When you stop in traffic be it a sign, light, or whatever reason do you set in 1st gear or neutral? There are a lot of bikes get rear ended sitting in traffic. I like to stop in neutral but seems like I might be safer in gear because if I see or hear something about to get me & I want to move fast. Do it bother the clutch to set disengaged over & over or are the mechanical items above that? I know I would rather wear out a couple of clutches & stuff than be mashed.
Just thinkin'.

 

As taught in the MSF, 1st. I will kick her in to N if the cars have stopped behind me and I want to pit my hands on the engine to warm up but otherwise prefer being good to go. Especially in D.C.
About 6 months back I had a minvan slam in to my car while at a light so its always best to be watching...they weren't!

 

I always downshift to 1st as I come to a stop.
If I'll be sitting for a couple minutes, I'll pop it into N.

But I always go to first as I'm coming to a stop, just in case the idiots behind me DON'T stop, I'm at least capable of letting go of the clutch & trying to get out of their way.

 

I downshift according to my speed keeping the clutch in and stop in 1st. I don't use the tranny to help slow down the bike. Brake pads are cheaper then motor parts.

The reason why I stop this way is because if I see some trouble behind me I just need to pull the clutch out and take off in the correct gear.

 

Normal stop - 1st gear.
Hard stop - 3rd gear.
Panic stop - I'll settle for being upright, anything else can be resolved later.

 

It's a wet clutch, it's fine. It's nothing like an automotive clutch.

At a light I am usually in 1st. Unless I am not. But I generally am.

 

What he said

 

 

What he said

 

I will downshift into second just before stopping. I use only the front brake to finish the stop shifting into first as I stop. I leave it in 1st if the light is going to be really short or there's no traffic behind me. Once a car stops then I slip it into neutral, especially on a longer light.
I got rear ended by some @$$#0!= in 97 who was talking on a cell coming up to a stop and he damn near pushed me out into cross traffic. I keep an open eye now.