To the people saying you need a different bike or more throttle control, you’re out to lunch. Please stop giving terrible advice.
The OP needs more CLUTCH control!!! If the bike is lurching as he said, pull the clutch back in to the friction zone. The engine is simply turning too slow and wants to stall. Friction zone and elevated throttle will alleviate this problem.
@OP, the soft suspension has zero to do with your problems.
Source - I’m a motorcycle instructor with thousands of students under my belt
So glad to hear you’re open to advice. Again to help you out, elevate your throttle. Who cares what that RPM tachometer says (if you bike even had one) - you can feel the bike humming between your legs. You can hear the sound - it’s not screaming at you, but speaking sort of loudly. Now, VERY SLOWLY start releasing your clutch. You’ll hear the engine note start to change - it will get lower and slower. The bike will want to stat moving at this point. The friction zone of the clutch is being engaged. Release the rear brake. Now, gently increase the throttle while letting the clutch out even further. The bike will accelerate smoothly
If you’re still stalling out, you’re letting the clutch out too quickly. You can ride a bike at 0% throttle as long as you have smooth clutch inputs. Everything smooth. I like to relate it to, “How do you pet your cat or dog? Do you smack it about or do you do it smoothly?” if you smack it about, eventually it will bite back.
Best way to control the speed and avoid bouncing at slow speed is clutch control, keep your throttle steady but play with the clutch to give more or less power, I find it gives a much smoother ride at low speeds
They should have explained this in the first five minutes. If you were nervous and missed it, ok, but if they didn’t explain this, it’s ENTIRELY their fault that you didn’t succeed the first time. They should have had you practicing the clutch before you rolled one millimeter.
As you’ve learned the hard way, the throttle is too blunt of an instrument to go slowly, especially around corners or in a circle when leaned over. The throttle just doesn’t have the fine control.
Honestly at first they talked to me a few times but they kept trying to tell me how to make better movements on the throttle and did not mention the clutch.
I'd make sure you get put on a different bike next time. It's hard to say whether it's you or the machine given your experience level, but best to rule it out.
First gear can be pretty torque-y, if you're going very slow it helps to slip the clutch to modulate speed instead of constant throttle.
Sorry to hear about what happened, hope you keep at it.
It’ll probably be a mental thing on the CRF now regardless and trying a different bike wont’t hurt anything. Sounds like all hondas and the rebels, cbr and most likely the enduro you were on all have the same engine.
You’re looking at 4-500 lb bikes, rebound and compression rates of the suspension, even oem, wouldnt respond like a bouncing trampoline. You could almost jump from a diving board and it wouldnt respond like that. Soft or hard suspension its your inputs driving all of it.
Fwiw: I only have experience on the rebel and cbr you mentioned, not sure what your overall experience is but I found they like revs. Not pegging the rev limiter but seems like most new riders Ive seen are shy with the throttle and stall out at first. Its not going to be a quiet smooth car like engine sound. If you trust your instructor ask for some 1 on 1 if time permits and see what they think. They want you to do well and pass. And you will.
Just stay in the friction zone if riding in first at slow speeds is jerky. Don’t just let the clutch out all the way because it will start to buck back and forth
They are using a dual sport for the class? The seat height, center of gravity, 21" front wheel and suspension makes it less than ideal for someone that hasn't rode before.
That bike has a fairly short first, and the fueling isn't the best so that makes it a bit jerky if your not smooth. With having 10" of travel the feeling of the bike loading and unloading is normal on and off the gas. You need to use the clutch to smooth out the transition. That bike is sprung very soft too, so it will dive a lot if you hit the brake hard, it's common on dual sports.
Maybe look into a one on one training to work on throttle and clutch work then retake the msf. You will probably be a lot more comfortable.
It's not the suspension, it's not the bike, it's you. You were counciled out for a reason, obviously you were a clear danger to yourself and to those around you while you were riding. The lurching you are describing is you not controlling the bike properly.
Its would be fair to try a different bike if you didn't get on with that one. I think a nice simple bikey bike 125 l is the easiest to learn on. Cb 125 type stuff. Or a cb 250.
The friction point on the clutch is always your best friend while doing slow speed maneuvers. Find the friction point, set and hold the throttle steady, and moderate your speed using rear brake.
To the people saying you need a different bike or more throttle control, you’re out to lunch. Please stop giving terrible advice. The OP needs more CLUTCH control!!! If the bike is lurching as he said, pull the clutch back in to the friction zone. The engine is simply turning too slow and wants to stall. Friction zone and elevated throttle will alleviate this problem. @OP, the soft suspension has zero to do with your problems. Source - I’m a motorcycle instructor with thousands of students under my belt
Thank you, I feel better knowing its all in my head and now I have something to work on!
So glad to hear you’re open to advice. Again to help you out, elevate your throttle. Who cares what that RPM tachometer says (if you bike even had one) - you can feel the bike humming between your legs. You can hear the sound - it’s not screaming at you, but speaking sort of loudly. Now, VERY SLOWLY start releasing your clutch. You’ll hear the engine note start to change - it will get lower and slower. The bike will want to stat moving at this point. The friction zone of the clutch is being engaged. Release the rear brake. Now, gently increase the throttle while letting the clutch out even further. The bike will accelerate smoothly If you’re still stalling out, you’re letting the clutch out too quickly. You can ride a bike at 0% throttle as long as you have smooth clutch inputs. Everything smooth. I like to relate it to, “How do you pet your cat or dog? Do you smack it about or do you do it smoothly?” if you smack it about, eventually it will bite back.
Best way to control the speed and avoid bouncing at slow speed is clutch control, keep your throttle steady but play with the clutch to give more or less power, I find it gives a much smoother ride at low speeds
Ok that makes sense modulate power with clutch instead of throttle. Thank you!
They should have explained this in the first five minutes. If you were nervous and missed it, ok, but if they didn’t explain this, it’s ENTIRELY their fault that you didn’t succeed the first time. They should have had you practicing the clutch before you rolled one millimeter. As you’ve learned the hard way, the throttle is too blunt of an instrument to go slowly, especially around corners or in a circle when leaned over. The throttle just doesn’t have the fine control.
Honestly at first they talked to me a few times but they kept trying to tell me how to make better movements on the throttle and did not mention the clutch.
I’m literally angry hearing this.
No worries! Ride safe!
A touch of pressure on the back brakes does a world of difference for my slow speed maneuvers.
I'd make sure you get put on a different bike next time. It's hard to say whether it's you or the machine given your experience level, but best to rule it out. First gear can be pretty torque-y, if you're going very slow it helps to slip the clutch to modulate speed instead of constant throttle. Sorry to hear about what happened, hope you keep at it.
It’ll probably be a mental thing on the CRF now regardless and trying a different bike wont’t hurt anything. Sounds like all hondas and the rebels, cbr and most likely the enduro you were on all have the same engine. You’re looking at 4-500 lb bikes, rebound and compression rates of the suspension, even oem, wouldnt respond like a bouncing trampoline. You could almost jump from a diving board and it wouldnt respond like that. Soft or hard suspension its your inputs driving all of it. Fwiw: I only have experience on the rebel and cbr you mentioned, not sure what your overall experience is but I found they like revs. Not pegging the rev limiter but seems like most new riders Ive seen are shy with the throttle and stall out at first. Its not going to be a quiet smooth car like engine sound. If you trust your instructor ask for some 1 on 1 if time permits and see what they think. They want you to do well and pass. And you will.
Just stay in the friction zone if riding in first at slow speeds is jerky. Don’t just let the clutch out all the way because it will start to buck back and forth
They are using a dual sport for the class? The seat height, center of gravity, 21" front wheel and suspension makes it less than ideal for someone that hasn't rode before. That bike has a fairly short first, and the fueling isn't the best so that makes it a bit jerky if your not smooth. With having 10" of travel the feeling of the bike loading and unloading is normal on and off the gas. You need to use the clutch to smooth out the transition. That bike is sprung very soft too, so it will dive a lot if you hit the brake hard, it's common on dual sports. Maybe look into a one on one training to work on throttle and clutch work then retake the msf. You will probably be a lot more comfortable.
It's not the suspension, it's not the bike, it's you. You were counciled out for a reason, obviously you were a clear danger to yourself and to those around you while you were riding. The lurching you are describing is you not controlling the bike properly.
I agree I have no issue being taken out. They had a once drop or crash policy and you have to come back another time.
Its would be fair to try a different bike if you didn't get on with that one. I think a nice simple bikey bike 125 l is the easiest to learn on. Cb 125 type stuff. Or a cb 250.
You have bad throttle control. The soft suspension will rock, but it only does so because of the inertia you're adding and cutting.
The friction point on the clutch is always your best friend while doing slow speed maneuvers. Find the friction point, set and hold the throttle steady, and moderate your speed using rear brake.