Gear sequence

[Biggles]

Has anyone else ever wondered why our (and most other) motorcycle gearboxes are sequenced 1- 0- 2- 3- 4 - 5 ?

Like, why isn't Neutral at the beginning?

I'm ticked off about this, because every time I try to do an impressive 0 - 100 off the lights, I hit neutral and rev the engine most embarrassingly.   

Even had a Monaro Ute almost cross the line before I'd crossed the intersection one day.

If anyone can give me a good reason it will help with my recuperation.  The meds are not cheap!

[Brock]

Its worse on an oldish Honda 250 cruiser style bike, where the sequence is N 1 2 3 4 5. I didnt realise it was a rotary box until I went for 6, and it went straight back to N again

[STill dreaming]

Wow never heard of a rotary box before,although i have experienced the 0 at the bottom before.
Glad it is not that way though as if you are riding an off road bike and you go down one to many there goes your engine breaking.

[StinkyPete]

My guess would be that with 1 at the bottom of the pattern and not N, a rider is far less likely to fail to put the bike in gear gear, as a couple of downwards taps will always lead to first.    On my old Yahama XS650, neutral was almost non existent and very difficult to locate, making it necessary to slip into neutral while the bike was still moving, or N would simply disappear from the pattern.   

[bluehonda]

If your sitting on the bike, in neutral, and put your foot on the peg and push it's gotta go into 1st gear and there's no chance of it going into a different gear.
If neutral was at the bottom and you lifted up for first gear it requires two movements of your foot  and I guess there's a slight chance you could get 2nd gear instead of first.
Like already stated if you just keep tapping down (don't have to count) you will find first gear.

[DaleMcLean]

My guess would be that with 1 at the bottom of the pattern and not N, a rider is far less likely to fail to put the bike in gear gear, as a couple of downwards taps will always lead to first.    On my old Yahama XS650, neutral was almost non existent and very difficult to locate, making it necessary to slip into neutral while the bike was still moving, or N would simply disappear from the pattern.   

You sure that wasnt a Bevel Ducati  , thats what I've had to do for 27years 

[PaulH]

I don't know why the gear change is set up this way, but I do know that an early Lambretta 125cc followed by a Lambretta 250cc which I had in UK (back when Pontious was in flying school), both had gear changes which were part of the left-hand part of the handlebars and they also went 1 N 2 3. The clutch lever was fixed to the left hand handle and the whole thing rotated up for 1st, then down through Neutral to 2nd and 3rd. This left the right hand lever as the front brake and the rear brake as a foot operated lever. Trust me this was TRULY scary to try to swap to when I started to ride a real bike!!

[Sailor Sid]

I had a 1959 Honda Dream 305 that had a N1234 gearbox and it was exciting to go 4N1 by mistake. I know.
Sailor Sid

[saaz]

I was just reading that the Bridgestone 350GTR had neutral above 6th gear (top gear), which was commented on as being unusual.  It also allow left or right foot gear change.

I suspect it is something to do with either gearbox design, or just copying what was emerged as the popular trend.  Much advantge for 1st being at the bottom, as if you keep prodding you know what you are getting (Bevel Ducati aside)