Which foot do you use?
Chaps,
I have read through the preceding pages. & I can see that this topic clearly “fires up” a few folk, so I thought I’d weigh in with my two ha’porth.
Whilst there have been a number of views presented, & often there is no single “right way, the thing that has not been discussed so far is WHY the Hendon Shuffle or Two Step was once very important, & why today it is less so.
I started my private motorcycling in 1969, & first rode Police motorcycles in 1973, becoming a Class 1 in 1974. At that time the Triumph 650cc Saint was pretty much the national standard, along with a smattering of 650cc BSA’s, & the then new Norton Commando Interpol’s were starting to win customers in Police fleets.
From the early 1960’s onwards the British manufacturers had started to change their drum front brakes from single leading shoe to twin leading shoe format ( TLS ), which gives a much better braking performance from speed; what it does not do is give any real braking effect when the bike is moving backwards.
Before someone pipes up with “I haven’t got reverse gear on my GS, you ought to be on the K1200LT forum”, this becomes relevant if the motorcycle is stationary on an up slope. The rider would come to a halt, be holding the front brake on as hard as he could, but the bike would slowly move backwards. The rear brakes however, were invariably of the 1 leading/1 trailing shoe format, so worked equally well forwards or backwards.
If the rider came to halt on a slope, placed his bike in neutral, then placed his gear foot down, he could then hold the bike comfortably & safely on the rear brake, until the time came to move off, when he performed the required dance steps, & off he went.
Bear in mind this was the early 70’s, so the Police rider was “he”, & also, just to further confuse, we were at that time in the process of going over from the traditional British style right-side gear change to the now universal left-side.
In 1976 my Force, Gloucestershire, changed over to BMW’s - 75/6’s - & many other Forces opted for the Commando Interpol, but one thing they had in common was that both these machines were equipped with front disc brakes. They were nowhere near as good as the brakes we take for granted today, but they did, of course, work equally well in either direction.
Our Regional Driving School took the view that the “shuffle” was no longer needed, so the rider could come to a halt, snick into neutral, but place his back brake foot down, leaving his “gear foot” on the foot peg ready for the off.
I have to say I had forgotten the real reason for the “shuffle” until a few years ago when I rode an old drum braked R75/5 around the Cotswolds, equipped as standard with a TLS front brake. I came to a “Give Way” line on a steep upward slope, came to a smooth halt, then had a hells’ own job holding the plot upright as gravity kicked in, & back she tried to roll. Then I remembered.
To concur with some of the very well reasoned arguments above, some from serving or retired colleagues, & I am pretty sure I know a number of you already, the camber & state of the road is most important, & when Testing I look for the candidate to show that they are in control of their machine, & they can use which ever foot they wish, as long as they are comfortable & the machine is stable.
If carrying a pillion & luggage, or in adverse weather, with high winds, even worse if those winds are gusting, I may well place both feet down, & of course linked- or semi-linked brakes just muddy the waters a little more.
I do like to keep a wary eye on my mirrors, to see what’s approaching me whilst I am stationary, ready for evasive action, so perhaps we can start a new thread of “How close should I stop to the car in front?”.
Just my thoughts, you may differ.
