Why different bikes have different gear movements

Hi
I have a doubt , I found that almost all bikes have different
movements for up ing and downing the gear(In some bikes gear downs
when the front foot is pushed down on gear lever). Also the position
of neutral gear is also different. pls tell me why such different
system?
Thanks
bnujos

 

The current left hand placement of the shifter is also relatively recent as
far as being standard. Even more fun is the suicide clutch, hand shifted
HD's of my youth.

 

Hello,

I ride a Norton, but started riding a Japanese bike.

The Norton shifts on the right side and down is up, neutral is between first
and second. Most British, Italian, and Spanish bikes of the era also
shifted on the right. Some British bikes, Triumphs, and I believe BSA's,
shifted with up for up. I believe that there were a few older (Spanish?)
bikes that had a shifter shaft on both sides, so you could shift on the side
you preferred. Older Harley Sportsters also shift on the right.

I don't think that what side you shift on makes much difference. However,
although shifting down for up sounds backwards, it is easier to do quickly,
which is why most purpose-built race bikes are set up to shift this way.
It's easier to tap your toe quickly than raise it.

There is somewhat of an advantage to shifting on the right, again in racing.
Most race tracks are counterclockwise, so shifting on the right puts the
shifter on the high side where your toe won't get trapped under the shift
lever as often. Flat track bikes (where all turns are left) shift on the
right for this reason. I believe that flat track bikes also brake on the
right. I think that this is reason that Harley Sportsters used to shift on
the right, so they could be potentially used in flat track racing, plus the
fact that they were made to compete with British bikes.

I've heard some explanations for shifting on the right in Britain having to
do with the crown of the road and which foot you put down on the ground and
which foot you used to stop the bike from rolling, but this won't work in
Italy.

I really don't understand why kickstands are on the left side countries
where you drive on the right hand, it would make a lot more sense to me if
they were on the right, so that the bike was leaning down the crown of the
road. My old Honda's kickstand was on the long side and it never felt very
secure on a road with much of a crown.

-Eric

 

Thanks SteveM, good information. then what u say abt the position of
neutral in the gear sequence (like 1-n-2-3-4 in yamaha Rx 100,
4-3-2-1-n in suzuki and n-1-2-3-4 Hero honda), is there any tecnical
advantage or usablility advantage

 

Thanks Kaybearjr, this is good information