Early Sportsters had the foot controls reversed too. I rode a ‘74 Sportster once, and at one point I downshifted instead of braking.
I think the Feds standardized that in ‘75.
I was 14 back then brother....WAY before my time! 😁
The reason for that is because those bikes were used for flat track racing. You could kick the bike into a turn, hanging your left leg out for stability. Could then shift with the right foot if needed.