Le storie di NICO Cereghini: quando il CAMBIO era ovunque: l'anarchia motociclistica degli anni '70!

Today, we take it for granted that the gearbox is on the left with first gear at the bottom, but in the 1970s, the situation was chaotic. Italian and English motorcycles mounted the gearbox on the right with first gear at the top, while Japanese motorcycles arrived with the gearbox on the left and first gear at the bottom. Some Triumphs further complicated matters with hybrid solutions, and BMWs switched directly from the hand shifter on the tank to the left pedal. Testers and riders who switched bikes often encountered dangerous situations, such as at the Motociclismo comparison test in Monza, where switching from one system to the other was obviously risky. Even Benelli attempted a middle ground, moving the gearbox to the left but keeping first gear at the top, causing tragicomic incidents such as the one involving a journalist who burned out the clutch on a 252C. The Japanese insisted on their most rational solution: clutch and gearbox on the same side, brake pedal on the right like in cars. In the end, they won, and in the second half of the 1970s, all the manufacturers followed suit. Kenny Roberts pioneered the reverse gearbox (top first) on the track, a solution that all riders today have adopted for practical advantages when leaning and at high speed. Max Biaggi was an exception, winning with a traditional gearbox. _______________________________________________________________ Buy our clothing: https://link.moto.it/3TP0A5j Find your used bike: https://www.moto.it/moto-usate IG:   / motoit   FB:   / moto.it   Telegram: https://t.me/+SI91PIKXQSLJtnRw