@@racingregion5969 it's not called suicide shift. It's a suicide clutch pedal because it's not a friction rocker clutch like the factory designed. If your foot slips off the clutch pedal you will jump out into traffic and get killed. The shifter right off the transmission cover is called jockey shift because it's located behind the leg otherwise it would have been tank shift or foot shift with mouse trap. Introduced in '52.
What's really crazy is a lot of people assume that this is gonna be really hard to do but of you can drive a stick shift car and have ridden ridden a motorcycle alot it really comes together quite quickly and feels absolutely natural by the end the 2nd ride. The hardest thing to get used to is not being able to put your left foot down on the ground unless you know the transmission is a neutral.
True I rode auto quads when I was real young then rode dirtbikes so when I hopped on a manual sport quad it was natural and then when I drove my first stick shift It was somewhat natural as well
it's inspiring, for sure! I JUST installed my suicide clutch and jockey shift yesterday, and I'm lovin' it for sure! I've been riding for 'bout 35 years, and drivin' a manual both right and left in a car, and I tell ya, as much fun as it is, it's like learning to drive a manual all over again! :D shiftn' after you're movin' is nothing, it's finding that feather with the clutch and throttle (more on a hill) to keep from killin' it or pingin' like a SOB. I'm not a novice at riding or driving a manual for sure, but this has taken my brain's learning back decades! :D Glad I did it, it's SO much fun!
I've never rode with a suicide shifter but I have been riding for a few years and this video is very informative because I just wrecked my 77 shovelhead and I'm looking at buying a 73 shovelhead with the same set up thank you for posting
Was wondering how this shifter worked! Clear shot, beautiful style and I love this version of Personal Jesus. Great video all round- thanks for sharing.
this video heavily inspired me to go foot clutch, I always wanted to try it, but I think this video really sold it to me. I am running an OEM style rocker pedal tho because I do like the idea to stop the bike without it stalling or worse in an emergency situation, not quite as suicidy as this setup but still cool enough for me. Honestly it kinda feels like this is the correct way to ride a harley and I would not want to go back to handclutch.
Back around 1960ish we bought stock 40's & 50's and knucks. They were foot clutch, tank shift from the factory. When we put on a small gas tank to make a chopper, the shift lever on the tank was gone. The simplest fix was to bolt that same shift lever directly to the transmission. In 2021 people bolt the shift lever to the ratchet top tranny for nostalgia. In 1960 if we had a ratchet tranny top we would operate it with your foot, no question.
I shall get some abuse now , I am not a great Harley fan and that looks like a nightmare to ride . Saying that I did enjoy the video and music . Dam fine job .👍👍👍
Cool looking, like the old school, soundtrack is great, but to me, that would be a pain in the ass to drive in traffic or commuting having to constantly be reaching back. Ill stick to standard clutch. Would like to give it a try though, i dont know much about it so may just look harder and inconvienient than it is. Certainly a learning curve great video
@@QuagmireMan6669 So actually it's safer. Make a mistake and your fucked. So pay attention and it's all fine. He won't have time to check his phone or get distracted so this actually the way to go. I hate driving aids just because of this. You take the hard part away so it gets easy. And that's the problem because easy makes most ppl lacky and bored. This then becomes dangerous because ppl think they are safe so they forget the aspect of still controlling a machine that when not in control can become a murder weapon.
Threw the linkage off my old man’s chopper. He gave me some vice grips and I rode it back clutching with my left and reaching behind my left hip with my right. Glad I was only 10mins away
I dont see why that clutch basket was moving so far in and out. It should stay basically in line with the motor sprocket as the clutch hub bearing retainer would keep it from moving out.
Finally got the idea of what a suicide shifter is. It's a mental challenge to tell your left foot just to clutch in & out while your hand does the shifting - kinda bass ackwards. The shifting bus easy since it's forward downshift and backwards upshift. But my foot 🦶 will be confused.
I would be able to tell you're British without the setting. The way you shift gives it away. I once could tell the driver was British based on the way he used his indicators
So it's like a car shifter? Wow This should be far easier for me to learn. I have a hard time adjusting to manual bikes as I learn how to drive a manual car first before learning how to ride a motorcycle. But then again in unexpected dangerous situations with this type of shifters is literally suicidal.
I don't know much about bikes, so don't really get this. Why doesn't the rider just use the traditional toe/ heel method to shift gears, and why is this considered 'suicidal'?
I ride the same way but its NOT a suicide shift it's a jockey shift with a suicide clutch. When you go through the gears looks like a jockey hitting its horse that's how it got its name . And if you not running a rocker clutch than it's a suicide clutch with no front brake . Good to see some of us still riding that way so much fun .
I ran a jockey shifter for years on an '04 softail. Totally messed up the shift mechanism on the transmission due to the excessive weight and stress. Need to fabricate a mount / linkage bracket to prevent damage.
