Q's about bikes in Blighty
in [UK Motorcycles]
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From: Sean_Q_ on 22 Nov 2009 06:19 The Older Gentleman wrote: > It's right-hand chairs that are banned! Well I suppose that rules out bringing my Dnepr to the UK... > I think ones that were in existence before the ban are OK, but post-ban > date ones aren't. ....except that the registered model year is 1979, which puts it before the ban. (Even though this model wasn't sold until the mid-80's). SQ
From: sweller on 22 Nov 2009 06:23 Sean_Q_ wrote: > ...and other drive-on-the-left countries such as New Zealand. As do the Japanese, Indians and Sourthern Africa. This is quite interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Driving_standards_historic.svg > 1. Do they have the throttle on the left and clutch on the right hand > side of the bike? (ie, mirror images of the North American arrangement?) No, the throttle and clutch are as you'd expect. Older British and Italian bikes may have the gearlever on the left and brake on the right. > 2. If the throttle is still on the right, how do you wave at other > bikers? I wave at baddass biker bros with my left hand. > 3. Do you wave at other bikers at all? Only the baddass biker lifestyle ones. > 4. Is the kick stand still on the left? Usually. > 5. How easy is it for a North American to get used to riding > on the "wrong" (for us) side of the road. Does it feel like Alice's > Looking Glass world? I had no problem converting to the right when I've riden/driven in Europe but some of the US army personnel struggle with it in Norfolk [1] - however, I think most of Norfolk struggle with the devil's horseless carriage. > 6. From pix I've seen on the Net, sidecars in Britain are generally > to the left of the bike. Is this true? My Dnepr's hack is on the right, > and apparently neither KMZ nor IMZ makes a left-hand version. So are > there Dnepr and Ural rigs on UK roads with the sidecar to the right? MZ and Dnepr have both left and right hand chairs here in the UK. Post '81 bikes (IIRC) must have the chair on the left. Right hand chairs are tricky to ride in the UK as roundabouts and sliproads have to be taken more slowly. I had a right hand chair here - it didn't end well. [1] A county on the east side of the UK, with a lot of airbases. Primarily because it's the nearest bit to Germany and is flat -- Simon
From: sweller on 22 Nov 2009 06:24 doetnietcomputeren wrote: > > (And where is the turn signal lever?) > > On a stalk behind the steering wheel. Could be left, could be right, > depending on brand. Depends, my A35 had it in the middle of the dashboard. -- Simon
From: sweller on 22 Nov 2009 06:25 Timo Geusch wrote: > > 6. From pix I've seen on the Net, sidecars in Britain are generally > > to the left of the bike. Is this true? My Dnepr's hack is on the > > right, and apparently neither KMZ nor IMZ makes a left-hand version. > > So are there Dnepr and Ural rigs on UK roads with the sidecar to the > > right? > > IIRC they're not legal here. One of the sidecar pervs might be able to > comment. Thay are but only on pre-'81 bikes. -- Simon
From: sweller on 22 Nov 2009 06:29
The Older Gentleman wrote: > > > Only the gears and brakes. And not only old brit stuff. > > > > Indeed. Morinis, for examples. > > And ShiteOldLaverdas. And ShiteoldMVs, come to that. Pre 850 T3 Guzzis could be swapped over to your personal preference. -- Simon |