Clutch release and stalling :(

[arsity]

I'm a fairly new rider and have only been riding for a few months now. I've been getting better and better, but for the last week I've been stalling at stop signs and stop lights. It's been very discouraging.

Today I went to a large, empty parking lot to practice for about 45 minutes and everything went fine. No problems.

AS SOON AS I LEAVE... I stall again at the first stop sign. lol

I'm not sure why all of a sudden I'm having difficulties with this... maybe I'm just nervous around heavy traffic???

Everything is stock. Will any mods (short levers, FZ1 bars, etc) that may help with smoothing out my clutch release? Or is this more of a mental thing that I need to get over by just practicing??

 

[Ransom]

Mostly mental from the sounds of it. Happen to me at the beginning too. My advice is to give it a tiny bit more throttle before the clutch catches and that should help thing. Just don't give it too much throttle or you will be caught off guard and use an easy hand on the clutch.

 

[ste]

I'm a fairly new rider and have only been riding for a few months now. I've been getting better and better, but for the last week I've been stalling at stop signs and stop lights. It's been very discouraging.

Today I went to a large, empty parking lot to practice for about 45 minutes and everything went fine. No problems.

AS SOON AS I LEAVE... I stall again at the first stop sign. lol

I'm not sure why all of a sudden I'm having difficulties with this... maybe I'm just nervous around heavy traffic???

Everything is stock. Will any mods (short levers, FZ1 bars, etc) that may help with smoothing out my clutch release? Or is this more of a mental thing that I need to get over by just practicing??

yeah even stay behind a car or two at lights, its just nerves, and will pass, my advice is go to a very steep hill and start at the bottom and stop every few feet and go again, this will build your confidence with clutch

 

[red06]

dont be scared to give lots of throttle , just dont dump the clutch let it out slow

 

[ste]

dont be scared to give lots of throttle , just dont dump the clutch let it out slow

sounds like you want him to do wheelies

 

[MrMogensen]

Try to start getting to know at which point your clutch starts to engage and when it's fully engaged.
*Go the 1st gear (from standstill) and forget all about the throttle. Gently release the clutch and start rolling nice and easy. Stop and do this again and again and soon you have to think less and less about it.
*Start using the throttle between the 2 clutch points (clutch engaging + fully engaged). Still just use 1st gear and stop.
*Maybe imagine you have person sitting behind you on the bike so you want to make it as smooth as possible

Remember that while cold (higher revs while idling) the bike is much more eager to start rolling using the clutch.

If you jump on another bike (other model) then you might experience stall again just because it's not yet a habbit - just like when driving different cars.

 

[Nelly]

I consider myself an experienced rider with 25 years riding experience. I have to admit that the FZ6 frustrated the hell out of me. The FZ6 has a narrow clutch bite zone. It is engaged and disengaged in about 1/4 of an inch.
I solved my stalling issue by setting the idle rpm to 1350. Set the idle with the engine warm. This will solve a good few of your starting issues.
As for other road users try not to stress, you are taxed and insured (I assume) and have equal right to your space on the road.
Good luck

Nelly

 

[TeacherJoe]

+1 Even with a fair amount of experience, I find that I look for the hint of clutch engagement with no throttle. It makes takeoffs silky smooth.

Joe

Try to start getting to know at which point your clutch starts to engage and when it's fully engaged.
*Go the 1st gear (from standstill) and forget all about the throttle. Gently release the clutch and start rolling nice and easy. Stop and do this again and again and soon you have to think less and less about it.
*Start using the throttle between the 2 clutch points (clutch engaging + fully engaged). Still just use 1st gear and stop.
*Maybe imagine you have person sitting behind you on the bike so you want to make it as smooth as possible

Remember that while cold (higher revs while idling) the bike is much more eager to start rolling using the clutch.

If you jump on another bike (other model) then you might experience stall again just because it's not yet a habbit - just like when driving different cars.

 

[greg]

go super slow with the clutch to begin with, get used to your left and right hands doing different things, you want to give it a little bit of throttle. As long as your clutch hand is smooth you will be ok. Only release the clutch (gently) once you are moving and the revs are climbing. Don't be afraid to slip it.

 

[pookamatic]

I had some nerves rattled at first as well. I was really starting to get the hang of it, then I purchased a forum member's handy work (killernoodle). He makes clutch slave levers that enlarge the friction zone and make the clutch easier to pull.

The biggest problem I think at lights is the dead zone on stock clutches. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, CLUTCH ON. It is very much on/off like the throttle. To alleviate this, I recommend preparing for a light change by clutching out with no throttle until you feel it grab (RPMs will drop slightly), then go from there. This is easier to do on level ground or a slight up grade.

You could also do some parking lot clutch feathering. Just put around ~5 mph in first slowing and speeding using only clutch slip.

 

[Motogiro]

Also keeping in mind what Nelly has mentioned about the small friction zone of the clutch, keeping the cable well lubricated will help give repeatable results with the operation of the cable. This is very important because of the very short grip zone. You also might get the optional clutch slave lever that Killernoodle sells on our forum that should help increase that friction zone. http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/35451-clutch-slave-levers-im-making-them-again.html

 

[Karate.Snoopy]

I ran into the same issue with the FZ6's clutch.
I did the following to placate it

Bike Set up
1)Once the engine is warmed up set the idle to 1350 rpms

Shifting to 1st
2)Pull in the clutch, but only use the two fingers and use your ring finger as a clutch lever limiter because the friction zone is not that vast and so the clutch really doesn't need to be pulled in all the way for a shift. I pretty much do this for all my shifts

That is just the technique part, in the beginning the nerves may try to get the better of you, stay calm, feel the bike pull as you ease out the clutch and roll on the throttle. There is no rush, go slow and have faith that your bike will get you through. As you ride more on the street and take your time easing out the clutch you will get confident and stalling would be far away memory.
Good luck

 

[Shiny_side_up]

if I haven't been out in a while, I like to "practice" at the lights. While I'm waiting for a green, I'll let the clutch out just enough to make the bike start to move, then I'll let off and let it rock back. I'll repeat this a few times until I relearn that magic engagement point. That said, I'm at the point now where traffic start stalls are gone, but starting on a hill still gets me occasionally. And as I'm sure you've noticed, each stall makes the next attempt that much more difficult... You're on the right track with practicing it repeatedly. Everyone whose ever ridden my bike has told me "damn, your clutch sucks". So my theory is that if you can master an FZ6 clutch, you can ride ANYTHING.

 

[sQuijeW]

take MSF, get a 250.

 

[FinalImpact]

MORE GAS = BAD idea . . . Get used to the friction zone. Gentle and slow is best.

Once you perfect it; you'll find a car can leave the line and you have time to clutch it in, drop it into low, and take off. You are nose to nose with the cage before leaving the intersection. . .

 

[sloring]

get a 1000 and I guarantee you won't stall. it's practically impossible to stall these things.

 

[ste]

get a 1000 and I guarantee you won't stall. it's practically impossible to stall these things.

an fjr 1300 with no need to use clutch sounds great

 

[arsity]

take MSF, get a 250.

lol. thanks, but no thanks.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Have you taken the MSF?

This is one of the very first thing that we teach, practicing and getting use to the friction zone by rocking the bike back and forth in place. You keep both feet in a stationary position and only go from your heel to your toes, you do not walk with the bike. You ease the clutch out giving it just a little throttle and the bike will engage and start rolling forward under power, you stop your forward progress by squeezing the clutch and roll the bike back until you're back on your heels and your toes are pointing up, and do it all over again. Rock in place. And keep your head and eyes up! You should not be looking down at the clutch or ground. Get a feel for it.

A lot of new riders underestimate this excercise and comes back to haunt them as they end up stalling the bike time after time.

 

[ricefazer]

An adjustable clutch lever may help too. I just installed The2Wheels clutch lever on my bike, and I adjusted my lever to be closer in than stock (at about setting 2 or 3). This has allowed for my friction zone to be in a range from my fingers halfway contracted (clutch fully out) to fully contracted (clutch pulled in). Its not a huge difference, but it has definitely increased my control/ability to feather the clutch.