Why are sidestands on the left?

[yellowisfriedegg]

Laverda Jota's had their sidestand on the right..........but so was the chain , I don't know the reason for either of these oddities

Earlier someone posted that the sidestand was on the left so you could cover your rear brake with your left ????

That would be quite a feat , both feet off the ground , one covering the brake , one putting the stand down ??

 

[riverking]

Surely it is because, when parking up, owners invariably park their bikes up leaning to the left - if the stand was on the other side the bikes would fall over.

 

[BladeBaiter]

I think that's got to be the answer RiverKing.



Keith

 

[Paul Young]

Because it would be very difficult to deploy or retract if you are using your right foot to cover the back brake.

I'd like to see someone do that. Right foot on brake, left foot deploying sidestand, what holds the bike up.......

TIIIIIIIMBERRRRRR!!!!

 

[Grumpy Lee]

The way I see it is that when holding the handlebars you have more control of the front brake when stood on the left. Just try using the front brake when stood to the right of the bike on full right hand lock.

Probably loadsa bollix along with most other theories

 

[ag1s]

Why are sidestands on the left?

Never given it a thought before - but was asked by a non-motorcycling friend - she came up with a very plausable explanation, but I wonder what others there are.

its because of the well known superstition of mounting from the ride side.

 

[boundless]

Don't know about other bikes...

But surely the B*W ones are all on the left to facilitate using the kickstart, as it then was?

Which was on the left to accommodate direction of crankshaft rotation.

Once the bavarians got used to it that way; they would not really be the sort to go looking for change.

 

[nick]

Laverda Jota's had their sidestand on the right..........but so was the chain , I don't know the reason for either of these oddities

Whats so odd about the chain being on the right

 

[Dahoum]

The way I see it is that when holding the handlebars you have more control of the front brake when stood on the left. Just try using the front brake when stood to the right of the bike on full right hand lock.

Probably loadsa bollix along with most other theories

Wot do you know? you dont even have one

 

[Grumpy Lee]

Wot do you know? you dont even have one

Look here Mr Dahoum, if you're gonna start gettin' all personal like, I wanna know where you're gettin' this info from (coz I checked all them there showers when we was away before I used 'em) and you'd best have proof coz if you ain't an' you is just startin' malishoes rumours then I'm gonna have to find them there holiday pics of (dancin') you (I've been a bit busy up to now but things is gettin' slack )

 

[PeterNicholson]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why are sidestands on the left?

Me thinks it has something to do with the knights of old with their sword attached to the right leg which they had to keep stiff while mounting.

Sword would be on the left side, and definitely not attached ot the leg - can't draw a long blade on the same side as the scabbard unless you are a gibbon!
Hence mounting from the left stops the scabbard clouting the horse.

Just a thought