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Help please lots of questions

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  KURT 
#1 ·
1) For a good fit on your helmet, should you be able to fit your glasses on your face without discomfort?

My glasses (to see with!) do not currently fit comfortably on my face because of my helmet... is my helmet too small?

2) Is it a bad thing to go from 6th gear to 1st gear while holding the clutch in and slowly increasing pressure on the brakes to stop?

Is downshifting necessary? What if you're only doing 35-40mph? Does going down 5 gears with the clutch in and using the brake hurt the braking system?

3) Is it better to drive with normal headlights on and have people flash you thinking your headlight is out, or to drive with high beams on and have people flash you thinking your high beams are on?

It makes me nervous not having my high beams on, because of safety and because I'm afraid an uneducated cop will pull me over to investigate.

4) Do you fill your gas tank while steadying the bike centered (while on it) or do you let it rest on its sidestand?

I'm afraid the gas will spill if I don't center the bike, or I'll do something wrong. But obviously there are disadvantages of trying to hold the bike steady and pump gas at the same time...

5) Will cops pull you over for 5-10 over the speed limit? I think a very arguable point is that the only safe speed is one where you are going slightly faster than the 'flow' of traffic.

I don't want to get pulled over for trying to be 'safe'.

6) Is it safe the rev the engine in Neutral or should you hold the clutch and rev in first? (risking an accidental clutch dump and bike splat)

I would love to hear the engine, but am afraid to rev too much for either scenario being bad.

7) There are some 45 and 55 mph roads between where I live and my work. But my bike is still in the break in period... (keep it under 4k rpm for the first 500 miles) I've got less than 100 miles on it, but I can't possibly get the bike to do 45 or 55 without flirting with 4.5 or 5.5k RPM....

Will it hurt to do 5.5k or 6k rpm during the first 500 miles?

Thanks guys, sorry for so many questions.
-Aleckor
 
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#2 ·
1) For a good fit on your helmet, should you be able to fit your glasses on your face without discomfort?
- um, what kind of discomfort? The bridge of your nose, the temples? My glasses fit in there tight, but I wouldn't call them uncomfortable....

2) Is it a bad thing to go from 6th gear to 1st gear while holding the clutch in and slowly increasing pressure on the brakes to stop?

-Will it hurt the bike to simply use the brakes instead of ALSO engine braking? No. Will it hurt the lower gears if you shift into them too soon. YES. It's a best practice to match the gear with the speed your going so that you have power if you need it, and so that you don't exessively wear out the synchros and gear by forcing them to mesh when they don't want to. (going too fast at too low a gear. I'm sure you've heard the clunk into 1st going more than 7mph...)

3) Is it better to drive with normal headlights on and have people flash you thinking your headlight is out, or to drive with high beams on and have people flash you thinking your high beams are on?

-It's easy enough to thank the cop for letting you know that your brights are on than not being seen. I never rode with my brights on, but I know a lot of people prefer to.

4) Do you fill your gas tank while steadying the bike centered (while on it) or do you let it rest on its sidestand?

-What are you comfortable with? I never get off the bike to refill, so obviously, mine is centered and I'm holding it up with my legs, and also steadying it back and forth from rolling over the place. Most gas stations are flat, and the bike doesn't move much. It all depends on your comfort level and what you want to practice or not...

5) Will cops pull you over for 5-10 over the speed limit? I think a very arguable point is that the only safe speed is one where you are going slightly faster than the 'flow' of traffic.

-Speeding is speeding, and no proper cop will let you go for breaking the law, so you should provide no argument. You don't want a ticket, don't speed. Period. HOWEVER, I personally feel that traveling faster than traffic is usually safer, AND that the ONLY reason to EVER get a ticket is a LACK OF VIGILANCE. Just see the cops before they do. From what you're describing, that shouldn't be too difficult, and on top of that, watching for cops are a really good way to make sure you know exactly what's going on around you AT ALL TIMES... Also, your speedo has a built in 10% error, and most radar guns have a 2% error, so at the max, you might be able to argue your way out of a 12% difference.... For me that's unrealistic, cause when I get pulled over, it's very obvious, no matter which way I spin it, I'm speeding. Even if I include the bit about the doplar ions reflecting off the swamp gas of venus causing a spectral shift for the red photos being refracted through the officer's glasses... :D

6) Is it safe the rev the engine in Neutral or should you hold the clutch and rev in first? (risking an accidental clutch dump and bike splat)

-In neutral or with the clutch pulled, or both, you can rev the engine all you want. It's not going to break anything. Just don't keep it pegged at redline. Also, give it a second or two after a hard rev to make sure everything's slowed down if you're shifting into 1st, otherwise you'll hear a grinding sound, after which you'll know to wait a bit longer, next time. :)

7) There are some 45 and 55 mph roads between where I live and my work. But my bike is still in the break in period... (keep it under 4k rpm for the first 500 miles) I've got less than 100 miles on it, but I can't possibly get the bike to do 45 or 55 without flirting with 4.5 or 5.5k RPM....

-Um.... YES! Want your bike to be at it's best performance, follow the factory words to the letter! Um, but I never did, and so far I've have just shy of 40K miles of pain/hassle free performance.... I rode mine at 4K for the first 200miles, then 6K for the next 400miles, then 8K for the next 400 miles...

Your welcome guy, keep the questions coming.
 
#4 · (Edited)
1) For a good fit on your helmet, should you be able to fit your glasses on your face without discomfort?
- um, what kind of discomfort? The bridge of your nose, the temples? My glasses fit in there tight, but I wouldn't call them uncomfortable....

2) Is it a bad thing to go from 6th gear to 1st gear while holding the clutch in and slowly increasing pressure on the brakes to stop?

-Will it hurt the bike to simply use the brakes instead of ALSO engine braking? No. Will it hurt the lower gears if you shift into them too soon. YES. It's a best practice to match the gear with the speed your going so that you have power if you need it, and so that you don't exessively wear out the synchros and gear by forcing them to mesh when they don't want to. (going too fast at too low a gear. I'm sure you've heard the clunk into 1st going more than 7mph...)

3) Is it better to drive with normal headlights on and have people flash you thinking your headlight is out, or to drive with high beams on and have people flash you thinking your high beams are on?

-It's easy enough to thank the cop for letting you know that your brights are on than not being seen. I never rode with my brights on, but I know a lot of people prefer to.

4) Do you fill your gas tank while steadying the bike centered (while on it) or do you let it rest on its sidestand?

-What are you comfortable with? I never get off the bike to refill, so obviously, mine is centered and I'm holding it up with my legs, and also steadying it back and forth from rolling over the place. Most gas stations are flat, and the bike doesn't move much. It all depends on your comfort level and what you want to practice or not...

5) Will cops pull you over for 5-10 over the speed limit? I think a very arguable point is that the only safe speed is one where you are going slightly faster than the 'flow' of traffic.

-Speeding is speeding, and no proper cop will let you go for breaking the law, so you should provide no argument. You don't want a ticket, don't speed. Period. HOWEVER, I personally feel that traveling faster than traffic is usually safer, AND that the ONLY reason to EVER get a ticket is a LACK OF VIGILANCE. Just see the cops before they do. From what you're describing, that shouldn't be too difficult, and on top of that, watching for cops are a really good way to make sure you know exactly what's going on around you AT ALL TIMES... Also, your speedo has a built in 10% error, and most radar guns have a 2% error, so at the max, you might be able to argue your way out of a 12% difference.... For me that's unrealistic, cause when I get pulled over, it's very obvious, no matter which way I spin it, I'm speeding. Even if I include the bit about the doplar ions reflecting off the swamp gas of venus causing a spectral shift for the red photos being refracted through the officer's glasses... :D

6) Is it safe the rev the engine in Neutral or should you hold the clutch and rev in first? (risking an accidental clutch dump and bike splat)

-In neutral or with the clutch pulled, or both, you can rev the engine all you want. It's not going to break anything. Just don't keep it pegged at redline. Also, give it a second or two after a hard rev to make sure everything's slowed down if you're shifting into 1st, otherwise you'll hear a grinding sound, after which you'll know to wait a bit longer, next time. :)

7) There are some 45 and 55 mph roads between where I live and my work. But my bike is still in the break in period... (keep it under 4k rpm for the first 500 miles) I've got less than 100 miles on it, but I can't possibly get the bike to do 45 or 55 without flirting with 4.5 or 5.5k RPM....

-Um.... YES! Want your bike to be at it's best performance, follow the factory words to the letter! Um, but I never did, and so far I've have just shy of 40K miles of pain/hassle free performance.... I rode mine at 4K for the first 200miles, then 6K for the next 400miles, then 8K for the next 400 miles...

Your welcome guy, keep the questions coming.

Next week, Spooph is going to take on... World Peace.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I will add a few points...

1) For a good fit on your helmet, should you be able to fit your glasses on your face without discomfort?

My glasses (to see with!) do not currently fit comfortably on my face because of my helmet... is my helmet too small?

Leaving lines on your temples, is normal. Giving you a headache, isn't.

2) Is it a bad thing to go from 6th gear to 1st gear while holding the clutch in and slowly increasing pressure on the brakes to stop?

Is downshifting necessary? What if you're only doing 35-40mph? Does going down 5 gears with the clutch in and using the brake hurt the braking system?

I like Spooph's answer, but don't overly depend on the engine to slow you down. ..it's putting wear on the clutch. (Brakes are much less expensive than clutch jobs.)

3) Is it better to drive with normal headlights on and have people flash you thinking your headlight is out, or to drive with high beams on and have people flash you thinking your high beams are on?

It makes me nervous not having my high beams on, because of safety and because I'm afraid an uneducated cop will pull me over to investigate.

Whatever you have to do, to make drivers see you, is appropriate. Use them both.

4) Do you fill your gas tank while steadying the bike centered (while on it) or do you let it rest on its sidestand?

I'm afraid the gas will spill if I don't center the bike, or I'll do something wrong. But obviously there are disadvantages of trying to hold the bike steady and pump gas at the same time...

If you're like many of us, you'll want to keep track of your fuel mileage. That will require fill the tank, to the same level, every time. It may be easier to do, with the bike parked. Your choice.

5) Will cops pull you over for 5-10 over the speed limit? I think a very arguable point is that the only safe speed is one where you are going slightly faster than the 'flow' of traffic.

This is a myth... Being highly visible, anticipating other's actions, and providing a "space cushion" around you, will go much further to keep you safe in traffic.

6) Is it safe the rev the engine in Neutral or should you hold the clutch and rev in first? (risking an accidental clutch dump and bike splat)

I would love to hear the engine, but am afraid to rev too much for either scenario being bad.

If you're talking about being stopped at lights, leave it in gear. You will be that much more prepared, in the event that you have to avoid being struck from behind.

7) There are some 45 and 55 mph roads between where I live and my work. But my bike is still in the break in period... (keep it under 4k rpm for the first 500 miles) I've got less than 100 miles on it, but I can't possibly get the bike to do 45 or 55 without flirting with 4.5 or 5.5k RPM....

Will it hurt to do 5.5k or 6k rpm during the first 500 miles?

Officially...yes. Although an ocational romp to 6 or 7K isn't going to be a problem, holding the engine rpm's higher than recomended durring the break-in, may lead to premature wear.

Thanks guys, sorry for so many questions.
-Aleckor
 
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