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Non Mechanically Minded Female Rider Question

3K views 65 replies 27 participants last post by  Steadfastly 
#1 ·
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.
 
#3 ·
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 ;)
 
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#5 ·
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.
No. No damage... You're good to go. (y)
For the screwed up left shoulder, make sure to keep the clutch lever pivot and cable well lubed.

S F
 
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#6 ·
I'm pretty sure putting the stopped, idling bike in 1st gear without using the clutch is hard on the clutch plates and probably puts as much wear on them in two seconds as three months worth of normal riding.... but if that means that your transmission will go bad in September 2030 instead of December 2030,
is that really such a big deal now in May of 2023??
 
#12 ·
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.
There are no dumb questions when it comes to two wheeled vehicles. You did no damage at all and I'd also suggest most if not all of us has done this or even does it it still from time to time. The only thing you might get from such a thing is a red face. Brush it off and move on. (y)
 
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#13 ·
Wear and tear is related to load & power being transmitted.

Since engine was just idling, it generated very little power. So when you let go of clutch, it had to transmit very little power across. So little power in fact, that weight of bike stalled engine.

Now if you had throttle at 100% and released clutch lever like that... yeah that would put some wear on clutch and some shock to transmission gears.
 
#22 ·
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.
 
#25 ·
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.
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.
 
#27 ·
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 .
 
#31 ·
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.
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
 
#32 ·
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
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.
 
#34 ·
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!!!
 
#37 ·
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.....
 
#42 ·
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!

That's just a few @Steadfastly, your turn.....
That's why it's not a good idea to stop in the middle lane. It is also not a good idea to ride in the center lane as you can't "block" both lanes at the same time. On a three lane road/hwy., ride in the right lane in the left tire track or in the left lane in the right tire tract.
 
#38 ·
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
 
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#39 ·
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.

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!
 
#48 ·
Some of us workers of the world, have bashed our left hand quite often. Often enough that there have been several injuries over the years. That left hand deserves a rest now and then. Sitting in neutral helps.
If stopped, the defensive driving class says to be aware of vehicles behind, and use your brake light, on and off, to get there attention. I have only been rear ended once, and that was on my bicycle by another bicycle.
I stopped to look about before turning right at a red light. Most dopey bicycle riders do not. I stayed upright, and rode aware. Dopey augured in and lay in a heap.
 
#55 · (Edited)
throw out bearing ?

I'm only familiar with Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki motorcycles and ATV's. Trying to picture what and where the throw out bearing is in those brands. My small block Chevy had a throw out bearing. Worked with, in conjunction with the clutch release.
Generally the Japanese brand bikes have a bearing behind the clutch that is on the primary transmission shaft. Totally different than what I think of as a throw out bearing.
Anyway,
Can't see that bearing having a problem with being in gear or not in gear while sitting at a stop. Do BMW's have a throw out bearing like my old Chevy had? Other brands? (I don't "speak" BMW and am a little rusty about what H/D did/does). Hey, don't remember how G Wings are set up. Hummm

S F
BTW. The argument over "in gear or not in gear at a stop" could be correct either way, depending on situation and everything else, IMO.
And nobody is stupid in their opinion about this. EVERYBODY could be right. Again, Depending...
Just Sayin
 
#56 ·
BTW. The argument over "in gear or not in gear at a stop" could be correct either way, depending on situation and everything else, IMO.
And nobody is stupid in their opinion about this. EVERYBODY could be right. Again, Depending...
Just Sayin
This ^^^^^^^^^
 
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