My wife and I were out riding the other day when she waves me over to the shoulder. Seems her left floorboard has mysteriously disappeared. Just then a nice man in a pickup pulls over and tells us her floorboard is laying in the road about 1/4 mile back.

So I rush back and heres what I find:



The thing had loosened a couple times before and I've had to push the rubber nipples back through. Supposedly this is a common problem with Deluxes.

It was suggested here by someone about a month ago that putting a washer over the nipples might work. Wish I had done that then but I just never expected it to come off completely like it did.

I contacted the service manager and they ordered us a new one. He's confident it will be covered under warranty. He also said this was a common issue with the Deluxes.

As for the future, I'm definitely going to try the washer tip.

 

I had one of mine come off after only having the bike for about 3 weeks. Luckily, it didn't end up on the road, so I pulled into a nearby parking lot and popped the nipples back through (sounds kinky, doesn't?).

I dunno how confident I am in the whole washer fix. Maybe if you use a nylon fender washer with a small enough inner diameter, you might get a little extra retaining power, but I still think it is a design flaw. I was thinking of something along the lines of screwing into the rubber from the underside, but you would be hard pressed to get a screw to bite well into the rubber and hold.

 

thanks for the heads up. will check the bike over tonight..........

boy things havent come too far from when I rode a few hundred miles holding my sporty starter on with my right leg cause the bolts fell out. ;-)

 

I'm wondering if the problem is that the holes are too big or the nipples are too little or something else.

I thought about buying some "upgraded" floorpads but if the holes in the board are too big that would be a waste.

 

I'm tellin' ya........... washers with a little smaller id from the bottom side. A little soap and water.......... squish those suckers through.............

Haven't seen it or done it. Just seems logical and free. We all have some washers layin' around. If not.......... probably a buck or so at ACE.............

 

My floorboards are fine. I guess my nipples are stiff enough?

 

Would a little contact cement on the rubber help hold it in place?
Tom

 

I am guessing neither. I am thinking that the rubber simply isn't rigid enough to hold. The little flange that engages the plate isn't stiff enough to resist being easily popped back through the hole. It is not actively being held in place.

Contact cement might help in addition to the fender washers. I might give that combo a try.

 

I have an '07 and have had no outwards signs of any trouble with the F-boards. Suppose I better look mine over as well. What year is your deluxe?

 

It's an 08 Deluxe. For some reason the problem has only been apparent with the shifter side floorboard. Have never had a problem with my 08 Heritage and it seems they're of similar design. Least as far as the nipples go.