# Not Much Reason To Buy A Manual, Except To Be A Stubborn Curmudgeon

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-much-reason-to-buy-a-manual-except-to-be-a-stubborn-curmudgeon/92613>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [February 24, 2016, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-much-reason-to-buy-a-manual-except-to-be-a-stubborn-curmudgeon/92613 "2016-02-24T13:53:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-much-reason-to-buy-a-manual-except-to-be-a-stubborn-curmudgeon/92613/141 "2016-03-06T22:51:11Z")

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B.L.E: My 1966 Triumph 650 Bonneville had shifter on right, rear brake pedal on left. Of course it’s expected from people who drive on the “wrong” side of the road.

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**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-much-reason-to-buy-a-manual-except-to-be-a-stubborn-curmudgeon/92613/142 "2016-03-07T00:18:30Z")

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Mine was a '68 BSA 250 Starfire. Shifter on the right and brake on the left.

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**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-much-reason-to-buy-a-manual-except-to-be-a-stubborn-curmudgeon/92613/143 "2016-03-07T02:32:43Z")

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Right side shift was also the preferred layout for motorcycle dirt track oval racing because the left foot wears a steel soled skid shoe and is usually dragging on the ground.  
That’s why the old Harley Sportsters had right side shifts. The Sportster engine was essentially the Harley K-750 engine converted to overhead valves and the old K-750 was used in AMA racing because of a rule that allowed 750 flathead engines to compete against 500 cc ohv engines.

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**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 7:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/not-much-reason-to-buy-a-manual-except-to-be-a-stubborn-curmudgeon/92613/144 "2016-03-07T07:14:42Z")

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I’ve driven a Vespa with a 4-speed shifter in the left hand grip.

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