Reverse shifting epiphany

[TodkaVonic]

Holy moly. So this will no doubt be of no great shock to the experienced and worldly Guzzistas who frequent this site, but I just learned that it's possible, nay, it's possible and simple, to change from standard shifting to reverse shifting! I did just that the other night to my Paul Smart Sport Classic. Thing is, the Guzzi shifts a' la reverse and the duck shifted standard. Having learned on standards and having always ridden standards, getting used the Guzzi was a challenge. But then I rode it almost exclusively all of last season (a speeding ticket on the duck was partially to blame.) And after last summer, transitioning to standard again this spring has been awkward. So, after reading about how, I switched the Paul Smart and took it for a spin: love it! It's easier to accelerate. It's easier to find neutral. It's more intuitive. I'm sold.

[Scud]

Plus it stops other people from wanting to ride it. 

[azguzzirep]

I ain't changing my V700!
No how, no way!😆😆

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I prefer "reverse" shifting on the "wrong" side as well.

[sidecarnutz]

My RE has the shifter on the wrong side with a backwards pattern. I found it easy to get used to. The real problem was braking with my left foot! For some reason, that was a mental stumbling block  that took time to get used to.

In my 30's in the Navy I'd alternate my commute to the Base riding a Mille' GT and a reverse shifting Ambo and a Convert! It was mentally changing channels on each bike.

[Dukedesmo]

I've used reverse shift for many years now (my first bike had reverse shift on the left side and it just feels 'right' to push down when accelerating etc.).


On my Ducatis it is really easy to swap over and even better with a direct lever that eliminates any slop.


I got the LM2 just 2 years ago and wanted to change it over so that all my bikes were the same but it's not so simple due to the way the linkage works.


Apparently it can be done by changing a component in the gearbox so that it actually reverses the selector? but I really didn't want to start taking the gearbox off/apart so I devised a new linkage for the Tarozzi rearsets that I bought, I did nothing irreversible to the bike and other than a bolt-on adaptor plate just needed to mod the Tarozzi link arm.


Turned out good, there is some slop that makes getting first gear tricky when the engine/gearbox is cold - the 'trick' is to let the clutch part out so that it is not fully disengaged and then select first/pull the clutch simultaneously but it's only a problem for the first few minutes of running and then all is good.





 

[chuck peterson]

I loved it on a friends Norton...

Loved it on a V700...once you get the stopping and starting sequence, it makes a lot of friggin sense...more sense than two brakes on one side...and the heel toe made it even better with heel down to go up a gear...then the action together becomes heel up clutch out...both movements are forward as the bike moves forward, very reassuring and comfortable feeling of accelerating...the sequence of hands and feet is just right

That's Different than reversing the shift pattern for road racing, which I think was to avoid having your feet and toes trapped under a shifter while cornering and having them ground off...it's true, I've seen it...so instead of accel and toe under going out of a curve, accel and toe on top pushing down to up shift...increases the cornering clearance

[Ncdan]

After ridding 50+'years one way I don't think my brain would accept the change:(