Reversing the shift pattern?

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Norton Margarita
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Reversing the shift pattern?

Post by Norton Margarita »

I'm looking at buying a 750 GT. What are my options to convert the shift pattern to "one down"? Is there an internal part? The Brits frequently had/have available a reverse cam shift plate. Does Ducati or do I have to do it with external linkages? I have multiple motorbikes and they're all "one down" on the right. I want to keep it that way.
Stevan
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machten
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Post by machten »

I have multiple motorbikes and they're all "one down" on the right. I want to keep it that way.
I'd suggest if that is a strong criteria, that you look at a post '76 bevel. Why do you care about the pattern and the side so much?

Kev
Norton Margarita
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Post by Norton Margarita »

machten wrote:
I have multiple motorbikes and they're all "one down" on the right. I want to keep it that way.
I'd suggest if that is a strong criteria, that you look at a post '76 bevel. Why do you care about the pattern and the side so much?

Kev
Hi Kev,
I'm 58 years old and I've been riding since I was 14. I have 3 Nortons and a Gold Star, all set up on the right with a one down pattern. I've done some switching back and forth between right and left side shift and it makes me hesitate when I'm diving into a corner. I ride way too fast to afford that hesitation so I want them all the same. Aren't the post '76 bikes all left side shift? What I've found so far is that some of the 860s can be converted, by the time they made the 900 Darmah, forget it.
Stevan
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abmartin
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Post by abmartin »

[/quote]Hi Kev,
I'm 58 years old and I've been riding since I was 14. I have 3 Nortons and a Gold Star, all set up on the right with a one down pattern. I've done some switching back and forth between right and left side shift and it makes me hesitate when I'm diving into a corner. I ride way too fast to afford that hesitation so I want them all the same. Aren't the post '76 bikes all left side shift? What I've found so far is that some of the 860s can be converted, by the time they made the 900 Darmah, forget it.
Stevan[/quote]

Suck it up, Geezer! I have three motorbikes on the road and ridden weekly. Two have shifts on the right, one with one up three down, the other with one down three up. The Duke of course is left shift one down three up.

Oh yeah - I hate to admit it but I'm slightly older than you.

Bruce
1979 900SS
Fredericton, NB
Canada
Norton Margarita
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Post by Norton Margarita »

abmartin wrote:
Hi Kev,
I'm 58 years old and I've been riding since I was 14. I have 3 Nortons and a Gold Star, all set up on the right with a one down pattern. I've done some switching back and forth between right and left side shift and it makes me hesitate when I'm diving into a corner. I ride way too fast to afford that hesitation so I want them all the same. Aren't the post '76 bikes all left side shift? What I've found so far is that some of the 860s can be converted, by the time they made the 900 Darmah, forget it.
Stevan[/quote]

Suck it up, Geezer! I have three motorbikes on the road and ridden weekly. Two have shifts on the right, one with one up three down, the other with one down three up. The Duke of course is left shift one down three up.

Oh yeah - I hate to admit it but I'm slightly older than you.

Look, I asked a technical question, not for comments on my personal habits. If you have no problem going back and forth, goody for you! If you have a comment on the technical question I asked, fine. Other than that, you're off topic and you don't know me well enough to make the comment you're making. Have fun and keep the shiny side up!

Bruce[/quote]
machten
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Post by machten »

I'm 58 years old and I've been riding since I was 14. I have 3 Nortons and a Gold Star, all set up on the right with a one down pattern. I've done some switching back and forth between right and left side shift and it makes me hesitate when I'm diving into a corner. I ride way too fast to afford that hesitation so I want them all the same.
Fair enough.

Like Bruce, I've got left and right side shifts and one up and one down, and ride them all regularly. For some reason I never get confused on the up/down pattern, but I confess on a few occasions I've hit the gear lever rather than the brake or vice versa - fortunately, never in crisis.

Each to his own, I guess. I can't see any obvious way to change it on a roundcase bevel, but I'm no engineer either. I've never heard of it being done in my 30 years of ownership.

Oh, and Bruce...you win the age stakes! (A mate of mine has a GT electric start you might be interested in soon :-D )

Kev (51)
Norton Margarita
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Post by Norton Margarita »

machten wrote:
I'm 58 years old and I've been riding since I was 14. I have 3 Nortons and a Gold Star, all set up on the right with a one down pattern. I've done some switching back and forth between right and left side shift and it makes me hesitate when I'm diving into a corner. I ride way too fast to afford that hesitation so I want them all the same.
Fair enough.

Like Bruce, I've got left and right side shifts and one up and one down, and ride them all regularly. For some reason I never get confused on the up/down pattern, but I confess on a few occasions I've hit the gear lever rather than the brake or vice versa - fortunately, never in crisis.

Each to his own, I guess. I can't see any obvious way to change it on a roundcase bevel, but I'm no engineer either. I've never heard of it being done in my 30 years of ownership.

Oh, and Bruce...you win the age stakes! (A mate of mine has a GT electric start you might be interested in soon :-D )

Kev (51)
I have a story to tell you. Ernie Earles brought a BMW to England, so his mates who were Matchless (Collier brothers?) could check out his new forks. One of the brothers, whilst riding the Beemer crashed in a corner and died. They don't tell you this, but I'll bet several pints he went for where he thought the brake was and downshifted. He died a far earlier death and it's likely the world would be a better place had he lived. There's a book on riding fast that I have around somewhere, by Keith Code IIRC. The basic premise is you have $1 of attention. Where you spend your nickels, dimes and quarters is crucial when you're riding fast, it has to be automatic in an emergency "holy crap, this turn is tighter than it looks and I'm going in WAY too hot".

It looks like there is no internal solution for the standard foot peg location like the Brits provided for AMC and BSA boxes. I really like rear sets, so moving the pegs back and making up an external linkage is likely my course.
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Eldert
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Post by Eldert »

Hi Stevan

i think a linkage would be the way to go unless you have a mirror image
selectordrum made up

Eldert
machten
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Post by machten »

I actually pulled out a spare selector drum to have a look yesterday as it is an interesting question, and it could certainly be done that way quite neatly with the right engineering equipment, but you'd need to be sure to get it right as there is only so much you can do with shimming. The selector drum is a pretty simple component other than the selector fork channels.

The way I ride these days (mostly) I can easily spend one of those quarters coming into a bend and have some change :-D .
Kev
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Post by bobnorton »

I'm converting my left shift gts to right shift to match my 250 Duck and Nortons, I also ride a Suzuki and am constantly in trouble, (scratch one Jap!) .Last year at Donnington track on a CBRR Honda i frightened myself silly with this issue. Its just plain un-natural to have right hand and foot working the brakes together, the human frame was designed for cross operation (look at the way we walk---well--most of us!). Why on earth did we allow this silly settup??--oh yes, the Yanks insisted.My bikes will be all right shift one up .
Norton Margarita
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Post by Norton Margarita »

machten wrote:I actually pulled out a spare selector drum to have a look yesterday as it is an interesting question, and it could certainly be done that way quite neatly with the right engineering equipment, but you'd need to be sure to get it right as there is only so much you can do with shimming. The selector drum is a pretty simple component other than the selector fork channels.

The way I ride these days (mostly) I can easily spend one of those quarters coming into a bend and have some change :-D .
Kev
Hi Kev, Well I sealed the deal and a 1975 750 GT will be coming my way shortly. I haven't seen a selector drum and I'm starting to poke around to see if I can borrow or buy one. In a BSA or AMC gear box, essentially the plate with the selector fork channels gets flopped the other way. Can the part on the drum with the channels be reversed? If the channels go all the way through, it might work...Have you got a picture?
Stevan
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machten
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Post by machten »

Stevan,

Apologies for the delay in my response, I've been in for some surgery. I'm unable lift stuff at the moment, so can't take get to my spare, but I've PM'ed you a picture I found on the internet. Gives you some idea of the task, anyway.

Kev
Norton Margarita
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Post by Norton Margarita »

machten wrote:Stevan,

Apologies for the delay in my response, I've been in for some surgery. I'm unable lift stuff at the moment, so can't take get to my spare, but I've PM'ed you a picture I found on the internet. Gives you some idea of the task, anyway.

Kev
Kev, Thank you for the picture! It looks like I'll be fitting rear sets and a linkage. I've been talking with Steve about some bits I need for a V50 Monza but he's off at a race meeting all week. I'll ask him about those when he returns...if I had one in hand, I could figure out the reverse engineering but it looks like a semi major project. Let me wish you a speedy recovery from the surgery!
Stevan
1975 750 GT

Cogito Ergo Zoom!
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