimes good to be sitting with bike in gear, sometimes not. Anything can happen.
YES. It was my fault... I did not re-check the mirrors soon enough so he got me.
S F
Sometimes good to be sitting with bike in gear, sometimes not. Anything can happen.
YES. It was my fault... I did not re-check the mirrors soon enough so he got me.
S F
I think that is one of those Murphy moments. We do our best and stay alert, but no one is alert 100% of the time and the moment we let our guard down for just a split second, Murphy can and may show up! If you had checked it may have come out better, maybe the same, maybe worse.YES. It was my fault... I did not re-check the mirrors soon enough so he got me.
S F
You are sitting at the light behind traffic and you have some space (escape) to the left between cars. Second car behind fails to brake in time to avoid collision, you see it and make your move to the left (you were smart and had it in gear!) at the same time the brakeless driver swerves right as a last second maneuver to avoid hitting the car behind you and slams into it at 40 mph knocking that car to the left which smashes into you pinning you between them and a car to the left. It's just a scenario but it could happen even when we do everything we think is correct. We are mere mortals, we cannot be 100%, 100% of the time, it's the risk we take. Whether we go by car, truck, boat, plane, or skydive we take risks. We strive to reduce the risk, but Murphy lurks amongst us to assure we never reach 100%, 100% of the time. Fortunately we also have Mother Luck, for if it wasn't for her, may more of us would be grave side. How many times over the years have we had a close call and maybe we said something like, "man I lucked out on that one".
I'd like to think with all my training and self-training, and all my wisdom (as in experience for doing dumb stuff) I have something to say about my destiny. But I have been in enough tight scraps to realize it is possible to find ourselves outside of our skill level. If and when that happens I hope Mother Luck is with me, she has helped me in the past!
Let's face it, if you're riding dirt you go down many more times. Dirt bike habits will kill you on the street. Especially locking the rear, high side sideways, tough throw.Thank you for your reply. I have traditionally stalled before, but not from forgetting it in 1st where I completely let go of the clutch quickly. So was worried about essentially dumping the clutch in that scenario and the load going straight to the transmission.
Pavement, 3 times all slow fortunately. One my wife was on the back, they oiled the road. Gravel and sand topper, no warning.
Always wear leather gauntlet style gloves. People wear everything else but just trip and fall. The hands break your fall.
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