Help Me Fine Tune My Roadster Ride
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 324
Likes: 2
From: Near Fort Bragg, NC
Help Me Fine Tune My Roadster Ride
I have a fw questions that I hope that you will help me with regarding my 2006 1200R:
1. I have forward controls. Should I adjust my rear brake pedal so that the pedal is even with the sole of my boot when my feet are on the pegs so that I only have to slide my foot over to activate the rear brake? Or should I have the brake pedal adjusted higher so that I have to pick my foot up to depress the pedal? I currently have it adjusted even with the sole of my boot, but the pedal takes a lot of input to activate the rear brake. How do you folks adjust yours?
2. How do you folks adjust your gear shift lever on your forward controls? As you ride with your feet on the pegs, is your gear shift lever even with the sole of your boot, half way up your boot toe, or above your boot toe so that you can slide your toe easily under the shifter? Mine currently is about half way up my toe, and sometimes my toe gets.caught/stuck up under the lever.
3. I just bought some new cushion grips from the dealer. The parts guy said that I really don't need to use the adhesive to hold the left grip on. Then I can easily change grips to meet different riding conditions. Doesn't seem as if H-D would have supplied it if it were not needed. What do you fo.ks do?
4. My neighbor gave me a couple of like-new HJC helmets. Both have so ugly swirly colored factory decals covering the outside. Can I use a heat gun on low to remove the decals so that the helmets can be painted more pleasing colors?
Please excuse the long post. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
1. I have forward controls. Should I adjust my rear brake pedal so that the pedal is even with the sole of my boot when my feet are on the pegs so that I only have to slide my foot over to activate the rear brake? Or should I have the brake pedal adjusted higher so that I have to pick my foot up to depress the pedal? I currently have it adjusted even with the sole of my boot, but the pedal takes a lot of input to activate the rear brake. How do you folks adjust yours?
2. How do you folks adjust your gear shift lever on your forward controls? As you ride with your feet on the pegs, is your gear shift lever even with the sole of your boot, half way up your boot toe, or above your boot toe so that you can slide your toe easily under the shifter? Mine currently is about half way up my toe, and sometimes my toe gets.caught/stuck up under the lever.
3. I just bought some new cushion grips from the dealer. The parts guy said that I really don't need to use the adhesive to hold the left grip on. Then I can easily change grips to meet different riding conditions. Doesn't seem as if H-D would have supplied it if it were not needed. What do you fo.ks do?
4. My neighbor gave me a couple of like-new HJC helmets. Both have so ugly swirly colored factory decals covering the outside. Can I use a heat gun on low to remove the decals so that the helmets can be painted more pleasing colors?
Please excuse the long post. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 8
From: Milwaukee, WI
In regards to 1 and 2. I have the shifter and brake lever even with my toe and it is comfortable for me. I like being able to slide my right foot onto the brake lever as opposed to lifting my foot up.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 324
Likes: 2
From: Near Fort Bragg, NC
Thanks for your psychiatric diagnosis. I'm a new rider trying to learn from those more experienced. I t's a shame that you wasted the electricity necessary to post a totally useless reply.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Welcome and best of luck but you'll soon learn that thick skin is a prerequisite on this forum...otherwise you're going to be wasting a TON of electricity bickering with all the internet tough guys.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 4
From: Somewhere In NY
I would adjust them to where I was comfortable with the way the controls worked for you
not trying to be a jerk just In my opinion they need to be set for you not what someone else thought
Forwards make me feel like I am laying down so I don't have them sorry I can't help that much there
Decals should come off with heat I would think
the and grips i have no clue about other than I have read about guys having a hard time changing them when the stock one on the left side was glued down
Not like the op asked anything ridiculous or hard to answer
not trying to be a jerk just In my opinion they need to be set for you not what someone else thought
Forwards make me feel like I am laying down so I don't have them sorry I can't help that much there
Decals should come off with heat I would think
the and grips i have no clue about other than I have read about guys having a hard time changing them when the stock one on the left side was glued down
Not like the op asked anything ridiculous or hard to answer
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 466
Likes: 3
From: Cave Creek, AZ
I did the trial and error on my controls when I got the bike. Load needed tools in a bag, ride for a while, then pull over in a parking lot and adjust the controls then ride some more. I have mids, but must have moved the shifter peg 3-4 times til I got it where I liked it.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 756
Likes: 1
From: Austin, TX
I actually had the same grips question. do those just slip off? it sounds like the stocks are glued down. I'm still too busy riding to care about looks, but I did see some grips that were cool for me, and now I'm kind of pulling and checking on them to see whats going on there for a removal and installation.
If you really sit back and look at these "folks", which now includes you, one can see the builders who seem to have an inginuity for everything, the HD dealer advocates who have an HD wrench do it all for them, and some riders who are in between all of that. It really is up to you, and what you find you like. Many here have bought from the dealer then started down the same path, for example with the forward controls. What I think these "folks" want most for you is that you don't put on forward controls just because someone told you it is a must have item. If you get to tweaking on it you will let us know where you ended up?
Now that you are in the Harley family, it is time to wash your own dishes. TSD1959 said it best...... he knows how to adjust it and he did it a few times and is now sure that the adjustment suits his style of riding and comfort.
I am like you, a little new to the HD, but I try to understand that many of these guys have busted their knuckles to get where they are now. guys like us may or may not get dirty, so these "folks" may or may not want to waste time on a virtual student for no reason other than getting liked on facebook. to this means I just read the owners manual cover to cover and I now see that this forum is not for a how to, but a how did you do?
Given that.......... these "folks" are, and always have been, some of the greatest company one can keep. I hope you get your moto just the way you want it.
as far as removing decals... blowdryer and goof off...
If you really sit back and look at these "folks", which now includes you, one can see the builders who seem to have an inginuity for everything, the HD dealer advocates who have an HD wrench do it all for them, and some riders who are in between all of that. It really is up to you, and what you find you like. Many here have bought from the dealer then started down the same path, for example with the forward controls. What I think these "folks" want most for you is that you don't put on forward controls just because someone told you it is a must have item. If you get to tweaking on it you will let us know where you ended up?
Now that you are in the Harley family, it is time to wash your own dishes. TSD1959 said it best...... he knows how to adjust it and he did it a few times and is now sure that the adjustment suits his style of riding and comfort.
I am like you, a little new to the HD, but I try to understand that many of these guys have busted their knuckles to get where they are now. guys like us may or may not get dirty, so these "folks" may or may not want to waste time on a virtual student for no reason other than getting liked on facebook. to this means I just read the owners manual cover to cover and I now see that this forum is not for a how to, but a how did you do?
Given that.......... these "folks" are, and always have been, some of the greatest company one can keep. I hope you get your moto just the way you want it.
as far as removing decals... blowdryer and goof off...
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,541
Likes: 11
From: Elyria, OH
As far as the controls, everyone rides different. Adjust to where it is the most comfortabe for you, that is why they are adjustable. As far as the left grip goes, if you need to take the switch housing apart to install them like the stock grips, then I see no need to glue it on. I have the Kuryakyn Iso-Grips on my wife's bike, it is not secured into the switch housing and it is not glued on. It will rotate and slide off if I work at it, but it won't just slide off while riding. If the grip fits on snug, I wouldn't worry about glueing it on unless you notice it sliding off while riding.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 324
Likes: 2
From: Near Fort Bragg, NC
You're right. After 26 years in the Army , I have pretty thick skin, but he sounded like a smart-a** private for whom I had little tolerance. Thanks for refocusing my "OCD."