Things You'll Need:
- Motorcycle learners permit
- A Motorcycle
- A licensed rider
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Step 1
Here is the gear shifter, your bike may look a little different but they all work the same in changing gears.First you need to sit on the bike and get comfortable with it. You will need to know how to use the clutch and the gear shifter in order to correctly change gears. I would say to start in a empty parking lot with a smaller bike to learn on. The other person should be licensed and you should have a permit. Reason is to be legal so you can not be found violating laws. I also recommend actually riding rather than just shifting with the bike not running and just sitting. That really doesn't teach you how to change the gears at the correct time nor proper clutch use. Any one can just click a foot pedal, but skill comes with letting the clutch out with out stalling. I thought it would be super easy and cause I drive a manual trans. on a car this would be a cinch. I was wrong, it took a little bit to get used to.
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Step 2
Ok now for the dry run. The shifter pedal is or should be located on the left side in front of the foot peg. If you push the pedal down you would be engaging a lower gear or down shifting, by slipping your foot under the pedal and clicking it up you would be up-shifting. Thats the basic theory of the shifter pedal. Now turn the bike on to the ACC or accessory position, don't start it yet. Look at the gauge cluster, normally there is a light that will illuminate when the bike is in neutral. Ask the other rider if you are unsure, asking is better than assuming. If there is one, you may have to click the pedal to find neutral, the light will illuminate when you get it.
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Step 3
Now that you have the bike in neutral you can start it up. I recommend a helmet for riding for your safety and because it maybe a law where you live. Balance the bike with your legs so that the kick stand is off the ground. Use your foot to kick it back to the raised position. If the bike is on the center stand lean back then forward. If you lean hard enough the stand will retract. Start the bike up and let the bike come to a idle. Now the clutch is on the left side handle bar grip. Squeeze the lever in and click down for first.
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Step 4
Now comes the tricky part, work the throttle and the clutch so that you smoothly let off the clutch while giving the bike throttle throttle. This will take some practice, so you may need to keep at it. Once you get the bike going the rpms will start to climb. Once this happens you can let off the throttle and squeeze the clutch lever and up-shift 1 full click to go to 2nd gear. If you half click you will have shifted to neutral. Once you get the bike into 2nd, let off the clutch and use the throttle. Again you will need to work the clutch and throttle so that the shift is smooth and not jerky. Keep up-shifting as the engine rpms get high enough.
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Step 5
Last part of shifting is down shifting. If you find you self nearing a hill or the engine rpms are to low to power the bike along properly, you may need to down shift to make sure that the gear is right for the situation. Most times you will let off the throttle squeeze the clutch and click down to the next lower gear, let off the clutch and use the throttle. Some times you may need to down shift 2 gears and not just one. This will come with the learning to ride and knowing the bike.
Some people engine brake. This is simply down shifting as you come to a stop so when you are stopped you have the clutch engaged while the bike is in 1st gear ready to take off again. Engine braking sounds nice if the bike rumbles, my bike is rather loud so I tend to do it for the sound. Practice slowing down and down shifting once you get the basics down. Starting and stopping is way more important than engine braking.
Thats shifting gears on a motorcycle in a nut shell. I am sure you will learn all kinds of other things when out there riding, this should help you to be able to get on the bike and get you to the point where learning will be fun.
