Learning To Ride - Were You Taught To "Swap Feet"?

[Red ones]

Isn't this calle dthe Hendon Shuffle?



















...gets coat...

I did my CBT & DAS a couple of months back. We were taught the Hendon Shuffle as being the way to safely change gears when at a stand-still, but were then taught that we should never need to so this as we should drop to first gear and hold the clutch in when waiting in traffic, etc. The instructor mentioned something about increased risk of having your right-leg run-over as the reason for avoiding gear-changes when stationary, if I recall correctly.

Found this...
Operation
Stop lamps may operate in conjunction with either the front or the rear brake, or both. On machines first used on or after 1 April 1986, the stop lamps must operate by the application of each system.

I think you'll find a lot of olders bike the brake light switch was only on the back. I know a old 125 I had was like this.

Was taught to change down to 1st just as i came to a stop and keep it in gear at lights in case i needed to move quickly....ie. a car coming up to fast behind me. Instructor said it was up to me to use my feet how i wanted as the examiner was not interested in that....he was right

[squirrel_hunter]

The Hendon Shuffle is what I was tought as well when doing my CBT then test some 5 or 6 years ago. However I always thought it was a little odd moving your feet like a dancer every time you came to the lights!

Then I did my IAM test as was tought the correct way which is right foot down and left covering the gears. The reason for this is as an experianced motorist you should be able to control your motorcycle and bring it to a stop gently and in balance. When stoped you should be in nutral and if need be have the front brake on to stop roll. On your test your tought to cover the back brake incase someone rearends you. Thats a stupied idea as you should be ready to move off quickly hence the gears are covered and you hand on the throttle covering the front. This has saved me on more than 1 occasion.

Unfortunalty this is another example of the CBT & DAS tests giving out incorrect and dangerous information. Do it to pass your test, then learn to ride properly!

Originally Posted by TC3

Was taught to change down to 1st just as i came to a stop and keep it in gear at lights in case i needed to move quickly....ie. a car coming up to fast behind me. Instructor said it was up to me to use my feet how i wanted as the examiner was not interested in that....he was right

For new and inexperienced riders that's not a bad idea, but anyone that is a more comptetent rider is best using squirrel_hunter's advice above IMO.


.

I've been told that stopping at lights with the gears engaged and the clutch in, isn't good for your clutch. I usually put the bike into neutral if I'm going to be stopped for more than a few seconds.

Sometimes I "hendon shuffle" and other times I have my right foot down and front brake on.

Cheers for the replies, guys. The Hendon somethingorother, you say?

So is the consensus then, that if my wife is more comfortable putting the right foot down, she should continue doing so?

Me personally, I do tend to put the bike into neutral at the lights/stopped for more than a few seconds. And yes, hillstarts are done with the front brake.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure I was too clear in my question!

Would my wife be ok putting the right foot down, and then putting it into neutral if required. ie the right foot staying down all the time?

@ me!

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Iain51

Cheers for the replies, guys. The Hendon somethingorother, you say?

So is the consensus then, that if my wife is more comfortable putting the right foot down, she should continue doing so?

Me personally, I do tend to put the bike into neutral at the lights/stopped for more than a few seconds. And yes, hillstarts are done with the front brake.

I wouldnt have said so no I was always told to stop at lights etc with my left foot down and right foot on the back brake.

Only if I was going to be stopped for a while should I do the Hendon and put my right foot down to change into neutral, and then as soon as neutral was engaged to swap back so my right foot was back on the brake, whilst you are not covering back brake you should pull on the front.

My brother was a b*gger for not doing this and would always stop with his right foot down and our instructor was always whinging at him about it.

I would try and get it so that you always stop with the left foot down, if you're not sure get your wife to check with her instructor