Left foot Right foot!

Doing my test next month and have been wondering what foot I should have down when stopped at lights?

I'll be doing a pretest/lesson closer to the date but need to practice.

And will I be marked for Sitting at lights in gear?

Cheers

Please Kill Me

LookBehindYou from here is an insructor so I'm sure he'll be along to tell you for sure. My thoughts on it are that your left foot goes down. The reason being (in my head) that your right foot covers the back brake. Esp if you're doing a hill start. But I stand to be corrected. It's so long ago I did my test, I can't remember. LOL

cantdecide

Have you taken any lessons at this stage?

minidazzler

Just did my IBT last week, it's left foot according to my instructor and I'd believe it for the reason mentioned above, covering the breaks. What good is it having your foot on the gears when you've dropped to first already?

Green_Martian

As said above form what i can remember it is left foot down and bike in first gear with right foot covering the break pedal, im sure lookbehindyou will be able to help as to the correct way.

From what i can recall from my test this is what i did and was not penalised for having bike in gear while sitting at the lights

blu3r0ri0n

Green_Martian wrote: »

As said above form what i can remember it is left foot down and bike in first gear with right foot covering the break pedal, im sure lookbehindyou will be able to help as to the correct way.

Yep thats correct.

left foot down stay in first makes sense

I kept thinking left foot down in N and then you have to do a switcharo before pulling off

blu3r0ri0n

urbanledge wrote: »

I kept thinking left foot down in N and then you have to do a switcharo before pulling off

Not good if you need a quick getaway!

Cienciano

Left foot down and right on the brakes is what I was told in my lessons.
But in the real world, I find both feet down and hold the front brake far easier, I never use the back when stopped.

LookBehindYou

Left foot down, in 1st gear waiting for takeoff, while covering the back brake with your right foot.
Remember the 180 degrees look around before you take off from side of road, and also before the U turn. Done just before you move.
90 degrees safety check in before any other turns, or changing your position on road.
So oil the neck up.

Pipz

While that makes sense, I always put my right foot down, cause I hold onto the front brake at lights, because if something were to knock me off balance, my hand would stay on the brake where my foot would come off. Also, I keep my bike in neutral at lights, so I have my left foot up ready to pop it into first.

TheFairy

Thinking is that if you hold the front brake and are hit from behind you will go right over the handlebars as the bike flips forward! Back brake will stop that happening.

Cienciano

Pipz wrote: »

While that makes sense, I always put my right foot down, cause I hold onto the front brake at lights, because if something were to knock me off balance, my hand would stay on the brake where my foot would come off. Also, I keep my bike in neutral at lights, so I have my left foot up ready to pop it into first.

I always use front brake, I think both feet down gives you much more stability.

TheFairy wrote: »

Thinking is that if you hold the front brake and are hit from behind you will go right over the handlebars as the bike flips forward! Back brake will stop that happening.

Ah come on, if you're hit like that you're in trouble no matter what brake you're holding in! And the bike couldn't flip cos a car would be wedged into the back of you!

minidazzler

Cienciano wrote: »

Ah come on, if you're hit like that you're in trouble no matter what brake you're holding in! And the bike couldn't flip cos a car would be wedged into the back of you!

That's not exactly what I would call a correct answer.

Back break on and a car hits you from the rear straight on, the bike is gonna move forward with you on it until it catches something and goes to the side or you react and turn the handlebars.

Front break on and same situation the bike, depending on speed of collision, will push right forward depressing the forks, if there isn't enough movement in the forks to put up with the entire force then the bike will either start to move forward and immediately turn the bike given the front break is trying to hold you in place and the steering column is so far forward, or the back wheel will rise up and you could be thrown off.

Either way it's not a good thing to happen, but there are reasons why the back break is considered best practice.

Wossack

I typically keep it in gear, with the rear brake covered at lights

with the plan being, Im ready to scarper if theres a car about to rearend me, or if I dont manage to, ive twice as many brakes applied

only take it out of gear if the lights aint gonna change for a while (and I know the sequence), and theres a stopped car behind me. Once out of gear, back to both brakes covered - overkill perhaps, but thats the habit at the moment

Cienciano

minidazzler wrote: »

That's not exactly what I would call a correct answer.

Back break on and a car hits you from the rear straight on, the bike is gonna move forward with you on it until it catches something and goes to the side or you react and turn the handlebars.

Front break on and same situation the bike, depending on speed of collision, will push right forward depressing the forks, if there isn't enough movement in the forks to put up with the entire force then the bike will either start to move forward and immediately turn the bike given the front break is trying to hold you in place and the steering column is so far forward, or the back wheel will rise up and you could be thrown off.

Either way it's not a good thing to happen, but there are reasons why the back break is considered best practice.

Chances very slim. I'd rather the extra stability of 2 feet on the ground.

galwaytt

Cienciano wrote: »

minidazzler wrote: »

That's not exactly what I would call a correct answer.

Back break on and a car hits you from the rear straight on, the bike is gonna move forward with you on it until it catches something and goes to the side or you react and turn the handlebars.

Front break on and same situation the bike, depending on speed of collision, will push right forward depressing the forks, if there isn't enough movement in the forks to put up with the entire force then the bike will either start to move forward and immediately turn the bike given the front break is trying to hold you in place and the steering column is so far forward, or the back wheel will rise up and you could be thrown off.

Either way it's not a good thing to happen, but there are reasons why the back break is considered best practice.

Chances very slim. I'd rather the extra stability of 2 feet on the ground.

2 feet down is the wrong choice - you're covering neither brakes nor gears, that way.

DanWall

Yes but you have a choice without switching

Cienciano

galwaytt wrote: »

2 feet down is the wrong choice - you're covering neither brakes nor gears, that way.

You're covering the front brake. Bike is in gear, so you don't need to cover the gears.

Really keep it in gear? I've had 2 clutch cables snap before.. Wouldn't like to be revving at lights when that happens. I'd usually find neutral, left foot down and then quickly kick into first and let the clutch out without putting the right down. Just balance for a sec.

josh59

When I did my lessons I was told - bike in neutral left foot on back brake.

blu3r0ri0n

Deleted User wrote: »

Really keep it in gear? I've had 2 clutch cables snap before.. Wouldn't like to be revving at lights when that happens. I'd usually find neutral, left foot down and then quickly kick into first and let the clutch out without putting the right down. Just balance for a sec.

Why would you be revving the bike at the lights?

Cienciano

Keeping it in neutral because your clutch cable might snap is like driving really slow into corners because your brakes might fail.

Mr Sheen!

josh59 wrote: »

When I did my lessons I was told - bike in neutral left foot on back brake.

How do you manage that :rolleyes:

Wossack

theres never a good time for a clutch cable to break - stopped at lights with the brakes held, is prob one of the better times

but yes, a certain amount of mechanical sympathy is good to have..! so I do take it out of gear if Im stopping for a prolonged period

Mr Sheen!

blu3r0ri0n wrote: »

Why would you be revving the bike at the lights?

Because it sounds cool :cool: . . . . Until your clutch cable snaps that is

RosieJoe

blu3r0ri0n wrote: »

Why would you be revving the bike at the lights?

'Cos I want to keep up with Rossi who is revving the ****e out of his moped beside me!

josh59

josh59 wrote: »

When I did my lessons I was told - bike in neutral left foot on back brake.

Ha ha ha,
I can picture it now.

Josh59 pulls up at the lights....
clicks it into Neutral.....
stand down...
gets off....
walks around the bike and puts his left foot on the back break :D:D:D

Doylers

Did my test about a month ago. I was told always have you left foot down and the right foot covering the rear break. When your slowing you will be breaking to a stop with only the rear break so if you put your right foot down it might say you werent breaking like you should.

I was also told keep the bike in gear at a stop incase you need to move out of danger fast and looks more refined I suppose. Best of luck

Cienciano

After you do your test with the left foot on the ground, bike in gear, right foot on the back brake do what ever feels comfortable.

galwaytt

josh59 wrote: »

When I did my lessons I was told - bike in neutral left foot on back brake.

Lol, they haven't made them like that for a good while now ! ;-)

...from an age when it was called the Hendon Two Step, iirc......

blu3r0ri0n

blu3r0ri0n wrote: »

Why would you be revving the bike at the lights?

Many reasons.. warming the bike up maybe.

blu3r0ri0n

Deleted User wrote: »

Many reasons.. warming the bike up maybe.

Thats just one and to be honest, shouldn't be riding it if it is not warmed up, unless you dont give a fcuk about the bike.

Ok cool. You're right, I'm wrong. I point out a safety concern and you point out that I'm either a retard or a boy racer.

blu3r0ri0n

Deleted User wrote: »

Ok cool. You're right, I'm wrong. I point out a safety concern and you point out that I'm either a retard or a boy racer.

AH HERE....LEAVE IT OUUUUUUUUUU


I'm sorry for offending you it was not my intention, I certainly wasn't suggesting that you are mentally impaired and I never heard a biker being called a boy racer before.

It's not about who is right or wrong, allot of newbies read these and its better that they get the correct advice.

I would love to hear another valid safety reason thats not overweighed by another. In all fairness every single instructor out there is going to advice that left foot down, in 1st gear waiting for takeoff, while covering the back brake with your right foot - there must be a good reason for that!

Yea it makes perfect sense and I'm not disputing it. Just adding my 2c since I've had two cables snap while driving.

Cienciano

blu3r0ri0n wrote: »

Thats just one and to be honest, shouldn't be riding it if it is not warmed up, unless you dont give a fcuk about the bike.

You sure? Last thing I read about it said you shouldn't let your bike warm up, just hop on and ride, just keep the revs low till it gets up to proper temperture.

Everyone has their own way of being stopped, I haven't read anything on here that would make me change from my way. Sometimes neutral, sometimes in gear, but always front brake if the bike is on a hill. I'd never stop the way you're supposed to do it.

blu3r0ri0n

Cienciano wrote: »

You sure? Last thing I read about it said you shouldn't let your bike warm up, just hop on and ride, just keep the revs low till it gets up to proper temperture.

Everyone has their own way of being stopped, I haven't read anything on here that would make me change from my way. Sometimes neutral, sometimes in gear, but always front brake if the bike is on a hill. I'd never stop the way you're supposed to do it.

It will depend on the bike I guess, however, I was going on the assumption that his needed to be warmed up since that was the reason he gave.

As I said, its called best practice for a reason and instructors teach that to learners for a reason.If I was starting out I would want to do it the way that is thought by an instructor, also you will be marked down for it during the test.

Once you pass your test do what you want, everyone to their own. Personally it doesn't feel normal unless I have my back break engaged and in first gear if I am stopped at the lights, however, there are occasions where I would put it in to neutral to stretch a limb or two - I would still have the back break engaged though.

Cienciano

I think most people have their bike in neutral at the lights tbh. If you're driving around town it's good to give your hand a break.

Wonda-Boy

Deleted User wrote: »

Yea it makes perfect sense and I'm not disputing it. Just adding my 2c since I've had two cables snap while driving.

Do you ride the bike with any slack on the clutch cable?....there should always be some slack on the cable at the lever end, as in a small bit of play before the clutch gets engaged.

As for stopping at lights, I too always stop and leave the bike in first gear with the back brake engaged for many reasons. But mostly if I see something coming and not stopping quick enough I have some chance to move outta the way.

And just been progressive also, ever stuck behind a cage fumbling for 1st when the lights go green having sat there for 4 mins in neutral!! :rolleyes:

Kido Fazer 1

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

ever stuck behind a cage fumbling for 1st when the lights go green having sat there for 4 mins in neutral!! :rolleyes:

Nope.

Wonda-Boy

Good lad all them years on the road paid off so.....and it was the cage fumbling for gears not the rider.

Cienciano

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

And just been progressive also, ever stuck behind a cage fumbling for 1st when the lights go green having sat there for 4 mins in neutral!! :rolleyes:

Cars slow off the lights are responsible for half the traffic problems in Dublin. Amount of light changes where about 10 cars should get through but about 4 get through cos of slow cars

Wonda-Boy

Yeah, either that or they are flying through a red....or an amber gambler!

Cienciano

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Yeah, either that or they are flying through a red....or an amber gambler!

Ehh...yeah...cars.
I'd never do that

Tigger

Left foot on ground bike in neutral right foot on back brake right hand on front brake
To go lift left foot quickly and engage first and off
you should t have to put your right foot down

You can do the switcheroo as a way to get here but it's not nessiciary

Kido Fazer 1

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Good lad all them years on the road paid off so.....and it was the cage fumbling for gears not the rider.

They did indeed. I don't sit behind cars at traffic lights.

goldie fish

Left foot down, bike in neutral always when stopped at lightst. Its easy to spot someone who hasn't passed a test when you sit behind them at lights, and both feet on the ground..

arybvtcw0eolkf

goldie fish wrote: »

Left foot down, bike in neutral always when stopped at lightst. Its easy to spot someone who hasn't passed a test when you sit behind them at lights, and both feet on the ground..

Seriously?.

goldie fish

Enzo Limited Racism wrote: »

Seriously?.

Yes. Pattle up to the line like a swan landing on ice.

Cienciano

goldie fish wrote: »

Left foot down, bike in neutral always when stopped at lightst. Its easy to spot someone who hasn't passed a test when you sit behind them at lights, and both feet on the ground..

That sounds like the most awkward way to do it. Left foot down only? So, when the lights change you have to pull in the front brake, right foot down, left foot up, click into gear and away you go.
Yeah, everyone that passes their test does that!