[Pac a Steel]

Trying to connect to very old brain cells again. :wacko:

When I got back into bikes after a long layoff, I remember having a lot of trouble hitting the right gear. The first few weeks, I'd downshift when I was wanting to upshift and occassionally upshift when slowing down. I just marked it up to early braid fade and the new to me heel shifter on the FLSTC.

Fast forward to the OL wanting her own ride. Took a ton of flak at the refresher course because she had trouble hitting 2nd gear and shifting. Now she did have a lot of miles under her belt years ago, and marked it up to a little class bike with a stomped shifter.:dunno:

In late night chatter, it occurred to us that we both had the same problem and started dusting off brain cells. Don't metric bikes shift backwards of HD? I could have sworn my old GW was 1 up / 4 down. I'm getting even more screwed up since with the GW I was switching from my long loved and belated British Iron that shifted on the right instead of the left side.:hmmm:

Am I remembering right or do I just need to update the meds?

 

[MegaGlide]

In the old days every marque, it seemed, was different. One up 3 down, one down 3 up, left, right...
Now to be marketed in the US I believe they all have to be left side, one down.
Don't remember if the metrics were ever any different. I started out on a 175 Sears and it was Austrian.

 

[LittleBear]

Megaglide, you are on the mark
Current regulations require the control on motorcycles to be standardized.
Shift patterns are specified as 1 down from neurtal to first and up past neutral to second and up for the 3rd through whatever.
I think this came into play in the mid to late seventies.

 

[IndianaSteve]

Just be glad it isn't still: left foot - clutch; left hand - shift lever!!!!!!

I saw someone starting his engine (kick starter) and pulling out of an eatery in Daytona during this year's Biketoberfest with a bike that had the "suicide clutch". I now understand why they were called that! If I had to do what he did, I'd not be riding!!! Geesh!!!

 

[dogtownmax]

Trying to connect to very old brain cells again. :wacko:
...Don't metric bikes shift backwards of HD? I could have sworn my old GW was 1 up / 4 down. I'm getting even more screwed up since with the GW I was switching from my long loved and belated British Iron that shifted on the right instead of the left side.:hmmm:

Am I remembering right or do I just need to update the meds?

I am just about totally sure (from having ridden a few early GW) that they shifted the same a current harleys, 1 down, 5 up, on the left side.

Older british bikes, I am not sure about. I think some of those may have had right side shifters, and maybe different pattern.

-dogtown max

 

[Some Guy]

Were you riding the bike in China? ;-)

 

[swmnkdinthervr]

Just be glad it isn't still: left foot - clutch; left hand - shift lever!!!!!!

I saw someone starting his engine (kick starter) and pulling out of an eatery in Daytona during this year's Biketoberfest with a bike that had the "suicide clutch". I now understand why they were called that! If I had to do what he did, I'd not be riding!!! Geesh!!!

I've ridden a couple of them...whew...I'm glad they aren't THAT way anymore...I'd be a greater hazzard to myself than I already am!!!

 

[msocko3]

Road a buddies 05 GW this summer ( Had to visit my dark side) it was 1 down and 5 up. Biggest problem was the GW shifter and such must have been built for a smerf, had a hell of a time finding it with my big feet.

 

[Pac a Steel]

I think this came into play in the mid to late seventies.

Ouch! :huh:

 

[MegaGlide]

What "ouch"?
He probably started riding when he was a mere lad, like me...

 

[Sam03FLHRI]

Shoot the consistency of where and how to shift takes all the adventure out. No more figuring out old Beezers and Triumphs. Not the mention my old Husky WR that had a kicker that was crosswise to the motor. :thumbsup:
I just hope that bikes don't take the same route as cagers where a manual has become a pushbutton or some goofy pattern off the PRNDL.

Sam

 

[adlerx]

OK, My first bike was a honda trail 90, a 1964!! brand new off the showroom floor, my dad bought two of em, I went with him to the dealer, he paid $678 out the door for two! we loaded em in his pickup and took em home! Lest I digress....
anyhow except for those honda 90's which were 4 down(no clutch!) Every other bike I have had which includes most brands and models back to the late 60's has always been 1 down and 3, 4, or 5 up! OH yeah, and all on the left side. ...
I know, I'm old

 

[petelogan]

Brit bikes before switching to the US standard were shifter on the right, 1 up from neutral and 3 down.

This followed the natural European instinct to push to go faster and pull to stop, rather than the American instinct to slam both feet through the front fender at the first hint of trouble (Kidding, guys )

A lot of classic bike racers and some modern racers (I believe) still use this pattern as they believe it is faster through the box.

So do I

 

[Krayven Sumhead]

I owned a 1962 BSA 650cc 'Firebird scrambler' and the shift wuz on the left , brake on the right. 1 down and 3 up. 1982 Goldwing Interstate and the shift wuz the same. 1 down and 4 up......The older Harley's had the brake on the left and the shift on the right untill the middle 70's (I remember riding one of my buddies choppers who had the 'hand brake' dissconnected). He wuz running along side of me as I wuz draggin my feet.

 

[petelogan]

That just made me think - I guess it's also possible that some Brit bikes were sold rigged right footed in UK but left footed in US.

I don't know :hmmm:

 

[czar]

...the "reverse" shift pattern is called "GP shifting." A lot of racer types switch their bikes over (...thus the name "GP" - Grand Prix). It just involves flipping the shift connector and maybe some bending.

 

[Pac a Steel]

Brit bikes before switching to the US standard were shifter on the right, 1 up from neutral and 3 down.

Well, I now at least know what I might have been smoking at the time. I owned 3 Nortons in my previous life.

 

[utrvp]

Road a buddies 05 GW this summer ( Had to visit my dark side) it was 1 down and 5 up. Biggest problem was the GW shifter and such must have been built for a smerf, had a hell of a time finding it with my big feet.

Goldwings are 5 speed. 1 down and 4 up. Always have been.

 

[msocko3]

Goldwings are 5 speed. 1 down and 4 up. Always have been.

Looks like one of those days where my brain said one thing and my fingers said nothing doing.:duh?:

 

[sthorp]

Trying to connect to very old brain cells again. :wacko:

When I got back into bikes after a long layoff, I remember having a lot of trouble hitting the right gear. The first few weeks, I'd downshift when I was wanting to upshift and occassionally upshift when slowing down. I just marked it up to early braid fade and the new to me heel shifter on the FLSTC.

Fast forward to the OL wanting her own ride. Took a ton of flak at the refresher course because she had trouble hitting 2nd gear and shifting. Now she did have a lot of miles under her belt years ago, and marked it up to a little class bike with a stomped shifter.:dunno:

In late night chatter, it occurred to us that we both had the same problem and started dusting off brain cells. Don't metric bikes shift backwards of HD? I could have sworn my old GW was 1 up / 4 down. I'm getting even more screwed up since with the GW I was switching from my long loved and belated British Iron that shifted on the right instead of the left side.:hmmm:

Am I remembering right or do I just need to update the meds?

You can install hardware that reverses the shift pattern from 1 down-4 up, to 1 up-4down, I've seen it for sale in catalogs