Tips and Suggestions Wanted

[KMast14]

I'm brand new to these forums, as well as riding. I bought a 2008 Ninja 500, pretty much brand new. It's my first bike. I've had surprising luck with learning how to steer, shift, the works. However, just today I've been having terrible luck with getting into first gear. I've never stalled this much before. I don't want to get discouraged, but it is frustrating. When I'm on a slight decline, I can get right into it. Yet, other days I've done some starts on some hills without problem.

I guess I want some kind of validation. How hard was it for everybody to get used to their bikes? And what kind of tips or suggestions could you give me for getting clean starts?

Here she is, just thought I should post a picture to accompany my introduction.

[Thran69]

Hello. Im new to, i would also like to know. Im geting my bike in a month.

[Mister Ecua]

First off, welcome guys! You couldn't have picked a better forum for information. I hope you all stick around share the knowledge that you may already have or will obtain.

Riding a bike (IMO) is very similar to driving a manual. If you don't have any experience in driving a stick shift, I could image trying to lean how to ridr a bike would be very difficult.

If you do know how to drive standard, then after you learn how a bike works (changing gears, etc..) it should be almost 2nd nature. Before I bought my first bike, I used to follow behind motorcyclist (I did this for years) and watched how they would change gears, that helps out a lot when you actually see someone do it. Then I took the MSF, which I HIGHLY recommend that you do if you haven't already, not only to learn how to ride, but how to be a safe and cautious rider.

When changing gears, the clutch can be your best friend. KMast, I am not sure what exactly the problem you are facing when trying to go to first, but hopefully I can help you out a bit. I'm guessing when you come to a complete stop or when you are rolling really slow you stall out when trying to increase your speed. If you are at a complete stop, down shift until you can't downshift anymore, sometimes the gears act funny and you need to release the clutch just a bit so the gear pops into place so you can continue to downshift. When in 1st gear starting out, it's all in the clutch. Gently release the clutch until you feel you bike start moving. Once you riden your bike for a while, you will learn your clutches limits (how far you can bring it out before you bike stalls). Now you are ready to apply some throttle action. Twist back gently while still keeping your clutch at it's limit. You will probably have to do this slow until you get the hang of it. Twist back on the throttle until you feel the bike is able to handle the gas on it's own without the clutch, then release the clutch.

Sometimes, you will find yourself in a situation where you just stopped at a light, and did not downshift to the point you wanted/needed to be at to get a good start and the light turned green. You don't necessarily have to be in first gear to get off. Hell, I can take off in 5th, just not as fast as I would if I were in first. The key to this is the throttle. You will have to increase the amount of gas your giving your bike if you are in a higher gear to be able to start moving. Depending on what gear you are in will determine how much gas you need to give.

You should definitely practice on a vacant lot or a night where there is less traffic until you get your gearing down. The worst thing is to stall out on a busy road full off traffic and go into a panic, I've been there...

I hope this helps you out a little, if not, check out youtube on "learning to ride a motorcycle" or something along the lines of that. I have seen some good tutorials and good response videos on how people learned how to ride their bikes just from watching youtube.

Good luck!

[Kwood The One]

great advice!! I wanna chime in sometimes it will popp outta 1st gear on me bike when i let out the clutch. If i roll the bike a little forward or backward good to go and i dont know why!!!

[Kawi_T]

I don't know if the 500 has a hydraulic clutch or a cable clutch, I'm assuming cable. Sometimes when the cable is out of adjustment it makes it hard to find the gears. On my ZX12 I was having a hard time finding neutral. It turned out the clutch cable was out of adjustment and the clutch was dragging slightly. It was solved by a turn to the thumbwheel on the cable.

So anyway, how do you know? Start the bike and let it warm. Put it in first gear. Pull the clutch in all the way. Give it some revs. Does it feel like the bike is trying to pull away from you even though the clutch is pulled in? Also with the bike running in first gear, pull the clutch in all the way. With feet on the ground roll the bike forward, then roll it backward. Does it feel like you can push it forward really easily but its really difficult to roll it backwards? If you are answering yes to these questions then your cable may be out of adjustment. It can be adjusted on the handlebars. Good Luck.
Tom