I have been riding Harleys for 25 years with your basic hand-clutch and foot-shifter. Now due to all the bikes featured in the HORSE and a really clean bracket that Lucky Devil Metal Works created in Houston, I decided it was time for R.F.R. to move into the world of suicide clutches and jockey shifters.
My first obstacle, my financially responsibility (see CHEAP), prevented me from purchasing a retail set-up for $500. I built my own. I thought it might be easier to fabricate a bracket for a tank-style shifter, and it might be easier to get the hang of it initially. The first thing any home garage fabricator needs is a Multi-functional Fabrication Workstation and welding table. It also has a detachable grinding and cleaning station. When not required for any of those tasks, it can be used as a resting place.
I had a couple of shift-mounting fabricating notions, but what would I use as my shifter arm? Then, one night, either in a moment of clarity or a Jack Daniels induced haze, a vision appeared. I had a shifter. I needed to decide the best way to mount it. I liked installing it directly onto the transmission shifter arm–the traditional jockey. I need to be 2 or 3 inches taller for my leg to clear standard recycled shifter.
Plan B, mounting it off the top motor mount. of course the first design attempt was nothing more than a prototype (did not work). The final design mounted it directly off the top motormount bracket. Now that I had my shifter mounted I needed a way of securing the clutch cable. Since I have not yet received the bracket from the fine folks at L.D.M.W. Plus, a deadline loomed. I needed a quick alternative to secure the cable. I had researched different notions with no success when Dresser Dave stopped by the Rigid Frame Richard Fabrication Shop.
He wondered if frame clamps used to keep cables routed close to the frame might work? I just happened to have the one. The original concept positioned it around the cable before the end that attaches to the hand lever, so it would have something to pull against. We discovered that it clamped around outer cable housing perfectly. These dinky clamps only have one screw which holds the two halves together. I was unsure if it would hold or for the long haul with pressure working against it.
Next, the ability to know when you are in neutral is somewhat important, especially when you are just beginning to learn the devilish Jockey-Shift process. I needed something brighter than the standard #57 bulb, so I purchased a 4-diode green LED which I secured to the top of my recycled shifter handle.
I static tested the foot clutch several times, and it appeared to be holding. I started her up, pressed the foot clutch down and dropped her in gear. Well I'll be, it seemed to be working! I released the clutch and stalled the engine. No problem, my first try. Same thing happened a couple more times, but I finally got her rolling. I left old clutch plates in it, no point in smoking the new ones? I got to the end of the street and two problems occurred. The first, I couldn't make a hard left because my Whiskey Bars hit my newly installed shifter. It's not a problem, if you are moving.
The second problem was more serious. After stalling the engine, because of the left turn obstacle, neutral was missing. I got her back to the garage to delve into this mystery. After intense investigative work, I solved this issue. Now pay close attention, as we are going to face a basic mechanical lesson. You generally foot-shift into 1st gear by moving a foot shifter downward or forward. The same principle DOES NOT apply to a tank shifter. This would explain my difficulty and the newly acquired scratch on my tank. I was only supposed to be shifting in a forward direction for one gear not four. My configuration called for one back and four forward.
I rode it several times, and the cable clamp still held. I have a neutral light that can be seen from space, and I am getting better at taking off, although I still stall it now and then.
Riding like this is Kick Ass! It is a completely new feeling to me, Everything after taking off is easy. I cannot believe I neglected rides on tank-shift or a jockey shift bikes. I will eventually switch her to a traditional jockey set up, but for now I'm enjoying my recycled shifter.
I used parts laying around my garage except for the LED light. That and one tank scratch are my only expenses. How long before I can be snooty to the “Toe Shifters”?
Later,
Rigid Frame Richard
We're working on a set of Texas pedals from the Lucky Devil shop.
