Until the motorcycle is moving and stable, what should you avoid doing with the clutch lever?

Until the motorcycle is moving and stable, what should you avoid doing with the clutch lever?

• A. Release the clutch lever
• B. Modify throttle
• C. Use the front brake
• D. Do not release the clutch lever

Answer: (D)

When starting from a stop, you control how the engine’s power is hooked up to the wheels. You want to bring the clutch to the bite point and smoothly add throttle so the bike begins to move without stalling. Fully releasing the clutch before the bike is moving and stable makes the engine generate torque that the wheels can’t handle yet, which can cause a stall, a sudden lurch, or a loss of balance. So the key is to keep the clutch engaged enough to control the engine speed, gradually release toward the bite point as you apply throttle, and only fully release once the bike is moving and you’re steady.

When starting from a stop, you control how the engine’s power is hooked up to the wheels. You want to bring the clutch to the bite point and smoothly add throttle so the bike begins to move without stalling. Fully releasing the clutch before the bike is moving and stable makes the engine generate torque that the wheels can’t handle yet, which can cause a stall, a sudden lurch, or a loss of balance. So the key is to keep the clutch engaged enough to control the engine speed, gradually release toward the bite point as you apply throttle, and only fully release once the bike is moving and you’re steady.