Suicide shifter

[Zooks]

Splittie, it wasn't meant to be 'negativity'. It was meant to be negative though. You asked for advice and the advice of many experienced bike enthusiasts was "don't do it". Changing gears with your hand is not something you want to be doing at anything other than moderate crusing speed (re: slow).

I personally like Bobbers (bobbers, not choppers), we'll be very happy to see the pics and see what you can create.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[Splittie]

Flying into your kneewalking fog was fun.

OH yes....THE FOG, thats probably the one thing the Central Valley is most infamous for!!!
About the only thing that keeps me from riding.
Lemoore has changed a bit over the years, but it's still a farm town....With a Starbucks though!?!?!?
See ya!

[gsryder]

I thought this was a interesting thread. I like the look of the suicide shifter either tank shifter style or just a free standing lever. I dont think I would put one on my bike but I still think they look cool as hell. Here is a link to a guy that has one on a street fighter wanna talk about ballsy.
Scroll down about half way thru the page. He put the clutch lever on the shifter. SWEET.

http://www.customfighters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15640&page=3

[Splittie]

the clutch lever on the shifter. SWEET.
http://www.customfighters.com/forums...t=15640&page=3

I was just talking with a coworker about placing the lever on the shifter!!!
Now I just have to get started on this project. Still need to locate a tank and start cutting.

[briyenkieth]

sui on a fighter! And I thought I was retarded! What happens when you need To shift and the front is still in the air.

[Zooks]

sui on a fighter! And i thought i was retarded! What happens when you need to shift and the front is still in the air.

top quote!!!


Gold!!

[lecroy]

Back in WWII my father had an Indian with what he called a suicide shifter. Wrecked the bike, going over the bars and broke both wrists. This was long before I came into the picture. I remember the two bones on his wrists stuck way out.

I had looked into his bike at one time and the shifts were not like a modern bike where you had positive stops. Seemed like a lot of bad ideas.

[Richharr]

an easy way is to weld a piece of tube or whatever to the shifter and create a pivot point for a foot clutch, not as hard as everyone is making it out to be. like someone mentioned check the chopper underground

[Kraken]

Not sure how I heel about that on a factory bike, but to each his own. I wouldn't think it would be that hard to turn the stock foot shift into a clutch lever. If your going to do a project like this you might as well go all out and make it like an Indian (the correct way) whit the shifter on the right, gas on the left, and foot clutch on the left.


My motorcycle background is all the old stuff as in pre 60's. In terms of old bikes a "suicide shifter" refers more to the type of clutch. Generally speaking most hand shift bikes use a heal toe action for the clutch. As in if you disengage the clutch it won't reengage until you make it. Suicide shift is where when the foot clutch has an auto return. Once you lift your foot your it puts the bike in gear. Just as an example the My dad's 47 Indian Chief has a heal toe clutch where as His 42 Indian 4 has the auto return foot clutch. Jocky shift would be where the shifter is under you butt like the early 30's Indian scouts.



A bit log windy but thats my 2 cents.

[Agemax]

sui on a fighter! And I thought I was retarded! What happens when you need To shift and the front is still in the air.

learn to wheely one handed!

[briyenkieth]

yikes! We can't all ride like Jason Briton, though I wish I could.

[greg78gs750]

i was just about to suggest looking up richharr's chopper thread....badass on a budget. and, not bad looking, either, imo.

[XL 50]

Not sure how I heel about that on a factory bike, but to each his own. I wouldn't think it would be that hard to turn the stock foot shift into a clutch lever. If your going to do a project like this you might as well go all out and make it like an Indian (the correct way) whit the shifter on the right, gas on the left, and foot clutch on the left.


My motorcycle background is all the old stuff as in pre 60's. In terms of old bikes a "suicide shifter" refers more to the type of clutch. Generally speaking most hand shift bikes use a heal toe action for the clutch. As in if you disengage the clutch it won't reengage until you make it. Suicide shift is where when the foot clutch has an auto return. Once you lift your foot your it puts the bike in gear. Just as an example the My dad's 47 Indian Chief has a heal toe clutch where as His 42 Indian 4 has the auto return foot clutch. Jocky shift would be where the shifter is under you butt like the early 30's Indian scouts.

A bit log windy but thats my 2 cents.

Your right on your terminology. There's no such thing as a suicide shifter. The correct terminology is suicide clutch. Your also correct in explaining the heel toe action. Harley never made a suicide clutch. This only occurs when you modify the clutch yourself.