Which Gear do people use for normal 30MPH Zones?

[Mr EnDo]

Hi All,
I am still getting used to my bike and finding if I go up to 3rd its seems to lag but in 2nd it seems fine, but I was wondering what other people do, also coming to junctions to turn into do people knock down to first, I seem to have difficulty getting first in less I am doing about 5MPH. Anything more then that it seems to clunk.

[Bluepete]

WTF?

[fizzwheel]

whatever feels right. Theres no hard and fast rules on this, just go with how the bike feels. Its ages since I rode an SV though so wont coment on actual gear. Best approach is to just be flexable and not have a hard and fast rule.

Slow speed stuff 1st gear slip clutch control bike with back brake. I never try and engage first unless I'm actually stopped.

Sounds like with respect you just need to ride a little more, if you are unsure about what you are doing when carrying out slow stuff, then go find a big wide empty car park and practice.

[the_lone_wolf]

Nice spliff keeps you feeling mellow and in tune with the relaxed riding required in 30 zones

Definitely not LSD or cocaine as they may cause you to speed

[Stonesie]

In a 30 doing 30 on mine is 3K rpm in 4th, if it goes to national speed limit then I sometimes knock it down to 3rd to get a shuffle on, other times just gentle on the throttle at first and let it pull in 4th.

Junctions, it's hard to say, some are tighter than others so some will be 1st gear and slippy clutch, others 2nd gear with the clutch fully out.

[bluebird]

Nice spliff keeps you feeling mellow and in tune with the relaxed riding required in 30 zones

Definitely not LSD or cocaine as they may cause you to speed

I find amphetamine causes me to speed :smt120

[husky03]

WTF?


me too -must be a pi$$ take

[the_lone_wolf]

me too -must be a pi$$ take

Just wait until Ralph starts posting his polls...;)

[Mr EnDo]

me too -must be a pi$$ take

It's just a question as seem to have issues getting first in less I am almost stopped but my instructor told me to use first on all junction. So get other peoples opinions on this.

[metalmonkey]

What about 20 mph zones, have you thought about that? Oh wait what if...its an offset junction?

[dizzyblonde]

It depends which of my bikes I'm riding.

[Mr EnDo]

Cheers for the help I just play with it so its normal first is grindy in less stopped

[yorkie_chris]

Kinda agreeing with the "WTF?" and "FFS" type comments.

Just ride the bike, do whatever you want with the gearbox that is smooth and gives you drive when and where you need it.

[speedplay]

Whats a 30 zone...?

[the_lone_wolf]

Whats a 30 zone...?

It's the stretch where the deer are replaced by school children...

;)

[speedplay]

It's the stretch where the deer are replaced by school children...

;)


Ah, got you.

I bloody hate it when they step out if front of me when I'm passing a school at about 50.

Anyone would think they didnt know that the bike was coming.

[beabert]

Highest possible when just bumbling around 4th i think in 30 zones.

[maxinc]

The bikesafe opened my eyes in regards to revving the engine more as I tended to ride it like a car in driven in hypermileage mode.

Ideally you would want to be in a range that offers you enough engine braking if something dramatic should happen in front of your and enough power to easily accelerate away if needed. As a very general rule, thats's somewhere at about half the range. On a SV that would be 5000-6000rpm.

With that in mind, if you are holding 30mph, 2nd gear is about right. If you get close to 40, then 3rd. Junctions probably in 1st.

This is only my attempt to clarify the issue I had when I first started. What the other have said is also true. There many factors that can dictate the "proper gear" and they will come naturally with experience.

[missyburd]

I wouldn't know as I don't tend to count what gear I'm in, I just go with whatever gear doesn't make my YBR explode with the effort. That'll be fourth then, out of my huge choice of 5 gears :lol: I would have thought you should be listening to the sound of your bike not consciously thinking oh dear I should be in another gear. If it screams you knock up :-D but then what would i know, i'm on l-plates :-P

[Milky Bar Kid]

I thought you meant like jackets n stuff....tut..

[Mr EnDo]

The bikesafe opened my eyes in regards to revving the engine more as I tended to ride it like a car in driven in hypermileage mode.

Ideally you would want to be in a range that offers you enough engine braking if something dramatic should happen in front of your and enough power to easily accelerate away if needed. As a very general rule, thats's somewhere at about half the range. On a SV that would be 5000-6000rpm.

With that in mind, if you are holding 30mph, 2nd gear is about right. If you get close to 40, then 3rd. Junctions probably in 1st.

This is only my attempt to clarify the issue I had when I first started. What the other have said is also true. There many factors that can dictate the "proper gear" and they will come naturally with experience.

Thanks dude that has help clarify the matter, I still find switching to firsted before a junction on my SV is clonky and stiff to get into is this normal on the SV's

[maxinc]

I still find switching to firsted before a junction on my SV is clonky and stiff to get into is this normal on the SV's

You are probably too fast or changing too slowly. Practice will make it perfect. :D

[Mr EnDo]

Cheers mate you have been a great help, I hate being a new rider and looking like a n00b asking so many questions

[maxinc]

Cheers mate you have been a great help, I hate being a new rider and looking like a n00b asking so many questions

Asking questions is good ... and brave. As a n00b myself, I found a lot of answers on these forums to questions I was anxious to ask.

So keep asking, and you may help some other n00b get the answers they are looking for.

[sinbad]

The bikesafe opened my eyes in regards to revving the engine more as I tended to ride it like a car in driven in hypermileage mode.

Ideally you would want to be in a range that offers you enough engine braking if something dramatic should happen in front of your and enough power to easily accelerate away if needed. As a very general rule, thats's somewhere at about half the range. On a SV that would be 5000-6000rpm.

With that in mind, if you are holding 30mph, 2nd gear is about right. If you get close to 40, then 3rd. Junctions probably in 1st.

This is only my attempt to clarify the issue I had when I first started. What the other have said is also true. There many factors that can dictate the "proper gear" and they will come naturally with experience.

Tbh if you have time for that difference in engine braking to make a difference to how quickly you emergency-stop from 30mph, then you probably aren't pulling the front brake hard enough anyway.

I think 2nd is too low a gear for constant 30mph on my 650s. It will quite happily sit at 30ishmph in 4th gear at a minuscule throttle opening with a gentle rumble being emitted from the exhaust and still enough go to leave most traffic behind if you're too lazy to change gear.

The junctions question really is a "how long is a piece of string?" question, though. If the OP is having problems selecting 1st gear and needing to work around that, then there's a clutch, gear-lever, oil-level or chain tension problem.

[maxinc]

Tbh if you have time for that difference in engine braking to make a difference to how quickly you emergency-stop from 30mph, then you probably aren't pulling the front brake hard enough anyway.

Is not about emergency braking. The technique described to me by the police rider doesn't apply to ridding 30mph only. Apart from the engine breaking which can make your general ride a lot smoother and more stable than adjusting you speed using the brakes, it also keeps the engine closer to the it's most efficient zone.

3000rpm in 4th gear is not going to give you a lot of power if you need to quickly accelerate and you will most likely need to shift down.

I found that keeping it in the 5000rpm range saves me a lot of gear changes and generally offers much more flexibility than a low rev.

[tonyk]

I am not going to vote.
1 gear 2,3,4,5,6 what gear do i use ?
It all depends on the way the bike feels.
20% up hill and 2,3,4, wont do only 1 st. but then it depends on what speed your doing.
OK. i suggest do more riding, dont labour the engine but then dont rev the nuts off it either........it all comes with more riding my friend.
ride safe.
ps. try riding up zig zag road up at box hill, youll soon know what gear to use.
http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=51.255066,-0.31414&spn=0.012113,0.027509&z=15

[toby_smith]

If you cant work out what gears to use you shouldn't be riding a bike

[Reeder]

Slightly harsh comment toby.
Obviously the OP does know what gear to use but is just seeking advice of others as to how they do it and expressing concern that it feels slightly crunchy going into first. Everyone has to learn so don't be harsh as you're only going to knock his confidence and make him feel uncomfortable about riding.

[MisterTommyH]

Kevlar jeans and a textile jacket?

Edit: note to self - read the thread before posting.

[toxic]

I use all the gears, all the time.

[Viney]

I'll be honest, i dont think i have ever questioned what gear to ride in in any situation. If its wrong, i drop a gear. Im usually in 3rd maybe 4th, dont know.

[Mr EnDo]

Thanks for the more advise, whats a good rpm rate before changing gear on the SV I seem to do it around 5K.

But I am so use to car driving bikes a little different.

[toxic]

Change when the rev limitor starts to retard the ignition you big girl's blouse!

[Mr EnDo]

LOL mate I am a new rider, I know what it can do, but I am not comfortable yet lol but thanks for that tip. :D

[Messie]

If you're counting gears you're not concentrating on the road.

And I was told, and experience tells me, on the SV only put it in 1st when stock still.

[Mr EnDo]

If you're counting gears you're not concentrating on the road.

And I was told, and experience tells me, on the SV only put it in 1st when stock still.

Cheers mate that was the answer to the other question, will put it all in to practice tonight, if the weather down this way gets better.

[thedonal]

I generally find myself in 2nd for most 30 limit riding. Maybe 3rd if I've come from a faster road and there's no traffic.

[maxinc]

If you're counting gears you're not concentrating on the road.

The only time I find myself counting is when I'm off a dual carriage way in 5th or 6th, I am approaching a roundabout and I want to make sure I end up in 2nd or 3rd, so I count backwards as I shift down.

Generally you should know in which gear you are by looking at the speedo and revs.

[Mr EnDo]

Thanks guys :D

[speedplay]

First gear...not round stonehouse street I hope...

[Mr EnDo]

????????

[Stu]

on the SV only put it in 1st when stock still.
beware of advice on the internets

[Mr EnDo]

I am getting confused. And before any one says any thing its not confused.com

[speedplay]

First gear...not round stonehouse street I hope...

????????

Well its been a while since I lived in Plymouth but when I was there, if you went past the young "ladies" that hang around in that area who wear thigh boots and short skirts, with a handbag full of jonnys, in first gear too often, you would get pulled for kerb crawling..:rolleyes:

[Mr EnDo]

I thought that was what you was getting at lol, Yeah that is quiet the hot spot still, when I was in the police always picked people up slow riding or driving around there.

[BBadger]

Never counted what gear i was in, just go by feel ...is it pulling enough or is it lagging and change gear appropriately.

Also to the 1st gear issue...try blipping the throttle with the clutch in just before you down change, makes the change less lumpy.

[Stig]

I use a forward gear. I tend to find a forward gear best for making progress.

[Typhoon]

I thought that was what you was getting at lol, Yeah that is quiet the hot spot still, when I was in the police always picked people up slow riding or driving around there.

You were a copper!!!!!!! :smt103

[Mr EnDo]

You were a copper!!!!!!! :smt103

Yeah, I was a special constable that swan in a court with the same powers as a normal constable, I even joined Traffic Specials for a while going out in the Volvo and BMW's it was very interesting. Would recommend it to any one interested in the police because its not what people think its like.

On an other note done some of the suggestions and it works a treat revving a little before first. Also just relax and do what you feel is right.

Thanks for the comments and some of the WTF's no doubt I will ask more questions soon enough. :D

[missyburd]

Thanks for the comments and some of the WTF's no doubt I will ask more questions soon enough. :D
That's the way mate, if you can cope with all the WTFs and still be smiling then you'll be around on here a lot longer than some :-)

[tonyk]

I use a forward gear. I tend to find a forward gear best for making progress.
ha ha ha there is always one, nice advise si.