Do you have left shift and right shift bikes?

If so, how do you handle the disconnect when you go from one to the other? All I've ever had is left shift bikes. My '74 Roadster is the first right shift bike I've ever had.

all i ever rode was old hondas and suzukis that were right brake left shift. took me just a short time to remember the opposite on the norton. i still catch myself going up to downshift every once in a while, keeps the rides interesting.

I have one of each and i just make sure i change up and down gears a few times in the first 1/2 mile to get my brain adjusted - usually do a loop of quiet back streets before getting to the main road.
After that it generally comes naturally.

I have both. You get used to it pretty quickly. As ntst8 said, change a few times when you first get on it and you'll be fine.
The only thing I have trouble with is the up/down orientation. I find it very difficult to adjust to a bike with "up for down" shift pattern.

In the past I've only had left-shift bikes. I got my Commando 1 1/2 years ago and it took it's time to adjust to the right-shift. I don't have much problems with shifting, adjusted rather quickly to that.
The problem is when you need to get on-the-brakes quickly I sometimes up-shift!
I think that when you get in an urgent "situation" you will step on the "brakes" on the side you are most used to.

Think about having to drive a car where you have changed position between the brake and the clutch pedal or try to drive with your legs crossed. It's not easy!

Regards,
Per

Per G nailed it. I go back and forth without much trouble shifting. But in a panic - erm, make that "urgent" - stop situation, I've been known to upshift. Fortunately, I've redone the front brake (or rather, Fred Eaton has) so it's powerful enough to stop the bike without help from the rear brake or engine.

currently, I have both.

before I sold the "Chop-O-Matic" (Honda cb750 automatic chopped) it had right foot throttle, left foot brake,

my shovel head had right foot clutch hand shift...

and I work in a bike shop and have to test ride all sorts...

after doing it that much, it is a mental thing, one look and ride. But I do ocasionally still stab a gear or the brake when meaning to do the other...

I have no problems changing from the new Triumph to the old Norton. I think its because its exactly opposite - upside down - as if the bike was flipped over.

I also find I almost never use the foot brake - another carryover from the Triumph - so the upside on hard braking doesn't happen.

I've got left-foot-one-down-four up, left-foot-five-up, right-foot-one-down-three-up, right-foot-one-up-three-down, and the heel-toe left-foot guzzi that can be all down if you want.

Best thing I've come up with over the years is in a panic stop, hit down with BOTH feet.

I got thrown into a new mix with the GP shift kawasaki 500 triple, five down. Eight races, never made a mistake. ...and certain mistakes can be dangerous, like "upshifting" into neutral instead of first gear in a tight corner!

I got thrown into a new mix with the GP shift kawasaki 500 triple, five down. Eight races, never made a mistake. ...and certain mistakes can be dangerous, like "upshifting" into neutral instead of first gear in a tight corner!

Click to expand...

Upshifting down is pretty common on race bikes - riders seem to like the idea of just mashing down on the lever on acceleration.

An old-timer in the UK once explained that the standard (for everyone except Triumph) of up for down, was originally set up that your hand on the twistgrip and your foot on the gear-shift were going the same way. Same reasoning for having the shifter and the front brake lever on the right - all the speed-control related actions on the same side (well almost!).

The most dangerous version of shifter I ever came across was on a friend's Bridgestone 350. Being Japanese of course, it was left-side shift, but it had a peculiar shift that could go from 6 through N to 1. (N-1-2-3-4-5-6-N-1 etc). It downshifted the other way, too.

What bit him was a shift at about 85 mph, when he thought he was in 5th, changed up, and got what he thought was a missed shift. One more stab on the pedal got 1st. When he released the clutch, the engine tried to go to about 20,000 rpm and locked solid. The bike then went into a slide and pitched him off.

Bike was totaled, he was banged up quite a bit. Later, Bridgestone introduced a shift indicator light that came on in 6th gear, basically to tell you "no more upshifts".

Years ago my girlfriend had one of those Bridgestones. We swapped bikes for one day and I siezed hers up by running too hard. It came loose and was fine after cooling but I never cared for that bike. The shift pattern was the least of the things it did to irritate me.
I have been thinking of swapping my Norton over to shift like my other five bikes. I seem to get along with it better after each ride and I did start on Nortons, but I have already been going into a corner a little too hot and it really does not help me to upshift.
I am 58 years old and I should really not be running an antique that hard but the old Norton brings out the hoon in me.

BillT said:

Upshifting down is pretty common on race bikes - riders seem to like the idea of just mashing down on the lever on acceleration.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Personally, I much prefer just mashing down for DOWNshifting. That's when it's more of a handful to maintain control.

i always find this a funny question - i have 4 bikes - 3 with right shifter 2 of them being first down & rest up, and the other being a 1st up and rest down - the forth is lefty shifter
i just ride them them all again and again- and the only time i miss a shift is if i think about it - if i just do it naturally i never have a problem

best advice - just ride them and ride them some more - after a bit you won't even think about it - brain become instinctive for each bike

the "i am worried about hitting the brake/shifter in an emergency" is for those who don't put the time in

I suspect folks also have differing levels of ability. I've swapped between many vastly differing types of machinery from backhoes, forklifts, trucks, buses, bikes, etc.
I think it is getting harder for me as I'm getting older to relearn each type.
I certainly know I am far slower than I was in reaction.
I still think I'm better than some folks, yesterday we killed a guy in a pickup with a train. We think he got between the gates, panicked and just sat there.
I'm still pretty sure I have some of the abilities that have actually allowed me to save lives in a crisis, for example I would have driven though those crossing gates yesterday.
However, I do know that physically I'm not what I was when young, and I may be better off making the bike fit my trained reactions rather than retraining an old dog.
The bike may be more capable of retraining than I am.

Cookie said:

However, I do know that physically I'm not what I was when young, and I may be better off making the bike fit my trained reactions rather than retraining an old dog.
The bike may be more capable of retraining than I am.

Click to expand...

wow - you make it sound like we need to put you down mate.....

i too am not the guy i was 20 yrs ago, thank god - as i now don't feel that i must do the ton on every bike i have on every ride (only every once in a while)
that being said i think 20 yrs of riding my norton and the rest of the bikes has made me so familiar with them that i am a better rider than i was when i was a wee-lad - and now i am able to jump on a new bike and recognize my limitations (which are typically much less than the new machinery's)

though as you (and clint eastwood) say - every man needs to know his limitations

:lol:

My experience so far has been that I adapt pretty quickly after hopping on, but I've also already stomped on the shifter during a sudden (not panic) stop. After buying it, I only rode it a few days before I started tearing into it for a complete rebuild, so I'll have to wait another year or so before I can amass a database of riding experience large enough to keep me out of trouble with this "alien" shifter (that would probably have become the standard if not for the famous "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" ad).

Don't forget that Beach Boys song.
I used to like that Norton shifter because in dragging it was just quick bangs down. Too many years of BMW and Honda products as well as my current stuff have left their imprint now.
If I end up feels really comfortable with it I'll keep it stock but other wise it won't be hard to change.