[LowLife1220]

Last night I had the house all to myself... well my kid was there but shes the little devil on my shoulder sometimes. with the wife not home to tell me to stop screwing around with the bike, i decided to strip the clutch off and start making my jockey shift modification. i researched it before hand and haven't found any kind of a kit that will work on a gl500 transmission so i drew out how i think it should look/work. i'll get some 1/2" round bar after i mock it up with coat hanger wire and cut out a pedal out of 1/8" plates. i started having some misgivings about it this morning thinking about sitting at stop lights and having to keep my left foot on the clutch but then i realized, with no turn signals i have to use my left hand to signal, i will need my left hand to operate the horn under my seat as well as the light switch i'm relocating. this will at least be consistant. i'll post pictures later with what its going to look like.

 

[Reg in Bristol]

Owww!

got a bad feeling about that mate.

that and

"i have to use my left hand to signal, i will need my left hand to operate the horn under my seat as well as the light switch i'm relocating"

Sounds like your reverting back to the bad old days

Bikes evolved hand controls for a good reason and you're compromising your control

of the machine by having to get so busy like that.

Its your bike and you can do what you want of course but I'd advise against it

 

[Allan]

i started having some misgivings about it this morning thinking about sitting at stop lights and having to keep my left foot on the clutch

If you operate the clutch with your left foot, how will you shift gears,,do you have a stick shifter?

 

[Blindstitch]

Jockey shift. I think I saw that on Bob the orange cx.



Anybody remember if Ugly Bob got one?

 

[Allan]

Jockey shift. I think I saw that on Bob the orange cx.



Anybody remember if Ugly Bob got one?

o.k.,,thanks. I did not realize that was the term used for that type of shifter.

I agree with Reg, seems like you are going for look over functionality. I find there are times when you need to shift and have both hands on the bars.

 

[nolavox]

Some call it a "Jockey shifter".... some call it a widow maker...



I'd hate to hear of someone being hurt by jockying around with a suicide clutch... while trying to shift into gear at a red light

or.... why not just weld a jocky rod to the foot shifter so you could use either ( if you needed to)



If you are not comfortable without using the clutch from a dead stop... I'd not go there..



or for the Retro-Wuss...

http://widowmakerindustries.com/ ( I guess I'm a wuss cause I like this idea... )

 

[ScrapMetal]

My heart and head say this a bad idea. If your bike were a show bike - trailered to and fro - I'd say knock it out! Seeing as though you plan on riding AND returning home, why not cut your losses now and stay safe. I've got two left feet, not two left hands.

 

[LowLife1220]

common sense kicked in. i won't be doing this after all.

 

[lucky]

now thats a smart move buddy i want to meet ya and not in a funeral so dont do it

 

[LowLife1220]

now thats a smart move buddy i want to meet ya and not in a funeral so dont do it

deal. i am scheduling my cert. class for my endorsement for middle of next month. after that i'll get a temp. permit for the bike, bring it to work and tune it with our gas analyzer so i'm sure it will pass smog. we have a new motivation for the bike running and riding now. we are going to be a 1 car family starting next month so any time i can ride the bike in to work it should save my wife some time to take me.

 

[Blindstitch]

why not just weld a jocky rod to the foot shifter so you could use either ( if you needed to)

Good idea but no. On a standard bike the shifter should go up and down or rather back and forward easily but the Cx and how the shifter is connected would have to go left to downshift and right to up shift. Then it would probably hit the tank unless it was more complex.



There was someone recently that did a nice set of rearsets that involve the up and down motion.

 

[uber hund]

ive jockey shiftrd mine for a few years now and the only problem ive had is explaining why truth be told I did it for the old school look the linkadge was easy as pie i made a pivot on the left rear motor mount plate with a tounge that goes to a heim joint that goes to another heim joint that is connected to the shift lever pull back to upshift push forward to down shift foot clutch was an extension of the foward controls. it does take a little bit to get used to but it does make it less convenient in stop and go traffic thank god for the wide band in this engine!

if you were to put your clutch lever on the jockey it would make it easier on a hill or at a stop light turn signals are the law here in ohio so i just kept them where they were.

 

[Blindstitch]

Any chance you have a picture of your setup. Maybe it could be discussed, improved and the thought made available for those who actually like that look.

 

[lucky]

i want pics of the setup

 

[LowLife1220]

i would like to see it too. i put everything back the way it was before. i'm going to leave it. maybe on my next build i'll jockey shift.

 

[Blindstitch]

Get endorsed first and then modify to best suit you.

 

[lucky]

Get endorsed first and then modify to best suit you.

then ride up here your family is also welcomed

 

[jazzmans]

Last night I had the house all to myself... well my kid was there but shes the little devil on my shoulder sometimes. with the wife not home to tell me to stop screwing around with the bike, i decided to strip the clutch off and start making my jockey shift modification. i researched it before hand and haven't found any kind of a kit that will work on a gl500 transmission so i drew out how i think it should look/work. i'll get some 1/2" round bar after i mock it up with coat hanger wire and cut out a pedal out of 1/8" plates. i started having some misgivings about it this morning thinking about sitting at stop lights and having to keep my left foot on the clutch but then i realized, with no turn signals i have to use my left hand to signal, i will need my left hand to operate the horn under my seat as well as the light switch i'm relocating. this will at least be consistant. i'll post pictures later with what its going to look like.

a number of guys I ride with use jockey shifts, they ride every day. once you re-adjust to it, jockeyshift is not any harder then foot shift/hand clutch. If your bike neck bearings are good, tires are good, I see no problems.



Go for it, and post pics!



I've got a cb 400 I'm going to jockey shift, but it's a hondamatic, so I don't think it counts.... heheh. Too many projects, not enough time!



(edit to add) of course, me and the guys I ride with have all been riding for 20,30,40 plus years. If you are just getting an endorsement, you've not been riding very long? maybe you should wait a bit.

jaz

 

[LowLife1220]

yeah i've abandoned this idea and moved on to the other items on my check list. jockey shifting is cool but if my carbs are leaking and my front forks lost all their oil and my rear fender is loose, its still a beater. just a beater with a jockey shift.

 

[lucky]

man mike your having all sorts of problems with your bike all off a sudden