Heel & Toe Shifter/Floorboards - Should I???

[zeoran]

I have a 1999 Aspencade. I have a number of friends who have Harleys with heel/toe shifters and they love it. I've seen posts from some with GL1800's with heel/toe shifters and they love them, other don't.

I'm wondering what the experience here is with them? Are they really hard to get used to? Can they damage the bike/transmission? (through normal usage) Are there any recommendations for brand/models with floorboards?

God bless,

~Mark

[WingAdmin]

I have a 1999 Aspencade. I have a number of friends who have Harleys with heel/toe shifters and they love it. I've seen posts from some with GL1800's with heel/toe shifters and they love them, other don't.

I'm wondering what the experience here is with them? Are they really hard to get used to? Can they damage the bike/transmission? (through normal usage) Are there any recommendations for brand/models with floorboards?

God bless,

~Mark

I had them on my 1100, and hated them.

When I got my 1500, it came with them as well, and the very first thing I did was rip them off and put the factory pegs and shifter back on.

I don't like the way they make shifting lazy and less precise, and yes, you can cause damage to transmission shift forks by bending (because you have much more leverage and can apply more force as a result) or wearing (because it's easy to leave your foot resting on a shifter, applying force to the fork).

[gford]

unless you have really long legs they interfere with getting the side stand down, nothing but misery

[bellboy40]

I bought a 94 GL1500 a few years ago that had them on it when i got it. I liked the way they felt while riding but my biggest complaint for them was two fold. First, to use the foot brake, you had to raise your foot up off the floorboard to get to it. That was a safety issue for me. Second, they would drag the pavement too easily. Just going around corners at a leisurely pace and they would drag.
I took them off and put on the regular foot pegs and shifter arm. So much better for me.

[WingAdmin]

unless you have really long legs they interfere with getting the side stand down, nothing but misery

Yes! When I was riding my 1100, my shins were perpetually bruised and painful from bashing them on those damn floorboards every time I put my feet down! ...and I have long legs.

[WingAdmin]

I bought a 94 GL1500 a few years ago that had them on it when i got it. I liked the way they felt while riding but my biggest complaint for them was two fold. First, to use the foot brake, you had to raise your foot up off the floorboard to get to it. That was a safety issue for me. Second, they would drag the pavement too easily. Just going around corners at a leisurely pace and they would drag.
I took them off and put on the regular foot pegs and shifter arm. So much better for me.

This too. I was continually dragging mine on my 1100, it had replaceable metal pieces that would wear down when dragged. I started buying welding stock and making my own because I was wearing them out so often.

[blupupher]

Seems a lot here don't like floor boards, and well, I have to agree.

Mine came with them, and getting rid of them was one of the first things I did.
I always felt I was doing a dance with them, having to move my foot forward and backward and to the side to shift, and using the rear brake was just awkward. Very hard to just cover the brake with the floor boards, always having to move it around as well.
I would get weird cramps in my left leg, and figured out it was because how I had to position and move my leg with the floor boards.
And if you stopped on any kind of angle or had a weird drop of just an inch or so, you could fall over because you had to put your foot out so far to avoid the floor boards.
Plus as mentioned, I dragged them all the time on just regular corners.
I always had issues with missed shifts (mainly 1-2, but sometimes ghost shifts from 3-4).
I tried adjusting the linkage and even moved the boards (mine were the older 2 level Markland boards) with no avail.
I added a shifter brace with no change.

After spending ~$60 on e-bay, I got replacement stock foot pegs, brake pedal, and a shifter and am a happy camper, and do not miss the floor boards at all.

[Solo So Long]

After decades on Kawasakis with floorboards, we went to BMWs without them. I really missed the comfort of being able to move my feet around during a long ride.

When I went to the Wings, I figured that I would put on floorboards, but before doing it I wanted to put some miles on, and discovered that the pegs on the Goldwing are more comfortable than the pegs on the BMW were -- the real problem was the posture on the RTPs, not on the foot position -- and I haven't bothered making the change.

So, my viewpoint is different than most others here, but I'll stay with those who suggest staying with what you have.