What the hell is a suicide clutch on a MC? Why do people have them? I saw an old chopper? Harley? with a suicide clutch on the side of the MC, didnt look to safe to me shifting with one hand like that leaving only one hand on the wheel. Whats the deal.

 

Here's a thread with some peeps you could ask: https://www.hdforums.com/m_1070757/tm.htm

 

Hence the name suicide shift.

 

The true suicide clutch worked like a car clutch. Foot operated in or out, Spring loaded. Some had alittle tab the held the pedal in (if it didn't vibrate out. These were the true suicide models. Others had a heel / toe version which kinda stayed in when pushed in(toe) and released with the heel. I'm not sure wht kind they use on modern conversions. Old Harleys had the shift on the left side of tank. Indians had a choice of left or right and the throttle would be on the opposite hand of shifting The other side of the handlebar would be spark advance. It was believed that the left hand throttle was used on police bikes as most cops shoot right handed.

BTW it was very helpful to run a front brake cause at a light if one foot is on the clutch and one on the brake you don't have none to put on the ground.

 

i worked with a guy that was a real cool, really tall indian. Not sure what tribe he was from, anyways he always rode this harley, like from the 50's or 60's mean looking thing and it had a suicide clutch on it. I always wondered how the hell he rode that thing around like that. Im sure its like anything else, once you get use to it you like it.

 

Thats the way it was. As years past things got better so now we have what we have today. A hand operated clutch, modern day bada$$'s want to prove their studdlyhood by converting to "suicide shift" . Any more questions? HA HA Dave...

 

Like Mikey's flatty.....

 

I'm putting one on my bobber, cause i think it would fit the bike. if you ever ride with one, you'll never want the old one back. just my .02 cents

later,

wanna

 

I rode one for years, I really don't mind the change. You get used to the hand clutch pretty quick.

 

Heres a Sportster Kit:

http://irontail.com/jockeyshiftkits/sportster.html