Which is the near/far side of my bike? [Archive]

bert_is_evil

15th March 2007, 14:30

I'm about to install my new crash bungs that arrived yesterday, had a quick read of the instructions that tell me to install a particular one on the "near side" of the bike and the other on the "far side" - wtf? Isn't the near side whatever side I'm standing on? I'm sure all will become clear when I take the engine bolts out and see which spacer fits in which side but still, is this standard mc terminology?

Ixion

15th March 2007, 14:34

Near side is left, far side is right. For all vehicles , in this country.

crashe

15th March 2007, 14:34

If you are about to get on your bike from the left side facing the handlebars.
This is what I would think it to mean... but then I could be wrong :whistle:

Near side = left side of the bike
Far side = right hand side of the bike.

bert_is_evil

15th March 2007, 14:36

I wonder why they don't say left side or right side

Ixion

15th March 2007, 14:38

Cos they wanted to internationalise the instructions. Near and far (or off) side are country independant.

The term is a common one.

bert_is_evil

15th March 2007, 14:40

Ah thanks, mystery solved - I am more knowledgeable now.
If I can just figure a way to drop this into conversation

imdying

15th March 2007, 14:43

Cos they wanted to internationalise the instructions. Near and far (or off) side are country independant.And left and right aren't :rofl:

fjones

15th March 2007, 14:44

"As you can see by looking at the far side of my bike, I made a small dent while doing something stupid. It's a shame it wasn;t on the near side as that the direction I park it at work"

Thats how it could be used in a conversation, but people would think u are retarded talking like that.

Which sorta makes my whole post retarded.....

skelstar

15th March 2007, 14:52

YAY!!!
Finally huh?

bert_is_evil

15th March 2007, 14:57

Yip, strange how excited you can get about receiving a couple of door stoppers in the mail! I now know which sides to put them on too. Hurdle one is all but overcome - let me at the track!!!

Drum

15th March 2007, 15:08

To add to the confusion, if you're talking about a car (which you're not) the near side is the drivers side (right hand side here in NZ) and the far side the passenger side.

Ixion

15th March 2007, 15:09

And left and right aren't :rofl:

No. Because if you are in (say) the USA your left is actually your right, in that respect. They're strange that way.

Near side is near side whether it's left or right, whereas left side is right side in countries that drive on the wrong side of the road.

Deano

15th March 2007, 15:13

ManDownUnder

15th March 2007, 15:13

Or to look at it another way - what a fucken stupid way to describe it.

MisterD

15th March 2007, 15:19

...and I always thought it was near and off sides, or am I stuck in the cricket season again?

Ixion

15th March 2007, 15:37

Near and off is more common.

Swoop

15th March 2007, 15:42

Port and Starboard would be easier...

vifferman

15th March 2007, 15:51

Or to look at it another way - what a fucken stupid way to describe it.
Perhaps not, if the crash bungs are different for some reason, and it has to do with which side of the road you customarily ride on.

In that case, they should have a special set for lane-splitting....

Ixion

15th March 2007, 15:58

Port and Starboard would be easier...

Port and Sherry are better still.

Let's settle for starboard and larboard.

ManDownUnder

15th March 2007, 15:58

Perhaps not, if the crash bungs are different for some reason, and it has to do with which side of the road you customarily ride on.

In that case, they should have a special set for lane-splitting....

LOL - can opener blades on the ends you reckon?

Macktheknife

15th March 2007, 16:38

No. Because if you are in (say) the USA your left is actually your right, in that respect. They're strange that way.

Near side is near side whether it's left or right, whereas left side is right side in countries that drive on the wrong side of the road.

REALLY!!!???
Silly me I thought that left and right were pretty much independent of road position, in fact I believe that wherever you go in the world they are pretty much the same as here.
Near side and drivers side may be easily confused however.
The easy way to find out with your bungs though is to fit them, if they don't come out enough to cover the engine casing then they are not on the correct side.

Ixion

15th March 2007, 16:41

But, the thing is, near and offside remain the same, whether the right side is the right side, or the right side is the wrong side. But near side is always near side. So if you take your bike overseas, the right side stays the right side, but the right side becomes the near side. Which is right, but the right side, would then be the wrong side. See. It's really quite simple.

Motu

15th March 2007, 16:49

With cars I prefer driver and passenger side.Important for us WoF testers - we stand at the front looking at the car and say the left indicator is not working.....so is that the car's left or my left?

Working on a flat 4 VW engine is confusing - the front of the engine is the flywheel end,so all numbering and references in the manual are from the flywheel end being the front....but to us doppy mechanics the front of the engine is always the front of the engine....like that means the pulley end eh?

idleidolidyll

15th March 2007, 16:50

of course if the part is French. German or Yank, it's all ass backward

Ixion

15th March 2007, 16:52

With cars I prefer driver and passenger side.Important for us WoF testers - we stand at the front looking at the car and say the left indicator is not working.....so is that the car's left or my left?

What if it's left hand drive? Or a single seater?

If you are driving down a two lane one way street, in the right hand lane, is the near side the right or left?

Ixion

15th March 2007, 16:54

Working on a flat 4 VW engine is confusing - the front of the engine is the flywheel end,so all numbering and references in the manual are from the flywheel end being the front....but to us doppy mechanics the front of the engine is always the front of the engine....like that means the pulley end eh?

The LE Velocette had the flywheel at the front of the engine, which was the physical front - ie just behind the front wheel. But the drive was at the rear. So was the front the front, or was the back the front?

Edbear

15th March 2007, 17:56

:killingme :killingme :killingme :killingme :killingme :killingme

Grahameeboy

15th March 2007, 18:12

To add to the confusion, if you're talking about a car (which you're not) the near side is the drivers side (right hand side here in NZ) and the far side the passenger side.

Yes are adding to the confusion.

Nearside = Passenger side cause it 'near side' of road
Offside = Drivers side

and just in case

Front = where headlights are
Rear = Where brake lights are

Drum

15th March 2007, 18:33

Yes are adding to the confusion.

Nearside = Passenger side cause it 'near side' of road
Offside = Drivers side

and just in case

Front = where headlights are
Rear = Where brake lights are

Nearside = driver side because it is nearest to the driver
Farside = Passenger side because it is furtherest from the driver

Grahameeboy

15th March 2007, 18:44

Nearside = driver side because it is nearest to the driver
Farside = Passenger side because it is furtherest from the driver

Mmmmmm...nop...

Daffyd

15th March 2007, 18:46

Nearside= Kerb side. Off side= farthest side from kerb.
Remember this could be either way depending on where they came from, ie, Europe, USA, nearside would be the right.

Grahameeboy

15th March 2007, 18:48

Nearside= Kerb side. Off side= farthest side from kerb.
Remember this could be either way depending on where they came from, ie, Europe, USA, nearside would be the right.

Yeah................

Zukin

15th March 2007, 18:48

And dont forget....

To tell where the behind of the bike is (or any object for that matter, tree etc), simply wait and go for a piss:yes:

Cause you always go for a piss behind the object in question!!:laugh:

Do you ever hear anyone say
"I will just go for a quick leak in front of that bush"

Cheers

Daffyd

15th March 2007, 18:51

Never looked at it like that.

Grahameeboy

15th March 2007, 19:10

Grahameeboy

15th March 2007, 19:10

Never looked at it like that.

What from the other side you mean............

Swoop

16th March 2007, 09:37

Nearside = Passenger side cause it 'near side' of road
Offside = Drivers side

and just in case

Front = where headlights are
Rear = Where brake lights are
So..... on a bike the "passenger side" is really the back of the bike, and the drivers side is the front...
:scratch: :rofl: :rofl:

Pixie

16th March 2007, 09:40

Cos they wanted to internationalise the instructions. Near and far (or off) side are country independant.

The term is a common one.

So which countries transpose left and right,again?

Ixion

16th March 2007, 11:17

Half the ruddy world. Sensible countries (like us) realise the the left side is the right side. But ignorant countries (like Cousin Jonathan) insist that the right side is the right side.

It is patently obviously that as far as riding is concerned, right side = left side. Whereas nearside never equals offside.

(For some riders, of course, upside regularly equals downside. But that's another story)

Forest

16th March 2007, 11:46

I just say I am going to syphon my python.........

Around here, we shake the snake.

where2now

16th March 2007, 13:48

Actually the near side thing stems from history (before motors). Since most people are right handed they lead horses with their right hand, the horse is on your right and that is the near side... the left. Its also the side you get on a horse.
The right handed thing is why we ride on the left, as horsemen passed each other they did it so they could draw their sword if necessary to defend themselves. The reason the Frenchies ride on the right is apparently Napoleon was left handed!?