Scraping my floorboards on turns
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37
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Scraping my floorboards on turns
Somebody help me before I get flipped! Got a new 06 Fatboy in May and just love it. However I keep scraping the outside of the floorboards when going around turns. I do not consider myself to be an aggressive rider so I really don't think that I'm giving her too much on the turn. Nor do I think it is my size, I'm 6'2" and 210 pounds, that should be good for a Fatboy suspension. It has happened now about a dozen times and it is very unnerving to hear a scrape as I'm leaning into a turn. I am starting to take turns wider than I want to in order to prevent this from happening and that isn't good. Is there any way to raise the floorboards or raise the bike? Went to local dealer whom I bought the bike from and service there suggested a $300 shock and mount fix that would raise the rear about an inch but he said that wouldn't help much. Anybody else have this problem? Jim
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 153
From: Fayetteville, NC
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
yes---do a search and u will see that we don't call it a "problem" we call it fun
It doesn't happen to me much because I purposely use slower speeds in my sharp turns now. I don't go wider as you do; I just slow my entry speed some. I can tell if the floorboards are going to scrape as soon as I lean---usually when I'm trying to beat a red light and do a sharp right hand turn, and some other instances. It wont hurt anything; plus the floorboards will fold up if you hit them hard enough. However, I personally don't like the "go wider" mentality----I like just keeping the speed down in those sharp left/right hand turns. But get used to it so that it doesn't scare you too bad and cause you to change your line (lift the bike) and run into the left or right lane into traffic. THEY WILL FOLD UP As for me---I'm aggressively coming off of crotch rockets and learned fast that I didn't have the same cornering clearance
It doesn't happen to me much because I purposely use slower speeds in my sharp turns now. I don't go wider as you do; I just slow my entry speed some. I can tell if the floorboards are going to scrape as soon as I lean---usually when I'm trying to beat a red light and do a sharp right hand turn, and some other instances. It wont hurt anything; plus the floorboards will fold up if you hit them hard enough. However, I personally don't like the "go wider" mentality----I like just keeping the speed down in those sharp left/right hand turns. But get used to it so that it doesn't scare you too bad and cause you to change your line (lift the bike) and run into the left or right lane into traffic. THEY WILL FOLD UP As for me---I'm aggressively coming off of crotch rockets and learned fast that I didn't have the same cornering clearance
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 255
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From: orange park,fl
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
Same problem,I'm 6'3'/265 lb.,I saw an ad in last months Hot Bike,can't remember the company.They have a kit that moves the floorboards 2" forward and around 1 1/2" higher.Your right,that metal to asphalt grinding will tighten your shorts up.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 916
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RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
You must be really leaning ...I have a 92 thats been lowered 1" (25") and rarely scrape anything but the muffler barckets.Was the bike lowered before you bought it ? I think the seat heighth on a fatboy is 25.5" ???Your weight may have something to do with it .Probably drops it to 24 " or so.That would make the boards scrape I presume.Other than changing suspension out,not much else.I dont think boards can be raised due to shifting and brake problems .Never seen brackets to raise boards either.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 174
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From: Just around the corner.
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
I scrape my floorboards all the time on turns. Why do you think they call our style of bikes "LEAD SLEDS" .
You can't take corners like a "Sportster". Enjoy it and have fun... I have never heard of
anyone raising their floorboards. Just ain't gonna happen. IMHO
You can't take corners like a "Sportster". Enjoy it and have fun... I have never heard of
anyone raising their floorboards. Just ain't gonna happen. IMHO
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
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RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
Other than some chrome parts and decals my kids bought me the bike is stock HD from the factory. Yeah I do find myself slowing down in the turns...bummer. Going wide is never comforting even when I can see the road ahead. Hey what is that "Hot Bikes" is it a website or a magazine? Thanks for the help.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 916
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From:
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
Hotbike is a magazine.Again,I dont think raising the boards is doable due to the shifter location.The only option I see is replacing the boards with forward pegs but the you have to reconfigure the shifter.Lots of $$$ if possible at all.Just watch your cornering.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 887
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From: New Orleans
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
Better stay out of the mountains with that baby 
This is why I have never and will never lower my ride.
This is why I have never and will never lower my ride.
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 711
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From: Bothell, WA
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
I mounted two ride bells on my Heritage Softail, one on each side of the forward frame. I set them so that they will touch and ring before I reach enough of an angle to scrape. Now, I hear a little jingle before I approach the point of board scraping which alerts me to not lean any further over. I have not scraped a board since
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 391
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From:
RE: Scraping my floorboards on turns
My floorboards are "over-lean indicators". I uses to be concern about them dragging ground, but I came to the conclusion that it is no big deal. You'll learn that the bike will still make the turn just fine with out leaning so aggressively. Slowing down helps. And if it does scrape, considered yourself warned and keep on riding. You'll find that the few scrapes leave very little damage and is barely visible on the floorboards. If need be, replacing them will be cheaper then buying a solution to raise them if any are available â and it doen't look like there is a solution to do so. Good luck.