Heel Shifter?

[manshack_one]

Wondering if anyone had put a different gear selector on their bike so they could shift with their heel also? You know the kind so you never have to pull up, just push down on the front to downshift, press on the back with your heel to shift up. I can't find the right word for it so google isn't helping me out right now. Searching for "heel shifter thingy" isn't yeilding too many usable results.

[bigb9582]

i have one on my 79 (came with it). dont know what to search for tho.
to be honest it feels like it makes the shifting a little slower compared to other bikes, but then again i never driven another xs, so it may be a slow shifter normaly. but you do move ur foot alot more to change gears.

[manshack_one]

I was just thinking in some cases it might be easier depending on the driver. When I was going through my MSF class trying to shift that lever up on those 250's got old real quick. Maybe it's different on a bigger bike like these 1100's.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Manshack,

I've done a forward controls mod that incorporates the "Heel Toe Shift Lever", but also keeps the OEM shift lever.

Remember, you don't have to settle for where the shift lever is right now on your bike. IF you feel like you have to pull your foot/toes up too far to get it to upshift, then remove the lock bolt, and rotate the lever CCW a few splines and try that position!

I prefer mine a little lower than other folks, but my foot/toes point downward more when I' riding with them on the OEM footpegs!
YMMV!
T.C.

[Jerry]

I have a heel - toe shifter on my XJ. Came off a Honda Trail 90. Rear portion is a bit long for my foot, should cut it down about an inch, but have been riding with it since 2002. I also run mini-floorboards, the shifter is mounted 1 spline counter-clockwise (front end down a bit) than the stock shifter.

[malber]

I tried a Harley with floorboards and a heel-toe shift lever on one of their demo days. It was interesting but a little counterintuitive to kick down to upshift. I suppose there would be a little bit of a learning curve with it.

[malber]

Originally posted by manshack_one
I was just thinking in some cases it might be easier depending on the driver. When I was going through my MSF class trying to shift that lever up on those 250's got old real quick. Maybe it's different on a bigger bike like these 1100's.

It's not the size of the bike but the riders. The worst wear those bikes get are the newbies crunching on first, second, and maybe third gear. I had to trade in the first bike I was given during my course because I couldn't reliably get it into second.