At stop light, leave in first or shift to neutral ?

[ga_max]

I normally shift to neutral when I come to a stop light and I know I'll be sitting at the light for a few minutes but I'm wondering if this is the best practice. So my question is what is best for the bike in terms of clutch/transmission wear and tear or for general safety ? Thanks in advance for you words of wisdom.

Doug

 

[Traumahawk]

Well this is strictly my opinion, but when the clutch is pulled in, the transmission is disconnected from the engine, just like when the bike is in neutral, so there is no wear savings.

2nd.....if I have someone coming up behind me too fast, and doesn't see me....I want to be able to get out of the way QUICKLY. I leave it in first, and cock the handle bars a bit to the left so I can see directly behind me...and the lane beside me too.

 

[Itgoes]

I normally shift to neutral when I come to a stop light and I know I'll be sitting at the light for a few minutes but I'm wondering if this is the best practice. So my question is what is best for the bike in terms of clutch/transmission wear and tear or for general safety ? Thanks in advance for you words of wisdom.

Doug

I always think safety first so in most cases, especially when I'm on a road I'm not familiar with, the bike will be in gear. That way if you have to move in a hurry..... to avoid being rear ended for example, you can do it quickly and seamlessly.

 

[onspeed]

I stay in gear until I've got a stopped car behind me, then switch to neutral if I know it'll be a while before I get a green.

 

[Hellboy]

I stay in gear until I've got a stopped car behind me, then switch to neutral if I know it'll be a while before I get a green.

ditto to this. I even shut the engine off on really hot days at large intersections that I'm familiar with, some of them are a few minutes between lights.

 

[Born2Ride]

I stay in gear until I've got a stopped car behind me, then switch to neutral if I know it'll be a while before I get a green.

Same here, if I can I will relax my hands, sit straight, feet on the floor, hands laying on the faux cover.
Don't feel like pressing the clutch too long with my eyes on stop light waiting desperately to the green light.

 

[SpecOps13]

Always in gear, looking at an escape route until there is another substantial sized vehicle stopped somewhere behind me. I've never been rear ended but it's been close several times during my "Learning Years".

 

[Chpmnsws6]

I also continue to lightly hold the front brakes until I'm positive they see me. Once they stop, its popped into N on long lights and the brakes off

 

[Rollie]

I was hit at a stoplight back in the early 70s . I was on my '70 Yam XS-650 at about 2 a.m. Nobody on the streets in any direction. I was turning left and would normally have run the light , but it was a beautiful evening in the summer and I was only a block from my apartment with nobody waiting on me so I decided to wait the light out and enjoy the night . Wham , hit from behind by a drunk who never hit the brakes . Knocked me off the bike but minor damage done to the rear end , cause he was slowing down to turn left too.

I had to " convince " him to stick around for the police to show up as we didn't have cell phones in those days. Never had it in nuetral at a stop light since.