Clutch or Neutral at a Traffic Light?

[Xdot]

Is there any reason to choose neutral over clutch or vice-versa when sitting at a traffic light? Currently I'll grab the clutch if I suspect a quick turnover. If I just got caught and I know it is a long light I'll flip into neutral. Is one better or worse than the other for the clutch/bearing/transmission system?

[AdrianS]

Holding the clutch lever in at lights puts unnecessary strain and wear on the release bearing.

Best put in neutral unless lights about to change!

[NoRRmad]

In safety class they say to keep it in gear, in case you need to get out of there in a hurry -- like if you see somebody about to rear-end you, or something. But it does add wear to the system.

[wncbmw]

What NoRRmad said. Keeping it in gear for a quick escape saved my bacon once when the car behind nearly ran the light. I saw it coming in my rear view mirror and moved to the side of the car in front. When he finally stopped, he was about 6 inches off the bumper. I would have been a sandwich.

That said, if I get a couple of cars behind me at a long light for a buffer, I will knock it out of gear.

[BoxerSteve]

If the wait's going to be more than about 10 seconds or so, I keep it in gear, watching my mirrors like a hawk. When I'm sure I'm not going to be rear-ended or otherwise wiped out by an inattentive cell-phone using idiot, then I put it in neutral, continuing to watch mirrors (and all around) for morons.

Especially after reading the horror stories here about clutch slave cylinder failures, I don't like holding the clutch with it in gear. I try to take it as easy as possible on the (apparently) fragile clutch slave cylinder.

If the wait's going to be less than about 10 seconds or so, I keep it in gear, watching my mirrors like a hawk for dumkopfs, until the light changes.

[Lion_Lady]

Interesting. My bike is over 60K miles. I always just hold the clutch lever at stops, unless it is a gawdawful long light, or I need a break (then I'll bump into neutral after a few cars fill in behind). No clutch issues yet.

P

[AirForceDirt]

Interesting. My bike is over 60K miles. I always just hold the clutch lever at stops, unless it is a gawdawful long light, or I need a break (then I'll bump into neutral after a few cars fill in behind). No clutch issues yet.

P

Oh now you said it.


But seriously, I've done the same thing for the past 40k, haven't had a clutch issue yet either.

[Grey Thumper]

Filtering is legal here, so I usually filter in between lanes to get to the front, then stay in neutral while waiting for the light. If there's an empty space behind me though, I'll keep the clutch in in case some moron pulls up.