Just Curious

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bcarlson · #1 Unread post by **bcarlson** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:53 am

Talking with my dad (he used to ride back in the 60's and 70's) he always rode Indians. One time he borrowed a friend's Triumph and to his great surprise, the bike was setup opposite. Clutch on RH side, brake and throttle on LH side. Same with the pedals - opposite. I guess he had an excting moment when trying to stop the thing coming into a deadend parking lot.

Anyone know if they still setup their bikes this way? I would love a Daytona 675, but would never tempt fate in an emergency situation with backwards controls.

#2 Unread post by **bok** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:09 am

i know of a few folks who have talked about setting up their bikes opposite for one reason or another but don't think they would ever do it just in case someone else had to ride it.

no matter how much i liked the bike, if the controls were backwards i wouldn't buy it (or would buy it and have everything rerouted to the "normal" way if possible)

cbm · #3 Unread post by **cbm** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:12 am

Current Triumphs have the controls on the usual sides...brakes on the right, clutch and gearshift on the left.

#4 Unread post by **t_bonee** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:06 am

It's pretty much been an unwritten standard since the early '70s, I believe, that all motorcycles are setup as they are now. I would imagine anything different would have to be a custom made bike. Or some totally obscure manufacturer from Eritrea or Kiribati or Tokelau or some other country.

#5 Unread post by **bok** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:09 am

Elbonian bikes maybe have the reversed controls

Pongo · #6 Unread post by **Pongo** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:18 am

Rear brake pedal on left and gear change on the right was normal with British bikes prior to the early -mid 1970's.

Throttle and front brake on the right and clutch on the left same as all other bikes.

I certainly don't understand why the throttle and clutch would have been turned around on the Triumph your father borrowed.

Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:21 am

That would mess me up so bad...lol

Loonette · #8 Unread post by **Loonette** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:26 am

This will tell you how weird my (bio)Dad is... he changed the controls to the unusual way on his Royal Enfield because, as he has said, it should be the British way.

Cheers,
Loonette

flynrider · #9 Unread post by **flynrider** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:46 am

It wasn't just control positions. I remember back in the 70s, if you borrowed someone else's bike, you had to ask them how the gears were set up.

Some had neutral at the bottom with 4 gears above. Some had neutral at the top with 4 below. Some were set up like they are today, one down and 4 up.

Apitoxin · #10 Unread post by **Apitoxin** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:49 am

Nuetral at the top? Is there any advantage to that at all?