Havent even had my Rider's Edge class yet. Just starting out. Everything is new to me so please bear with me....something that I've always wondered but was afraid to sound dumb by asking:

Do most riders down shift through each gear (and therfore let off clutch after each down shift) to slow, or do they just pull clutch in and keep it in the whole time while taking the foot through all the gears back to first?

Whats proper riding/best on transmission, etc?

STUPID I KNOW>

 

Depends on the riding conditions. If traffic is slowing from 60-50mph no need to go to first. As you ride and get experience, you'll learn what the bike wants and what gear you want to be in for the speed/RPM you're at.

I personally don't count gears, I just listen to what the bike tells me. Something from my days of racing motorcycles.

 

Couldn't tell you what "most riders do .


I will tell you that after a while you don't even think about what gear you are in..
depends on the situation , and traffic..


gear indicators, tachometers, and neutral lights are just bling on a V-twin.

 

trust me, I've seen much stupider questions here.
I think it's a matter of preference and also depends on the situation, but I've always lived by the "brakes are cheaper than gears" philosophy. you have to downshift when making turns, etc but basically I use my brakes for stopping and my gears for "giddy up-ing".

 

There's no set rule. In heavy traffic with lots of stop lights I don't bother to downshift. If I'm on the highway with traffic slowing and speeding up I always try to keep it in gear, so downshifting is necessary. After you gain experience with your bike, you will feel what it wants you to do and gear selection will come naturally.

 

Most times I downshift and brake to stop .

 

I tend to use a gear or two while slowing down, but only when I have plenty of time to stop. The important thing is to try and shift down to a proper gear, while slowing down, in case you have to accelerate suddenly to avoid an incident.
There are some theories that always using your gears to slow down will wear out the rear tire faster, since that will sometimes lock up the tire momentarily as you release the clutch.
Tom

 

down 1 gear @ a time with a blip of fuel

Unless its a unexpected quick stop then several gears to b were i need 2 b

 

Another thing new riders tend to do is shift into neutral when ever they come to a stop sign or red light. Unless you have to use your left hand to do something it is best to leave your bike in first gear at a stop in case you have to quickly accelerate to avoid getting rear ended.

 

For me, normal traffic conditions, I down shift through the gears one at a time(clutch in/out each gear) for traffic lights/stop signs. I don't let out the clutch when I down shift into first, just use only brake at that point. If I'm in traffic where it slows and speeds up, I shift where the bike wants to be...(for me it is generally between 2500 and 3200 rpm. I don't stare at my tach and make myself shift there, but listen and feel if the bike is ready to shift up or down).

In your scenario of holding the clutch, coming to a stop and then downshifting all the gears...

1. usually you can't run through all the gears from a single standstill(try it sometime, you'll get first second maybe third and then you'll have to move the bike a little to get third(if you couldn't first time) or fourth, same thing going down through the gears). If you are at a stop light trying to get back to first gear, I could see that as being stressful if you have people behind you and the light turns green.

2. If you are doing this for a stop light on a highway and you were in fourth or fifth gear going 60+, pull in the clutch and slow down to a speed that would require second gear, say 30ish(so you don't lug the engine or lockup your tire) when the light turns green, have fun making sure you are in the right gear when you do let the clutch out to go through the light.

Wasn't a stupid question.