Which is the near/far side of my bike?

**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

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

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

Originally Posted by Swoop

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

Originally Posted by vifferman

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

Originally Posted by Ixion

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

Originally Posted by Motu

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

Originally Posted by Motu

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

**Grahameeboy** · 15th March 2007, 18:12

Originally Posted by Drum

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

Originally Posted by Grahameeboy

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