Clutch in or out on a swerve???

[motorman587]

At 40 mph, you have two lane choices. Left or right. As you swerve, do you pull in the clutch and coast around the obstacle, or do you keep the throttle steady, maybe roll on a little as you go around. Coasting wouldn't make sense to me.

[Matts_12GS]

I have always kept throttle steady to slightly increasing when doing this in drills at lower speeds mostly to avoid having the front tuck on breaking during a turning motion.

 

At least that's what I was taught to do. I hope that's what I actually do.

[motorman587]

This came up on the BMW forum on Facebook. I went to the BMW performance center in 2008 where you swerved with the clutch disengaged and I did not like it and almost lost it. To me it made the motorcycle very unstable. I posted a video on BMW Facebook and the "to clutch or not to clutch" came up again.

[szurszewski]

I just ride bikes but I teach people how to do this in a car (and teach people how to teach other people as well). Pretty standard line of thought it to only change one force at a time, so if you have to swerve, don't accelerate or decelerate until after the swerve. Steering creates roll, and accelerating, braking or just decelerating creates pitch (create isn't really the right word, but you get it). Pitch and roll both eat traction and you only have so much traction to consume.

 

Changing speed, and pitch, also changes the behavior of suspension. In a car this is most noticeable under extreme changes (to most people anyway), but in a bike suspension changes pretty readily and that change affects the geometry of the bike ... which of course changes how it corners.

 

So, it makes sense that keeping throttle constant (if you were already coasting, you'd want to keep coasting though the swerve, but if you were on the gas, you should stay there) to keep the pitch and suspension constant.

 

I am pretty sure I remember reading something much like that in Proficient Motorcycling, but can't remember if DH applied it to swerves/emergency maneuvers as well as regular curves/corners - it was definitely in the section for proper approach to curves (slow early if you need to, then get on the gas a little to maintain constant speed through the curve, to paraphrase what I remember).

 

 

[philbytx]

I'll add to that.....what if you had vehicles at your 10 and 2 and 7 and 5 ? Coasting? I think not.....

[Mister Tee]

To me it depends on what's after the obstacle. If I have to prepare to do some heavy braking, I'd rather be coasting as to have less of an abrupt power transition on braking. Otherwise I'd go steady throttle.

 

Or, if you enter an "oh s**t!" curve too hot and unprepared, coasting is safer than a botched throttle response.

[russell_bynum]

To me it depends on what's after the obstacle. If I have to prepare to do some heavy braking, I'd rather be coasting as to have less of an abrupt power transition on braking. Otherwise I'd go steady throttle.

 

Or, if you enter an "oh s**t!" curve too hot and unprepared, coasting is safer than a botched throttle response.

 

Except that removing power (via throttle or via the clutch) will transfer weight forward onto the already taxed front tire. It also causes the suspension to settle...meaning you have less ground clearance to work with.

[Lion_lady]

Don't touch the clutch lever, just swerve. Separate the swerve from other actions such as braking.

 

Pulling the clutch will have a similar effect (though not as abrupt) to using the brakes mid-swerve. BAD outcome.

 

[Mister Tee]

To me it depends on what's after the obstacle. If I have to prepare to do some heavy braking, I'd rather be coasting as to have less of an abrupt power transition on braking. Otherwise I'd go steady throttle.

 

Or, if you enter an "oh s**t!" curve too hot and unprepared, coasting is safer than a botched throttle response.

 

Except that removing power (via throttle or via the clutch) will transfer weight forward onto the already taxed front tire. It also causes the suspension to settle...meaning you have less ground clearance to work with.

 

You don't want to do anything (clutching, throttle, etc...) mid swerve anyway so if you were going to coast, you should have made that decision prior to swerving. If I DO need to brake in preparation for a rapid stop mid-swerve, I'd rather do it from a coast than have to declutch as well. That would be a double whammy.

 

If I'm trail braking in a corner, I'm either going to stay clutched and remain in gear, or coast while braking to the apex if I have to downshift, then apply power.

 

[Mister Tee]

Don't touch the clutch lever, just swerve. Separate the swerve from other actions such as braking.

 

Pulling the clutch will have a similar effect (though not as abrupt) to using the brakes mid-swerve. BAD outcome.

 

Certainly if you don't know how to use the brake in a corner, yes.

[philbytx]

There is quite a difference between a sudden swerve and taking a corner..... !!

 

[Bullett]

This came up on the BMW forum on Facebook. I went to the BMW performance center in 2008 where you swerved with the clutch disengaged and I did not like it and almost lost it. To me it made the motorcycle very unstable. I posted a video on BMW Facebook and the "to clutch or not to clutch" came up again.

 

Oh, I didn't realize that was you, John. I never use the clutch while swerving. It just doesn't seem natural to me.

 

[motorman587]

This came up on the BMW forum on Facebook. I went to the BMW performance center in 2008 where you swerved with the clutch disengaged and I did not like it and almost lost it. To me it made the motorcycle very unstable. I posted a video on BMW Facebook and the "to clutch or not to clutch" came up again.

 

Oh, I didn't realize that was you, John. I never use the clutch while swerving. It just doesn't seem natural to me.

 

If this was facebook I would hit the like button...........

[Fubar]

I never use the clutch while swerving. It just doesn't seem natural to me.

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