riding habit??
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,754
Likes: 4
From: GA
I was always told to be in neutral when stopped. That's what I do in my cars and that's what I'll probably do on my bike. If you keep it in gear you still have the chance that you'll stall, so that's no guarantee that you will avoid being rear ended.
If a car is going to rear end me, he's going to rear end me. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. I've been in an accident where I was stopped at a light and the car behind me didn't stop. I have experience drag racing, I can get my @ss off the line in a hurry just not fast enough to avoid an accident I guess. Oh well that's life.
Before anyone flames me, take a look at my sig line. Learning to fall before you ride means you have to get over your fear before you can really enjoy something. Just my .02
If a car is going to rear end me, he's going to rear end me. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. I've been in an accident where I was stopped at a light and the car behind me didn't stop. I have experience drag racing, I can get my @ss off the line in a hurry just not fast enough to avoid an accident I guess. Oh well that's life.
Before anyone flames me, take a look at my sig line. Learning to fall before you ride means you have to get over your fear before you can really enjoy something. Just my .02
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 24
From: Birchwood TN
Don't generally do that. Sometimes I will go into neutral if it going to be a long wait, but ONLY if a cage has safely stopped behind me. Otherwise I like to have it in gear so I have an escape mode if the idiot coming up to the light behind me doesn't see me. I've heard of people being rear-ended sitting at lights, so it seems like the extra effort might be worth while. You might not need to move far, just a little left or right to avoid getting slammed.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 561
Likes: 0
From: Amelia, Virginia
I was always told to be in neutral when stopped. Someone told you wrong! That's what I do in my cars and that's what I'll probably do on my bike. Hope you change your mind. If you keep it in gear you still have the chance that you'll stall, so that's no guarantee that you will avoid being rear ended. Seems to me that you would have more of a chance at stalling it if you had to 1)pull the clutch in, 2)put it in first gear, 3)and then take off, vs. 1)TAKE OFF!!! It's more about risk management than a guarantee.
If a car is going to rear end me, he's going to rear end me. I would hope that you would do everything to try and avoid a rear end collision. I would hate to get slammed if it could have been avoided. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. That's what the mirrors are for!!! I've been in an accident where I was stopped at a light and the car behind me didn't stop. I have experience drag racing, I can get my @ss off the line in a hurry just not fast enough to avoid an accident I guess. I wonder if you leave your race car in neutral until the green lights come on??? Oh well that's life.
Before anyone flames me, take a look at my sig line. Learning to fall before you ride means you have to get over your fear before you can really enjoy something. Just my .02
If a car is going to rear end me, he's going to rear end me. I would hope that you would do everything to try and avoid a rear end collision. I would hate to get slammed if it could have been avoided. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. That's what the mirrors are for!!! I've been in an accident where I was stopped at a light and the car behind me didn't stop. I have experience drag racing, I can get my @ss off the line in a hurry just not fast enough to avoid an accident I guess. I wonder if you leave your race car in neutral until the green lights come on??? Oh well that's life.
Before anyone flames me, take a look at my sig line. Learning to fall before you ride means you have to get over your fear before you can really enjoy something. Just my .02
Do yourself a favor, take the MSF course. I hope that you will take my comments in goodwill as nobody on this forum would like to see you become another statistic.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,651
Likes: 4,891
From: Missouri City,TX
Don't generally do that. Sometimes I will go into neutral if it going to be a long wait, but ONLY if a cage has safely stopped behind me. Otherwise I like to have it in gear so I have an escape mode if the idiot coming up to the light behind me doesn't see me. I've heard of people being rear-ended sitting at lights, so it seems like the extra effort might be worth while. You might not need to move far, just a little left or right to avoid getting slammed.
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 112,202
Likes: 1,316
From: On a hill among the hills, PA
I was always told to be in neutral when stopped. That's what I do in my cars and that's what I'll probably do on my bike. If you keep it in gear you still have the chance that you'll stall, so that's no guarantee that you will avoid being rear ended.
If a car is going to rear end me, he's going to rear end me. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. I've been in an accident where I was stopped at a light and the car behind me didn't stop. I have experience drag racing, I can get my @ss off the line in a hurry just not fast enough to avoid an accident I guess. Oh well that's life.
Before anyone flames me, take a look at my sig line. Learning to fall before you ride means you have to get over your fear before you can really enjoy something. Just my .02
If a car is going to rear end me, he's going to rear end me. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. I've been in an accident where I was stopped at a light and the car behind me didn't stop. I have experience drag racing, I can get my @ss off the line in a hurry just not fast enough to avoid an accident I guess. Oh well that's life.
Before anyone flames me, take a look at my sig line. Learning to fall before you ride means you have to get over your fear before you can really enjoy something. Just my .02
Banned
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 2
i have been riding for many years and developed a habit that i wonder if i am the only one who has it. if i see a traffic light turning red as i approach i wil go to neutral and let the clutch out until i see the cross light go to caution then pull, the clutch and shift to 1st. maybe i'm just too lazy to hold the clutch in but any time i'm stopped for more than a few seconds i go to neutral especially some of these compound intersections where the light may be a minute or more before turning green again. am i wierd or is this common practice?
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,112
Likes: 20
Neutral thank you,already had the thrill of clutch cable breaking,launching me into traffic.Lost frontend,pick-up that hit me ,trying to miss me sideswipped another car,stopped came to check on me.Good people,nobody hurt.Frontend whipped so fast throttle side almost broke my left hand,and no-one was speeding.Narrow city streets will get you.No matter what the advertising there is no such thing as a lifetime clutch cable.