2 questions I hope someone can help with

Cnoc16

Hopefully someone can help here.

I only bought my first bike about a month ago (honda cbr 250). I'm fairly careful and only take it out at weekends (early in the morning) until I can get used to it. However, I'm still having 2 problems which is denting my confidence, and preventing me going out in busy traffic:


1) Coming DOWN in gears.
I'm fine changing gears when going up, but I can never smoothly go down a gear. If im in 3rd gear say, and I see a bit of traffic ahead and feel I should go down to second, I let go of the gas, pull the cluch, kick the gear down and release the clutch while giving it a bit of gas. Is this correct? could someone outline the correct way to do it. When I come down a gear, it always jumps when the gear catches.

2) Throttle
How 'springy' should it be. Mine is not very. When I pull it, it does not click back. It simply eases back (quite slowly) Is there a simple way to adjust this, or would it have to be taken apart?

ANY help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

seamus

Cnoc16 wrote:

1) Coming DOWN in gears.
I'm fine changing gears when going up, but I can never smoothly go down a gear. If im in 3rd gear say, and I see a bit of traffic ahead and feel I should go down to second, I let go of the gas, pull the cluch, kick the gear down and release the clutch while giving it a bit of gas. Is this correct? could someone outline the correct way to do it. When I come down a gear, it always jumps when the gear catches.

Yeah, if you're used to driving a car, the difference between gears can seem crazy on a bike.

What most people seem to do is to just slow down coming up to the lights. Hover over your clutch, but don't clutch in until the bike is close to cutting out. As you roll to a stop, change down through all the gears, into first. Stop, keep your foot on the rear brake, and clutched in. You're then ready to blast off when the lights go green.
If the lights go green as you approach, clutch in, drop down to the appropriate gear and accelerate away.

2) Throttle
How 'springy' should it be. Mine is not very. When I pull it, it does not click back. It simply eases back (quite slowly) Is there a simple way to adjust this, or would it have to be taken apart?

In general it shouldn't necessarily snap back, but it should be fairly responsive. It may be an indicator of a heavily worn or dirty accelerator cable. I'd get it checked out.

The Doktor

When changing down the gears, off throttle, Pull the clutch , down gear, blip the throttle to bring up the revs, let clutch out.... this will stop the bike jumping.
Id be ashamed to ride with anyone who stops the bike and goes down the gears... tut tut...

art

As Doktor says, to smoothly come down, it helps to increase the trottle a bit ... another one of them coordination things that when you have it, its easy, but getting there can take a while. It's different from bike to bike, so there is no hard and fast rule either, just try feel your way towards using the clutch (out), the gear lever and the trottle almost all at once - but until then, clutch in, "blip" the trottle (ie a short twist to rise the revs about an extra 1000) and before the revs drop again, gear lever and clutch out... (or I think that's how it goes - finding it hard to describe without sitting on a bike!!)

Interceptor

The throttle cables on any bike need occasional lubrication. I had to replace both on my CBR250 this summer (cost £14 each from the UK) as one was just about to snap and had become quite frayed. The full maintenance manual is available on www.cbr250.com - I downloaded it and burned it to CD and it is invaluable. Start by taking off the tank, then the airbox and the cables are easily detached from the carbs. Run light oil into them and exercise them to get them free then refit them. Handy job and an instant transformation in throttle response.

If you are having repeated trouble getting smooth downshifts and have tried everything suggested here, then consider some lessons from one of the advanced biker training places - you'd be amazed at the improvement it will make.

'cptr

seamus

The Doktor wrote:

Id be ashamed to ride with anyone who stops the bike and goes down the gears... tut tut...

Hey, it's a matter of opinion. I used to drive your way (for both car and bike), but after doing an advanced driving prelim for the car, I got into the habit of doing it the other way for both. Makes for a much smoother ride...

Idleater

seamus wrote:

Makes for a much smoother ride...

Not if you have to make an increase in velocity...

Then you are in 5th and slowing on the brakes at 10kmph.

clutch in, click click click, revs, clutch out, chug, clutch in, click, revs, clutch out, go.