In the end, the Japanese solution prevailed because it was more rational: the gear shift on the same side as the clutch control and then the rear brake pedal under the right foot, as in a car. European manufacturers, on the other hand, each went their own way: BMWs already had the gear shift pedal on the left, while others had it on the right, depending on preference: Italian bikes had it at the top like Nortons, while BSA and Triumph had it at the bottom.

When Italian manufacturers decided to intervene, in many cases they moved the gear shift to the left with a simple transfer shaft: and first gear remained at the top! It was complicated, and switching from one motorcycle to another involved enormous risks.

Today, the standard is universal, and if you want, there is also an automatic transmission that takes all the worry away. But perhaps not everyone knows that racers prefer to use the reverse gear shift: on the left, yes, but with first gear at the top. Here's when (and why) this solution becomes more advantageous for them.