Guys I rode my first Nomad (and my first bike with floor boards or a heel shifter) yesterday. I did not have any problem at all with the shifter or a place to put my size 13 foot. Of course it was my first ride on such.
I guess after all these years of never having nothing but a peg and a small stirrup, I'm in hog heaven with a floorboard and heel shifter.
The heal was set low so it was easy to get at. Possibly "too" easy is what some of you are talking about as I guess you could accidently step on it if you didn't watch it.
But I didn't really seem to have a problem with the shifter or the floorboard. It rode like a dream in that aspect.
It wasn't an issue for me until I hit the road for some long days. I am still on the road and leaving Salt Lake City today heading torward Washington State. After leaving Florida, I noticed the cramped space on the left. After about 400 miles it would be nice to have a place to move my left foot back like the right foot.
I like the heel/toe for shifting and if I can bend it back a bit out of the way, I will use that option. If not, I will probably cut it. I am thinking of heating up the metal and then bend it.
One pic from an Island we found in the middle of Salt Lake. There were Buffalo there. Pretty cool for Florida riders.
Here are a few pics. I grabbed the end with an adjustable wrench and bent it. When I have some time I'm gonna take it off, put it in a vice and make it straight back instead of that little kink in it.
Hi everyone, I'm a new Voyager owner but long time Vulcan owner. My other bike is a VN1500 Classic FI that I bought new five and a half years ago and I've put 104,000 miles on it since. After doing a lot of test rides over the past 3 years during bike week at Daytona, I decided on the Voyager. Once I got it home last night and read (yes, actually) the owners manual, I went for a break in ride today an put 350 miles on it. I've noticed that the heel/toe shifter is really, really uncomfortable. I looked at it and it's a single piece mechanism and this no effective way to adjust it. Om my VN1500, the heel part and the toe part are on separate levers and are independently adjustable.
Does anyone know if the shifter shaft that the h/t shifter mounts on is the same diameter on the two bikes? If it is and they are compatible, I could just buy a set for the 1500 and use them on the Voyager.
Hi everyone, I'm a new Voyager owner but long time Vulcan owner. My other bike is a VN1500 Classic FI that I bought new five and a half years ago and I've put 104,000 miles on it since. After doing a lot of test rides over the past 3 years during bike week at Daytona, I decided on the Voyager. Once I got it home last night and read (yes, actually) the owners manual, I went for a break in ride today an put 350 miles on it. I've noticed that the heel/toe shifter is really, really uncomfortable. I looked at it and it's a single piece mechanism and this no effective way to adjust it. Om my VN1500, the heel part and the toe part are on separate levers and are independently adjustable.
Does anyone know if the shifter shaft that the h/t shifter mounts on is the same diameter on the two bikes? If it is and they are compatible, I could just buy a set for the 1500 and use them on the Voyager.
Anyone with experience on these?
Thanks!
Jami
The 1700 Heel/Toe shifter can be adjusted, but as you noticed, it is not a very effective system.
Before ordering a part that may not fit (the two-piece 1500 shifter may require a longer spline), try adjusting the stock unit.
You can either rotated the entire unit on the spline, or you can adjust the linkage length (or both). The main problem is that when you lower the heel plate, you raise the toe bar. I found that I could not lower the heel plate to a good position without it being lower or flush with the floor board, which made shifting difficult without good heels on your boots.
I have a 2012 Vaquero. This is my first experience with the heel shifter. I actually love it. My toe does get caught up under the toe shifter from time to time, but it is liveable. I suggest cruising pegs also. If I was to make any adjustments, I would extend the rear heel shifter about an inch by adding some stock to the lever and making it longer which may help with the tight quarters on the floorboard. My bike came with crash bars and I finally added some cruising pegs. http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/ku...r/part/KY-7993
I have found these to be helpful in allowing me to stretch out my legs and reposition my feet for a comfortable ride. Good luck, ride safe. Enjoy!
__________________
Richard G
Semper fi
2012 Vaquero
iPod Classic Kawasaki's cable, Passenger floorboards, Corbin seat & driver backrest, Kawasaki backrest & luggage rack, Kuryakyn highway pegs, Cee Baileys 14" windshield (winter use) RAM mount universal device(cell phone) & RAM drink holder. Cobra FI2000, TriTip Ovals, K&N Airfilter and Throttle mod.
My Nomad is my first bike with a heel shifter so I was really looking forward to it. I use it every now and again but for the most part I only use it to bump into neutral. I've had a toe shifter for so many years it's the only thing I really feel comfortable with.
I know it must be my imagination (or possibly my off timing of contact) but it sounds like I have more "clunk" when I used the heal shifter than the toe shifter. Maybe cause I press down too much on it.
I don't know if anyone else is a little cramped by the heel/toe shifter but I have been on the road now for 5 days and I am thinking I might cut the heel off when I finally get back home. It prevents me from moving my left foot back on the floor board. It is nice to move my legs around and I don't have a crash bar with foot rests.
I'm with you. Personally, I never could convince myself to use the heel shifter. It's a spare part on both my bikes.
Vulcan 1700 Classic
"The Road Goes On Forever And The Party Never Ends"
Linear Mode
