A History Question

[TobyJug]

Does anyone know what the first bike was to have what we now know as standard controls - ie right foot (back brake) left foot (gears), etc.?

Thanks

 

[CaseySmithersxs]

Good question... Ide guess 30s or 40s? No idea lol

 

[burns]

Does anyone know what the first bike was to have what we now know as standard controls - ie right foot (back brake) left foot (gears), etc.?

Thanks

I'd say to be "standard" it would also have to have a gear shift pattern with 1st at the bottom and clicking up for neutral and rest of the gears.

I can certainly remember folks asking "what's the gear pattern" when riding an unfamiliar bike "back in the day."

 

[ksrebel]

The govt mandated standard controls in 75. Before then shifters could be on either side. Same for bakes, throttles and clutch levers.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Much of the old stuff was foot-clutch suicide-shift, then Harley came out with the 'mousetrap' handclutch booster and foot-shift linkage option somewhere in the late `40s, early `50s. I'm sure that's not the first, but that's as far back as I know...

 

[burns]

Much of the old stuff was foot-clutch suicide-shift, then Harley came out with the 'mousetrap' handclutch booster and foot-shift linkage option somewhere in the late `40s, early `50s. I'm sure that's not the first, but that's as far back as I know...

How 'bout old Beemers?

 

[TobyJug]

Could be. I've seen a photo of what was described as a 1950 BMW that seemed to fit the bill.

 

[1974jh5]

Don't know when or what the first bike was to have left shift/right brake but I clearly remember that Bultaco had a bike that could be converted to either. I want to say that was circa 1972. Jawa used to sell a bike which had a shifter that flipped back to become the kickstarter and it was on the left.