New Rider Question -- Tell me about 3rd Gear

[BeeDoo]

Hi All,
I've read through the bike forum and watched some youtube videos of some people who know what they are doing, but I still have some questions...
For context, I have a 2019 YZ450 with 129" track.
I've never ridden any bike before this one -- not on dirt or snow...
I'm about 3 rides in, and have spent maybe 4-5 hours total on the bike. (Some rides are short because I can play around from my house).
I spent most of the first few hours basically using only 2nd gear (1st to get going). But, I've started to use 3rd gear even when going relatively slow -- like 5 mph and making some tight turns.
The snow was pretty crusty with areas of 6-10" of fresh snow on top. I really liked staying in 3rd even though it takes a bit to get up to speed. I never stalled out going slow and always was able to get up to speed.

Questions for anyone:
How much time do you spend in 2nd v. 3rd?
I'm sure a lot is dependent on snow conditions, but do you prefer 2nd because of the low end power, or 3rd because it has the longer range of speed?
Or are you kind of constantly shifting from 2nd / 3rd based on what you're doing?
Can you climb much better in 2nd v. 3rd? So, downshift when getting to a hill?
Related: Do you usually start off in 1st or 2nd?

Thanks in advance. I'm loving the biking so far. Had more fun yesterday on the bike than most days on a snowmobile.

 

[eric82930]

Cudos for making the blind leap into the world of bikes and manual transmissions. It will take time to learn to a point where you don't think about it anymore but the key to remember is your engine will make the most power at about 9000rpm which will probably seam pretty high to a beginner. So in deep snow or going up steep hills you will sometimes have to use 2nd to keep the rpm high and make the most power. If you have a hard base, that bike will probably have enough power to pull 3rd anywhere but you'll need ground speed before you hit a hill. I don't know what gear I'm in most of the time, I just know the sound of the rpm and I know that I need high rpm for steep and deep and low rpm for cruising around. If you aren't stalling then you must have the low rpm mode figured out, just try to be quick to kick it down to a high rpm gear when you need max power.

 

[Toy4rnr]

Mostly start in 1st for easy take offs, if I need to get aggressive with immediate track speed I'll dump the clutch in 2nd upper mid rpm and go wide open immediately there after. I find myself mostly cruising in mid 3rd in the deep, but it's so snow condition dependent. Climbing usually end up in 2nd, but I have been fighting a tune issue up until recently and it was bottomless until all the snow went to **** a month and a half ago. For reference, GYTR 2016 YZ450F with a 2022 Yeti 129. You'll figure out where you like to be the more you ride. I'll attack hills in 3rd then downshift if I lose track speed.

 

[bighuckpunk]

I take off in gently in second and keep it there all day. No need for 1st or 3rd-5th for me unless I'm on a trail. I almost always ride powder in the trees, 450sx/yeti 137ss.

 

[BeeDoo]

Thank you all for the replies.
Anybody in UT by chance? I'd love to go out with some fellow bikes -- On Sunday I was going places on the bike that my fellow sledders couldn't access at all / got stuck trying.

 

[dyermaker41]

Thank you all for the replies.
Anybody in UT by chance? I'd love to go out with some fellow bikes -- On Sunday I was going places on the bike that my fellow sledders couldn't access at all / got stuck trying.

I'm a Utah rider as well. Like you I had almost zero experience on motorcycles until I rode a snow bike and then knew I wanted one. Every ride I learn something new. Check out the Utah Snowbikes group on Facebook. There are a lot of Utah snow bikes on there. It is always fun to meet more snow bikers and see more people get into it and find more people to ride with. I am in Cache Valley. Where in Utah are you at?

 

[BeeDoo]

Sweet I'll check it out. I live just outside Park City -- usually ride into the Uinta Mountains/Mirror Lake/Wolf Creek Pass areas. Never been up to Logan but I'd be interested in joining for a ride at some point -- if it ever snows again.....

 

[dyermaker41]

Sweet I'll check it out. I live just outside Park City -- usually ride into the Uinta Mountains/Mirror Lake/Wolf Creek Pass areas. Never been up to Logan but I'd be interested in joining for a ride at some point -- if it ever snows again.....

We all hope it snows again! If you ever come up this way let me know.

 

[AllHatNoCattle]

Keep in mind that different bikes and kits are geared differently. I have geared mine low and always start in 2nd and when I am crawling through the trees I am in 2nd slipping the clutch.

Other guys I ride with are geared taller and do a lot more in 1st gear.

 

[snoballssnoglory]

Find some bike buddies for sure. Banging trees has whole new meaning when you go with bikes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jaynelson]

It will climb best in the highest gear that will hold RPM. Wound up in the 3rd will climb better than wound up in 2nd. If you have a slight RPM drop on a climb, don't be shy on a little clutch feather to get the RPM back up instead of a downshift. Or a clutch pull + mitt full of throttle + clutch drop...once you get more aggressive. That said, you will be travelling in higher speeds in 3rd, so depending on the terrain, etc, a slower speed will give you more time for decision making, etc. When I ride snowbikes I shift quite a bit between 2-3-4 during normal riding. 1st is just to get rolling and 5th maybe for nice groomed roads.

 

[wwillf01]

Sweet I'll check it out. I live just outside Park City -- usually ride into the Uinta Mountains/Mirror Lake/Wolf Creek Pass areas. Never been up to Logan but I'd be interested in joining for a ride at some point -- if it ever snows again.....

We are in Kamas you can ride anytime with us …


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BeeDoo]

Sounds great. Thanks for the info.
wwillf01 -- let me know when you're heading out. Love to join. My brother also has a bike, so there would be two of us.