left side "suicide shift?????"
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3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 7
Likes: 1
From: tulsa
"This is exactly what i have. I welded a rod onto the heel shifter and rotated it so go points straight up and added a shift ****. I just reach over and shift it when needed. It's not as fast , but it works. The reason i did this was i lost my left leg above the knee after a deer ran into the side of me and knocked me off of my streetglide. I bought a trike and had no idea how i was going to shift it, but i knew one way or the other i was going to ride again. I did this as a temporary thing but it works so well i left it. I had to come up with something to get me back on a bike (trike). First day i had the trike i shifted with a piece of string tucked in my belt. I designed a shifter that would pass between the cylinders so it could be shifted on the right side but decided there was to many moving parts and pieces. What i have now is simple and bullet proof. At least as bullet proof as the Harley setup can be. You know what they say, Where there's a will ,There's a way ! The only slow shift really is 1st to 2nd. the others gears i can hit pretty quickly."
ah. so do you still clutch from the left?
ah. so do you still clutch from the left?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,228
Likes: 3,052
From: St.Louis Mo.
"This is exactly what i have. I welded a rod onto the heel shifter and rotated it so go points straight up and added a shift ****. I just reach over and shift it when needed. It's not as fast , but it works. The reason i did this was i lost my left leg above the knee after a deer ran into the side of me and knocked me off of my streetglide. I bought a trike and had no idea how i was going to shift it, but i knew one way or the other i was going to ride again. I did this as a temporary thing but it works so well i left it. I had to come up with something to get me back on a bike (trike). First day i had the trike i shifted with a piece of string tucked in my belt. I designed a shifter that would pass between the cylinders so it could be shifted on the right side but decided there was to many moving parts and pieces. What i have now is simple and bullet proof. At least as bullet proof as the Harley setup can be. You know what they say, Where there's a will ,There's a way ! The only slow shift really is 1st to 2nd. the others gears i can hit pretty quickly."
ah. so do you still clutch from the left?
ah. so do you still clutch from the left?
Last edited by hardheaded; Feb 27, 2019 at 05:01 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 858
Likes: 286
From: nw Ark
yes, that is correct. the clutch is on the left side in its normal place. it is a foot clutch.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,228
Likes: 3,052
From: St.Louis Mo.
You lost me there. You are talking about a foot clutch and hand shifter. I thought you were talking the clutch still mounted to the left handlebar. That's the way mine is.
There is a shifter out there that has the clutch perch and lever mounted on the shifter. That shifter is mounted to the top motor mount with a rod to the transmission. The company is call Widow Maker Shifters. I looked at these types of shifters also. This is what i would go with if i decided to go with something different. I just don't like the idea of my clutch master cylinder hanging upside down. Google them.
There is a shifter out there that has the clutch perch and lever mounted on the shifter. That shifter is mounted to the top motor mount with a rod to the transmission. The company is call Widow Maker Shifters. I looked at these types of shifters also. This is what i would go with if i decided to go with something different. I just don't like the idea of my clutch master cylinder hanging upside down. Google them.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,116
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From: The Wasteland
This is exactly what i have. I welded a rod onto the heel shifter and rotated it so go points straight up and added a shift ****. I just reach over and shift it when needed. It's not as fast , but it works. The reason i did this was i lost my left leg above the knee after a deer ran into the side of me and knocked me off of my streetglide. I bought a trike and had no idea how i was going to shift it, but i knew one way or the other i was going to ride again. I did this as a temporary thing but it works so well i left it. I had to come up with something to get me back on a bike (trike). First day i had the trike i shifted with a piece of string tucked in my belt. I designed a shifter that would pass between the cylinders so it could be shifted on the right side but decided there was to many moving parts and pieces. What i have now is simple and bullet proof. At least as bullet proof as the Harley setup can be. You know what they say, Where there's a will ,There's a way ! The only slow shift really is 1st to 2nd. the others gears i can hit pretty quickly.
I did look at the electric shifters out there and most said they were a pain and needed constant adjustments.
I did look at the electric shifters out there and most said they were a pain and needed constant adjustments.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,511
Likes: 13,830
From: Pa.
Okay, this sounds odd, but it seems that someone told me that they had seen a left side suicide or jockey shift on a bike - with clutch still on the left side in it's normal place. I am guessing that someone simply welded some sort of handle with a grip on it to the shifter.... can anyone tell me if this is even a thing? Sounds incredibly stupid.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,380
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From: El Flatistan
Back in the day a Buddy had one of these on his Shovel [not this bike]. I tried it, not for me. Looked cool I suppose but slowing down, taking your hand off the bars to down shift just did't sit right for me. If you had to slow down fast and downshift at the same time things got sporty.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2017
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From: Salt Lake City, Utah
We modified my 1987 FXST to have a suicide clutch by grinding down the arm on the foot shift and running a cable to the clutch. Then welded a bar to the ratchet shift on the transmission. I rode it that way for just short of 20 years and 150K+ miles. Heck, I even pulled a sweet heart trailer with it for longer trips. I still catch myself riding with my left hand hanging down ready to grab the glass doorknob that was the handle for the shifter.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Okay, this sounds odd, but it seems that someone told me that they had seen a left side suicide or jockey shift on a bike - with clutch still on the left side in it's normal place. I am guessing that someone simply welded some sort of handle with a grip on it to the shifter.... can anyone tell me if this is even a thing? Sounds incredibly stupid.