Question Left hand rear brake

[dduelin]

Using motorcycle standard controls is a necessary skill to ride a motorcycle. It's simply optional to ride it like a scooter, otherwise you dismiss the skill of those that ride motorcycles in city traffic like the last picture.

 

[lootzyan]

Using motorcycle standard controls is a necessary skill to ride a motorcycle. It's simply optional to ride it like a scooter, otherwise you dismiss the skill of those that ride motorcycles in city traffic like the last picture.

Yes, you really sound like it is in a good book on motorcycle riding.
On this picture the guy on NC shows that he does not have to hold his left hand on the handlebar while waiting at the traffic lights. But the guy behind him on the scooter knows that it's better to hold the scooter with his left hand on the brake. And that's what I also do with my heavy DCT, with both feet firmly on the ground. That was one of the reasons for my brake modification. I didn't have long experience of riding by the book. I had to improvise.

 

[dduelin]

Yes, you really sound like it is in a good book on motorcycle riding.
On this picture the guy on NC shows that he does not have to hold his left hand on the handlebar while waiting at the traffic lights. But the guy behind him on the scooter knows that it's better to hold the scooter with his left hand on the brake. And that's what I also do with my heavy DCT, with both feet firmly on the ground. That was one of the reasons for my brake modification. I didn't have long experience of riding by the book. I had to improvise.

View attachment 53667

Yes you can indeed hold it firmly with both hands and feet firmly on the ground. Your stop light work is well documented.

 

[670cc]

Amongst our (wife‘s and my) 2 and 3 wheelers, I see little standardization of brake controls. Common to all of our motorized machines, the throttle is on the right hand grip. If shifting is required, as on three machines, it is on the left foot.

Brake controls:
Honda scooter, left hand rear brake, right hand front brake.
Bicycles, left hand front brake, right hand rear brake (I have since modified my bikes to match the scooters).
Previously owned Honda scooter, left hand front and rear brakes, right hand front brake only
Ryker trike, all 3 brakes on right foot, no hand brakes.
Three Honda motorcycle plus Zero motorcycle, right foot rear brake, right hand front brake.

So the only thing universal about our brake controls is that a brake is never operated with the left foot. The front brake(s), depending on the vehicle, might be operable with right foot or with either hand. As messy as it sounds, I have no trouble adapting to each machine as I ride it. The Zero is generally operated solely with the right hand, as the regen provides some braking on the rear wheel when the throttle is closed, so the rear brake is seldom used.

 

[dduelin]

Amongst our (wife‘s and my) 2 and 3 wheelers, I see little standardization of brake controls. Common to all of our motorized machines, the throttle is on the right hand grip. If shifting is required, as on three machines, it is on the left foot.

Brake controls:
Honda scooter, left hand rear brake, right hand front brake.
Bicycles, left hand front brake, right hand rear brake (I have since modified my bikes to match the scooters).
Previously owned Honda scooter, left hand front and rear brakes, right hand front brake only
Ryker trike, all 3 brakes on right foot, no hand brakes.
Three Honda motorcycle plus Zero motorcycle, right foot rear brake, right hand front brake.

So the only thing universal about our brake controls is that a brake is never operated with the left foot. The front brake(s), depending on the vehicle, might be operable with right foot or with either hand. As messy as it sounds, I have no trouble adapting to each machine as I ride it. The Zero is generally operated solely with the right hand, as the regen provides some braking on the rear wheel when the throttle is closed, so the rear brake is seldom used.

This document from the Federal Register citing arguments for alternative rear brake control locations may be of interest or so much sleep inducing minutia.

Federal Register :: Request Access

 

[Rafier]

Installing the rear brake on the left side of the handlebar is simple, my modification leaves the foot brake working along with the ABS, turning on the brake lights is done by a hydraulic pressure switch mounted on the rear brake master cylinder, the handbrake lever is mounted on the right side of the Honda Integra part no. 47130MKTD00 which fits perfectly and works better than the original lever

 

[Rydinon]

I moved it down the bars but it was a little awkward as some of the real estate was taken up by my hand guard mounts. I will post photos tomorrow as it’s late now and the garage is locked up.

What hand guards did you use? Where is the inboard attachment to the bars?

 

[SteveL]

This document from the Federal Register citing arguments for alternative rear brake control locations may be of interest or so much sleep inducing minutia.

Federal Register :: Request Access

Every Motorcycle and bicycle I ever had, (and E-scooter )if it had a front brake it was right handed. Until recently when I bought an E-bike it was back to front. that is left hand front brake, which I thought was an error in the assembly process, so I corrected it. Now I have heard of a few examples, suggesting this is now the norm but in my opinion that is just stupid.. Why has this happened in recent times? Surely there is no sensible reason to depart from the standard that used to exist and still does in motocycles.

 

[670cc]

Every Motorcycle and bicycle I ever had, (and E-scooter )if it had a front brake it was right handed. Until recently when I bought an E-bike it was back to front. that is left hand front brake, which I thought was an error in the assembly process, so I corrected it. Now I have heard of a few examples, suggesting this is now the norm but in my opinion that is just stupid.. Why has this happened in recent times? Surely there is no sensible reason to depart from the standard that used to exist and still does in motocycles.

Your e-bike is a bicycle. The standard for bicycles, at least for 50 years on mine since the ‘70s up until now, is left hand front brake.

Yes it would be nice if the motorcycle and bicycle standards matched, but on bicycles it’s easy to make the swap.

 

[SteveL]

Your e-bike is a bicycle. The standard for bicycles, at least for 50 years on mine since the ‘70s up until now, is left hand front brake.

Yes it would be nice if the motorcycle and bicycle standards matched, but on bicycles it’s easy to make the swap.

Perhaps I should have mentioned I am in New Zealand where we drive on the left, like UK, Aus, Japan - most island nations. Probably why it's always been Right =Front for me. However the E-bike is from Spain.

It seemed to me the main reason for Motorcycles having both Go and Stop control in one hand, the right, is so you can't do both at the same time unless you REALLY WANT TO THAT IS. I just don' really see a departure from that being much help even if hand signals are part of the answer since hardly anyone bothers much about that and two hands on is better than one

 

[NC475]

When I converted my mountain bike to an e-bike, I realized how important it is to have the front brakes on the right hand to match with my motorcycle. I was getting confused switching back and forth between the vehicles. I finally changed the e-bike to right hand front brake.