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Over the weekend I learned a lot about putting floorboards on an XJ. I bought a set of HD accessory floorboards on eBay for about $30.00 (including shipping) but they had no hardware. Since this was going to be a custom install, no problem, I thought.....
Back at Camp Spearfish, Dale Hicks and I had seen a set of floorboards on a Harley. The boards looked like they might be adaptable to the XS/XJ. In brief, you remove the footpegs, mount the new hardware, and bolt on the new floorboards. In my case, I needed to fabricate the hardware.
Old pegs were easy enough to remove. Attaching pin is a rivet, with a ring on the bottom side for additional support. I cut through this ring with my rotary (dremel) tool, making an X. A couple taps with a hammer and chisel and the rings were off. Pulled the pins and removed the footpegs.
I used 3/4 inch square bar stock to fit in the socket left by the footpeg. While this works, I ended up putting 2 washers on either side of it as shims. 1 inch would work better, but I had the 3/4 in my junk bin and you know how it goes...
Once the bar stock was drilled for the retaining pin, I trial fit the new floorboard. Beginning with the left side, the bar stock was cut to a 1 inch length. The floorboard could not be mounted to this directly, as it would raise the floorboard to high. I cut a 3 inch piece of 3/6 flat stock and welded it to the bar. With the bar stock in place, the flat stock is pointing at the floor. That is, it was welded to mount in a vertical position. The right side bar stock was longer, in order to clear the rear brake lever. I cut it at about 1.75 inch length.
I positioned the top of the floorboard to be flush with the top of the mount, the height of the original pegs. Using a marker, I marked a spot on the vertical bar to drill a mounting hole. Once drilled, I mounted the floorboards to the vertical bars. (Next time I'll cut a triangular plate or a 'T' and hang the top side down, giving me the option of using two bolts to mount each floorbard instead of 1. This would reduce the tendancy of the floorboards to pivot arund a single mounting bolt if it should happen to loosen up on a long trip.)
One problem: the floorbard mounts required a spacer on the bike side, as the edge of the floorboard was not flush with boards's mounting bracket. A short piece of the 3/16 flat stock worked just fine.
So now both boards were mounted. I took the bike for a short drive and rediscoverd a few things.
Very little problem with the right side. Boards are short enough that there is no interference with the rear brake pedal, which is a bit higher than the floorboard.
Problems came on the left (shifter) side. The original footpeg does more than provide a foot rest. In use, your foot pivots on it to shift. Flat board, no pivot. See the problem?
I tried lowering the board, moving in and away from the bike, and adjusting it front to back. Eventually came up with a work around, not the best solution, but it will get me by for a while.
Board is in the above-mentioned 'stock' location. Shifting lever has been moved up two splines. I can upshift pretty much the regular way, but have found if I roll the foot sideways, instead of heel and toe, the up-shifting works quite well.
As for downshifting...now I know why most floorboard kits come with a heel-toe shifter. Your foot rests on this while shifting, providing the pivot point eliminated by the floorboard. At present I have to either lift up my entire foot, or really rock back on my left heel to get my foot above the shifter. Lifting the foot is easier.
Next: get or build a heel-toe shifter. If anyone has one I can play with, please contact me off-line. I think one from a Honda will also work.....
Impressions:
Less vibration transmitted to feet. I find my feet moving forward on the boards to the point where my heels are above the mounting bracket, and my toes are just behind the 3-point engine bars. In other words, my knees have a better, more comfortable angle. (With the pegs, I tend to have the arch of the foot over the mounting bracket.)
Footboards do not fold up. Don't know how this would work out in a lay-down.
Biggest problem is shifting...this modification is not for riding in the twisties. However, the original pegs can be reinstalled in about 10 minutes or so If I want to revert.
Since the bulk of miles with this bike are longer distance, I think I will like having the boards installed. Having the original hardware would have helped, but price goes up considerably. Prices for new units at local dealers range from $106.00 to $115.00. Boards (rectangular, not half-moon style) are sold by Dennis Kirk in their catalog and are available at most Harly dealers. Drag Specialties, the importer, will not sell direct; you must go to a dealer. Hardware is *not* available as a kit or even piece by piece; you have to buy the entire floorboard kit.....
Floorbaords are sold as 'Universal Adjustable' for '80s and ealy '90s HDs that use a clevis-type mount, incluing Dynaglides and softtails.
I've put very few miles on the bike since installing the floorboards. I'll take a few photos of the install and try to get in a couple longer rides, then let you know my thoughts and riding impressions. For now, just to say it can be done, but there are issues yet to be resolved before I can say it was a total success.
Back at Camp Spearfish, Dale Hicks and I had seen a set of floorboards on a Harley. The boards looked like they might be adaptable to the XS/XJ. In brief, you remove the footpegs, mount the new hardware, and bolt on the new floorboards. In my case, I needed to fabricate the hardware.
Old pegs were easy enough to remove. Attaching pin is a rivet, with a ring on the bottom side for additional support. I cut through this ring with my rotary (dremel) tool, making an X. A couple taps with a hammer and chisel and the rings were off. Pulled the pins and removed the footpegs.
I used 3/4 inch square bar stock to fit in the socket left by the footpeg. While this works, I ended up putting 2 washers on either side of it as shims. 1 inch would work better, but I had the 3/4 in my junk bin and you know how it goes...
Once the bar stock was drilled for the retaining pin, I trial fit the new floorboard. Beginning with the left side, the bar stock was cut to a 1 inch length. The floorboard could not be mounted to this directly, as it would raise the floorboard to high. I cut a 3 inch piece of 3/6 flat stock and welded it to the bar. With the bar stock in place, the flat stock is pointing at the floor. That is, it was welded to mount in a vertical position. The right side bar stock was longer, in order to clear the rear brake lever. I cut it at about 1.75 inch length.
I positioned the top of the floorboard to be flush with the top of the mount, the height of the original pegs. Using a marker, I marked a spot on the vertical bar to drill a mounting hole. Once drilled, I mounted the floorboards to the vertical bars. (Next time I'll cut a triangular plate or a 'T' and hang the top side down, giving me the option of using two bolts to mount each floorbard instead of 1. This would reduce the tendancy of the floorboards to pivot arund a single mounting bolt if it should happen to loosen up on a long trip.)
One problem: the floorbard mounts required a spacer on the bike side, as the edge of the floorboard was not flush with boards's mounting bracket. A short piece of the 3/16 flat stock worked just fine.
So now both boards were mounted. I took the bike for a short drive and rediscoverd a few things.
Very little problem with the right side. Boards are short enough that there is no interference with the rear brake pedal, which is a bit higher than the floorboard.
Problems came on the left (shifter) side. The original footpeg does more than provide a foot rest. In use, your foot pivots on it to shift. Flat board, no pivot. See the problem?
I tried lowering the board, moving in and away from the bike, and adjusting it front to back. Eventually came up with a work around, not the best solution, but it will get me by for a while.
Board is in the above-mentioned 'stock' location. Shifting lever has been moved up two splines. I can upshift pretty much the regular way, but have found if I roll the foot sideways, instead of heel and toe, the up-shifting works quite well.
As for downshifting...now I know why most floorboard kits come with a heel-toe shifter. Your foot rests on this while shifting, providing the pivot point eliminated by the floorboard. At present I have to either lift up my entire foot, or really rock back on my left heel to get my foot above the shifter. Lifting the foot is easier.
Next: get or build a heel-toe shifter. If anyone has one I can play with, please contact me off-line. I think one from a Honda will also work.....
Impressions:
Less vibration transmitted to feet. I find my feet moving forward on the boards to the point where my heels are above the mounting bracket, and my toes are just behind the 3-point engine bars. In other words, my knees have a better, more comfortable angle. (With the pegs, I tend to have the arch of the foot over the mounting bracket.)
Footboards do not fold up. Don't know how this would work out in a lay-down.
Biggest problem is shifting...this modification is not for riding in the twisties. However, the original pegs can be reinstalled in about 10 minutes or so If I want to revert.
Since the bulk of miles with this bike are longer distance, I think I will like having the boards installed. Having the original hardware would have helped, but price goes up considerably. Prices for new units at local dealers range from $106.00 to $115.00. Boards (rectangular, not half-moon style) are sold by Dennis Kirk in their catalog and are available at most Harly dealers. Drag Specialties, the importer, will not sell direct; you must go to a dealer. Hardware is *not* available as a kit or even piece by piece; you have to buy the entire floorboard kit.....
Floorbaords are sold as 'Universal Adjustable' for '80s and ealy '90s HDs that use a clevis-type mount, incluing Dynaglides and softtails.
I've put very few miles on the bike since installing the floorboards. I'll take a few photos of the install and try to get in a couple longer rides, then let you know my thoughts and riding impressions. For now, just to say it can be done, but there are issues yet to be resolved before I can say it was a total success.
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