Heel toe mishap
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 19
From: Illinois
I have always kept mine on and never had THAT issue BUT when I hit that Deer it bent the bracket and I couldn't get the toe of my boot under the front shifter so I had to go to the heal shifter to get home and use until I got that bracket fixed. Im sure glad I leave mine on or else I would have had to call for a ride or try to get home in 1st gear.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,006
Likes: 1,240
From: On the Front Range, CO
Put me on the list of folks that ditch the heel shifter. It never was something I got used to.
You could always go to a jockey shifter...then there really isn't a heel shifter peg to worry about at all!
FWIW, the chrome cap that Harley sells looks nice, but on my Road Glide, I removed the heel shifter and cut the shaft down. IMHO, it looks better. All it took was a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and then a sanding drum to smooth out the end.
You could always go to a jockey shifter...then there really isn't a heel shifter peg to worry about at all!
FWIW, the chrome cap that Harley sells looks nice, but on my Road Glide, I removed the heel shifter and cut the shaft down. IMHO, it looks better. All it took was a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and then a sanding drum to smooth out the end.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 510
Likes: 83
From: SW Virginia
I put the cap on mine but I saw a guy that had a sleeve that slid on the shaft and the toe shifter went on the outside position. I think I will try to find one myself and try that. I think it looked cleaner and would be a better position.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 406
Likes: 5
From: NW Suburbs Chicago
Same here - Never quite understood the need and dislike the look. And it also made no sense to have floorboards and unable to move my foot back and forth. jc
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 777
Likes: 36
From: Woodland Hills, CA
I've never had that type of shifter, but I have lost 4-5 pairs of jeans to my pipes. My solution was found at a bicycle store. I bought two reflective velcro straps to keep it all together. Similar to:
Amazon.com : Yellow Racer Reflective Leg Bands- sold per pair : Sports Reflective Gear : Sports & Outdoors
Amazon.com : Yellow Racer Reflective Leg Bands- sold per pair : Sports Reflective Gear : Sports & Outdoors
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 13,098
Likes: 13,031
From: Texas, USA
I've been fortunate and never caught my jeans on a shifter. Every upshift I use the heel shifter and every downshift I use the toe shifter. So, I actually like the heel shifter. As a side benefit, I don't wear the color off the toe of my boot. I also rarely put my feet flat on the footboards so the heel shifter isn't in my way. I keep my heel on the footboard and my toe on the highway peg.