1 down 5 up

[richfzs]

10mph would still be 2nd, there's just too much engine braking in 1st - talking FZS 600 here.

Checks date of your post - nope, wasn't 1st April.... Shakes head in disbelief.

[richfzs]

Last corner of the Hartside cafe road (A686) 100mph to 10mph 

Indeed. And close by, as you come East from Whitfield towards Hexham, you criss the river Allen, have a good thrash up to probably about 80, then hard on the brakes for the left hand hairpin. Tighter than the hartside one (partly because it's a left hander, but it's also steeper) , do this one on second and you'll likely drop it!

[bigralphie]

yep I know that one and still get caught out 

[Deefer666]

Kawasaki's H2 triples were 1 up, 4 down. Horrible gearboxes, but no idea if that had anything to do with it. I didn't really notice any problems I'd associate with the gear pattern for sure.

My H2 wasn't. Although I did have an ex proddy race 350LC that was 1 up 5down ..... Fecking awful set up

[unfazed]

My 2 cents worth

The reason for neutral between 1st and second was to prevent you going into to neutral accidentley when changing down through the box. It is safer to be in 1st rather than neutral in an emergency situation slowing down.

Racers reverse the pattern allowing then to change gear faster when accelerating out of corners, no need to hook your foot under the pedal just tap it when banked over.

The use of of neutral at the bottom was stopped for safety reasons in the 70s because it was causing accidents and was placed between 1 and 2 which made it inconvenient and standardised in 1975 for safety reasons in the US and the rest of the world followed suit.
Apparently riders were coasting fast in neutral up to lights then when the lights changed they would shift up to 1st and lock the back wheel or damage the engine which also locked the back wheel, this in turn caused a large number of accidents.

I think the up for higher gear and down for lower gear seems more logical, slow down change down, speed up change up

[fazersharp]

Unfazed --- thats the best explanation yet. I can the the issue about coasting and light change whilst still moving and selecting 1st, whereas now we could still do the same but we can select 2nd instead. On the other hand I have on an occasion accidentally selected neutral when going from 1st to 2nd

[unfazed]

As have I, but definitely better than going from a fast neutral coasting to 1st 

[tony_d123]

Kawasaki's H2 triples were 1 up, 4 down. Horrible gearboxes, but no idea if that had anything to do with it. I didn't really notice any problems I'd associate with the gear pattern for sure.

No they weren't, 5 up with neutral at the bottom. Its very embarassing when you change down for a corner and you gone into neutral 

[Mick.P]

If you want to reverse your gear pattern just turn round the connecting rod. less than 2 min job.

[fazersharp]

If you want to reverse your gear pattern just turn round the connecting rod. less than 2 min job.

If I put my right boot on my left foot would that work

[Hedgetrimmer]

Kawasaki's H2 triples were 1 up, 4 down.

My H2 wasn't.

Really? Most peculiar. I had two, an H2C and a US import H2B, and both were 1 up, 4 down.

[Dead Eye]

If you want to reverse your gear pattern just turn round the connecting rod. less than 2 min job.

If I put my right boot on my left foot would that work

Yes

[unfazed]

If you want to reverse your gear pattern just turn round the connecting rod. less than 2 min job.

If I put my right boot on my left foot would that work

In your case definitely