Interesting, its a 76 but still has a right side shift.
Common knowledge is all sportys were left side shift by 1974.
I have ridden both.
Theses anomalies happen sometimes for really interesting reasons.
I prefer right shift when possible because its an excuse NOT to let people ride your bike.
I let a very experienced rider hop onto my sidecar rig once. He got 50 feet and I had to pull him out of a ditch. I feel the same caution about letting someone with no experiencing right a right shift two wheeler.
Anyway, those 70’s era XLCH bikes were again easier to start than the old ones.
I used to get a kick out of guys calling my ’64 a “Skirtster”.
I would invite them to kick it over if they wanted to.
I would leave the ignition on just for further amusement. One try and their attitude was very different. The best painful story though is one particularly cocky young lad who made fun and was given the chance to prove his manhood by starting my “skirtster”.
The bike kicked back in the famously vicious way they are known for and his knee ended up in his teeth.
Blood everywhere! His knee was cut and bruised, his moth was a mess and I think his teeth were at least loosened. Eventually he cleaned himself up and got on his big twin… (because of course) and pushed the starter button and …. I started laughing and haven’t stopped since.
But those things cure the skeptics. 🙂
I think Sportsters are the coolest Harley’s ever. I have had… I think two? maybe three I cant remember and its not important anyway.
Think about the name though, how appropriate is “Skirtster” if one of use is riding it? LOL
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