Heel/Toe Shifter Fetish. What started as a hobby became a sickness. . .

[Thunnar]

It's too late for me, but if I can help others avoid going down the same rabbit hole then maybe I can at least serve as an example.  Good thing all my children are grown.  Hate for them to see their old man like this.  Obsessing over chromed foot controls.  Wearing out Google, eBay, Craig's list like a peg junkie.

It all started when I bought a motorcycle that has been out of production for 10 years.  Nobody warned me that all the groovy after market parts were probably out of business too. God bless, Mark Tobias.  Wish to heaven that he made heel/toe shifters too because they would probably be great too -- just like his Mild2Wild pipes which are a minor engineering marvel, by the way.

Kuryakyn made one, long gone.  Rattlebars made one, outta business.  MC enterprises makes one that most people on this board hate.  Well, I found and bought all of them.  That's right.  I paid market price and now own $1,000 worth of Valkyrie heel/toe shifters.  What a fool I am.

Now I spend my free time in the garage swapping out shifters on a nightly basis while my 30 year younger hot Russian wife beckons to me in her negligee, but I'm too busy weighing the benefits of Kuryakyn vs Rattlebars.  (They both have an 11" spread between the pegs while the MC has 13"' FYI).
What next?  Floorboards???  Don't let this happen to you.   

[gordonv]

Well, what is the results as you found them?

Maybe next time have that sexy wife on the bike, and take an odd break or two for a little while.

[BF]

my 30 year younger hot Russian wife beckons

[Thunnar]

Well, what is the results as you found them?

Maybe next time have that sexy wife on the bike, and take an odd break or two for a little while.

Since I put the armrests on the back, she loves the ride and pretty much insists on going whenever I do.

As far as the shifters,  the Kuryakyn is almost plug-and-play and worked great with the least amount of fiddling around.  It was designed to use the rear hole on the peg plate no questions asked and the swivel joints have just the right amount of play.  They threw in linkages for either the Valkyrie or the Goldwing.  It almost has to go with a peg instead of a floor board because of the way the shifter mounts on the peg bracket rather than the bolt holes above like the Rattlebars.  Like I was saying, if your boot is larger than a size 11, there is not much room for your foot between the pegs.

The highly regarded Rattlebars shifter plays with clearances more than the Kuryakyn does.  Without resorting to a peg relocating kit, you need to decide how many washers/spacers to use to get the clearance you want going sideways without cramping the bushing at the pivot point of the shifter.  Then it's too far out on the Valkyrie shift peg.  I ended up cutting off the foot guards and putting a couple of bends in the shift lever just to come out to meet the Rattlebars.  Then I had to out what angle to put the shift lever at so that the heel peg wouldn't be too low down.  Just more "fiddling around" in general to make it work right.

The MC I haven't installed yet.  I bought it first because I didn't think I hade a hope in hell of finding the other 2, but to my surprise, I found both the kury and the Rattlebars within a week of each other. 

[Jess from VA]

I have no peg rel kit, and Cobra floorboards.  My Rattlebars kickshift just bolted up without much fiddling.  I cannot remember, I may have moved the shift peg up or down one tooth.

Even my 8 1/2's don't really fit fully on the board.  I can probably squeeze it in the space, but it is too tight for comfort/safety and I usually keep my toes out off the edge of the board. Not really a problem.

[Fla. Jim]

"I have no peg rel kit, and Cobra floorboards.  My Rattlebars kickshift just bolted up without much fiddling.  I cannot remember, I may have moved the shift peg up or down one tooth."

Yea I Wear 10.5 shoes and moved my front prg down one or two teeth. Just under where my foot normaly sits. I learned to "only" downshift with the toes and upshift with the heel. Have no problem at all fitting my shoes on the floor board.

[saab9k]

Pictures of the wife 

Yes

[Hook#3287]

It's disgusting that a fellow VRCC member shows his sole, opens his heart and admits to a sickness we all could be affected by and all some of you want is a pic of  "my 30 year younger hot Russian wife beckons to me in her negligee."

What's worse is he is blatantly ignoring you.

[BF]

I'm callin' BS. 

Unless there's photographic proof of said "30 year younger hot Russian wife that beckons to me in her negligee", it hasn't happened.   

[Thunnar]

You have touched my heart with your desperate  requests.  Now if I can just figure out how to post a photo

[HayHauler]

Email me the photo (not BF) and I will post it for you.  Email in my profile. 

Hay 
Jimmyt

[mmurffy03]

did you get the kuryakyn shifter from the VRCC guy in Poland that had one listed a week or so ago ?

[Tx Bohemian]

It's disgusting that a fellow VRCC member shows his sole, opens his heart and admits to a sickness we all could be affected by and all some of you want is a pic of  "my 30 year younger hot Russian wife beckons to me in her negligee."

What's worse is he is blatantly ignoring you.

Yeah, you're right.
But you gotta admit that Thunnar started it with his  "my 30 year younger hot Russian wife beckons to me in her negligee" comment on a M/C site which is frequented majorily by men!

Shoot!! I wanna see pictures too!!  Even if it isn't true, just get a picture of any hot russian gal in a negligee and post it.  That'll work or me!!

Now if this was a "cooking" or "sewing" website, yeah, maybe some of the comments would be reaching...

[Flat6Valk]

just get more Valkyries so you will have more time with that Hot Russian Wife

[Bone]

The picture was posted but in the wrong thread check "Rear tire repair".

[Thunnar]

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Is this how you do it?   

[Thunnar]

did you get the kuryakyn shifter from the VRCC guy in Poland that had one listed a week or so ago ?

got the Kury from a guy in NYC.  Came complete with the GW linkage too.  Paid $250.  Bought the Rattlebars fron a guy in Spain.  It came with a set of Cobra floorboards. Paid $300 for the set.

[9Ball]

You need to get out of the cold garage and take care of your other duties......

[Thunnar]

"I have no peg rel kit, and Cobra floorboards.  My Rattlebars kickshift just bolted up without much fiddling.  I cannot remember, I may have moved the shift peg up or down one tooth."

Yea I Wear 10.5 shoes and moved my front prg down one or two teeth. Just under where my foot normaly sits. I learned to "only" downshift with the toes and upshift with the heel. Have no problem at all fitting my shoes on the floor board.

I have the exact setup as you do in your photo even with the shift lever in the 3:30 position, but the heel peg does not ride as high as yours in the photo.

[BF]

Email me the photo (not BF) and I will post it for you.  Email in my profile. 

Hay 
Jimmyt

Somebody needs to let Oss know about this thread.   

[Fla. Jim]

"I have no peg rel kit, and Cobra floorboards.  My Rattlebars kickshift just bolted up without much fiddling.  I cannot remember, I may have moved the shift peg up or down one tooth."

Yea I Wear 10.5 shoes and moved my front prg down one or two teeth. Just under where my foot normaly sits. I learned to "only" downshift with the toes and upshift with the heel. Have no problem at all fitting my shoes on the floor board.

I have the exact setup as you do in your photo even with the shift lever in the 3:30 position, but the heel peg does not ride as high as yours in the photo.

Hmm wonder if any changes were made between batches? Mine was from his second run. Or if what you have is a knock off?

[Punisher]

I seem to recall VRCC member, X-Ring, used the Kury Goldwing (1500 or 1800?) heel-toe shifter on one of his Valks and it looked/worked great.  Just some minor fabricating/adjusting he had to do, different bolts/spacers to make it work.

Much cheaper option than the price gouging I've seen going on with Valkyrie specific made shifters.

Some things made for other bikes can be adapted without too much work if you're of a mind to do it.

[Hook#3287]

Still no picture?

[Thunnar]

Fabrication was the next step.  However, I am trying to develop a rapport with my Recycled Rattlebars at the moment.

[Thunnar]

Still no picture?

You missed it.  Was up all day yesterday.  Some of the guys seemed to approve. 

[BF]

Still no picture?

You missed it.  Was up all day yesterday.  Some of the guys seemed to approve. 

Put it back.   

[Thunnar]

Next thread maybe.  People will get mad if I get off topic on the Tech board.  Hot Russian women go in the general topics and this was about shifters anyway.  I just bowed to the pressure and showed off mine.

[Fiat Lux]

If you would like a Rattelbars heel and toe shifter with a small flake of chrome missing, please send me a PM. Canada Post will take its pound of flesh.
Fiat Lux

[N0tac0p]

So, after all this.  ARE there heel / toe (kick) shifters available?  price?

[Kunkies]

I'm getting impatient, where's the Russian hotty?

[Thunnar]

Came and went, Bud.  Some offers are on a limited basis only!