A Curiosity of Motorcycling Minutia

[Red]

Why is it that all motorcycles are manufactured to get on and off from the left side? To my knowledge, they always have. Did the practice carry over from equestrians? You'd think that if it was anything more than more than simple habit from equine etiquette, there would have been bikes manufactured to mount & dismount on the right side for lefties. We might have had the same sort of opposites for the Brit bikes and the Japanese bikes back in the day. But no, we all got on and off on the same side no matter where the shifter and brake were located.

A curiosity for sure.

[EffBee]

The Kawasaki KT-250 and Suzuki RL-250, both trials bikes of the mid-70's, had kickstands on the right side. As I recall, riders still mounted them from the left.

 

ATV's can be mounted from either side. Watch people and all else being equal, they mount from the left.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Back in the '80's, I thought seriously about developing a right side stand for my K100. I had one of the mosquito killers.

[Boffin]

Well, for British and Japanese bikes the left side makes sense for the local roads - the Japanese also drive on the correct side of the road. As for why US bikes are made that way, who knows? Your postulation about a hangover from equestrian practice is probably on the money though.

 

Whatever the explanation, it works for me

 

Andy

[squints]

It's the same way for heavy equipment also. Take a look at the controls on a backhoe or frontend loader. I had a drill instructer in my "A" school for the Seabees that lured me off the right side once by standing on that side and asking me to get down, then proceeded to make me run 7 miles with him in boots and a hard hat. Needless to say I never did it again..Always mount and dismount from the left.

[Paul Mihalka]

So what made us to get on the horse from the left side?

[Boffin]

So what made us to get on the horse from the left side?

 

Because most folk are right-handed, swords were worn on the left-hand side of the body so on mounting the horse the right-hand leg was swung over. This is why, starting in France, many of you people drive on the wrong side of the road - Napoleon was left-handed and decreed the change over.

 

Andy

[Quinn]

The foot crank was on the right side on all my bikes. Can't have the side stand on the crank side.

[Ken H.]

I know of at least one RT rider who habitually mounts from the right. Says as he steps on it removes pressure from the side stand instead of adding to it. Lessening the chance of a stand failure or sinking in, and thus a tip over to the left. Looks weird and a bit unstable when the bike moves a bit to the right as he steps up on the right peg, but I suppose the theory is valid.

 

Don't LEOs often dismount and mount from the left (in the USA) to be stepping on/off away from passing traffic?

[Whip]

I know of at least one RT rider who habitually mounts from the right. Says as he steps on it removes pressure from the side stand instead of adding to it. Lessening the chance of a stand failure or sinking in, and thus a tip over to the left. Looks weird and a bit unstable when the bike moves a bit to the right as he steps up on the right peg, but I suppose the theory is valid.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Chris Olson stated the same theory when we traveled to Alaska. He always mounted from the RT.

[Sidmariner]

When my bike is fully loaded with a duffle-bag on the back seat I find it really difficult to dismount on the left without getting my foot hung up on the seat or bag.

 

So, I developed the habit of putting the bike on the side stand and then standing up carefully on the right peg and dismounting on the right. My leg swings clear of my top-case and bag and I have good balance on my feet.

[SUCATI]

For some reason I can't/won't refuel unless I'm standing on the left side of my motorcycle. It seems somehow foreign to me to refuel from the right side of the bike.

 

I know. I'm weird.

[tobyzusa]

For some reason I can't/won't refuel unless I'm standing on the left side of my motorcycle. It seems somehow foreign to me to refuel from the right side of the bike.

 

I know. I'm weird.

 

Completely agree. I usually have a spill if I fill from the right side . It's just not right.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

For some reason I can't/won't refuel unless I'm standing on the left side of my motorcycle. It seems somehow foreign to me to refuel from the right side of the bike.

 

It is awkward. I think it has to do with having to lean over the bike, and being uncomfortable close to the edge of balance, when refueling from the right side of the bike. When standing to the left, the bike is leaning toward you; you can put one foot next to the sidestand (or even under a footpeg), and reach the fuel tank without feeling like you're maneuvering near the edge of stability.

[USAF1]

You'll never be doin' an LT then I reckon....You couldn't possibly lean over far enough to see what you were doing from the left side. Well.......maybe, if you were 8' tall you could.

 

Pat

[eddd]

I decided that it is time to try something different so I tried mounting from the right, but it doesn't feel right. Not one to give up quickly, I decided to mount from the rear, leapfrog style. Without the rear case I'm fine, but I still need some more height to clear that rear case...I'm only making it about half way. Thank goodness it doesn't have any sharp edges!

[Baba_ORiley]

For some reason I can't/won't refuel unless I'm standing on the left side of my motorcycle. It seems somehow foreign to me to refuel from the right side of the bike.

I know. I'm weird.

 

I guess I'm the weird one. I only refuel on the right side. I don't know why. It's habit by now. Next time I'm gonna have try it on the left side.

 

 

 

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