Nick-name for a hand-shifter mounted onto a motorcycle. The term refers to the shift operation which requires a rider to perform the risky maneuver of removing one hand from the handlebars while shifting. Suicide shifters were common on mid-20th century Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Some custom motorcycle makers will fabricate a suicide shifter when creating a retro design.
Comments
2 Comments so far
For what it’s worth, a suicide clutch also had an open primary with the shifter being just above the primary and behind the rider’s left leg.
The tank mounted shifter was never really referred to as a suicide shifter because it’s within the rider’s field of view.
[...] which sits either behind the rider’s leg or is mounted on the fuel tank. It is shorter than a Suicide Shifter. Associated with custom chopper [...]