[Yak] bicycle braking vs. motorcycle braking

[charles voigtsberger]

Left hand for front brake so you won't apply it so heavily as to cause the bike to flip works as long as you are right handed. If you are left handed, then you would be applying the brake with your major hand. Of course, if bike builders totally ignore left handed bicyclists as another poster semi-posited, then it all makes sense. However, I don't think that much thought went into it. I believe it started out that way for some obscure reason and now it's done "because we've always done it that way." For most people, unless you are performing some strength building effort with just one hand, the two hands are close in strength, especially when one is talking about the force required to operate a brake handle. I think the right hand in right handers would actually be able to modulate the force better than the left. YOMV. On Japanese bikes the clutch is operated with the left hand and the rear brake is a foot brake operated by the right foot. Left side for
 shifting, right side for braking. I don't know about modern Harleys. On the old style Harley one still shifted on the left with the left hand. Perhaps the clutch was foot activated. Did someone on the list ever ride an old Harley with the hand shift?
Chuck Voigtsberger
Ventura CA