Suicide Shifter.... : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

ricoumc · 09-12-2006, 03:13 PM

Looking to remove my conventional shifter on 06 Victory Jackpot and add a Suicide Shifter. Can anyone give me any insight bout the suicide shifters: such as clutchless or clutch activated, available resources, and the positive and negative of having this type of shifter.

Tks.....

Bot · 09-12-2006, 03:19 PM

hmmm.
Well, the NAME might be clue as to the drawbacks...

rebelmark75 · 09-12-2006, 03:47 PM

I ran Suicide CLUTCH on my shovel....no such thing as a suicide shifter. Its Suicide CLUTCH with either jockey shift, or tank shift. Takes a real man to ride one...most RUBS couldn't handle it
Do it...if you kill yourself, it wasn't for you.

mikey61 · 09-12-2006, 03:55 PM

To be honest, I have NO idea what a Victory Jackpot is or what kind of tranny, but I rode a JOCKEY SHIFT HD for about a week, so I'll tell you what I know...back in the 80's when all my buddies(me as well) were building old school choppers..I decided I wanted a Hand shift on mine, so, I was lucky enough to have all the stock parts for the foot clutch, (It was a 4 speed ratchet top trans. what year? 36-79?) Anyway..that was easy...couldn't get the cash together for a tank shift, but I found a shift handle that a buddy gave me that bolted right to the ratchet top..easy...ok...gave it a WEEK...almost got killed 3x...almost dumped it about 2x a day...when you are moving it's EASY...coming to a stop not bad...pulling out from a stop sign on a hill making a left..impossible(for me)...If you grew up riding w/ a foot clutch..it's easy..I knew an old guy..that's all he ever rode...learned on one..no prob...going from hand to foot clutch almost killed me...looks cool, but I didn't like it...switched it back ASAP...and as far as automatic clutch..like I said I have no idea what kind of tranny you run..
I WOULD SUGGEST RIDING SOMEONES JOCKEY SHIFT BIKE BEFORE DOING IT TO SEE IF IT'S WORTH IT TO YOU. My 2 cents
Mike

JamieWG · 09-12-2006, 04:20 PM

Don't throw your old parts away..

route66paul · 09-12-2006, 04:28 PM

There are 2 different types of foot clutches. One you can lift your foot out of disengaged. This way you can put both feet down at a stop without having to find neutral.the other type must have pressure on it to stay disengaged. This can get you into trouble if you can't find neutral in a hurry stopped at a light. You would have to hit the kill switch before you put yor foot down or stall it in traffic.
Shifting with your hand takes your hand off the handlebars, which could be bad in an emergency. The real advantage would be it would limit the number of thieves who would try to jack you for your bike. Most of them would be over 50.

claydbal · 09-12-2006, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by route66paul

There are 2 different types of foot clutches. One you can lift your foot out of disengaged. This way you can put both feet down at a stop without having to find neutral.the other type must have pressure on it to stay disengaged. This can get you into trouble if you can't find neutral in a hurry stopped at a light. You would have to hit the kill switch before you put yor foot down or stall it in traffic.
Shifting with your hand takes your hand off the handlebars, which could be bad in an emergency. The real advantage would be it would limit the number of thieves who would try to jack you for your bike. Most of them would be over 50.

be warned! the rocker clutch was known to slowly creep up while at a light, engaging without warning------its still suicide. with a tank shift, at least you have gates where you can throw it in nuetral coming to a light. as said above, taking off and turning to the left is tough, on a hill, suicide.

2006FLSTNI · 09-13-2006, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricoumc

Looking to remove my conventional shifter on 06 Victory Jackpot and add a Suicide Shifter. Can anyone give me any insight bout the suicide shifters: such as clutchless or clutch activated, available resources, and the positive and negative of having this type of shifter.

Tks.....

Absolutely correct SUICIDE CLUTCH. They call these SUCCIDE CLUTCHES/SHIFTERS as some call them because they are DANGEROUS.

A lot of ppl back in the 60's and early 70's were doing this mod and many of them got hurt and even killed. Im not saying not to do it thats up to you. Hell I even had an old INDIAN for a little while that had this set up, many years ago When I was YOUNG DUMB AND FULL OF C_ M I must say it took some time to get used to. It also scared me more times than not (hence The Little While I owned it). It was also in the mid Late 70's early 80's I had it. Traffic wasn't half or even a quater of what it is today. If you decide to go this route please do yourself a favor and ride it when there is little traffic and take SHORT TRIPS for the first month or even longer. I would hate to hear you got hurt or worse. Concider it carefully and BE CAREFULL!!!!

Peace
Dan

8-Ball · 09-13-2006, 07:33 PM

I think they are very cool looking, but have never ridden one. There is a Mod here named JockeyShift... you might want to search him out as well... I believe he has been riding one for years and loves it. Seems you have gotten the negative side here.

JamieWG · 09-13-2006, 08:58 PM

There was a guy at the Easy Rider's Rodeo who rode the barrel races on a pan with a jockey shift. He didn't seem to have any problems and he was surely the crowd favorite. I think he ended up finishing second.

route66paul · 09-14-2006, 12:03 AM

There is a reason that Harley offered the foot clutch on its big bikes for many years after the hand clutch was considered standard. many people like the jockey shift because it is solid feel as it is going into gear. The new trans are better and don't miss shifts as often.
British bikes, some older sportys, and some Yamahas had right foot shifts or could be changed back and forth. The goverment wants motorcycles to have a standard pattern and all motorcycles sold after a certain date were to meet that standard.
Knowing instintively where the controls are is a good thing for riders. switching back and forth is not easy for all and there is a learning curve. how do the insurance companies feel about these mods. I can just see some lawyer saying that it was your own fault you got in a wreck because you had to take your hand off the bars. and I can see some juries buying that arguement.

claydbal · 09-14-2006, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by route66paul

There is a reason that Harley offered the foot clutch on its big bikes for many years after the hand clutch was considered standard. many people like the jockey shift because it is solid feel as it is going into gear. The new trans are better and don't miss shifts as often.
British bikes, some older sportys, and some Yamahas had right foot shifts or could be changed back and forth. The goverment wants motorcycles to have a standard pattern and all motorcycles sold after a certain date were to meet that standard.
Knowing instintively where the controls are is a good thing for riders. switching back and forth is not easy for all and there is a learning curve. how do the insurance companies feel about these mods. I can just see some lawyer saying that it was your own fault you got in a wreck because you had to take your hand off the bars. and I can see some juries buying that arguement.

good point!!

ricoumc · 09-14-2006, 11:13 PM

Well......I've always like the look of the tank shifter. I have never rode a bike with one but I would think it would make you in-tune with your bike. I would like to have the clutch with the shifter.
Yeah....u guys r right that it could be dangerous taking ur hand off the handlebars when shifting.....especially riding 2 up. I'm gonna get a hold of MBW....and see if they could fabricate something for me. I will keep u guys informed.

Tks....rico

claydbal · 09-14-2006, 11:19 PM

if we don't hear from you----------------------------------?

jockeyshift · 09-18-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey61

...I WOULD SUGGEST RIDING SOMEONES JOCKEY SHIFT BIKE BEFORE DOING IT TO SEE IF IT'S WORTH IT TO YOU....

That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time. Who the hell, in their right mind, is going to let someone with out experience ride there JS equipped motorsickle?

ricoumc, I don't know of anyone that make JS setups for a Victory. Back in 88, I made my setup for my old springer. Just took some flat stock, hacksaw, vice, hammer and drill, and made my shifter handle. Bought a chrome ball from the auto parts store and slapped it on top. The clutch bracket I made out of a piece of angle iron and yes it is considered a "Suicide Clutch". After many years of riding this way, the aftermarket companies came out with kits to accomplish the same thing. So, what I am saying here is that some ingenuity might be in order for you to accomplish the task for your victory.

I agree with JamieWG, don't throw away your old parts, as you may want to go back to the old way of shifting if you do convert yours.

Riding this way does take some skills and a little bit more concentration, but with practice it's like riding with a normal setup.