How to ride a tank shift/foot clutch 1948 Harley-Davidson

[Roadhome]

I'd add that you plan your travels carefully. I'm a confident (conventional) rider and my overconfidence allowed me to put myself into heavier traffic than I was prepared for early on when i learned to ride my hand shift. That was a mistake. I backed up and stuck to country roads and side streets for quite awhile as I grew a new set of muscle memory skills. All the things I did automatically with my hand clutch all my life, took concentration for awhile with the new setup. Bottom line for me was I needed to practice (parking lot was a great suggestion btw). Left hand turns from a hill in traffic haha, the older hand shift riders always warned me about those. I figured out why the first time I was stalled out in traffic nervously kicking my bike back to life. It sure is satisfying after you get it down though. People look at you and give you the thumbs up at stop lights and such!

[T. Cotten]

Left-hand front brakes suck.

....Cotten

[CAP'N BOB]

I put the brake lever on the right hand side, Tom. My mentor, Eddie Boomhower said that was prudent. He was racing Harleys in the '40s and said this bike came out of the Factory with a left hand brake lever, as the books show, but that a lot of people moved the brake lever to the right hand because it was safer, so when I was putting this together, I put it on the right.

My plan is practice, practice, practice, started with the on the lift and will do more with the clutch adjusted per Tom's guidance. I do not have any plan to put this on a crowded road. I ride in a lot of rain, but not this bike, no ice or snow or wind, either! I have a friend who has a hanger at the local airport and I am going to ask him if I can take the bike there in the trailer and practice riding it around the hangers, with him there to provide cover, before I ever take it out for the first 50 miles.

I will print this string of messages and commit to mental memory before I ever even get to the airport and that should give me time to develop muscle memory! :-)

[T. Cotten]

A left hand brake is SO stupid, Folks,...

Only a judge would snivel at moving it.

So you are riding uphill to a street intersection, and must come to a stop. Properly, you are in neutral, with both feet on the pavement. Now,.. How do you let go of the brake to shift into first without rolling backwards? Put your right foot on the brake while your left is on the clutch?

Askin' for a friend,...

....Cotten

[CAP'N BOB]

That's kinda the thought I had, Tom, which is why I asked Eddie. Seemed pretty dangerous, after I had the lever on the left and started going through the scenario you lay out, in my brain; and I moved it.

[kurly]

The left hand front brake has the purpose of being able to Start from a stop on a uphill grade. Left hand keeps bike from rolling backward, Left foot is on the footboard operating the clutch, Right hand operates the throttle position, and your Right foot on the ground keeps you from falling down. Each appendage has One simple job. Similarly when coming to a stop each appendage has one simple job. Beware of releasing the foot clutch tension! If you do and miss finding neutral with your left hand you will have your left foot holding the clutch disengaged, your right foot braking and no way to keep yourself from falling over or you will be chugging the engine to a stop with the rear brake jammed, left foot reaching for the ground with clutch still engaged. Adjusting the clutch to operate like a automobile with four wheels and with no chance to fall over is comparing apples to oranges. Chucks first post is spot on with the safety of disengaging the clutch and putting your left foot down in a learning or emergency situation.

Have fun! its a blast, I switch back and forth from foot to hand shift constantly and I'm old. Practice practice practice before riding in traffic.

[Rubone]

Left hand brake is simple to use. If you need to shift just reach across with the right hand and shift it, no big deal.

[HDSmitty]

The method described in posts 21 & 22 have worked just fine for me for years. It becomes second nature after a while even switching between that and a modern bike. What sometimes still messes me up is when an old Sportster or British bike (left foot brake, right foot shift) is thrown in on occasion. Oh the trials and tribulations of multiple motorcycles.....

[T. Cotten]

The left hand front brake has the purpose of being able to Start from a stop on a uphill grade. Left hand keeps bike from rolling backward, Left foot is on the footboard operating the clutch, Right hand operates the throttle position, and your Right foot on the ground keeps you from falling down. Each appendage has One simple job. Similarly when coming to a stop each appendage has one simple job. Beware of releasing the foot clutch tension! If you do and miss finding neutral with your left hand you will have your left foot holding the clutch disengaged, your right foot braking and no way to keep yourself from falling over or you will be chugging the engine to a stop with the rear brake jammed, left foot reaching for the ground with clutch still engaged. Adjusting the clutch to operate like a automobile with four wheels and with no chance to fall over is comparing apples to oranges. Chucks first post is spot on with the safety of disengaging the clutch and putting your left foot down in a learning or emergency situation.

Have fun! its a blast, I switch back and forth from foot to hand shift constantly and I'm old. Practice practice practice before riding in traffic.

So you accounted for both hands and both feet, Kurly,...

What's left over to work the shift knob?

If you are going to go for the quick 'cross-draw' to the shifter with your right hand, Folks, don't carry passengers if you have a belly like mine.

That's quite a calamity you had without the clutch crutch, Kurly. Falling over is always complicated, but I never had to blame it on the clutch.

....Cotten

[kurly]

Obviously Cotton I use my left hand to shift gears! Shifting up I don't brake, do you??? Down shifting is done as I am nearly to a stop, with the bike moving slowly and with the rear brake controlling speed. I'm not going to argue with a "know it all", just trying to help members learn new skills safely. Do what ever you want.

[JoJo357]

Moral of the story, read the owners manual information listed by the good folks over at Harley-Davidson, who carefully took the time to explain how to operate the Motorcycle they lovingly designed for your riding enjoyment. This can be found in the AMCA Library, or just purchase a good used manual. Then, after You have somewhat mastered your machine, only then can You begin to improvise.

*M.A.D.*

[T. Cotten]

Obviously Cotton I use my left hand to shift gears! Shifting up I don't brake, do you??? Down shifting is done as I am nearly to a stop, with the bike moving slowly and with the rear brake controlling speed. I'm not going to argue with a "know it all", just trying to help members learn new skills safely. Do what ever you want.

Please, Kurly,..

Review my post #19 before you pop your clutch at me.

....Cotten

[HDSmitty]

I like my left hand brake and am glad it was designed that way. It's really not a big deal to shift across the tank with the right hand if the situation calls for it....just sayin. Do whatever works for you, but nothing wrong with trying it the way it was designed for if learning for the first time....Hope this helps......Smitty