Crash bar and toe shifter

[CDNRatMan]

  Rob, got mine from Guido in the Netherlands and it is made for the Drifter. Can you give a few pictures of yours? Thanks. Interesting things happen ......

[Nanook]

Well it seem that maybe my crashbar is not oem, or it is the '99 version and it got improved overtime by the manufacturer. I cannot lower my toe shifter because the crash bar is actually just in front of the floorbaord and even a bit higher than the floorboards. If I try to put it lower it would be touching the crashbar, and I would'nt be able to downshift. I've compare the picture above with mine and the bracket holding the crashbar in the picture is going downward from the screw holding it, mine is going forward, wich explain the difference. I'll try to snap a few pictures when I have time.

Thanks!
Rob

[CDNRatMan]

ok that might solve it....

I may try to lower the two shifter closer to the floorboard

mine are really close to the boards, perhaps like .5" off the boards.

adjustment and adjust till you find what works best for you.

[Nanook]

Another problem is that I have large feet. And with my toe shifter about 2" over the floorboard my foot won't fit betwwen heel and toe shifter without tripping on one of the two. I may try to lower the two shifter closer to the floorboard with just enough space to shift. I heard of some of the guys having the set up almost flush with the floorboard!

[Nanook]

Really interesting, you see with the feet forward I find it even less natural to lift the heel to shift!

[CDNRatMan]

  ok Rob you and I need to get togather and figure this out because now I know I am doing something wrong. I just came back from sunny Petawawa and I was watching how I sat and my feet position. When I ride I keep my left foot, between the toe and hel shifter, almost fits right in there, but have to toe out a bit, then it is a simple rocking motion I use to lift my toes to shift down, and a slight turn of the boot to line up the heel and a slight lift and gear down. This is my second bike with a heel and toe shifter and I really like it, really enjoy the floor boards too because to me it seems I do not get cramps or aches and pains in my legs and feet. (I have really bad arthritis in both legs and my neck) Just find the seating position really comfortable and for a good 2 hour ride it is easy to maintain the position. But then each to their own devices.

[Troll]

I guess it's more a matter of what you get used to. When I ride my W, I have to use the toe method, but the seating position makes that normal and easy...On the Drifter, with the feet forward position, I would find the lifting up to upshift quite awkward.

[Nanook]

I just think toe shifter are softer to use for upshifting and mainly does'nt require as much movement from the foot, the heel staying always at the same place. I started using the heel shifter because of my problem but found it require too much movement you don't have the choice to slide the feet backward or completly lift it up to reach the back shifter then slide everything forward again to down shift. Maybe it's just me and there is something i'm doing wrong but I don't find this as efficient as just pivoting the feet on the heel just to upshift or downshift with the toe shifter.

Rob

[Troll]

Yeah, same here...Step down on the front for 1st, and back with your heel for everything else...but I have had a heel/toe shifter since I got a foot shift on on my '68 EGlide. Before that, I had a foot clutch/tank shift. My BSA and my Guzzi had toe only, but that's the only ones like that.

[CDNRatMan]

 Rob a bit confused on this, I use the toe shifter to shift down only, and the heel to shift up only so I never need to get my foot under the toe shifter. I also have a Front Engine guard, so went and too pictures of the set up. I was worried at first with the floor board and engine guard mounting bolt might be in the way but it is a non-issue once it was mounted up.

[Nanook]

I have a 800 with, I think, the oem crashbar, the only problem I have is that the toe shifter comes really close to the crashbar. So close in fact that I can't slide my foot really far underneath and have to shift with the tip of my foot, almost on my toe nail actually! Anybody experienced this? I now use the heel shifter but would like to get a shorter toe shifter to fit. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Rob