Ok So I'm a total newbie and I just bought my first bike, an 06 XL 1200 Custom with 2800 miles on it. I'm gonna be taking the motorcycle safety course this weekend but I was hoping to ride at least a little before I went to the course so I wouldn't look too stupid. I got the bike out and tried to ride it and I couldn't even get it out of the drive way. I can't seem to get the feel for the clutch. I start to let off the clutch and ease on the throttle and I kill it every time. What am I doing wrong?? I've driven nearly everything with wheels from tractors to fork lifts to semis and my daily driver is a Jeep that is 5 speed manual so I understand the clutch I just can't seem to get the feel for this one. Also, I guess because I have driven so many other vehicles the clutch with the hand shift with the foot just seems backwards and is giving me trouble. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

That's weird. You really need to give it little throttle to keep it from dying, unless you are just throwing the clutch out and not easing it out. Maybe your clutch is out of adjustment?

 

The clutch on a motorcycle is different then the other vehicles you've driven. It is made to be feathered. I know this against everything you ever heard on a car but try it on the sporty. Try to ease out the clutch without giving it any gas and finding the spot where it starts to grab and then pull it back in. Do that a few times and you will get use to where it grabs. Do not dump the clutch out after it grabs. If your on flat ground you should be able to move the bike without any gas. You'll find out in the class that when you are praticing figure 8's, you have to constantly feather the clutch in and out along the way. What I mean by feathered is to find the spot it's just starting to grab and moving the clutch in and out right at that spot. Hope that makes sense.

One thing to be warned about the sporty (and any other bike) is do not use the front brake when you have the steering cranked all the way over, it will tip the bike and you probably won't be able to hold it up.

Good luck

 

Put the bike in first gear, work the clutch and find the sweet spot, then walk the bike. Stop, start, walk the bike, stop and repeat. Dont use the throttle. Best place would be at a parking lot. I was doing this at my back alley and people probably thought.. "who is this stupid guy walking his Harley up and an down the alley?". After I took the Rider's Edge class, difference was night and day for me. Its something you have to do it over and over again till you dont think about it anymore.

 

I don't honestly think that the bike and a vehicle is that much different. I think in fact it's much easier to tell when a bike catches as compared to a car, jeep, whatever.

 

Make sure you're engaging first gear and not any of the others. With the engine warmed up for a few minutes, on a level surface the engine should ease you away with only a few extra revs.

As a new rider myself, I helped out at a volunteer rider's training scheme. We had elderly BSA Bantams, with the same DKW roots as Harley Hummers. It was almost impossible to stall those little 125cc 3-speed bikes! A novice would commonly let the clutch lever go, yet the engine would somehow get underway.

However a Sporty requires a slightly more sympathetic approach! When you've done it once you'll kick yourself!

Best of luck, from across the Atlantic.

 

As rooti pointed out, a motorcycle clutch is made to be slipped. Our clutches run in an oil bath and they tolerate slipping much better than the dry clutches in cars. In fact, during some low-speed maneuvering situations the clutch is used more than the throttle for speed control.

 

Gospel right there! You need to familiarize yourself with the 'friction zone', which was the first 'engine on' exercise taught during my riders' course

Great tip! The instructors didn't specify that in particular, but the method was to feather the clutch with constant throttle, and ride the rear brake to control your speed during tight, slow maneuvering.

 

You need more throttle. Practice makes perfect, find a safe place and practice. Then practice stopping, it's much more important than starting.
Good luck.

 

I'd stay off the bike until after the course...

Since you're not too familiar with riding, would you rather drop yours or theirs?

But yeah, once you get the feel you'll kick yourself for not getting it sooner...