I just lay my Vintage over on its side. That way bike it won't roll away.
Do you park in Neutral or First?
Just curious what the ratio of N vs 1st parking is
I normally park in 1st gear maybe there's some cons to that?
I don't find it too difficult on Indians to find N off the bike
I normally park in 1st gear maybe there's some cons to that?
I don't find it too difficult on Indians to find N off the bike
21 - 40 of 51 Posts
Like many others, N in the garage, 1st out in public.
Almost always in neutral. If I park on a grade, I park facing up on the grade, and will still usually leave it in neutral unless it is a fairly big incline then I will leave it in gear.
Out of curiosity, for those of you who park in gear, do you let your bike run for awhile before you ride off? My routine is to start my bike and put in earplugs, put on helmet, and jacket if needed, as the bike is running in neutral.
Out of curiosity, for those of you who park in gear, do you let your bike run for awhile before you ride off? My routine is to start my bike and put in earplugs, put on helmet, and jacket if needed, as the bike is running in neutral.
Nope.Almost always in neutral. If I park on a grade, I park facing up on the grade, and will still usually leave it in neutral unless it is a fairly big incline then I will leave it in gear.
Out of curiosity, for those of you who park on gear, do you let you bike run for awhile before you ride off? My routine is to start my bike and put in earplugs, put on helmet, and jacket if needed as the bike is running in neutral.
It depends on how long I've been off the bike. If it's a quick trip, I turn on the bike, stand it up, throw up the kickstand, pull the clutch, start it and go. Most of the time I'm down the road before RC is full booted.Out of curiosity, for those of you who park on gear, do you let you bike run for awhile before you ride off? My routine is to start my bike and put in earplugs, put on helmet, and jacket if needed as the bike is running in neutral.
If it's been a while or I'm with a group, I turn on the bike, put it in N then start it while everyone else takes their sweet time.
No, these air cooled bikes are hot enough without added warm up and I hate sitting there idling.. to me pointless. If it's been sitting in the garage I'll let it warm up until idle down occurs which is less than a minute on the Indians and about two on a Ducati. I don't start and rev my engine or take off like my hair is on fire.Out of curiosity, for those of you who park on gear, do you let you bike run for awhile before you ride off? My routine is to start my bike and put in earplugs, put on helmet, and jacket if needed as the bike is running in neutral.
N in the garage 1st nearly everywhere else. I get on, pop into N then start. If it's dead flat I may be in N if I coasted in that way. I've seen a couple bikes limp away and fall over, one just recently at Sturgis with a rider getting off. Not pretty.
In my garage its in N. Anywhere else its 1st.
IMs don’t have locking kickstands, so I park in 1st and turn the wheel. Not soon after buying my Challenger I stopped for gas, left bike in N with wheel straight. Got off the bike & while removing helmet, noticed the bike rolling forward. Grabbed it just in time. Lesson learned.
Just park on a flat surface. If the surface is not flat, then park with the front of the bike facing the incline. Put the kickstand down, and turn the handlbar to the left. If pulling into a curbed parking space that has a downward tilt, then back the bike in, (After all, it's no fun pushing the bike backwards out of a stall that is tilted downward). If none of that is possible, or even if you are parked facing a steep incline then put it in gear.No, these air cooled bikes are hot enough without added warm up and I hate sitting there idling.. to me pointless. If it's been sitting in the garage I'll let it warm up until idle down occurs which is less than a minute on the Indians and about two on a Ducati. I don't start and rev my engine or take off like my hair is on fire.
N in the garage 1st nearly everywhere else. I get on, pop into N then start. If it's dead flat I may be in N if I coasted in that way. I've seen a couple bikes limp away and fall over, one just recently at Sturgis with a rider getting off. Not pretty.
When starting the bike after it has been sitting and is cold, then the bike should be allowed to run a bit to warm up, Within about a minute or two the bike's RPM's will settle in under 800 rpm and that is when I am typically about ready to ride off. If the bike has only been parked for a short time then a parked warm up is not required, but by the time I get my earplugs in, and my helmet on, the bike has had a chance to get the engine bathed in oil before I ride off.
I know everyones situation is different, but that is what I do.
Hah Im the same way, I just cant seem to trust the N light and have to cautiously let go of clutchAlways in gear, mount, find neutral, pull clutch, start then ease out clutch. I don’t trust “idiot lights.”
I try to park in 1st,with side stand away from pump when fueling up.
If you don't and have it leaning towards pump,it might roll,fold up the stand and pin you against the pump with your back turned.
Don't ask how I might know.
If you don't and have it leaning towards pump,it might roll,fold up the stand and pin you against the pump with your back turned.
Don't ask how I might know.
1st gear.....100% of the time.
It really surprises me, for some reason, as to how many say they opt for neutral when parking their bike. (in any situation)
Literally nobody can argue against the fact that the "safest" option is to park in gear...and more specifically, 1st gear.
If you have ever had a bike roll away or fall down due to being parked in neutral, trust me...you'll never do it again.
There is no damage that can be caused by parking "in gear" and being in gear is the only way to ensure the bike won't move aside from being chocked, tied, etc.
Would you park a car in neutral?...even with a parking brake engaged, that's never a good idea.
---"Park" on a car locks the transmission to stop vehicle movement and with a manual transmission, it should be parked in gear.
Even in a garage, if you've got kids, pets, spouse, or even wind that goes through, you could have issues.
---For that matter, even I myself have bumped into my bikes and have had "oh shit" moments.
If you want to warm up your bike, unless you have remote start...which I have yet to see, you already have to be "at your bike" to start it so how hard is it to pop it into neutral when you're there?
At the end of the day though, it's YOUR bike. You do you!
Literally nobody can argue against the fact that the "safest" option is to park in gear...and more specifically, 1st gear.
If you have ever had a bike roll away or fall down due to being parked in neutral, trust me...you'll never do it again.
There is no damage that can be caused by parking "in gear" and being in gear is the only way to ensure the bike won't move aside from being chocked, tied, etc.
Would you park a car in neutral?...even with a parking brake engaged, that's never a good idea.
---"Park" on a car locks the transmission to stop vehicle movement and with a manual transmission, it should be parked in gear.
Even in a garage, if you've got kids, pets, spouse, or even wind that goes through, you could have issues.
---For that matter, even I myself have bumped into my bikes and have had "oh shit" moments.
If you want to warm up your bike, unless you have remote start...which I have yet to see, you already have to be "at your bike" to start it so how hard is it to pop it into neutral when you're there?
At the end of the day though, it's YOUR bike. You do you!
This is what I do, too. At home in the garage when the bike is parked in the chock, it's in Neutral so I can pull it off the chock the next time I want to ride. But when I am out and about, I leave it in 1st gear when parked.If I am home in the garage its neutral. Any where else I usually leave it in gear.
In my garage its in N. Anywhere else its 1st.
N unless I'm on any type of grade, then it's in 1st.
I don't believe the kick stand is a parking brake.
Mmmm, Yeah?! Starting today I guarantee 1st gear no matter the situation. Thanks for starting this thread. It’s the little things you take for granted that bite.
21 - 40 of 51 Posts
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