Modifications from way back when.

Working with old molested and abused motorcycle parts sometimes make me think, why?
Why did someone cut apart, bend or weld a part to give it the shape it have when looking at it today?
There have had to be a reason for those modifications that I find, who cause me such a lot of work.
Like with the gear change lever I found among my spares that I am using for my cutdown project.
Why on earth would someone grind the lever on each side where it is run in the shifter gate? For me, the only apparent result achieved was making the lever so weak it would easily break when used, and yes I found it when still mounted on an original HD tank.

I bet I used more time with the repair, than what the guy who once modified did.

As found, someone played with a grinder.

Chopped.

One side done, one more to do still.