AE Slow Rides

[FiveG]

(sorry in advance if this has been covered before -- just send me to the right thread (I did search)).

I presently ride my '07 FJR, and love it. I recently had a crash which dislocated my left thumb (among other things), and while it's perhaps too soon to tell, I'm concerned that it's function will not return to where it was and may make working a standard clutch really hard. (Right now, I couldn't even pull the lever in.) If so, unless I want to give up riding, I have to look at other options.

I was trained and ride in slow situations by working the friction zone. With the AE, however, from what I can tell there ain't no friction zone. So, my question for those who have and are experienced with AEs, what do you do in a slow ride situation? Work the heck out of the rear brake? Or what?

BTW, with an '07 I was obviously used to a somewhat jerking throttle coming from off throttle, although my PC took care of much of that.

Hopefully I'll not actually need this info, but thanks in advance. (BTW, the crash wasn't on my FJR, so it's fine.)

 

[mcatrophy]

... So, my question for those who have and are experienced with AEs, what do you do in a slow ride situation? Work the heck out of the rear brake?

...

Slow the bike until the clutch dis-engages. Apply a little throttle, the clutch will start to engage and slip. Add a touch of back brake to steady everything. Now do the tightest U-turn you've ever done, clutch slipping the while. (It's a tough clutch, you needent be afraid of it wearing out. For comments about wear, see my Clutch Soak How-to.)

Different peeps have slightly different techniques (as you'd expect).

It's not all that different from a manual, just use the throttle and/or brake to control clutch slip and bike speed, not a clutch lever. Needs learning, but in the end works fine and becomes second nature. Once you've practised there's no real problem.

The '08 and later have a much softer throttle cam than the '06 and '07, this makes the slow life easier to control (I had an '06, now a '10).

I am only riding because of the YCCS, an arthritic little finger makes prolonged clutch use impossible for me. I've never been a master of slow riding, but I'm better now than I ever was on a manual clutch bike.

 

[ScottyUSN]

Drag or trail rear brake while keeping rpm's up. You get used to it. Just don't try it out till the bike is warmed up well.

Trying to do tight work immediately after starting the bike can be hazardous to your AE.

 

[networkguy]

Drag or trail rear brake while keeping rpm's up. You get used to it. Just don't try it out till the bike is warmed up well.

Trying to do tight work immediately after starting the bike can be hazardous to your AE.

This.

 

[FJRBandit]

What they said... it's really no big deal at all once you get the feel of using the rear brake in place of the clutch. I was just teaching my 19 yo neighbor the art of feathering the clutch on my V-strom yesterday and when I got back on my AE I recall having that sly grin at realizing how much easier it really is.

On another note, you mentioned that the functionality of your thumb is the potential problem. The AE hand shift control is much like a rocker control. It is designed so that the upshhift is operated by the left forefinger and the downshift is operated by your thumb. However, I NEVER use my thumb to downshift. It is second nature to me to use my forefinger to "flick" the rocker control forward, as opposed to flicking it back to upshift. In other words, I use my forefinger to both upshift and downshift. Take a look at the design on the bike and you'll see what I'm talking about. Then it will make sense what I'm trying to explain. My point is, if your thumb is rendered non-functional, you won't even have to use it on the AE. Although that's the way they designed the rocker control.

 

[FiveG]

On another note, you mentioned that the functionality of your thumb is the potential problem. The AE hand shift control is much like a rocker control. It is designed so that the upshhift is operated by the left forefinger and the downshift is operated by your thumb. However, I NEVER use my thumb to downshift. It is second nature to me to use my forefinger to "flick" the rocker control forward, as opposed to flicking it back to upshift. In other words, I use my forefinger to both upshift and downshift. Take a look at the design on the bike and you'll see what I'm talking about. Then it will make sense what I'm trying to explain. My point is, if your thumb is rendered non-functional, you won't even have to use it on the AE. Although that's the way they designed the rocker control.

Thanks. Can't you shift with your foot as well? I was figuring if I go this route (ie, if my thumb doesn't improve), I could use my foot similarly to what I do now.

 

[BwanaDik]

Yes. I only use the foot shifter, not co-ordianated enough to use the rocker

 

[wnyfjr]

I've found that if I try to downshift with my thumb, all I end up doing is honking the horn. I have gotten into the habit if upshifting with my finger and downshifting with my foot. I noticed this weekend, though, that when riding the twisties I use my finger for both and leave my foot out of it.

 

[gixxerjasen]

LOL, I've had two instances where someone has cut me off and I've gone for the horn and all the person got was a little more pathetic noise out of my stock exhaust when I accidentally downshifted!

I only seem to use the rocker to get into first when taking off from parked and to get into neutral once parked. This probably stems from my frustration with the fact that first isn't down from N on the foot shifter, but rather up.

 

[ScottyUSN]

I've found that if I try to downshift with my thumb, all I end up doing is honking the horn. I have gotten into the habit if upshifting with my finger and downshifting with my foot. I noticed this weekend, though, that when riding the twisties I use my finger for both and leave my foot out of it.

The inadvertant missing a down shift horn blast should always be followed by a wave to a stranger to cover your ass. B)

I used the ffot shifter for the first few tanks of gas. Once I was no longer grabbing for the ghost clutch I moved on to the thumb/index shift.

The only time I use the foot shifter now is down shifting into the driveway my left hand goes for the garage door remote.

 

[FJRBandit]

I'm the same with the thumb shifter, it only activates the horn for some reason :blink: As for the foot shifter, I could saw it off, but for the times I'm dicking around with my left hand doing God knows what... It's all forefinger for me, up and down.

 

[Rowdy]

You mean it has a foot shifter??????????? Dang!! I bet it even has a foot brake.

I love my AE. :yahoo:

Just Jim

 

[Scotty]

(sorry in advance if this has been covered before -- just send me to the right thread (I did search)).

I presently ride my '07 FJR, and love it. I recently had a crash which dislocated my left thumb (among other things), and while it's perhaps too soon to tell, I'm concerned that it's function will not return to where it was and may make working a standard clutch really hard. (Right now, I couldn't even pull the lever in.) If so, unless I want to give up riding, I have to look at other options.

I was trained and ride in slow situations by working the friction zone. With the AE, however, from what I can tell there ain't no friction zone. So, my question for those who have and are experienced with AEs, what do you do in a slow ride situation? Work the heck out of the rear brake? Or what?

BTW, with an '07 I was obviously used to a somewhat jerking throttle coming from off throttle, although my PC took care of much of that.

Hopefully I'll not actually need this info, but thanks in advance. (BTW, the crash wasn't on my FJR, so it's fine.)

The easy way to do u turns and tight turns is to forget 1st gear. Try 2nd(or 3rd). The auto clutch will slip. The bike won't stall. Add some light rear brake and throw your butt to the opposite side of the tight turn(just the opposite of fast turn). I had to tips overs until I discovered the miracle of 2nd gear starts. Mine is a 2007 and I did add the throttle tamer.

 

[bikerkash]

Another method I use for low speed turns is to leave it in 2nd gear everything happens slower & smoother. I have over 100K on AE's and have never had an issue with the clutch.

 

[mcatrophy]

Another method I use for low speed turns is to leave it in 2nd gear everything happens slower & smoother. I have over 100K on AE's and have never had an issue with the clutch.

Problem is getting into 2nd if you're already in 1st.

 

[networkguy]

What they said... it's really no big deal at all once you get the feel of using the rear brake in place of the clutch. I was just teaching my 19 yo neighbor the art of feathering the clutch on my V-strom yesterday and when I got back on my AE I recall having that sly grin at realizing how much easier it really is.

On another note, you mentioned that the functionality of your thumb is the potential problem. The AE hand shift control is much like a rocker control. It is designed so that the upshhift is operated by the left forefinger and the downshift is operated by your thumb. However, I NEVER use my thumb to downshift. It is second nature to me to use my forefinger to "flick" the rocker control forward, as opposed to flicking it back to upshift. In other words, I use my forefinger to both upshift and downshift. Take a look at the design on the bike and you'll see what I'm talking about. Then it will make sense what I'm trying to explain. My point is, if your thumb is rendered non-functional, you won't even have to use it on the AE. Although that's the way they designed the rocker control.

Same. Finger flicker.

 

[Top_Speed1]

Tight maneuver or circle w AE's? the simple small applied throttle w rear brakes works nicely, will come naturally to ya after a couple of uses.

 

[Smooth14u2]

Sorry to hear about your accident and hope you get better and things work out. From reading the above threads, it makes sense. Shifting with your foot should not be a problem. It seems more like "getting use to a different style" vs hurting the bike. Like roller blading, once your use to it, no prob

 

[Wolf_in_Cheapclothing]

I've just spent some time in a parking lot with my new '09 AE doing little circles. No problem at all. This thing can turn around using way less road than my now gone Harley. As others have said it is a touch jerky until it gets warmed up.

As for shifting, I test drove two AE's and just used the foot lever. When I bought mine I tried the switch for the first time. Wow! All finger no thumb. Have shifted via foot maybe 5 times in my first 370 miles.

I've done the first gear to fear gear shift a couple times, so I'm trying to make pushing the button part of my start up routine.

The biggest adjustment I'm having to make is not having self canceling turn signals.