You Bicycle & Motorcycle riders

[FJRBluesman]

I recently purchased another Mountain Bike. I finally have to ask this question.

Why do bicycles with hand brakes have them opposite of a motorcycle?

You think our two wheeled motorless brothers would keep something consistent, leave the front brake on the right side!

**EDIT**Each time I get a bike (for me, my kids, wife, etc) with hand brakes, I immediately switch cables at the levers to match a motorcycles brakes. I don't want to confuse them and go for a hand full of brake and squeeze the rear instead of the fronts.

Maybe it's just me....

 

[Tenchi]

I recently purchased another Mountain Bike. I finally have to ask this question. Why do bicycles with hand brakes have them opposite of a motorcycle?

You think our two wheeled motorless brothers would keep something consistent, leave the front brake on the right side!

Each time I get a bike (for me, my kids, wife, etc) with hand brakes, I immediately switch them to match a motorcycles brakes. I don't want to confuse them and go for a hand full of brake and squeeze the rear instead of the fronts.

Maybe it's just me....

My front brakes are on the right side. Perhaps it's just you? *double checks* rear brakes on left, front brakes on right.

EDIT: I am Australian though. Maybe our bikes are "normal".

 

[Silent]

You could always re-route the cables to conform to your wishes. Just sayin :glare:

 

[FJRBluesman]

You could always re-route the cables to conform to your wishes. Just sayin :glare:

You're right. I didn't say it correctly. I just swapped cable ends from each side.

 

[taterides]

In other parts of the world it is set up like a motorcycle. But what is really dumb, regardless of what I am on, the mind is trained. Has not been an issue. I have even mountain biked and rode the motorcycle almost back to back. Go figure?

 

[OhioFJR1300]

I have heard that they are not the same because most people are right handed, and have slightly more strength in the right hand, so on a bicycle, in a panic situation, it is possible to apply too much pressure to the right hand brake and if that is the front brake, you could end up going over the handlebars and causing more damage than would have happened otherwise. A motorcycle , on the other hand, weighs more and that most likely would not happen so having the front brake on the strongest hand is not as big of an issue.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

Wow, that issue has never even occurred to me. Been riding bicycles and motorcycles forever and have never been confused about how to stop.

Even had one bicycle with a Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub that used a pedal operated coaster rear brake and had a left hand operated front brake.

And, I can even get into either of my two cars and not be confused about how to stop.

I guess different minds work differently!

 

[FJRMGM]

I have heard that they are not the same because most people are right handed, and have slightly more strength in the right hand, so on a bicycle, in a panic situation, it is possible to apply too much pressure to the right hand brake and if that is the front brake, you could end up going over the handlebars and causing more damage than would have happened otherwise. A motorcycle , on the other hand, weighs more and that most likely would not happen so having the front brake on the strongest hand is not as big of an issue.

BINGO!!! - We have a winner..

After 20+ years of road bicycle riding I am closing in on 100,000 miles on the bike. It helps me keep my youthful figure.

 

[MojaveFJR]

This has never been a problem for me or mine either. been riding both for years.

Guess it is a conform or die thing. Not screwing with it now though.

 

[feejer222]

I recently purchased another Mountain Bike. I finally have to ask this question. Why do bicycles with hand brakes have them opposite of a motorcycle?

You think our two wheeled motorless brothers would keep something consistent, leave the front brake on the right side!

**EDIT**Each time I get a bike (for me, my kids, wife, etc) with hand brakes, I immediately switch cables to match a motorcycles brakes. I don't want to confuse them and go for a hand full of brake and squeeze the rear instead of the fronts.

Maybe it's just me....

They are the same over here......did you know that you drive on the wrong side of the road as well?

 

[Tenchi]

Did some more thinking about this - perhaps it's because people would have more control grabbing the rear brake while signalling with hands?

In the U.S., you would have to perform a hand signal with your left hand to indicate you're going to make a left turn (you wouldn't really bother with indicating right as you're already on the right side of the road). In Australia, we have to perform a hand signal when turning right (we ride on the left side of the road).

This is just a maybe, but perhaps they put the non-signalling hand on the rear brake for more control. A skid is bad, but if you look at it in terms of rear skid vs. front skid which one is worse? Just another possible angle on why they re-arrange the brakes.

Reasoning for having it on the right

BINGO!!! - We have a winner..

After 20+ years of road bicycle riding I am closing in on 100,000 miles on the bike. It helps me keep my youthful figure.

Why's mine on the left then (and all the previous bikes I've had are the same)?

 

[jcyuhn]

I doubt there's much rationale for which side is front brake vs. back. It's just based on the custom in each country. Which side of the road varous countries drive on was established long before bicycles had handbrakes. In the U.S at least the right lever operates the rear brake and rear gearchange. The left lever is front brake and front derailleur. Regardless, you develop the muscle memory for bicycle vs moto. I put lots of miles on the bicycle, my FJR mileage is low compared to this group. Never had any problem confusing the two. They are so different that the appropriate set of learnings kicks right in, never any confusion.

- JimY

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

lol, So that I as a youth could be catapulted over the handle bars when a special little yellow bus decided to back out in front of me and block my path....

While I was racing downhill with my friend we're going to another friends house to play baseball and i had never been there so I was following.

My friend makes it past barley but the bus blocks the road and wham!!!!!!I still remeber a whole bus of special students on the side where they could see me and believe me they were laughing their a**es off.........

Because of that experience, i have always laughed if some one fell or something after making sure they were not hurt......

I think I had always had bikes with rear only breaks or maybe back in the day the American bikes were one way and the schwinn of my friends I was riding was different....I did not check to see which one operated what i just assumed it was the same... I never made that mistake again.....

Never the less that was one thing that I will never forget as the bike was mangled and my collarbone was broke because as I was approaching impact I had the foresight to turn in the air so I would not do a face plant....

I remember reaching my arm out to grab the wrecked bicycle and pick it up only to have my arm be ****** back the other way, no I did not do that, but I guess I pinched and nerve and my body did it for me.... What pain..... So I proceeded to walk home after me and my friend got the bikes back to his house....

never a tear... what a tuff little kid I was until my mother, said I need to look at that and as she tried to take my shirt off I was again pinched that nerve and the pain came back... that time since I was in the house the tears flowed....lol.......

anyway my summer was ruined.... six plus weeks in a sling.......

But to answer your question, I do not know I guess it would be easy for one just to switch the cables........to make it the way you wanted it.....

 

[SacramentoMike]

Me, I always just use both brakes. Stops faster, ya know?

 

[Bustanut joker]

Why do bicycles with hand brakes have them opposite of a motorcycle?
Maybe it's just me....

Yup it's just you... Ya think too much! Now go get sumpin ta drink and sit it that corner over there!

Kids!!!

:jester:

 

[twodogs]

Puleeeeze, you all should know that anything around for as long as bicycles will by now have been regulated by the guvmint:

TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES

CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

PART 1512--REQUIREMENTS FOR BICYCLES--Table of Contents

Subpart A--Regulations

Sec. 1512.5 Requirements for braking system.

(a) Braking system. ...

(b} Handbrakes.

...

8) Hand lever location. The rear brake shall be actuated by a

control located on the right handlebar and the front brake shall be

actuated by a control located on the left handlebar. The left-hand/

right-hand locations may be reversed in accordance with an individual

customer order. If a single hand lever is used to actuate both front and

rear brakes, it shall meet all applicable requirements for hand levers

and shall be located on either the right or left handlebar in accordance

with the customer's preference.

So, as to "why?" - cause they say so. And that's goddamned good enough. Just ask 'em, they'll tell you.

Bill

 

[FJRBluesman]

Holy smokes Bill! You have way too much time on your hands, or you're a lawyer.

Thanks for the information. Title 16 of what....? Is this a State law (which state) or Federal?

If the guv-ment says, it's because, well that's good nuff for me! :dribble:

Thanks, ride safe.

 

[twodogs]

Title 16 of what....? Is this a State law (which state) or Federal?

Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Promulgated by federal agencies - in this case the Consumer Products Safety Commission. Generally speaking, they have the same effect as federal statutes.