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Right side vs. left side shift stories…

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compu2tr View Drop Down
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    Posted: 07 Jun 2022 at 13:47
I thought it might be interesting for those who have right side shift to share any interesting stories! Here’s mine… 

About 20 years ago i rider friend flew in town and i suggested we go for a moto ride. At the time i only had the 68 V7 and a 00 Cagiva GC. He took the GC out for the first few miles and then asked to switch to the Guzzi. After reminding him of the switched shifting mechanism we headed out. No problems until we came to the first stop light where he totally forgot and was braking to downshift. Shifting to brake... Front brake was close to useless at that time. So luckily no one was ahead of him as he finally  got it hauled down in the MIDDLE of the intersection. He back peddled the bike to me and his expression was one of great relief and he asked me if we could switch back :). I still have him as a friend and he still reminds me of that day when i mention the guzzi in conversation. 

So the switching is the challenge…i find that when i start and finish a ride on the guzzi…no issues. If i try to switch bikes in any close timeframe i get in trouble with the muscle memory required to function as a proper pilot. 

Any similar stories of owning or riding a right shift bike?

Hope you are having a great day :)

e
ATGATT
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Dave P. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dave P. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jun 2022 at 18:40
All of my four bikes are right foot shift. I grew up with right foot shift bikes though the 850T and the Spada of years gone by had left foot shifts which wasn't too much of a problem. The V7 Special which I have now came with a left foot change but it wasn't long before I changed it to the "correct" side.
The 850 GT came with a right foot change but an inverted shift pattern That soon got changed too.
TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE LAW YOU MUST BE HONEST.

1971 V7 Special. 1972 850GT.
1970 T120 Bonnie. 2009 500 Bullet.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnno Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jun 2022 at 18:55
When I was very young I had a BSA A650T which I did real big mileage on then one day I convinced a chap to let me ride his Kawa z900 it was the opposite side gear change I had no problem at all but when I jumped back on the BSA what a mess I made of gear change and braking lol . Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Throwley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 09:07

Back in the autumn of '82 my mate Colin bought a lovely new Morini 3½, gorgeous thing it was, so when he brought it home everyone wanted a go.  First up was Gordon, a Yamaha RD rider. He took it on a short ride round the block, the top arm of which ran next to the woods and had a 90° left hander at the end.  Seeing the wet leaves and not wanting to dump Colin’s new machine, he carefully used the back brake to scrub off speed – except it wasn’t the brake. Dropping a cog suddenly, the rear wheel locked, the Morini went down and Gordon and Morini slid to a humiliating halt at the apex.  Colin took it very well indeed, considering he’d had his new bike for about an hour.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote iansoady Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 14:22
I've never had too much trouble changing between Brit bikes (mostly down for up) and Guzzis / Japanese ones. The thing I really struggled with was the Yamaha Xmax maxi scoot which I foolishly bought when struggling to ride conventional bikes due to arthritic hip problems. It took a very conscious effort of will not to treat the left hand lever like a clutch when slowing down causing several lurid slides. Fortunately a replacement joint meant I could part with the xmax......
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dukedesmo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 15:14
Only ever had 1 bike with right side shift, it was my first (Ducati 250 Scrambler) so as I learnt on it, it wasn't a problem. 

I didn't have any problems adapting to the next bike though but that was many years ago so who knows what would happen if I tried to change now, being slightly more advanced in years? LOL

One thing that did stick with me though was the '1 up 4 (or 5) down' pattern that the old Scrambler had - just seemed more logical and whilst I've had bikes with '1 down x up' (and not had any problems switching), I've now changed all my bikes to the 1 up/5down pattern - well 1 up/4down with the Guzzi.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote saultrader Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 16:29


I think I've found the answer...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dave P. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 16:59
Ah! But what about the left handed riders?
TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE LAW YOU MUST BE HONEST.

1971 V7 Special. 1972 850GT.
1970 T120 Bonnie. 2009 500 Bullet.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote saultrader Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 17:25
Good point but my dad told me that being left handed wasn’t an option in 1931..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jerry atric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2022 at 19:26
this is going to sound like Python's four Yorkshiremen sketch:

The Scott is 3 speed R/H change, up for 1st gear. The Cali is L/H toe down for 1st. Had a few scary moments stamping into 3rd on the Scott instead of braking and like the OP, no front brake to speak of. Likewise, braking heavily on the Cali instead of changing up pulling away.

But then the Bacon slicer and Super Alce are R/H heel down for 1st then up the gears with toe. left HEEL back brake. But the S/A gearing is so low that you pull away in 2nd, so toe down.

Having got the hang of all this I decided to buy a 1936 Indian: L/H throttle, left foot clutch, right foot brake (ornamental front brake and hand change ( or shift as the makers liked to call it)

Luckily, the Indian is rarely serviceable so its not too dangerous To tell the truth, I did bottle out and cover throttle to R/H. Its a mad world.

Edited by Jerry atric - 08 Jun 2022 at 19:29
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote iansoady Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2022 at 10:20
Originally posted by Dave P. Dave P. wrote:

Ah! But what about the left handed riders?


Apparently the fast lads used to ignore the clutch and use the hand gear change left handed over the tank. I never quite mastered this on the Sunbeam Model 10 I had for a while.
Ian
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote compu2tr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2022 at 23:42
Google “GP shift” for why you might want 1 up 4/5 down ;) good stories lads…keep um coming :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BondEquipe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2022 at 17:21
Having done nearly 40 years on LH gearshifts (and once scaring myself so much that I'd cock up on a mate's MV 350 that I stopped rather than confronting a junction) I resolved that the answer to my urge for a classic bike was hand change.
However . . . whilst looking I hav now ended up with a Morini 3 1/2 (RH shift), a Douglas Mk4 (RH reversed shift) and a Morini Kanguro (LH shift but initially assembled wrong so a reversed shift!).
I still have the rest of my bikes so careful planning and BIG notes in the tankbag are required!
Stephen
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Amboman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jun 2022 at 14:23
I've found that my Moto Guzzi Convert is like a giant reset button. I can go pretty effortlessly from right-foot shift to left-foot shift and vice versa, if I ride the Convert in between.
Charlie
'69 Ambassador,'71 Ambassador,'73 Eldorado,'75 Eldorado police,'76 Convert,'77 Morini 3 1/2 Strada,'81 Ducati 500SL Pantah

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BondEquipe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2022 at 16:59
Originally posted by Amboman Amboman wrote:

I've found that my Moto Guzzi Convert is like a giant reset button. I can go pretty effortlessly from right-foot shift to left-foot shift and vice versa, if I ride the Convert in between.

At last; the excuse to buy a Convert I've been looking for! 
Stephen
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