How to Start and Shift a Motorcycle

For new riders, the first real challenge on a motorcycle is not speed or corners. It is getting moving smoothly and changing gear without stalling, lurching or crunching. The controls are all in unfamiliar places: the clutch at your left hand, the gear lever at your left foot, the throttle at your right hand and brakes split between right hand and right foot. Once these become second nature, riding becomes a joy. Until then, a methodical approach helps a lot.

I have ridden touring motorcycles for years and coached friends through their first rides. Here is how to start and shift a motorcycle with a manual gearbox, step by step.

Know the controls

On most motorcycles with a manual gearbox:

• Clutch lever: left handlebar. Pulling it in disconnects the engine from the rear wheel.
• Throttle: right handgrip. Rolling it towards you increases engine speed.
• Front brake lever: right handlebar.
• Rear brake pedal: right foot.
• Gear lever: left foot. A typical pattern is one down, five up: press down for first gear, lift up through neutral to second, third and beyond.

Sit on the bike with the engine off and practise reaching each control without looking, until your hands and feet find them automatically.

Starting the engine

Check that the bike is in neutral, usually shown by a green N light on the dashboard. Make sure the engine kill switch on the right handlebar is in the run position and the side stand is up if the bike has a side stand cut-off. Turn on the ignition, pull in the clutch for safety and press the starter button. Let the engine settle for a moment.

Finding the friction zone

The key skill in pulling away is the friction zone, the range of clutch lever movement where the clutch starts to engage and the bike begins to move. Practise this in a safe, open space such as an empty car park.

With the engine running, pull in the clutch fully and press the gear lever down into first. Hold the front brake gently. Now, without using the throttle, slowly release the clutch until you feel the bike want to move and hear the engine note drop slightly. That is the friction zone. Pull the clutch back in, and repeat until you can find it reliably.

Pulling away smoothly

Once you know the friction zone, add a small amount of throttle as you ease the clutch into it. Release the brake as the bike begins to move. Keep the clutch in the friction zone for a moment as the bike gathers speed, then smoothly release it fully. Look ahead, not down at the controls.

Stalling is normal at first. If the engine stalls, pull in the clutch, return to neutral or keep first gear selected with the clutch held in, restart and try again.

Shifting up

To change up a gear, roll off the throttle slightly, pull in the clutch, lift the gear lever firmly with your toe, release the clutch smoothly and roll the throttle back on. With practice, this becomes one fluid movement taking less than a second. Change up when the engine sounds busy, not when it is screaming. Most bikes are comfortable shifting well before the red line.

Shifting down

To change down, roll off the throttle, pull in the clutch, press the gear lever down, then release the clutch smoothly. Releasing the clutch too quickly in a lower gear can cause the rear wheel to lock briefly or the bike to lurch. As you gain experience, you will learn to blip the throttle slightly while the clutch is in to match engine speed, making downshifts smoother.

Downshifting while braking is part of slowing down smoothly, a skill covered in how to brake on a motorcycle.

Should you avoid using the clutch to shift up?

Some experienced riders shift up without the clutch, briefly closing the throttle and pressing the lever, and some modern bikes have quickshifters designed for exactly that. A few guides suggest new riders should learn this early to save time. I think that is the wrong order.

Clutch-less shifting is a refinement for riders who already have smooth, automatic control. For beginners, using the clutch for every shift builds a reliable habit, protects the gearbox and keeps attention free for the road. Learn the basics thoroughly first. There is plenty of time for refinements later.

Finding neutral and stopping

When stopping, pull in the clutch as speed drops, and shift down to first gear before you stop so you are ready to pull away. Neutral sits between first and second and can be tricky to find. A gentle half-lift from first usually finds it. At traffic lights, many riders stay in first with the clutch in, ready to move.

Practise in safe places

Spend time in a quiet car park practising starting, stopping, shifting up and down, and slow manoeuvres. Formal rider training is strongly recommended and, in many countries, required. Good training builds safe habits from the start. Protective gear, including helmet, gloves, jacket, trousers and boots, should be worn every time, even for practice.

Smooth beats fast

Smooth starts and gear changes make riding safer, more comfortable for passengers and kinder to the bike. Speed comes naturally once the basics are automatic. More in our Motorcycles section.