Who makes better riders?

[ASHES]

I have always been curiours as to why motorcycle and car controls are in these positions. I am left handed and i feel as though motorcycle and manual car transmissions was designed to suit a left handed person rather than right handed people. Of course right handers are by far the majority.

Maybe, in a car, a manual tranny gear shifter can't be placed anywhere logically but why are motorcycle gear shifters and the clutch not on the right side? would't your strongest foot/arm manipulate the most crucial controls more accuratelly?

I also noticed that right handed people will always steer with two arms in a manual whereas a left handed person will steer with the left hand only.

Just curiours. any thoughts?

[Kenzie]

I have a couple of thoughts on this.

First I think your observations of manual car drivers may be fairly limited. I am right handed and am more than capable of holding the steering wheel with just my left hand. Your dominant hand is usually more capable of handling very fine processes however driving a cars steering wheel is not fine enough for the handed ness to to make much of a difference. your observations probably have more to do with the type of driver you are observing ( i.e. casual versus stressful)

As for your main question. I would argue with great conviction that the brake operations are the most crucial control of a motorcycle. A missed shift or stalled bike due to dropped clutch can be safety problems. however a poorly coordinated attempt at braking is by far more dangerous. I understand your question however i believe your arguments dont quite further your claim. The controls on a motorcycle place the most crucial safety controls on the side of the bike closest to the majority of riders dominant hand.

any thoughts from anyone else???

[alanhung85]

did we forget in some parts of the world the steering wheel is on the right hand side and the shifter is to the left of the driver? What confused me a bit when I first got into riding was the positioning of the front brake being on the right hand side where as on a bicycles (at least all the ones that I've ridden) the front brake was on the left and rear was on the right

[jaguar]

I’m a righty too, but I find it I’m far more comfortable with left hand on the steering wheel only. i.e. if for some reason I had to take a hand off the steering in a corner, I prefer to take the right one off. In any case, the proper way when driving hard is to have both hands on the wheel so that you can react faster to counter steer.

As to bikes, I will have to agree that the most crucial controls are the brakes, so right side is the proper place for most people.

[Baggsy]

I'm also left-handed. I just think that you have adapted to the right-handed world. The two brakes and gas are more important than the clutch and are on the right side. They've been there since the controls were standardized across the industry. It wasn't always this way; you can buy older motorcycles with the controls reversed. It seems more important in things like golf.

[Streetfighter]

As Jaguar stated, you shouldn't really have your hand on the shifter. Your hand should only move to the shifter to make a shift, and then to place your hand back on the wheel. So the advantages of left or right don't really matter.

[unL33T]

I drive a manual car and often drive (not just steer, fully drive) with only one hand, the right. Other times I will be steering with the left and changing gears with the right. I almost never actually have 2 hands on the wheel.

I don't really think it makes a huge difference what side the controls are on.

Then again I write with my right hand but brush my teeth with my left and have other activities that I use a different hand depending on conditions. Maybe it's just me.

I really wish my helmet had the little indent to pry up the visor on the right side as well as the left. Often I'd like to use that hand to open it up.

I also remember being a little confused with the brakes at first because it's the opposite of a bicycle. I haven't ridden a bicycle in quite awhile though so I guess it wasn't really too much of an issue.

[HyRyze]

I don't think it matters which side has which controls and which hand is your dominant hand. When you learn to drive a stick shift, or ride a motorcycle, you just adapt accordingly.

I'm right handed, but find it easier to steer with my left hand and shift with right (cause I have to), but if I must drive with my right hand (like when my left was in a full out cast) then I manage without problems.

Same goes with bikes, before I got a motorcycle I've never had to shift gears with my left foot nor pull in the clutch with my left hand... but I easily got the hang of it.

If I was to move to England or Australia, I'd assume it would be awkward at first but after a while it would become second nature, and that's the key. Driving and riding are second nature to most, not much thought (if any) has to be placed in shifting/braking.

FYI, most of the world is right hand drive... just pointing out the obvious.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._right.svg.png

[Jayv]

FYI, most of the world is right hand drive... just pointing out the obvious.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._right.svg.png

Most or 66%.

It's odd at first but doesn't take to long to adapt to the shifter being on the other side.

As for which side is better i don't think there is a difference, interesting to note that the open wheel irl/champ cars use to or still have the shifter on the right side.

[Spizzak]

Braking requires more finesse than clutch operation. Try braking your car with your left foot and see what happens.. last time I did it, I nearly slammed my head off the steering wheel

[Baggsy]

Braking requires more finesse than clutch operation. Try braking your car with your left foot and see what happens.. last time I did it, I nearly slammed my head off the steering wheel

I've driven some cars and trucks that would teach you finesse with the clutch. That or you wouldn't get to far. I have no trouble braking with my left foot. But, then I'm left footed. Ever seen those guys driving along with their brake lights on? Maybe their resting their left foot on the brake.

[rattlesnakeross]

I'm left handed, drive my manual car with my right hand on the gearshift , my left knee raised to the steering wheel because I can't friggin text message with my right hand, have to use my left.

[unL33T]

I've driven some cars and trucks that would teach you finesse with the clutch. That or you wouldn't get to far. I have no trouble braking with my left foot. But, then I'm left footed. Ever seen those guys driving along with their brake lights on? Maybe their resting their left foot on the brake.

Yeah some people drive automatics with both feet. You're not really supposed to according to what I was taught for the reason that you are more likely to ride the brakes. My mother drives with both feet for some reason.

[Pompey]

Braking requires more finesse than clutch operation. Try braking your car with your left foot and see what happens.. last time I did it, I nearly slammed my head off the steering wheel

I'm assuming here that you drive a manual and it's natural to just shove your left foot down on the clutch when you change gear, so when you hit the break pedal with your left foot the brain auotmatically goes into clutch mode and presses to hard.

[Spizzak]

I'm assuming here that you drive a manual and it's natural to just shove your left foot down on the clutch when you change gear, so when you hit the break pedal with your left foot the brain auotmatically goes into clutch mode and presses to hard.

Haha, yeah could be that... either way it really surprised me

[Pompey]

did we forget in some parts of the world the steering wheel is on the right hand side and the shifter is to the left of the driver? What confused me a bit when I first got into riding was the positioning of the front brake being on the right hand side where as on a bicycles (at least all the ones that I've ridden) the front brake was on the left and rear was on the right

In England the front is right and the back is left.