Been riding a year - Some questions

[dcx4610]

I've been riding for about a year now. I'm pretty comfortable zipping around town for the most part. I still refuse to go on the interstate with how crazy people drive. That said, I have some questions now that I've put a decent amount of miles on my 250.

1. My 250 seems to idle weird. I have to choke it to start it even on a hot day and even after warming it up, it hover around 1500 and seems to drop RPMS like it's weak. Clogged carbs or just maybe needing some fresh gas after a long winter?

2. I've never ridden a bike before this and no experience with changing gears. First gear seems kinda rough. Going really slow seems kinda jerky and isn't fluid like the higher gears. Is this normal? Is this where clutch control really comes into play to keep it more manageable? Do bigger bikes have more control and power in 1st gear?

3. Any tips on wind resistance? Once you start hitting 50-60mph it feels like my head is going to snap back and I'm going to get blown off the road. Is it all about the tuck or is it something you just get used to?

[dailowill]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

3. Any tips on wind resistance? Once you start hitting 50-60mph it feels like my head is going to snap back and I'm going to get blown off the road. Is it all about the tuck or is it something you just get used to?

I'd feel a bit weird tucking in all the way going 50-60 mph. Changing the windscreen helps with the oncoming wind. Just to give you an idea -- I'm 5'6" and the wind used to hit me at a little lower than my shoulders. With the double bubble windscreen, it hits me near the eyes.

[alex.s]

knowing where the wind goes and how to deal with it is important. knowing how wind gets blown off other cars and how that effects you is important. for example, the vacuum created from the back of the truck on the left and the added pressure from the front of a truck on the right makes an awesome side wind that can catch you off gaurd if you don't know to expect it.

the biggest thing that pisses me off about new riders is how far forward on the seat they sit. jeeeesus scoot back already.

[hirubhaiambani]

Originally Posted by alex.s

the biggest thing that pisses me off about new riders is how far forward on the seat they sit. jeeeesus scoot back already.

I'm short. So if I scoot back, I have to stretch my arms more and I get tired so fast.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by hirubhaiambani

I'm short. So if I scoot back, I have to stretch my arms more and I get tired so fast.

this is why you lean forward. arms bent. chest on the tank.

if your back gets tired, keep doing it. it won't get tired after a few years.

[hirubhaiambani]

Originally Posted by alex.s

this is why you lean forward. arms bent. chest on the tank.

if your back gets tired, keep doing it. it won't get tired after a few years.

Thanks! I'll try that. I eventually want to get a FZ8 so I need to train my back.

[RJprod]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

2. I've never ridden a bike before this and no experience with changing gears. First gear seems kinda rough. Going really slow seems kinda jerky and isn't fluid like the higher gears. Is this normal? Is this where clutch control really comes into play to keep it more manageable? Do bigger bikes have more control and power in 1st gear?

I have less than a year under my belt and about 5000miles...I'm probably not best guy to give advice, but you just have to be smooth when shifting... I hate the first gear too..it's buzzy and annoying.. invest in some books like total control and smooth riding.. they'll teach you how to ride smooth..

[broken neck]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

2. I've never ridden a bike before this and no experience with changing gears. First gear seems kinda rough. Going really slow seems kinda jerky and isn't fluid like the higher gears. Is this normal? Is this where clutch control really comes into play to keep it more manageable? Do bigger bikes have more control and power in 1st gear?

You might want to shim the needle and to drill the carburator slide. This will help greatly on making the bike less jerky in first gear, it will smooth out thing, but being able to control the clutch is even better, it will helop you with all those low speed maneuvers.

Originally Posted by dcx4610

3. Any tips on wind resistance? Once you start hitting 50-60mph it feels like my head is going to snap back and I'm going to get blown off the road. Is it all about the tuck or is it something you just get used to?

Both, on my first freeway riding, I was surprise how my head was going everywhere, more when I was doing the bliond sport check, alomost if I would never be able to bring it back... You'll get use to it... The tuck is important too, you'll be able to rest a bit on the tank or on your tank bag... I switched my OEM windscreen for a double bubble, it helped a lot too.

[csmith12]

I am rarely in 1st gear unless snail slow or taking off from a stop because it's jerky like that. Your choices are be super smooth with the throttle or use 2nd more and be super smooth on the clutch. As they say, the friction zone is your friend. A 15t front sprocket helps a little but it's not going to make it fluid like the other gears. Check your chain slack, look into shimming the cush drive, shim the carb needles and delete the snorkle. Adjust your clutch and shift lever to your personal preference and maybe..... all of those things combined will have an effect on how 1st gear feels for you.

You can try some seafoam for your idle issue but honestly. As a carbed bike owner.... might as well get used to cleaning and modding them as you see fit. Sounds like maybe your in need of some fresh gas or a pilot jet cleaning. If you clean the carbs, clean ALL of it.

Ummm wind, your riding a bike, you will have to build a certain stamina and tolerance to wind. Things that address your head while riding;
tucking or getting head out of windstream
windscreens double bubble or touring
lighter and higher quality helmet
chin skirt for you helment
oh... Is your helmet the right size? Too big lets in to much air

Lastly have a strong torso, legs and learn the feel of really locking on the tank. I pays dividends while riding.

Enjoy and ride safe!

[adouglas]

Funny how most posts immediately go to "MOD THE BIKE! BUY STUFF!" without looking at root causes first. The bike is fine as-is and the rider is quite capable of improving his comfort without spending a dime. Modding can improve it but let's begin at the beginning.

1) Idle. Before you go doing major surgery do the basics. Yes, fresh gas and maybe some carb cleaner. You DID put in fuel stabilizer before storage, right? RIGHT? Do your homework. Also, near your right knee you'll find a little black knob coming out the side of the bike. That's an idle speed adjuster. Once the bike is fully warmed up and with the choke OFF play with it until it idles smoothly and within spec (about 1k rpm or so). You did read the manual, right? RIGHT?

2) First gear. From the tone of your question it sounds like you never took the MSF course. This is covered extensively and is one of the first things you do. It's pilot error… you're causing it because you're not using the friction zone correctly. Sounds like you're dumping the clutch and causing the bike to jerk, which makes your hand move on the throttle when you don't want it to, which causes another jerk, rinse and repeat. Huh… huh… huh… you see this all the time with new drivers who don't understand clutches yet.

Here's the exercise: Go to a parking lot, get on the bike and duck walk it, feathering the clutch to get it to move. The object of the exercise is to get used to where the friction zone is. It's NOT the bike, it's you. The bike WILL be smooth if YOU are smooth.

3) Wind. Just lie down on the tank. Sounds like you're sitting there like a statue with stiff arms. Relax and get down. Tucking, even at 60 mph, cuts a significant amount of wind drag, which on these bikes means significant amounts of extra power on tap for passing.

I've posted a lot about riding position but to save you the search:

I ride my bike like a jockey rides a race horse. Leaned forward with weight on the tank even when not fully tucked. My arms stay relaxed and I have very little or no weight on my hands except at low speeds/stops. Also very little or no weight on my butt. It's very comfortable for long periods of time. I'm short too (5'7").

A simple way to visualize good riding position is to try to get your forearms parallel with the ground. That forces you to lean forward the way you should.

[csmith12]

Interesting... I didn't get the "buy stuff" feel from this thread. Not yet anyway.

[crazymadbastard]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Interesting... I didn't get the "buy stuff" feel from this thread. Not yet anyway.

bubble windscreen, sprocket chang- adding fresh gas<---

[adouglas]

It was both mod and buy, not just buy.

i.e. shim the needles and maybe drill the slides before making sure the bike is running right in the first place.

But the buy stuff is definitely there. We've seen recommendations for a new helmet, chin skirt, new windshield...... etc.

If the OP isn't even used to shifting gears then for darned sure he doesn't have much experience riding on the road. Most of this stuff becomes very obvious with experience.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Check your chain slack, look into shimming the cush drive, shim the carb needles and delete the snorkle. Adjust your clutch and shift lever to your personal preference and maybe..... all of those things combined will have an effect on how 1st gear feels for you.

Grand total = $0.33 in washers
Feeling confident and in control = priceless

Naw.... being complete is not pushing anyone to buy stuff. He is free to make that choice on his own.

Now after a year of riding, I think it's pretty safe to assume he knows that tucking ($0) will get a rider somewhat out of the wind. I guess I could be assuming too much.

Man.... why is everyone so high strung these days.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by adouglas

If the OP isn't even used to shifting gears then for darned sure he doesn't have much experience riding on the road. Most of this stuff becomes very obvious with experience.

Now quite sure where you're getting this from???? OP says he is comfortable "zipping" around town. That says to me imho, he is fine with shifting and the basics. And don't ride the freeway due to crazy drivers, not inexperience.

/confused

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Now quite sure where you getting this from???? OP says he is comfortable "zipping" around town. That says to me imho, he is fine with shifting and the basics. And don't ride the freeway due to crazy drivers, not inexperience.

/confused

Um.....

2. I've never ridden a bike before this and no experience with changing gears

Clarified? Not to put too fine a point on it, did you read the OP?

No need to get panties in a bunch. I'm merely suggesting that the simplest things are likely to be just as good an answer as making modifications to the bike... some of which cost nothing, some of which do.

The wisest man I ever knew taught me to never overlook the obvious. I've "repaired" many computer problems for coworkers by simply making sure the thing was plugged in. "I need a new motherboard!" becomes "oh....."

Maybe he just has gick in the jets from old gas. Said possibility was also in the OP. Just sayin'.

[csmith12]

Yes sir, I did read the OP, hence "zipping around town" and "crazy highway drivers". And trust.... my panties are not in a bunch, it's all good. I feel where your coming from, you have a valid point.

Ah.... I think I see the issue here. Some of the questions are somewhat n00bish for a rider with a year of experience (no offence Daniel ).

Lemme take off my hat that says "Glass half full" for a minute.

Highway: Don't be afraid of the highway, the same crazy drivers are in town too
First Gear: It's kinda cluncky on most bikes. The clutch smooths it all out
Idle: I have to use the choke on a hot day too and my bike idles at 1200 rpm, I think your bike is just fine
Wind: Tuck or suck it up, not much else you can do

Daniel, I liked my first comment better, it was more complete and offered things you might not have thought of yet or wasn't already mentioned. Please do check for the simple/free solutions first as a lot of riders feel uncomfortable in regard to many things as they grow to more experienced riders.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by csmith12

I am rarely in 1st gear unless snail slow or taking off from a stop because it's jerky like that. Your choices are be super smooth with the throttle or use 2nd more and be super smooth on the clutch. As they say, the friction zone is your friend.

Adjust your clutch and shift lever to your personal preference and maybe..... all of those things combined will have an effect on how 1st gear feels for you.

Originally Posted by adouglas

1) Idle. Before you go doing major surgery do the basics. Yes, fresh gas and maybe some carb cleaner. You DID put in fuel stabilizer before storage, right? RIGHT? Do your homework. Also, near your right knee you'll find a little black knob coming out the side of the bike. That's an idle speed adjuster. Once the bike is fully warmed up and with the choke OFF play with it until it idles smoothly and within spec (about 1k rpm or so). You did read the manual, right? RIGHT?


2) First gear. From the tone of your question it sounds like you never took the MSF course. This is covered extensively and is one of the first things you do. It's pilot error… you're causing it because you're not using the friction zone correctly. Sounds like you're dumping the clutch and causing the bike to jerk, which makes your hand move on the throttle when you don't want it to, which causes another jerk, rinse and repeat. Huh… huh… huh… you see this all the time with new drivers who don't understand clutches yet.

Here's the exercise: Go to a parking lot, get on the bike and duck walk it, feathering the clutch to get it to move. The object of the exercise is to get used to where the friction zone is. It's NOT the bike, it's you. The bike WILL be smooth if YOU are smooth.

1st gear is pretty much always the jerkiest gear. This is true of any manual transmission. It's to get you moving, and not much else. And as the rest have said, there's a lot you can do to get it smoother. Throttle control and clutch control are key! You want to ride your clutch a little (friction zone), especially if you're doing a slow start. And just like you want to smoothly squeeze on your front brake, your clutch should be a gradual squeeze and release, too. That's not to say you can't shift quickly, but you never want to just grab it, you want to squeeze.

Your idle is going going to effect you in first gear, too. I was also doing mostly city riding, and for that reason I had my idle a little high - something like 1.4k. When you're in stop and go, it helped make the start a little smoother with a little less throttle then with a 1k idle. Also, your idle adjust is so easy to get to so that you can adjust it as needed. The weather and your elevation will all effect it, and it's a good thing to check as conditions change.

[BRad704]

All the points about clutch and throttle control are spot-on. To the OP, yes, first gear is REALLY herky jerky if you are opening/closing the throttle only to try and maintain a slow roll... That's just how it is...

For the wind, I think the helmet question is very valid. I have 2 helmets, one is a larger shell and less pointed face/chin. It's like wearing a parachute on my head. The helmet I wear exclusively now is a smaller shell and more pointed chin, so it seems to cause less buffetting and resistance.

FWIW, I'm 6'2", so tucking all the way down is pretty much not gonna happen... I've learned to find the balance point of wind resistance vs. forward motion and use that to help support my body when on the highway.

[dfox]

helmets definitely affect the wind.... I went from a cheap HJC to a nice Arai. The Arai doesn't look more aerodynamic, but it holds steady on its own in the wind, the HJC was all over the place, and wanted to rip my head off whenever I did a lane check.

I also tuck on any highway as long as there's not a ton of traffic. Mostly to cut down on the wind noise, because the Arai is super loud, even with ear plugs. High traffic though, just suck it up, it's better to sit high, be more visible, and able to react quicker.

[CC Cowboy]

1st gear is basically used for pulling a trailer. If you don't have a trailer connected (or if your g/f is under 200lbs) you don't need it.

[dcx4610]

Thanks for the posts. I'm smooth with shifting, I've just always been curious about 1st gear not feeling as smooth as higher gears. I was just wondering if that was due to the 250's smaller engine and not having much power. Apparently it's just how 1st gear is on any vehicle.

As far as the wind, I was just looking for opinions. It was an a really windy day and I was interested to see how people dealt with it. I felt a little silly going chest to tank at 50mph but I guess that's normal.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

As far as the wind, I was just looking for opinions. It was an a really windy day and I was interested to see how people dealt with it. I felt a little silly going chest to tank at 50mph but I guess that's normal.

Eh, don't worry about being silly. I've been known to put my chest to the tank when I'm going 40 late at night in the cooollllddddd.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

Thanks for the posts. I'm smooth with shifting, I've just always been curious about 1st gear not feeling as smooth as higher gears. I was just wondering if that was due to the 250's smaller engine and not having much power. Apparently it's just how 1st gear is on any vehicle.

As far as the wind, I was just looking for opinions. It was an a really windy day and I was interested to see how people dealt with it. I felt a little silly going chest to tank at 50mph but I guess that's normal.

As a fellow southern man myself........

Lemme git all KY techy on ya for a minute about gearing. 1st gear be all all bout torque. You simply need more grunt torque to pull the weight of the bike, rider and maybe fat Sally Sue from down da hollar.... from the speed of 0 mph. And if your real aggressive wit it, the bike feels like it can run like a scalded dog until ya hits about dat 3rd gear on da 2fiddy. Dem der higher gears be all bouts higher rpms and speed, cause you aint gots no torque for passin power. Paw's ole' pullin' truck be about da same way ya hear...

I betchu be feelin all silly like wit yous chest on da tank cause aint many udder fellers be doin' dat round your parts. Dem der cops be lookin' like he be a racer on one dem crotch rockets and all.... and you don't be wantin to find youself in da back of dat paddy wagon.

In all seriousness though, with 1 year experience and still building miles, it's all about confidence, comfort and learning what works for you. You just might find you have to adjust the bike, other times you have to adjust yourself. I hope you/everyone had a good laugh at the above comments we are a fun bunch to hang out with online.

Be safe out there.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by csmith12

I am rarely in 1st gear unless snail slow or taking off from a stop because it's jerky like that. Your choices are be super smooth with the throttle or use 2nd more and be super smooth on the clutch.

. I'm not the biggest fan of 1st gear. I only use it if I stop completely...which it's fun to try NOT to do. It's my way to practice balancing my bike. Like others have gently (and not-so-gently) said, 1st gear is always the choppiest because it's so short. Smooth on the throttle is key.

Originally Posted by csmith12

As a fellow southern man myself........

Lemme git all KY techy on ya for a minute about gearing. 1st gear be all all bout torque. You simply need more grunt torque to pull the weight of the bike, rider and maybe fat Sally Sue from down da hollar.... from the speed of 0 mph. And if your real aggressive wit it, the bike feels like it can run like a scalded dog until ya hits about dat 3rd gear on da 2fiddy. Dem der higher gears be all bouts higher rpms and speed, cause you aint gots no torque for passin power. Paw's ole' pullin' truck be about da same way ya hear...

I betchu be feelin all silly like wit yous chest on da tank cause aint many udder fellers be doin' dat round your parts. Dem der cops be lookin' like he be a racer on one dem crotch rockets and all.... and you don't be wantin to find youself in da back of dat paddy wagon.
.

I had a laugh at 'em! Nicely done for southern gentleman of your caliber.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by csmith12

As a fellow southern man myself........

Lemme git all KY techy on ya for a minute about gearing. 1st gear be all all bout torque. You simply need more grunt torque to pull the weight of the bike, rider and maybe fat Sally Sue from down da hollar.... from the speed of 0 mph. And if your real aggressive wit it, the bike feels like it can run like a scalded dog until ya hits about dat 3rd gear on da 2fiddy. Dem der higher gears be all bouts higher rpms and speed, cause you aint gots no torque for passin power. Paw's ole' pullin' truck be about da same way ya hear...

I betchu be feelin all silly like wit yous chest on da tank cause aint many udder fellers be doin' dat round your parts. Dem der cops be lookin' like he be a racer on one dem crotch rockets and all.... and you don't be wantin to find youself in da back of dat paddy wagon.

I have no idea what you just said.