HOW TO RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE
81
Changing Gears
Warning
Take care to avoid opening the throttle
too far or too fast in any of the lower
gears as this can lead to the front
wheel lifting from the ground (pulling a
'wheelie') and to the rear tire breaking
traction (wheel spin).
Always open the throttle cautiously,
particularly if you are unfamiliar with
the motorcycle, as a 'wheelie' or loss of
traction will cause loss of motorcycle
control and an accident.
Warning
Do not shift to a lower gear at speeds
that will cause excessive engine rpm
(r/min).
This can lock the rear wheel causing
loss of control and an accident. Engine
damage may also be caused.
Shifting down should be done such
that low engine speeds will be ensured.
1
5
4
3
6
2
N
1
1. Gear shift pedal (6 speed shown)
To shift gear:
▼ Close the throttle while pulling in the
clutch lever.
▼ Shift into the next higher or lower
gear.
▼ Open the throttle part way, while
releasing the clutch lever. Always
use the clutch when shifting gear.
Note
The gear shift mechanism is the
'positive stop' type. This means that, for
each movement of the gear shift pedal,
you can only select each gear, one after
the other, in ascending or descending
order.