I shift into second

[Willow]

I shift into second halfway through a left turn.  It caused me to wonder, with the Valkyrie's wide power range why don't I just start off in second?

Of course there's really no chance that I'm going to change my habits but does anyone else have these thoughts?

[John Schmidt]

I've done it numerous times but had to change habits once I got the trike, seems a bit too heavy. It will do it but tends to lug the engine if I'm not careful.

[Chrisj CMA]

I’ve started in second a couple times. Unless heading significantly downhill I feel it’s not something I’d like to do regularly. Unnecessary strain on the clutch IMO. 

[Oldfishguy]

That is the kind of thinking that leads one to a DCT transmission machine . . . Dangerous thinking indeed!  

[Willow]

That is the kind of thinking that leads one to a DCT transmission machine . . . Dangerous thinking indeed!  

LOL!  Not likely for me.

[Jess from VA]

I do it (start in second) by accident from time to time.

Once you ease the clutch out, you instantly know (bog), and go light on the gas and slow on the clutch and she rolls off easily (with no clutch damage), but I wouldn't do it on purpose. 

If you stall it, you can get a pretty big full-stop jerk (in gear).  Not good.

[98valk]

always start in 1st.
 if one accelerates enough then one can double shift into 3rd accelerate more and then double shift into 5th.
I double shift many times.

[Willow]

I will most likely not change my habits.  It's just a thought that occurred to me regarding riding around town.  I do double shift often from second to fourth and I go into fifth early when I'm just cruising around.

I am not certain what is meant but damaging the clutch by starting in second or for that matter bogging.  I guess it does call for a bit more throttle if I accidentally start in second (and more careful use of the clutch).

[Sorcerer]

If one needs to get out of Dodge from a stop that extra time it takes for the brain to process and act and a sluggish launch my cost you dearly.

[Chrisj CMA]

I am not certain what is meant but damaging the clutch by starting in second or for that matter bogging.

No one said you would damage the clutch by starting out in second. However if you think it’s in first and you apply throttle and clutch appropriate for first gear the engine could drop enough RPMs to even stall out…hence “bogging”. If you know it’s in second and increase throttle and feather the clutch I feel if this is done on a regular basis it would add unnecessary stress to the clutch. That’s not saying damage will occur, just why do it.

[ridingron]

 
always start in 1st.
 if one accelerates enough then one can double shift into 3rd accelerate more and then double shift into 5th.
I double shift many times.    

I skip gears all the time. A lot of the time when I'm in town, I'll run it up in 1st and shift to 4th or 5th.

[CamTom12]

 
always start in 1st.
 if one accelerates enough then one can double shift into 3rd accelerate more and then double shift into 5th.
I double shift many times.    

I skip gears all the time. A lot of the time when I'm in town, I'll run it up in 1st and shift to 4th or 5th.

Same. In town I’m typically 1-3-5.

[Moonshot_1]

I shift into second halfway through a left turn.  It caused me to wonder, with the Valkyrie's wide power range why don't I just start off like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z21QVzfZtUM

And I don't because I'm old and it would terrify me to even try.

But I wonder about it.

[0leman]

Not sure about your towns, but mine are mostly 25/30 mph limits.  Third gear is the one I run in.  ON those of higher speed limits will shift up.

I too have found out that starting from 2nd gear can be done when I forget to downshift.  Just let up on the gas a little and go for it.  Brain farts do happen now and again. 

[Willow]

I am not certain what is meant but damaging the clutch by starting in second or for that matter bogging.

No one said you would damage the clutch by starting out in second. ...

My mistake.  I must have misinterpreted "unnecessary strain".   

[98valk]

I will most likely not change my habits.  It's just a thought that occurred to me regarding riding around town.  I do double shift often from second to fourth and I go into fifth early when I'm just cruising around.

I am not certain what is meant but damaging the clutch by starting in second or for that matter bogging.  I guess it does call for a bit more throttle if I accidentally start in second (and more careful use of the clutch).

starting in 2nd causing the dampner plate to have to work more and harder.

[POPS 57]

I tend to use all the gears. I like the sound of the of the pipes. But as you can see in my signature i have a different view of gears. But sadly the bike is not roadworthy because of a bear. 

[Bret SD]

On a downhill I start in 2nd, or from a slow rolling stop. Otherwise, I like to start in 1st for the power option.. just in case something weird happens. I also run double darkside, sometimes pavement undulations can throw the bike off balance.. I need the power to correct if that happens.. San Diego streets suck, there's a petition circulating to force pols into doing real street maintenance work.

[Moonshot_1]

NO STORY ENDS WITH "But sadly the bike is not roadworthy because of a bear"

A BEAR?? SURELY THERE IS MORE!

FINISH IT!

You just can't leave it there.

[The emperor has no clothes]

NO STORY ENDS WITH "But sadly the bike is not roadworthy because of a bear"

A BEAR?? SURELY THERE IS MORE!

FINISH IT!

You just can't leave it there.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,122839.msg1252261.html#msg1252261

[Moonshot_1]

NO STORY ENDS WITH "But sadly the bike is not roadworthy because of a bear"

A BEAR?? SURELY THERE IS MORE!

FINISH IT!

You just can't leave it there.

Maybe the spell correct got him and it was really because of a beer

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,122839.msg1252261.html#msg1252261

NOW THAT IS A STORY! Glad to hear you survived it Pops. Good thing you KO'd and killed the bear instead of just making it mad.

[Willow]

I hope not to unnecessarily prolong a simple single question discussion but I did some experimenting this morning as I tooled around town (Doctor and bank).

I start in second the same as I do in first.  I experience no bogging.  I don't normally just release the clutch harshly I engage it smoothly by habit unless I'm intentionally on a hard start.  I can't imagine that starting in second is any more hard on the clutch than starting in first with the way I ride.

I won't change my riding habit along the line of starting gear.  I think I've figured out why.  It is much easier at a stop to confirm that I'm in first than to see if I'm in second.

Enjoy your rides.  I will be enjoying mine.

[Oldfishguy]

When I first saw this thread my rather poor instincts considered it to be a fable of sort:  “As I shift in to second all my problems seem to disappear . . . “  But no, and now I can’t seem to find that old story; I did find this one though, which I find relavent to the topic as well.  

The Road Not Taken
BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

[Jess from VA]

I had an old 3-on-the-tree shifter in an older Ford, and when I shifted into 2d one time, the shifter came off in my hand.  Until I got home, 2d it was.  That was an expensive repair.  It happened again at Maxwell AFB AL, and the good old boys down there told me to do away with it and put in a Hurst floor shifter, which even with the cutting was cheaper than the usual repair, and it never broke again.

I later put some Chevy bucket seats in it in replacement of the Ford bench, and that made the floor shifter work a bunch better.  Only thing was, you could never adjust the seat on the fly, since it went so far back it hit the rear bench, and I couldn't even reach the steering wheel from back there.   

[h13man]

I had an old 3-on-the-tree shifter in an older Ford, and when I shifted into 2d one time, the shifter came off in my hand.  Until I got home, 2d it was.  That was an expensive repair.  It happened again at Maxwell AFB AL, and the good old boys down there told me to do away with it and put in a Hurst floor shifter, which even with the cutting was cheaper than the usual repair, and it never broke again. 

Old 60's Chevy three on the tree would hang if you didn't follower the pattern exactly. Shut off on level ground and/or have someone push in the clutch and brake while you realign the arms under the hood. Actually seen a 69' GMC van with a 4spd. Muncie setup fully synchronized on the column. Even had a T shaped knob.

[Cracker Jack]

I've doubled shifted ( 1. 3, 5) for many years routinely except when starting on an uphill incline. Downshift using the same gears ( 5, 3, 1).

Starting in second requires a little more finesse and a little longer in the friction zone hence a little more clutch wear in my opinion.

[MotoRod]

always start in 1st.
 if one accelerates enough then one can double shift into 3rd accelerate more and then double shift into 5th.
I double shift many times.

That is what I doo a lot