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I just took the heel shifter off and put one of those chrome caps from HD to put on the end of the shaft. I’ll be taking it for a ride later. At the dealer I was surprised by how many new bikes don’t have a heel shifter.
I really like my toe / heal shifter but with size 13 boots it gets a little tight. Often time my heal shifter rubs the back of my boot when I’m downshifting on the toe. Also, I’m thinking that eliminating the heal shifter would be easier on my linkage. I just replaced my rear shifter to tranny arm last year and I’ve had to retighten it already.
I had tried a long heal shifter a while back but I took it off worried that it was too much leverage on my linkage. It was a cheap one and was real heavy.
Any thoughts.
Size 13 here too. Had mine taken off before it came home. Also had the toe shifter raised up one spline to make more room under it for my boot. Works great for me.
Last edited by dakotared; Jun 29, 2020 at 04:15 PM.
I only wear a size 9.5 boot, and it was tight for me with the heel shifter, not sure how you guys with 12 and 13's do it lol, I removed it today, so much better! and I'll be damn if I was going to pay $30+ for a spacer, I made one for less than $4, quick trip to my local hardware store, some cutting and grinding to size, and some black paint and...boom!
I used the heal shifter for 10 years and was okay with it. Then HD took them off and I thought yeah that is how I learned and rode for so long so I took my off. Wow much better. Just using the toe is so much quicker and efficient. Way more room on the floorboards! The only down side is a wear spot on your boots, which I think gives them character.
I'm a heel/toe convert... been doing the Harley two-step since getting my SGS. First bike I've ever had it on, thought i'd give it a whirl
I wear a size 13 myself and don't have any issues. Had the stock shifters originally, now run Airflow shifters...don't think they are any longer. My foot happily sits between them when I'm not changing up or down
Originally Posted by 1canvas
I really like my toe / heal shifter but with size 13 boots it gets a little tight. Often time my heal shifter rubs the back of my boot when I’m downshifting on the toe. Also, I’m thinking that eliminating the heal shifter would be easier on my linkage. I just replaced my rear shifter to tranny arm last year and I’ve had to retighten it already.
I had tried a long heal shifter a while back but I took it off worried that it was too much leverage on my linkage. It was a cheap one and was real heavy.
Any thoughts.
Last edited by havinabubble; Jun 30, 2020 at 09:39 AM.
Reason: can't spell
Tossed the heel shifter about 30 years ago on my `89 Softail because I wanted more space for my size 13 on the floorboard.
I have always thought that some problems guys had with shift levers coming loose on the transmission shaft were due to stomping on the heel lever, lots of guys do it and don`t even realize it (I`ve seen several riding friends lift their entire foot off the board then come down on the heel shifter).
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Jun 30, 2020 at 11:21 AM.
