?? For Motorcycle Guys

[caryc]

Since "Chips" came back on ME TV, I've watched a couple episodes and there is one thing that bothers me.

When I had my 55 chopped panhead the kickstand was on the left side (sitting on the bike) so the bike leaned left. Whenever I or any of my buddies that I road with got on or off the bike we did so from the left side since the bike leaned that way.

On Chips their kickstands are on the left also but they always get on and off from the right side of the bike. This just seems strange to me. Anybody know any reason for it?

 

[ranch23]

I get off of the right side on my Heritage Springer, left on my Ultra Classic. I do it because the Ultra has a higher seat. Wonder if they do it for safety, ie, out of traffic?

 

[hittman]

I dunno but I was taught to always mount the motorcycle from the left just like you do a horse. Whether that is correct or not ..... can't tell ya.

Did they ride Kawasakis on Chips?

 

[Coop]

As a motorcyclist since 1969, I have no clue. I always get off my bike from the left side. That covers all of my owned MC's. 6 total since then.

 

[caryc]

No one ever taught me which side to get on or off from. It just seemed natural to get on and off from the side the bike was leaning on.

 

[m657]

IIRC one of my Super Hawks had both left side stand & a center stand you could use from the right side....don't know what the Chips may have had. My buddy's 1000cc Kawi from that era could put up the center stand from right IF you worked at it, a lot easier from the left.

Maybe some Hollywood stunt for filming?

 

[RugerHound]

If you ever watch old movies, you'll notice that people routinely got in & out of vehicles on the passenger side. It used to be habit to exit on the curb side so you don't step into traffic. Easy enough to do back in the days of open bench seats. (It would be quite a trick with many of today's vehicles!)

Very possible that it was policy within LAPD in those days on two wheelers for some similar reason. I haven't watched the show, but I recall that Jack Webb was involved in the making of the series, and Webb was a stickler for authenticity. I'd have to say there's probably a good reason for it.

I have dismounted on the high side before but it's weird to do.

 

[Tremors]

I usually get of the bikes I ride on the side it is leaning to the left it is also usually the opposite of the pipes. The show may have had them get off a certain ways because of the camera angel.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Did they ride Kawasakis on Chips?

Hi,

Dunno about the whole series, but they did in the episodes I've seen.

Getting on a bike from the right side just seems weird to me... whether it's got a motor or pedals! The why is lost in time: dunno if it's cuz I was taught to get on the same side as a horse, or cuz I'm left handed and some things just "feel" better from one side than the other. I was also taught to surf "normally" (left foot forward), not "goofy foot", which extended to riding skateboards, but I see "skaters" going down the street with that right foot leading all the time... strange.

Rick C

 

[exavid]

I've been riding for about 55 years and only got on any of my bikes from the right maybe half a dozen times when some idiot parked too close to the left side. As an old geezer now it would be just too hard to throw my leg over from the right side of my K1100LT. I have been known to stand on the right peg of my previous Goldwing to get on from the right but that was just for the heck of it, not very practical.

 

[WAYNO]

I'm a youngster. Only been riding for 45 years, and always plan on getting on and off from the left side, except like the previous poster said, when somebody parks too close to the left side and I have to get off on the right side. And when I get off on the wrong side, it's an extremely uncoordinated move for me.

I am, however, surrounded by other folks who routinely get on and off from the right side. In most cases, these guys claim physical infirmity that requires them to get off with their good leg.

Back to the cops...It would kind've make sense for them to get off their bikes away from the traffic side. Never thought about it til now.

WAYNO.

 

[Richbaker]

Wayno got it right... safety, plain and simple. Should be obvious... swing a leg off into traffic and you're losing it.

 

[Slyk Willy]

enter/exit LH on all my bikes...'65 Dream, '67 Super Hawk (only had a center stand but the tounge was on the left) '83 CB1000C, '97 Valkyrie Standard, '00 Valkyrie Interstate, all on the left, since that's where the kick stands were.
The only time I enter/exit from the RH side is when there may be a hazard, low spot, on the LH.

 

[WAYNO]

After some Googling, I found lots of discusion of the same question, and received the same answer every where I looked...

...the California Highway Patrol requires their motorcycle officers to use the right
side to both mount and dismount their machines... It may suggest that if you pull to the side of a freeway and want to dismount you might be safer getting on and off on the
right side based on traffic risk, but that does not infer that it is generally safer to do so.

 

[caryc]

After some Googling, I found lots of discusion of the same question, and received the same answer every where I looked...

...the California Highway Patrol requires their motorcycle officers to use the right
side to both mount and dismount their machines... It may suggest that if you pull to the side of a freeway and want to dismount you might be safer getting on and off on the
right side based on traffic risk, but that does not infer that it is generally safer to do so.

I guess they don't care about their guys in the cars getting out on the traffic side.

 

[radicalrod]

Well my younger brother just put a deposit on the new INDIAN BAGGER new in 2015....he is quite excited..RR

 

[WAYNO]

Well my younger brother just put a deposit on the new INDIAN BAGGER new in 2015....he is quite excited..RR

I do hope the Indian line is truly resurrected. We've been told it would definitely happen before, when it definitely did not.

WAYNO.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I guess they don't care about their guys in the cars getting out on the traffic side.

Hi,

Cary, if you watch carefully you may see a variety of differences in how the officers park their vehicles during traffic stops, pretty much agency related, I'd guess. I notice more and more CHP 4 wheel units pulled somewhat to the right of the vehicle they've stopped, perhaps a half a car's width, with the officer approaching the stopped one from the right. I see many of their motor officers pulling the bikes off so far to the right it looks like the kickstand and a sketchy shoulder would be a worrisome combo. A number of them park perpendicular to the roadway, so they may already have that kickstand thing under control.

A buddy works for RivCo Transportation Dept, out in the desert most of the time, and says they "help" RivCo Sheriff's vehicles back onto the pavement "frequently." Deputies tend to pull way to the right, and forget that sand is soft! OTOH, I was waiting to see a SBdoCo Sheriff get whacked for a while, as they'd come up with a scheme to block half the right hand lane with their vehicles, either 2 or 4 wheel, to force people to go around. Hardly the brightest idea I've seen... I haven't noticed it so much in the last few months, so maybe one of 'em DID get hit, or else the peasants took their torches and pitchforks to the Sheriff about blocking THEIR roads?

Rick C

 

[Bull Barrel]

If the bike fcalls wshen the rider dismounts it doesn't fall on the rider's legs.

 

[Richbaker]

Well my younger brother just put a deposit on the new INDIAN BAGGER new in 2015....he is quite excited..RR

I do hope the Indian line is truly resurrected. We've been told it would definitely happen before, when it definitely did not.

WAYNO.

Polaris owns them..... should be around awhile.

 

[cruzerlou]

If I remember correctly on the show CHIPS and at that time the CHP rode KAW 1,000's Police Specials and getting off on the right side is a safety thing .It's still taught that way at motor patrol school . Because my left ankle is so screwed up I had to mount my Yamaha dresser from the right and get off that way too .It was like learning to walk all over again. The next time you put on a button down shirt or a jacket STOP you'll be either putting your left or right arm in the sleeve first .Stop and try the other arm first, very strange and hard to do .
Lou

 

[Ale-8(1)]

If the bike fcalls wshen the rider dismounts it doesn't fall on the rider's legs.

I've found that putting the 'stand down before dismounting usually avoids that problem.

Don't ask . . .

;)

 

[cruzerlou]

If the bike fcalls wshen the rider dismounts it doesn't fall on the rider's legs.

I've found that putting the 'stand down before dismounting usually avoids that problem.

Don't ask . . .

;)

I was taking a long trip in the winter time way back in my youth .I was mounted on my 1968 Triumph 650 chopper that has an 18" extended front fork but not enough rake in the steering head= wheelie machine LOL. anyway I had gotten so cold that I had to stop for the night at a motel .I pulled the bike up to the curb until the front wheel touched and then found that I was so cold I couldn't take my foot off the foot peg . I managed to balance there for a few seconds and me and my bike just slowly fell to the left .
The desk clerk came out to help me up trying hard not to laugh .
I would have been laughing but my face was frozen LOL.
Lou

 

[nvbirdman]

Due to the angle of the bike when leaning on the jiffystand (kickstand) I have to lift my leg higher to mount my Heritage from the left side.
I always mount from the right side.