When looking at an older bike, I have never had the chance to ask the owner some of the following questions;

suicide shifters/suicide clutches/ jockey shifters etc.

1. When I see someone reaching down below their seat for shifting...are they working the shifter with their hand, or a clutch?

2. What does the left do down below

3. Is the same thing happening on older bikes that have tank shifters?

Any words on this so I can get a mental picture of the what the rider is doing is appreciated.

Thanks

 

They may be scratching their *****.

 

It all makes sense to me now, this is the reason behind fingerless gloves!!!

 

And all along I thought fingerless gloves were for picking my nose. Scratching your ***** - how gross!

 

You guys are some characters....I look and see two responses to my thread and think "Alright, got an answer already"...nope...just ball scratching and fingerless gloves LOL

 

Don't forget, it works much better if you have on assless (hence crotchless) chaps.

 

Just be sure to pick your nose BEFORE scratching your *****!

 

Back in the day,
in order to get away from all the linkage as well as shift quicker, we would install a modified tank shifter bolted onto the linkage on the top of the transmission. There was a drum in the top transmission cover that would move the dogs in the trans. By eliminating the linkage and tank shifter we would shift behind our leg and do it much quicker. A suicide clutch was an unmodified HD clutch pedal that had a tension adjustment that would allow the foot clutch to be depressed and would remain depressed/disengaged without any pressure on it. It was called a suicide clutch because you never knew when the vibration would cause the clutch mechanism to engage without warning. We would cut the front portion of the stock rocker clutch mechanism off, remove the tensioning device and just have a foot clutch. At the same time we would remove the front brake just to create a little more of a challenge. LOL I rode this way for years but don't think I could do it now.

 

Ah Jeez...Gumby, where are you....the clowns have taken over

 

Ain't Gumby but we'll see if the Master agrees.