Topic: And the answer is NO

[Magilla]

I was selling one of my bikes yesterday (2 Stroke 3Cyl Suzuki) and when the guy so my 76 CB750 he wanted to know how much I wanted for that one.  I said its not for sale, that is one of my personal bikes and I don't want to get rid of it.

Again he asked if I would consider selling it and I said "the answer is NO".

I know everything in life is for sale and sometimes cash will make you sell something you don't want to sell BUT I am saying that I don't want to move this bike right now.  Let it be or come up with a BIG BIG number.

At the end of the night, the Suzuki was sold and the Honda is still in the garage.  Now here is the sad news, I have not ridden the Honda a single time this year.  I bought a Norton and have been riding that exclusively.  The reason for this is that the Norton shifts on the left side, has a pattern of 1 up and 3 down and has drum brakes front and back.  Due to all of this I am nervous to jump from one bike to the other and hurt myself.  I just know I will either slam on my shifter instead of the rear brake and smash my Norton or I will use the disc brake on the Honda like it is a drum and that will end badly.

[Powderman]

My Sportster is right side shift. I have never had a problem going to a left side shift bike and not being comfortable after the first mile or so after going through the gears.

[Bankerdanny]

I totally get you on selling the Honda. When I sold my very clean and fully sorted 550 in 2011 I immediately regretted it.

I think you are overthinking the adjustments between bikes. Sure you might make a mistake with the brake/shifter levers a couple of times. But if you have owned that CB for a long time the muscle memory will quickly kick in.

[stickman]

Agilla, I hear your concern but your being aware is half the battle.  For me, the pleasure I get walking past and admiring one of my bikes does not even compare with taking it out for a spin.

Periodic short trips should quickly build your confidence and enhance your pleasure.  Stickman

[754]

 You got to learn how to be ...."ambiSHIFTerous".......

[70CB750]

Are you anxious to switch cars?  I am sure you can go from stick shift to auto without even thinking about it.  Same goes for motorcycles.

But I wiped out on a big Honda, because in critical situation I used disc brakes the way you use drum brakes - bad idea

[Magilla]

Look I know I can ride both bike but I have been spending more time "learning" to ride the Norton.  Switching to the Honda should be easy.  Switching back to the Norton takes more thought.

As for the comparison of going from an automatic to a manual that is a bad comparison.  if I switch cars and go to the manual, what happens if I "forget" to shift?  Nothing.

Now picture driving a car with the gas pedal in the middle and the brake on the right.  I would screw you up for a while.

[Bankerdanny]

The car analogy for me is manual brakes vs power. My MG has no power assist, my VW does. I drive the MG 95% of the time, so when I switch back to the Jetta I sometimes hit the brake a bit harder than I need to.

When I was 16 (1981) I drove a VW Beetle. I was working as a groom at a riding stable and had to take the company wagon (a 1970's full size) into town to the hardware store. The first time I hit the brakes I applied VW unassisted drum brake level force and completely locked them up, scared the crap out of me.

[BPellerine]

I rode Nortons for years and never had a problem with hopping on another bike with left shift it stays in your memory.bill

[72 yellow]

I switch back and forth between the 71 BSA Lightning and the 72 CB750 a few times a week.  I have downshifted when I meant to use the rear brake a few times.  I have the conical (or comical as they are known) brakes working well on the BSA.  But I also realize that both these bikes use 40+ year old technology and I ride accordingly. Plus at 63 years old I don't heal like I used to.  I like them both, but for different reasons.  I would not want to sell either of them.

[Bodi]

I switched between left and right shift bikes regularly for a few seasons.  After a few swaps and a few mistakes, the bikes' differences reminded me which was which and I never had serious problems. Since I had learned on left shift, in a panic I would tend to downshift... but downshifting a Moto Guzzi does a damn good impression of hitting the brakes and gave me time to hit the real rear brake. The front brake is still the main decelerator though... and that stays the same right hand lever.

[Dimitri13]

The car analogy for me is manual brakes vs power. My MG has no power assist, my VW does. I drive the MG 95% of the time, so when I switch back to the Jetta I sometimes hit the brake a bit harder than I need to.

When I was 16 (1981) I drove a VW Beetle. I was working as a groom at a riding stable and had to take the company wagon (a 1970's full size) into town to the hardware store. The first time I hit the brakes I applied VW unassisted drum brake level force and completely locked them up, scared the crap out of me.

Same goes for me. Most of the time I drive my 1978 Ranchero with brakes that need to be bled, steering sloppier than paris hilton on a bad night, and suspension that will put you into the curb if a bump looks at you wrong (all of those can be fixed I'm sure, but I'm putting all my effort into getting the bike back on the road). Whenever I hop in my dad's '12 Jetta or even the family's Grand Cherokee, I usually end up slamming on the brakes or almost steering into the curb on my way out of the driveway because it's SO different than what I'm used to.

[Bailgang]

I swap between my 550 and 750 all the time but what nails me is the side kickstand difference between the 2 as well as fuel petcock.

[Stev-o]

Input my bikes in rotation. Last weekend was the RD. Tomorrow is the CB.

Jump on the Honda!

[kghost]

Seriously?

You are not going to ride your Honda because it shifts different than the norton?

The Honda disc isn't exactly #$%* hot stopping wise anyway.

Take it slow and as previously said.....you'll get used to it.

[Magilla]

Seriously?

You are not going to ride your Honda because it shifts different than the norton?

The Honda disc isn't exactly #$%* hot stopping wise anyway.

Take it slow and as previously said.....you'll get used to it.

I never said I was NOT going to ride the Honda.  I just said that I ahve not yet ridden the Honda this year. 

I will take it out.  I'm off to Vegas for a week so when I get back I will take the old girl out for a rip.

[dhall57]

I also have a 1997 Harley Wide Glide. Talk about two that are night and day different than it's a Harley and a CB750. After riding one for any length of time when I get back on the other one it feels awkward and I feel out of place on it at first. But that feeling goes away pretty quick and I adapt back to the one I'm on and I'm good to go.

[kghost]

Seriously?

You are not going to ride your Honda because it shifts different than the norton?

The Honda disc isn't exactly #$%* hot stopping wise anyway.

Take it slow and as previously said.....you'll get used to it.

I never said I was NOT going to ride the Honda.  I just said that I ahve not yet ridden the Honda this year. 

I will take it out.  I'm off to Vegas for a week so when I get back I will take the old girl out for a rip.

Good man!

The ol girls don't like sitting........