Heel shift it baby, heel shift it stong, heel shift it honey... all night long
View Poll Results: Do You Give A Shift????
Yes Heel Shifter
238
58.05%
No Heel Shifter
172
41.95%
Voters: 410. You may not vote on this poll
Do you Give A Shift????
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,341
Likes: 9
From: Woodinville, WA
First thing I do with a new bike is adjust the front shifter down a notch to make down shifting easier. Can't really do that if you use the front for up shifting too. One of the beauties of having a rear shifter.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 424
Likes: 2
From: Middle of Kansas
Mine's still on but I can't remember the last time I used it.
I fabricated some new brackets to move my floor boards forward 2-1/2" and bought an extended front shifter (9-1/4" C-C) that gives me 14" between the pegs so I have plenty of room for my big foot.
The rear is adjusted pretty low in relationship to the floorboard since it hangs about 2" behind it but it is still usable if I ever want to use it.
I fabricated some new brackets to move my floor boards forward 2-1/2" and bought an extended front shifter (9-1/4" C-C) that gives me 14" between the pegs so I have plenty of room for my big foot.
The rear is adjusted pretty low in relationship to the floorboard since it hangs about 2" behind it but it is still usable if I ever want to use it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,873
Likes: 13
From: NW Arkansas
I didn't think I would like a heel shift back when I got my first bike, but I got used to it and now it is a natural thing to do. I'm 6-2 with long legs so I don't use the boards much anyway. Makes me feel like my knees are up under my chin. I ride with my heels on the boards and toes on the highway pegs most of the time. Besides, having a heel shifter means you got one more piece of chrome!
I remember the Honda Dream with the heel shift. Also the Honda Trail 90 and the little Honda 50s, and Suzuki made a little 120cc enduro that had a 3 speed with a heel shift also if I remember correctly.
I remember the Honda Dream with the heel shift. Also the Honda Trail 90 and the little Honda 50s, and Suzuki made a little 120cc enduro that had a 3 speed with a heel shift also if I remember correctly.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,801
Likes: 13
got rid of mine after about a month...felt i needed extra room.....and i only wear a size 10... i couldn't imagine someone with 13s or 15s trying to wedge their foot between the pegs.
I am a little on the short side 5'6" ..and i actually ride with my feet pretty far back on the boards and my knees bent kinda like a mid-controll stance...especially in the turns..it really makes an 800# bike feel ALOT more nimble then it should....
I am a little on the short side 5'6" ..and i actually ride with my feet pretty far back on the boards and my knees bent kinda like a mid-controll stance...especially in the turns..it really makes an 800# bike feel ALOT more nimble then it should....
+1
I used the heel shifter on my last bike, until it stripped out(new heel shifter on a worn out shaft.....wasn't cuz I was stomping on it)....I took the heel shifter off, and spent about a week getting used to it not being there.
Bought a new bike in Febuary. 1st thing I did was took the heel shifter off.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Texas
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