Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,331
Likes: 56
From: north of Daytona
Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
I have read in this and other forums whether
'heal/toe' shifters are good or bad.....Well. ....
here is my recent story:
Riding in the Smokey Mtns on Cherohala Skyway,
I am in third gear going up a hill....I turn into
an 'overlook' to see the scenery. I go to tap on
my toe shifter to go to neutral and low and behold,
my shifter was all the was down! I could not get into
neutral (or second or FIRST). I shut the bike off,
get out my tool kit to try to tightened the NUT
holding the shift lever. IT IS TIGHT.
SO!, the splines must be stripped!
I swap the HEAL for the TOE lever
(please let it be the lever and not the shaft that
is stripped). 15 minutes later and help from some great
guys at the overlook.... ......and I am shifting with my
TOE again.
I went to Ghost Town Harley in Waynesville, NC...but
they did not stock the shifter I needed (Friendly folks
though).
Bottom line......I have a heal/toe shifter..... .and was
able to use the heal part to get home.
If you only want to have a toe shift....at least carry
the heal part as a spare. You or someone else may appreciate
it later.
 \\; Got back 'home' and bought new heal/toe levers.....
works fine!
 \\; \\; Side note:
Western NC is great....sweet people, awesome roads and
scenery.
One must-see in Maggie Valley if you are a 'motor head'
or just like old bikes....... .is the "Wheels through time"
museam. This is their last year on the East coast, and will move
to Arizona in November. They are another group of GREAT people.
 \\;
chuck
'heal/toe' shifters are good or bad.....Well. ....
here is my recent story:
Riding in the Smokey Mtns on Cherohala Skyway,
I am in third gear going up a hill....I turn into
an 'overlook' to see the scenery. I go to tap on
my toe shifter to go to neutral and low and behold,
my shifter was all the was down! I could not get into
neutral (or second or FIRST). I shut the bike off,
get out my tool kit to try to tightened the NUT
holding the shift lever. IT IS TIGHT.
SO!, the splines must be stripped!
I swap the HEAL for the TOE lever
(please let it be the lever and not the shaft that
is stripped). 15 minutes later and help from some great
guys at the overlook.... ......and I am shifting with my
TOE again.
I went to Ghost Town Harley in Waynesville, NC...but
they did not stock the shifter I needed (Friendly folks
though).
Bottom line......I have a heal/toe shifter..... .and was
able to use the heal part to get home.
If you only want to have a toe shift....at least carry
the heal part as a spare. You or someone else may appreciate
it later.
 \\; Got back 'home' and bought new heal/toe levers.....
works fine!
 \\; \\; Side note:
Western NC is great....sweet people, awesome roads and
scenery.
One must-see in Maggie Valley if you are a 'motor head'
or just like old bikes....... .is the "Wheels through time"
museam. This is their last year on the East coast, and will move
to Arizona in November. They are another group of GREAT people.
 \\;
chuck
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 5
From: Southern California - Palm Springs Area
RE: Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
Been there done that. First thing I do is take off the heal shifter and install the bushing. Then throm the extra shifter in the saddlebag. Ben out a few times in the middle of no where and someones shifter strips out
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
On my wife's new SG, instead of the busing, I took off the peg, turned the hell shifter around and married it to the toe shifter. \\; If takes up the space and is available if need a spare. \\; It doesn't look to bad either
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: outskirts of Seattle
RE: Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
Been riding for 30+ years ~ love and have used toe/heel shift technique for a lot of years. \\;Can honestly say, have never had the ocassion to deal with your problem ~ glad it worked out.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Missouri
RE: Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
Themensh, Kinda the same situation except that my buddy, riding a 2000 EGC stripped out the toe shifter on Hwy 79 just outside of Hermosa, South Dakota. The problem was, he had previosly taken the heal shifter off of his bike. We wound up taking my heal shifter off of my Ultra and putting it on his bike. I know for a fact these things can and do strip out when one would least expects it. \\;\\\\\\;I have ridden with a heal/toe shifter since 1986 and find it feels kinda weird to ride any other way. \\;\\\\\\;
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,379
Likes: 13
RE: Heal-toe Vs Toe only.
I use my heel-toe shifter all the time, just seems like the way to shift, I'm not implying anything here, but, i've seen more than one person, when they get on their bike, sort of 'stomp' the bike into gear, instead of just slipping it into gear.
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