fstz28

Member
Sep 25, 2001
5
0
hello all. i started riding 8weeks ago. two weeks after buying my bike i broke my collar bone on a tabletop so now six weeks later i'm back riding(more than just putting around, was back on the bike a week later). i'm confused on if your supposed to use the clutch for shifting or not. i have some people telling me to use it and some saying not to. which one is it? and next, wheelies. whats the easiest way to stand the bike up? i've been trying sitting back some and cruising up to the power band and just hitting it, but it comes up so quick and i usually get scared and instinctly cut the throttle again. my buddy has this video where these guys are holding them forever. are they shifting while doing it? thanks this boards great!
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,969
2
I guess it all depends on what type of riding you plan on doing :confused:
Your profile says you ride a 250 and since you broke your collar bone falling off a tabletop I would guess it's mx.

From my limited experience with 250's I would say you'll use the clutch less than I do on my 125. I primarily use the clutch (slip or feather) to keep my rpm's up into the power band and limit the back wheel from losing traction. As far as just up & down shifting I rarely use it. I find that it's a little more difficult to just stomp it into a gear while on the power and I seldom use that approach, being somewhat of a technical minded person I can't see the need to force and unsynchronized shift. If you slightly let off the gas while upshifting it does no harm to the tranny and will shift easily, for downshifting you can kind of gas it while shifting and it too will slip right into gear. On starts for MX I normally use the clutch to upshift and keep the power / gas on, if I don't use the clutch I usually miss a gear.
I hope some of this made sense.

About wheelies, I would recommend getting use to your bike, learning when it hits the power and work at it slowly. You can help it come up by pulling up of coarse but you'll want to keep your feet on the pegs. Instinct tells us to put our feet down when you pass the point of your center of gravity but that will certainly result in a get off. Use the back brake to keep from looping out and roll the gas on.

You don't have a lot of riding time under your belt if what you say is true and it will come in time if you don't go too crazy and hurt yourself again :silly:
 

YoTRacer158

Member
Jan 10, 2001
314
0
fstz28...i just broke my collarbone saturday. how does it feel after 6 weeks? im not sure if i should get on the bike right when the 6 weeks is up or give it another couple weeks after i get the brace off. how bad was your break?
 

fstz28

Member
Sep 25, 2001
5
0
my right collar bone snapped in half and it sticks out about an inch. it didn't break through the skin, but by the looks of it, it was real close. i'm military so our doctors seem a little diffrent. they didn't set it or give me the figure eight brace so its healed up that way. it looks very gnarly. the doc said at my age the brace would just be a pain in the arse. said the bone would be 100% and range of motion uninhibited. he also said the collar bone was a freebie, not much purpose for it. with some tylox i was riding around the block a week later. six weeks out its just a little sore, but i thinks its just the muscles in the area. how'd you break yours YoT?thnks for the help.
 

YoTRacer158

Member
Jan 10, 2001
314
0
i endo'd going through some whoops...the bike came over on top of me and another rider landed on me. mine snapped in half on the left side. its still preety swollen, but mine appears to only sticks out about 1/2 an inch and i'm in a figure 8/butterfly brace. i have an appointment later today to see if they will set it or let it heal as is.
 
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