I'm with DieselDoc103. I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. But I also get it. My wife has the same problem on her bike. I got tired of it so I made custom shields out of an old exhaust heat shield. Cost me nothing. I used the part that had two little clamps already on it, cut it to size, rounded and polished the ends and clamped it on! Problem solved! Now if I can just get her to back her own bike out of the garage...

 

I prefer boards myself, I built my own heal guard for the (94 EVO) hard tail.
Didn't need on for the 01 FLHT or the 09 Ultra.

 

Don`t give up on the floorboards yet (unless you don`t like riding with them).

Once you ride with floorboards for a while, you will know where your feet are without looking down...

I`ve never had to remove any boot marks from my pipes in 29 years of riding with floorboards.

 

I guess I just don't get it because my first bike is my Heritage and has boards , although ive rode bikes with pegs since owning my Heritage ive not once to touch my boot against my pipe. I guess its just my mind not wanting to melt rubber on it because im super **** about my bike. idk. I do know there is a DIY how to on how to make your own heel guard cheap on here! search bar!