Riding the clutch?? Bad for the bike? (Dull question!)

[Cie]

Well my understanding of the feet down thing is that your feet should be doing something, not just sit on the road.

For your bike test (Stan will/may confirm this) your left foot should be down, right foot on the brake, because you can't/shouldn't be using the front brake and throttle at the same time.

From the advanced riding side, your right foot should be on the road, left foot on the gears so that the bike is placed in neutral at every opportunity (mechanical sympathy). If it looks like someone is going to rear end you, drop it into gear and move!

[Dee Duble Yuh]

...when on a slope...

I didn't realise we were talking solely about stopping on a hill.

When coming to a rest on a hill I'd normally put my left foot down because I'm using both brakes. When at rest on a hill I'd normally swap feet in order to select neutral which means I then use the "front" brake. While at rest I can't see what difference it makes which brake I use; my "rear" brake pedal operates the front caliper anyway! When about to pull away I'd continue to use the "front" brake (while selecting gear) then the "rear" (while doing a hill start). Meanwhile your feet will be doing the old Henley shuffle.

That stuff about cars running over your feet if both were down is b0110x. If I'm holding the bike on the front brake (problem?) I still can't see the harm in having both feet down.

[monkeyboy44]

its great hearing all these replies... i really do believe that you find a style that suits you... i have a long, long way to go!

[Freerangestormer]

Well Monkeyboy, looks like this was anything but a dull question

That stuff about cars running over your feet if both were down is b0110x.

Absolutely, what difference does it make which foot you have down and if they are close enough to run over your foot they will probably have hit the bike already or are just about to, in which case you want the other foot down to let you step away.

What numpty came up with that one

[Muzz]

Rules, rules, rules... OK, I'm still grumpy today, so I'm calling that one about not being able to operate the throttle and the front brake together. I'm either moving off, or I'm stopped. If I'm moving off, I'm operating the throttle, if I'm stopped, I'm on the front brake. I can also cover the brake whilst operating the throttle, and I'm not superhuman, but I can switch from one to the other really, really fast - as I'm sure everyone can. If we're talking down to milliseconds, your hands can react far far faster than your feet*. We developed that a long time ago to make peeling bananas quicker**.

And on a bike with linked brakes like the Vara I'm on the back brake as well...

I love, though, Freerangestormer's classic understatement "...they will probably have hit the bike already or are just about to, in which case you want the other foot down to let you step away."

Step away - I'd be trying to run up a tree...



* Unless, of course, you're Wayne Rooney...
** Let's leave Wayne out of this one, though...

[Freerangestormer]

* Unless, of course, you're Wayne Rooney...
** Let's leave Wayne out of this one, though...

Priceless and I'm not a football man

Thought I'd better not bring up the subject of front braking while blipping for a down change then I thought, nah sod it

""Step away from the vehicle & nobody gets hurt""

[Annette]

I
That stuff about cars running over your feet if both were down is b0110x.

I think Lord Vader may disagree with you on this one

[Frad]

Priceless and I'm not a football man

Thought I'd better not bring up the subject of front braking while blipping for a down change then I thought, nah sod it

""Step away from the vehicle & nobody gets hurt""

Im curious about the front brake whilst blipping for a down change, cos if I get it wrong the bike dives as I apply more brake as I turn the throttle...... is that what you mean ???

[Dee Duble Yuh]

I think Lord Vader may disagree with you on this one

Dunno if it happened solely because he had both feet down. I think it happened because he jumped a queue and cut in front of a car.

Wales does have a good job of repelling invaders, though.

[Dee Duble Yuh]

For example:
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK.../Fishguard.htm