Stopped Riding Position....

[emshaferii]

I was curious what everyone did at red lights or when forced to stop in traffic.

[True Speed]

First gear, plenty of escape room, left foot down first, head on a swivel one eye in the mirrors.:04biker:

[naturally wired]

Most of the time its no hands on the bars and both feet down....relaxed, but ready to wave to my fans:D :D :D :D :D :D...

Also I always flip up my visor a little before a stop in the summer time

I do put my hands back on the bars for a sec though when a car comes up behind me as I watch my mirrors!

[Polovision]

Have all kinds of positions...I do keep an eye on the mirrors!

[msnyder755]

It just really depends on the actual stop.
If I am at an intersection and noone is around and not coming up from behind me I will engage the "green N" and stretch a bit however, if cars are coming from any direction that may cause an impact I keep it in first and watch all around and listen for screeches at least until there enough behind me to relax a bit...but always vigilant for the chain reaction impact that occurs 6 back...

[EagleSix]

...I do all the above...well almost all, but not all at the same time! If I'm sitting in 'N' I almost always have my right foot down and my left foot on the peg and shifter, so I can get it in gear and go pretty quick if necessary. Usually I like to be ready to go, so will sit in 1st gear with right or left foot down. If I stretch the arms and legs, it's usually is not for long and will return to a riding posture. Occasionally, in heavy traffic at a really long cycle light, after a bunch of cars behind me are also stopped, if I still have a minute or so for the light, I will kick down the side stand and dismount, stretch my legs and arms....don't you think this doesn't get some strange looks from cagers along side and behind me. Sometimes I even wave to the people behind me....funny looks...usually they wave back!!!

.

[beatlejuice]

im in gear at all times and searchin 360 degrees, left foot down . if cars are approching from the rear i pump the front brake to activate the stop light intermittently hopefully to be just a little more visable.:04biker:but always ready to jam!

[tricky_micky]

[QUOTE= I will kick down the side stand and dismount, stretch my legs and arms....don't you think this doesn't get some strange looks from cagers along side and behind me. Sometimes I even wave to the people behind me....funny looks...usually they wave back!!!

.[/QUOTE]

Hey George, do you ever get chance to make a cuppa tea whilst waiting LOL

That would be some sight to see, side stand, stretching and then getting the stove out of the box :D

[hojo in sc]

When I took my drivers license exam in SC back in '99, the DMV lady told me that if I put my RIGHT foot down at the stop sign, it would count against me...keep the foot on the brake.

One thing not on the poll that I do (besides stay in first gear, keep brakes engaged) is when I see a car coming up I release the brake and engage again, so they know I am stopped.

[EagleSix]

Hey George, do you ever get chance to make a cuppa tea whilst waiting LOL

That would be some sight to see, side stand, stretching and then getting the stove out of the box :D

....brewing a cup of tea may be considered rude here in the US, but I like your idea, I think I may go for a thermos of coffee, it will already be brewed, all I have to do is open lid, pure, drink....ah refreshing...especially when it's 118*!! (ah..just kidding folks....not about the 118*, about the thermos of coffee...well on other hand maybe I'm not!!!).

Hojo....glad I'm not in SC....I do right foot down a lot...I also come to a stop in a position close to center laning if I'm not the first at the light....hard to get going fast out of someones way if there is a car in front unless you have an escape lane....I imagine the examiner wouldn't like that one either??

.

[tricky_micky]

One thing missing from the Poll was:

"Do you perform the Hendon Shuffle" at traffic lights.

I bet that maybe got you guys going over there in the US thinking what the heck is the 'Hendon Shuffle'....Well nope, it aint no dance you perform whilst having a beer at yer local drinking hollow!

It is actually a move that was taught at Police Riding Schools over here in the UK, and still is taught. I know folk such as 'Decompressing' and perhaps Dave 'The Wing Burger' will know about, but wonder what you guys in the US think the 'Hendon Shuffle' is?

I may be taking the thread away from the original post, so I would not be suprised if this thread is moved to one of it's own standing, but interesting to see what your thoughts are and what it may be.

Not much on Google, but there is a slight interpretaion on one link. Just thought I would add a little more interest to the poll.

TTFN

[sherob]

Come to a stop in 1rst both feet down holding brake. Watch for car/truck behind me, tapping brake so they will notice I'm stopped. Once they stop, I'll pop her in neutral and hold onto brake. ;)

[GRN]

Intersting thread... or timing there of, this was just a topic of discussion in our kitchen Sat. night when my Bride returned from her first full day of the BRC. MSF BRC (or at least the course she attended) tought both feet down, in 1st, front brake applied... and no emphasis of the importance of the mirrors.

I disagree with this approach as I don't believe it allows for as quick of a response if you need to get your butt elsewhere NOW! In my time on bikes, I've had to do that three times that I can remember, one resulting in the car that was coming behind me coming to rest well embedded in the back side of the car that had been in front of me, and another came so close it marked the left pan on my ST11 as it ran the stop sign. If my right hand was doing double duty that time and I had lost even a fraction of a second there would have been bigger problems for sure.

You have four control points on the bike, and four limbs to manage them... to make any one essentially do double duty while others do nothing is a clear inefficiency. Trying to manage the brake/gas transition on grade is also much cleaner and easier if done using the back brake IMO.

When teaching others, as I am my Bride, I suggest:
- Stop with an escape line in mind, consider both sides before choosing, and give yourself enough room in case you need plan B to the other side and stay out of the grime line
- Bike stays in 1st, clutch engauged, hand on throttle, left foot down, right foot on brake even if you're flat and don't really need it - light the sucker up!
- constant monitoring of mirrors
- exiting the stop, let the vehical in front of you roll a good bit before you, they decide to stop again too much, causes most typical rear end fender benders... and be watching the mirros big time when this happens.
- If you are caught in an extended stop and have a pile of static traffic behind you, or riding with others around/behind you in less dense conditions, then throwing it in neutral for a quick stretch is a go... still watching the mirrors.

JMO folks... I understand teaching beginners the two foot thing to get their legs, but I think teaching this alone is an incomplete approach. I would love to hear from any MSF instructors who believe otherwise because I may very well be missing something. I was going to take the MSF instructors course this fall, but the third leg of student teaching conflicts with my commitment to hosting NNESTOC... kinda bummed about that.

[beta]

Both feet down and in neutral, but only after the car behind me has stopped at a safe distance. Until then, first gear and brakes, eyeing my mirrors to determine if any danger exists, and have an escape plan.

So far so good.

Warmest regards,

beta

[NBA336]

Same as Beta. It looks like we all took something from the motorcycle courses afterall. :D

[EJ's 97ST]

Left foot down....in 1st & leaving room to manuver out of the way of the star gazing cel phone users that hardly ever have both hands on the wheel nor eyes front.......:eek: I watch the rear view until the unit that comes up behind is stopped and occasionally light up the brake just for insurance.

Ride safe & enjoy:D Ed

[STill Fiddlin]

Different for different situations. Most of the time when I'm in slow traffic at a known long light, I've got both feet down, in neutral, face shield up, and wondering why I gave up smoking, since I'm gonna die from all the exhaust I'm breathing anyway. Shorter stops I keep it in gear.

[illzoni]

While the BRC is great review for riders with some saddle time under their belt, it is still geared to the newbie. Hence, they do want both feet on the ground when stopped for stability.

I do agree that right foot on the rear brake is better.

Pretty sure the checking of mirrors is in the classroom portion of the BRC. However, given the limitation of range motorcycles (ie., they get dropped and mirrors broken) it's not something that gets any reinforcement on the range.

Your bride is fortunate to have someone so aware of safety issues involved in her development. I only offer one area of caution: She's a beginner, please don't overload her.

Have fun,
Jon

Intersting thread... or timing there of, this was just a topic of discussion in our kitchen Sat. night when my Bride returned from her first full day of the BRC. MSF BRC (or at least the course she attended) tought both feet down, in 1st, front brake applied... and no emphasis of the importance of the mirrors.

I disagree with this approach.....

[Littlejohn64]

One thing missing from the Poll was:

"Do you perform the Hendon Shuffle" at traffic lights.

I bet that maybe got you guys going over there in the US thinking what the heck is the 'Hendon Shuffle'....Well nope, it aint no dance you perform whilst having a beer at yer local drinking hollow!

It is actually a move that was taught at Police Riding Schools over here in the UK, and still is taught. I know folk such as 'Decompressing' and perhaps Dave 'The Wing Burger' will know about, but wonder what you guys in the US think the 'Hendon Shuffle' is?

I may be taking the thread away from the original post, so I would not be suprised if this thread is moved to one of it's own standing, but interesting to see what your thoughts are and what it may be.

Not much on Google, but there is a slight interpretaion on one link. Just thought I would add a little more interest to the poll.

TTFN
It's something taught to trainees at the Hendon Police school which involves a right foot down, left foot up, change gear, left foot down, right foot up to cover brake to get out of gear at a standstill and the same procedure to get back into gear. The theory is that you are always covering a brake all the time you are stationary. It's something many experienced riders dispense with.

[GRN]

Your bride is fortunate to have someone so aware of safety issues involved in her development. I only offer one area of caution: She's a beginner, please don't overload her.

Have fun,
Jon

Thanks Jon. Her only saddle time, hundreds and hundreds of hours of it, prior to the BRC was on pillion. We have spent many hours discussing the mechanics, and situational logistics. We ride agrressively, have to be in tune, and the comsys has been a great tool for this.

We're starting slow, looking for 250-500 class bikes with a seat height that works. She is digging the cruisers, while I'm a staunch advocate of having pegs far enough back that they will aid in handling and emergency vertical get offs... not much out there other than the Nighthawk and Ninja 250 that fit that bill, and she's not wild about either (can't really blame her, but...). We have a lot or rural roads for her to get broken in on... figure on taking turns on lead, and discussing lightly during breaks. I'm partly tempted to go bike to bike with the comsys, and mostly tempted to wait and let her be in her own head with it for a while while rolling. Nothing worse than a back seat driver on a bike :p: and I know I'll be a bad one :D

Sorry for the Hijack:rolleyes:

[ToroGuy]

...the moves and position are different in the kitchen, between the sheets, and on a beach towel under the stars and depends alot on my mood. I digress...back to the ST stopped at the light...feet, clutch, and gear position depend on slope of ground, condition of pavement surface, light just turned red or ready to turn green, temp hot or cold, etc. ...and the mood I'm in. I checked a bunch of poll choices.

Hey, this gives me an idea...never tried sex at the red light. Next time me and BOSS are going home on the fast silver ST at 2:00 AM and the left turn light sticks red at the intersection of 249 and 2920, maybe I'll have a new choice for the poll :D :D :D

[illzoni]

I'd let her have the reins a bit.

The MSF's philosophy with the BRC is more about giving the student an atmosphere in which to learn. Gone are the days of Instructors shouting repetitive instructions on the range. RiderCoaches are now supposed to ask leading questions and help the students come to informed conclusions.

Part of the joy motorcycling is the escapism.....I don't suggest coaching her through the headset.

Jon

Thanks Jon. Her only saddle time, hundreds and hundreds of hours of it, prior to the BRC was on pillion. We have spent many hours discussing the mechanics, and situational logistics. We ride agrressively, have to be in tune, and the comsys has been a great tool for this.

....I'm partly tempted to go bike to bike with the comsys, and mostly tempted to wait and let her be in her own head with it for a while while rolling. Nothing worse than a back seat driver on a bike :p: and I know I'll be a bad one :D

Sorry for the Hijack:rolleyes:

[Bones]

You guys STOP? Man, what's up with that? ;)

[G-MAN]

...I do all the above...well almost all, but not all at the same time! If I'm sitting in 'N' I almost always have my right foot down and my left foot on the peg and shifter, so I can get it in gear and go pretty quick if necessary. Usually I like to be ready to go, so will sit in 1st gear with right or left foot down. If I stretch the arms and legs, it's usually is not for long and will return to a riding posture. Occasionally, in heavy traffic at a really long cycle light, after a bunch of cars behind me are also stopped, if I still have a minute or so for the light, I will kick down the side stand and dismount, stretch my legs and arms....don't you think this doesn't get some strange looks from cagers along side and behind me. Sometimes I even wave to the people behind me....funny looks...usually they wave back!!!

.


Good honest answer there EagleSix - Once on my crusier while stopped for a train, I shut the engine off, put the kickstand down, leaned back on the sissy bar and almost went to sleep.