How to Safely Handle Hills on Your Motorcycle
We all enjoy rolling our own gearbox, but getting any vehicle with a manual transmission up a hill from a dead stop takes practice. You have to simultaneously maintain your balance, cover the brakes, disengage the clutch and apply the throttle at the same time, and you have to compensate for the weight of the bike as it rolls backwards. Here are a few tips to help you get started, and remember that practice makes perfect! To learn more about motorcycle riding skills, come see us at Arizona Honda in Snowflake, Arizona. We serve riders in Show Low and Holbrook, Arizona.
Easy Does It
You’ll need to keep your right hand on the throttle, so you should use your rear brake to hold your position on the incline before you accelerate. To maintain your balance, keep your left foot on the ground while you’re stopped. When it’s time to start moving, slowly disengage the clutch slowly until you feel the bike shift forward. As the bike moves into this “friction zone,” release the brake and apply the throttle smoothly and evenly to move the bike forward. If you’re on a gravel road you might need to also apply the front brake and set down both feet to balance when you come to a stop. This takes more skill and experience, because you’ll have to use your right hand to both keep pressure on the brake and apply the throttle at the same time.
Ascending Steeply Graded Hills
No one’s going to point and laugh at you if they see you practicing, and you’ll probably get the thumbs up from any seasoned riders who cruise by. As you get more comfortable with easing off the brake, disengaging the clutch and using the throttle together on a flat surface, find yourself a suitable place to practice on gradually steeper hills.
When you’re stopped, keep your right foot on the rear brake and plant your left foot on the ground. The RPM range you’ll need for grades varies by the bike, so take your time to get comfortable with your bike’s power delivery. You should also make sure that your clutch lever and brake levers are in a comfortable position and all of your cables are lubed and free from any fraying or other damage.
Parking on a Grade
Keep your bike in gear and butt the rear tire up flush against the curb to keep your bike from rolling backwards. Keeping the bike in gear uses the engine’s compression to keep the bike from rolling. Don’t park your motorcycle facing downhill, because it can still roll off the stand even if it's in gear.
For more information, and to see our current inventory of new and pre-owned motorcycles for sale, visit Arizona Honda in Snowflake, Arizona, serving Show Low and Holbrook, Arizona.