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The left hand lever on a motorbike is normally the clutch.
I've seen an ancient bike (I think it was a Harley) which had a left hand twist grip controlling the advance and retard. Indians were probably the same.As to push bike braking, I am convinced that there's no real difference between one side or the other, but it's best to stick to whatever you are used to.
But motorbike brake setup surely hasn't influenced cycle brake setup as cycles predate motorbikes? Which way were rod cycle brakes setup is the question?!
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But motorbike brake setup surely hasn't influenced cycle brake setup as cycles predate motorbikes?
No, I wasn't suggesting it had - I was just responding to an earlier post which suggested some motorbikes had the back brake on the left hand lever.
Rod brakes
I have read that it was Raleigh who were responsible for the right hand / front brake convention - from about 1930 onwards. I don't think there was any standardisation before that, and I'm pretty sure that my Mum's rod braked bike ('Dragonfly' 1933, a cheap non Raleigh brand) had its rear brake on the right hand.
The left hand lever on a motorbike is normally the clutch.
I've seen an ancient bike (I think it was a Harley) which had a left hand twist grip controlling the advance and retard. Indians were probably the same.
As to push bike braking, I am convinced that there's no real difference between one side or the other, but it's best to stick to whatever you are used to.
Looking at old racing photos (eg. But et Club) from before the time Mafac became almost universal, it seems there was no preference for one side or the other. These riders were the 'giants of the road' and I'm inclined to think they knew what they were doing.
As for little me, I've done getting on for a quarter of a million miles with my front brake on the left/ rear on the right and I'm certainly not going to change now.