downshift or shift into neutral
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 975
Likes: 334
From: Midwest
Depends on traffic and situations, no control coasting, if I need to get out of a problem that split second of acceleration can mean the difference, also stopped I will only go into neutral when all traffic behind has stopped.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Central Florida
Always stay in 1st in case you have to make a quick maneuver to avoid being rear ended or move fast for some reason. Left foot down, right foot on the board or peg so you can turn quick and tight with the braking trick.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,369
Likes: 472
From: CC TX
Didn't we have this discussion over a year ago...
In gear, in neutral, are you going to get rear ended, will you be able to get out of the way quick enough.
If I know the light is going to be long, nuetral, if I am not sure, in gear.
Let your left hand be your guide.
In gear, in neutral, are you going to get rear ended, will you be able to get out of the way quick enough.
If I know the light is going to be long, nuetral, if I am not sure, in gear.
Let your left hand be your guide.
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Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 322,622
Likes: 3,077
From: .....
The ONLY time I put it in neutral, is when I kill the engine to park it...unless I'm not on a lever surface. Then I put it in first.
And to Coastal CVO...probably.
And to Coastal CVO...probably.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 5,120
From: SW Ohio
You have six controls on a motorcycle that can change only two things; speed and direction. Riding a motorcycle in neutral for any period of time is giving away one of those two things. Doing that seems counter productive, especially in an area where other vehicles may or may not stop behind you (intersections).
Riding in neutral for any distance is akin to opening the cylinder of a revolver just before a shoot out. That said, I'm only a fanatic about my safety; somebody has to post the "I got ran over by a car approaching a red light" thread.
Riding in neutral for any distance is akin to opening the cylinder of a revolver just before a shoot out. That said, I'm only a fanatic about my safety; somebody has to post the "I got ran over by a car approaching a red light" thread.
Last edited by Campy Roadie; Apr 21, 2015 at 03:29 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 622
Likes: 287
From: Texas
I never coast in neutral, that's an accident waiting to happen. A quick application of heavy throttle has saved my a** many times at slower speeds, with cars changing lanes unexpectedly.
Having said that, if I've been on the bike in a ton of stop and go, or on a really long run, and I come to a stop, and the traffic behind me is all stopped, I'll flick it in neutral to give my clutch hand a rest. But that's the exception not the rule for sure.
Having said that, if I've been on the bike in a ton of stop and go, or on a really long run, and I come to a stop, and the traffic behind me is all stopped, I'll flick it in neutral to give my clutch hand a rest. But that's the exception not the rule for sure.