SuzukiSavage.com /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Suicide Shifter on Savage /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1168804845 Message started by hutch on 01/14/07 at 12:00:45

Title: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 01/14/07 at 12:00:45 This is the shifter I made up from spare parts for about $150.00. I just built off the horn mounting holes and reflector mounting hole. http://suzukisavage.com/images/uploaded/SavageSuicideShifter.jpg

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Rogue_Cheddar on 01/14/07 at 12:03:38 Very nice. I like the pearl handle. How do you activate the clutch and shift at the same time?

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 01/14/07 at 12:25:16 I knew that would be the first ???. I learned how to drive a stick shift from an old truck driver about 45 years ago. The only time that a truck driver uses a clutch is to stop and start. You shift withe rpms and let the rpms suck it into the next gear. To go up thru the gears you just acell the same, put SLIGHT pressure on the shifter, back off and back on the gas real fast and it suck into the next gear with no grinds. To down shift put SLIGHT pressure on shifter and do the same. I have never tore up a tranny in 42 years. Just use clutch when you stop and take off in first.As the truck driver told me" do you know what my leg would look like if I used the cluch for all the gears?" They even teach you this in tractor trailer driver school.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by TVR on 01/14/07 at 14:17:02 Very nice job! :o

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by steelwolf on 01/14/07 at 14:22:41 Intriguing. I assumed it would have been done mounted at the shaft coming out of the tranny. I never envisioned doing it from the anchor point at the peg. Why did you choose that location?

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 01/14/07 at 16:50:37 The shorter the lever the shorter the throw to shift. Also there is a lot less flex in the linkage. I have been doing suicides for years and on all kinds of bikes. The signature at the bottom of my posts tells it all. I made this one out of an old Triumph rear brake lever with an old hunting knife. The only thing I bought was two heim joints($50) and the linkage rod($100). I already had the toe peg($10). just cut of end of shifter replace with 1" diameter round stock, drill and tap for toe peg. You no longer have to look for shifter peg cause it sticks out farther and you can match it to your hand grips as an added plus.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by steelwolf on 01/14/07 at 19:31:26 Oh no don't get me wrong I think it's great. I was just wondering about the design. I was NOT questioning your judgment. I was just curious. I have never made one and had considered it but had no idea where to start. Thanks for posting it and giving some insight as to the design. I personally would prefer a foot actuated clutch though. I shift without it most of the time but I would just want the clutch where it was accessible while shifting. Ya never know.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by sparkett on 01/14/07 at 19:35:46 Looks awsome ;D love the handle too!

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 01/14/07 at 19:59:43 Steelwolf,  The reason I don't use a foot clutch(except on side car) is that I hate holding a bike up with one foot at a corner. It's real fun when you're on a hill with no front brake. One way to solve that is weld a clutch bracket on your suicide lever so they are both right there together in one place. Just another way I have done it.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by steelwolf on 01/14/07 at 20:11:00 hutch wrote: One way to solve that is weld a clutch bracket on your suicide lever so they are both right there together in one place. Just another way I have done it. Now see that I did think of but for some reason (it escapes me now) I figured I would have problems with the cable linkage.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 01/14/07 at 20:30:54 steelwolf wrote: Now see that I did think of but for some reason (it escapes me now) I figured I would have problems with the cable linkage. The only problem is since the clutch arm is on the right side of the bike, is routing the cable over the motor to the clutch housing, but it can be done. Thank you for the help with the quotes.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by steelwolf on 01/14/07 at 20:34:02 Give and get. That philosophy works great on this site. Thanks for the info on the shifter. Might just have to go ahead and try it on "Thing". ;)

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Five_Points on 01/15/07 at 05:42:07 WOW! That looks great. Like the buck knife handle! good job.  :o

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 02/17/07 at 10:46:50 I have had a few people ask "why a hand shift??" Two reasons. First is NOSTALGIA. Second is that it great for someone with a physical problem of the foot. I have had 10 blood clot operations on my left leg and one of the affter affects is nerve damage to the left foot. Wouldn't you know the TOP of my left foot is really sensitive,it makes shifting fun. Most of my bikes are old British iron with right shift, so thats cool. I still have to come up with asuicide on my new Royal Enfield cause they moved it to the left a year before my '05. Another project. Like I was saying, the hand shift can be a way for someone with limitations to still enjoy riding.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Trippah on 02/17/07 at 11:08:32 Hutch, your work looks great.  Not using a clutch does keep you more in tune with the bike as well, usually a bonus.  Just out of curiosity, I wonder if you could put a clutch lever on the shifter (No, I Doubt if you'll ever find a pearl one)so you could engage clutch and shift all with one hand??  Anyhow, your savage looks great.  Do you have a side car rig with the Enfield?

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Greg_650 on 02/17/07 at 14:19:42 Interesting job you've done there.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 02/17/07 at 17:20:09 Trippah wrote: Hutch, your work looks great.  Not using a clutch does keep you more in tune with the bike as well, usually a bonus.  Just out of curiosity, I wonder if you could put a clutch lever on the shifter (No, I Doubt if you'll ever find a pearl one)so you could engage clutch and shift all with one hand??  Anyhow, your savage looks great.  Do you have a side car rig with the Enfield?   Trippah, and Greg, thanks for the compliments. There is always a way to do something if you think about it long enough. I have done the "combo shifter" as I call it on other bikes right off the shifter spline, but doing that on the Savage would be a real challenge the way it is set up from the facory. As far as the side car goes, I might think about it when I can no longer hold a small bike up at the corner anymore.I no longer feel safe with the big bikes, and that is why I have been going to smaller ones. I'm not really looking forward to the sidecar days in my future.It would be real easy to put the clutch on my shifter and I believe Sleelwolf is thinking of doing that very thing on his bike.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Trippah on 02/17/07 at 19:35:47 Hutch-know what you mean about going to sidecar.  I see three wheelers and sidecars and from this side of the line, it seems silly. Why not just go rag top sports car:but, I gota say some of the old guys do have spirit and who knows, I'll be there soon enough.  Test rode a Guzzi Claifornia stone before going to the savage.  Just a little too big to get back into bikes on.  I must admit the suicide shift when coming to a stop sign does seems a bit intimidating.  Well, again great job and happy Presidents Day.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by hutch on 02/17/07 at 19:47:15 Trippah wrote: Hutch-know what you mean about going to sidecar.  I see three wheelers and sidecars and from this side of the line, it seems silly. Why not just go rag top sports car:but, I gota say some of the old guys do have spirit and who knows, I'll be there soon enough.  Test rode a Guzzi Claifornia stone before going to the savage.  Just a little too big to get back into bikes on.  I must admit the suicide shift when coming to a stop sign does seems a bit intimidating.  Well, again great job and happy Presidents Day.   Yeah thats why I keep the clutch on the bars or on the shifter. I like both feet down at stops. My dog might like the idea of the side car, then maybe he wouldn't be so bummed when I take off for a ride and leave him home. He loves the winter. I'm stuck in  the house, where he pretty much has ME trained.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Krisrkeyes on 07/05/14 at 20:55:49 0815140308600 wrote:   Yeah thats why I keep the clutch on the bars or on the shifter. I like both feet down at stops. My dog might like the idea of the side car, then maybe he wouldn't be so bummed when I take off for a ride and leave him home. He loves the winter. I'm stuck in  the house, where he pretty much has ME trained. Sorry, digging this up from wayyy in the past. So on the bike pictured, you had a hand clutch still on the bars, only used it to start the bike up and shut her down, and did the rest of the shifting the way you described? Am I understanding you right?

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/05/14 at 23:44:41 Hutch died mid2012.

Title: Re: Suicide Shifter on Savage Post by Demin on 07/06/14 at 07:13:31 I'm sorry to hear that.I don't know where I was.Bummer.Hate to hear stuff like this. :(

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