Got crazy Idea Need Some Opinions

Ok so I just bought a 77 kz650 and I love it so far. I have guy wanting to sell me another kz650 thats had some modifications done to it. Ill just say that its enough so that I dont have the time or money to bring it back to remotely stock condition. Heres my crazy idea. Hasy anyone every out a suicide shifter on a 650? not the one with the clutch on the handle but where it comes through the frame and up to your right hand side. Just something I was thinking about. I love experimenting and was kinda considering this. Give me some input and maybe some sources to piece one together

Yup, that's crazy.

If the clutch control is on the right side, during a stop you will have to forego either the rear brakes or the front brakes and much of your steering finess. Ever tried a hard stop with only one hand on the bars? Don't.
There are numerous reasons why hand shifters went the way of dinosaurs, and safety is at the top of the list.

On motorcycles that made 10 or 15hp, had no front brake and a rear brake that was largely ineffective, and had a 2or3 speed transmission, a hand shifter was a little less crazy. With modern performance and considering the speed and density of modern traffic, I'd say a hand shifter is somewhere past crazy.

Agree, crazy. It's hard enough to ride a motorcycle without getting hit by a car these days, adding to that complication will make you a Darwin award winner in training.

You gonna ride this bike or just stare at it in your garage and admire your handy work?

I would say it's not a smart idea. Here's one reason why.
kzrider.com/forum/13-bike-related/599951-close-call#693668
Got to be able to react in a split second or ride it in.
Steve

Bad idea for sure. Bikes are dangerous enough without deliberately adding another layer of risk. Ed

kzharpe wrote: . . . 77 kz650 . . . suicide shifter . . . on a 650? not the one with the clutch on the handle but where it comes through the frame and up to your right hand side. . . .

Presupposing the rider would steer and clutch with his left hand remaining on the handlebar grip while operating the jockey shift with his right hand (throttle being closed -- same as with automobile floor shift).

While motorcycle jockey shift on either side entails inherent dangers of one-handed steering control while changing gears, operating a right side jockey shift adds the additional risks of slower front brake reaction time because the rider's right hand is further distanced from the front brake lever while operating the jockey shift.



Some additional sources:
www.google.com/#q=right+side+jockey+shift+kits

Good Fortune!

The Honda 55 in my sig line was a kind of communal hand-me-down family bike. They had a centrifugal clutch (no lever on the handlebars). One of my older brothers broke/lost the shift lever somehow so he clamped on a set of vice-grips and shifted it by reaching down with his left hand for quite a while.

Somehow he lived and so did the bike. By the time I was old enough to ride it legally somebody put a new shift lever on it so I never got to try hand shifting.

sooooo basicaly, this sounded like a neat idea but you guys talked some sense into me haha. The only real benefit is that nobody would ask to ride my bike

I wouldn't let them anyway. :pinch:
Steve

Do it but on the left side. right side is dumb.

It's called a "suicide shift" for a reason. Looks great on a chopper. Indian Larry made it look easy, but I wouldn't want the extra headache on my bike. Quick stopping has already been mentioned, but theres also holding on a hill. Now if you added a foot clutch, THEN you'd really have to be on your game.

Not that I would recommend doing it, integrate a cable operated clutch lever , then put the whole assembly on LH side of the bike like stated above. Reach down, and as you pull the lever, squeeze the clutch lever, and viola', gear change made.

Cory