I don't know either, but I've thought about building a singlespeed with the everything on the left.Originally posted by novascotian
thank you for clearing that up
i assume cuz the majority of the population is right handed? lol...i dunno
Is the drivetrain on the left side of the bike in England?Originally posted by BikeGeek
Why is the drivetrain on the right-hand side of the bike?
no, and generally yes. (speaking from japan experience, where one is supposed to drive on the left side and brakes are set up motorcycle style)Originally posted by stumpy
Is the drivetrain on the left side of the bike in England?
Are the left and right brake levers on the opposite sides of the handlebar (ie. the rear brake lever on the left handlebar instead of the right handlebar and vise versa) in countries that drive on the left side of the road.
What is that brake thingy on teh seat stays? the pic looks like something is going through the spokes.Originally posted by Toshi
no, and generally yes. (speaking from japan experience, where one is supposed to drive on the left side and brakes are set up motorcycle style)
this is not a typical japanese bikebut may be the wave of the future:
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this is a great thread.Originally posted by BikeGeek
Why is the drivetrain on the right-hand side of the bike?
Well try and clutch a motorcycle with your foot. (BTW my fathers late 40's Indian cheif is that way....and more non-US Style but that is another thread)Originally posted by BigMike
What the hell is that bike? I WANT ONE!
and odviously, the drivtrain is on the right side because it would get conversations like this started
and about the brakes, I ocassionaly ride with a guy from Wales who rides trials, and his bike is set up so the back brake is left, and the front brake is right. I asked him why, and in his Walesy accent he said "you stupid Americans mess everything up. Us in the rest of the world keep it like a motorcycle. " I was tempted to then ask him why he didnt have his rear brake down by his right foot. Which brings up another question......
Why on a motorcycle is the BRAKE always on the right side, and the SHIFTER is on the left? Would'nt the shifter corrolate with the drivetrain moreso than the brake? So really, why is the drivetrain on the right on a bike? We Americans do screw stuff up!
sorry that this is a nonsense ramble![]()
That would confuse me waaaay to much.Originally posted by RhinofromWA
Antique Indian Motorcycles: (Ex: 36 Indian Scout and 48 Indian Cheif)
Gas, left hand
Timing adj, right hand
Clutch, left foot
Rear brake, right foot
Shifter, tank mount (right side)
How is that for screwed up?![]()
Hmmm, I really don't think it is another thread. I say GO for it!Originally posted by RhinofromWA
(BTW my fathers late 40's Indian cheif is that way....and more non-US Style but that is another thread)
So if I put my front brake on the right, can I get arrestedOriginally posted by crashing_sux
It's my understand that the control placement is legally mandated. Like the Indian previously mentioned both bikes and motorcycles used to have controls in many different places which led to accidents and confusion. Someone got the bright idea to mandate control placement but unfortunately bikes and motorcycles were done at different times and obviously nobody bothered to actually think when they did it so now you can't sell a bike in the US with front brake anywhere else but on the left hand side and you can't sell a motorcycle with the front brake anywhere but on the right hand side.
The left-right front brake issue is as annoying as the press down to downshift and press up to upshift on motorcycles, just about anyone who races reverses the shift pattern.
You're safe. It's like cutting that tag off your mattress that says "Do not remove under penalty of law" on it. The law only applies to retailers.Originally posted by BigMike
So if I put my front brake on the right, can I get arrested
Thats interesting about racers. I was talking to one guy who races about the "half shift" for neutural, why they didnt just put it all the way at the bottom, and he said it was so that if he is racing, and drops his bike on a corner or somthing, he can hop back on, slam his foot down a few times, and go. If it was reversed, that goes against his theory![]()
Gotcha. That's much closer to why they actually put it in there, so you can't accidentally hit neutral. It's not just when you crash though, it's the fact that if you ride a motorcycle sooner or later you will be in top gear and try to upshift one more, and you will eventually be in first and try to downshift one more. As long as there isn't a neutral sitting below your first it won't be an issue.Originally posted by BigMike
OK, maybe I didnt explain correctly..... lets try again. Lets say I'm racing, and drop my bike. I was in 3rd going around a corner when I did it. IF I had neutural all the way at the bottom, When I got back on my bike, I would have to slam my foot down twice, no more. If I did it any more, I would go into N.
Now lets say, same scenario, but I have neutural where it usually is. I get back on my bike, dont remember what gear I was in when I fell, I can just slam my foot down 3,4,5, however many times I want, i'll still be in first. Then I can just take off.
Now, if they were reveresed, the same is true, just take your foot up a bunch of times. seems like a little bit more of a pain in the ass, but, whateva.
Now, lets remember, I dont race, and the only bikes I have dont have motors, and have way more than 5 gears. You sound like you know your stuff MUCH better than I do, I'm just sharing with you what I have heard from others.![]()
Wow missed this question.Originally posted by BigMike
That would confuse me waaaay to much.
Here is a another question that would go well in this thread: Why is the rotor always on the left? is it to balance out the drivtrain on the right?
Originally posted by crashing_sux
Gotcha. That's much closer to why they actually put it in there, so you can't accidentally hit neutral. It's not just when you crash though, it's the fact that if you ride a motorcycle sooner or later you will be in top gear and try to upshift one more, and you will eventually be in first and try to downshift one more. As long as there isn't a neutral sitting below your first it won't be an issue.