GL1500 Foot Position

2980 Views 12 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Rudy, Aug 18, 2009

SailorKane

Discussion Starter · Aug 16, 2009

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New Goldwing GL1500 owner here. Still wrestling with the only negative I can find about the bike: foot position. My knees just don't want to stay bent that sharp for more than about 90 minutes at a time. I really want to use the bike for long distance touring, not hot-shotting around the Dragon.
I came from the cruiser world (Honda VTX 1300R) and the floorboards on the VTX, and the more forward foot position, were just more comfortable for me than the Wing. I definitely do NOT use the entire cornering capability of the Wing. I was pretty sedate on the VTX and the same on the Wing.

So....I was thinking about installing floorboards. There are a bunch of brands, from Cobra to Big Bike, MC Enterprises, Ad-On, and Markland, to mention just some of them. If the floorboards I mounted were, say, 1" lower than stock as well, that would be a huge plus. I know this would reduce cornering capability a bit, but the boards do hinge up, so it should be fine for me.

Also, I just ordered a windshield 3" taller than stock. So also thinking of perhaps some seat changes, like a cushion, which might raise me up 1" or so.

Any thing that gets my feet farther forward and lower would be good. (PS: I did a search and only got stuff several years old...)

So, anyone have any advice on which floorboards are good? Do any of them lower the boards? Any other thoughts? Anyone want to swap stock pegs for floorboards? Or have some for sale? Cost is certainly a concern...

Peace and fair winds. Mark.

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fenry

· #2 · Aug 16, 2009

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Hey Sailor...:cheeky1:

Look into highway boards that mount on the engine guards. I'm 6'1" and absolutely had to have a way to let my legs hang down and relax. I have Kuryakins that have two way adjustable (height and angle) and if I'd uploaded a pic from my home pc I'd give you one (will later, OK?)

Standard boards on a 1500 tend not to give you enough relief because they have to tuck in behind the cylinder head/valve covers, and I have heard of guys really irked about tangling their feet in the boards during routine backing operations.:X

When I get home I'll give you a pic. Highway boards are like forward pegs except they're boards and give you some tapdance room

. My set ran about $189 and they're the only thing that make the Wing livable for me and my long legs and huge feet

. I came from an 1100 Shadow Spirit, so I know how you feel. Loved those forward controls.

Here we go:

They fold up in the twisties (ask me how I know:blushing::dude

if you need them to...

Fair winds yourself

(and following seas...)

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AZgl1800

· #3 · Aug 16, 2009

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I used Highway Pegs on my '94 1500. Loved 'em.

Mounted with a vertical cross bar that would slide forward/backward on the engine guard rails.

Worked a treat, I had them all the way forward.

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Bagmaster

· #4 · Aug 16, 2009

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AZgl1500 wrote:

I used Highway Pegs on my '94 1500. Loved 'em.

Mounted with a vertical cross bar that would slide forward/backward on the engine guard rails.

Worked a treat, I had them all the way forward.

My brother just sold a set like that and now has those shown above. He really loves them on long trips like the one we took to Texas back in April.

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SailorKane

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 16, 2009

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Yeah, I have hiway bars. They do provide relief on long trips, but I'm not fond of the "flying squirrel" sitting position.
I'm really more interested in fixing the fundamental seating position by providing more flexible foot space.
Again, anyone have any experience with floorboards?
Thanks, Mark.

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TXRLGL1500

· #6 · Aug 17, 2009

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I had markland's on my 1500. Tried to get used to them for about a year. For me they were a negative. Now that being said
again NEGATIVE FOR ME!!!! I have 34-36 inseam. What I found about the markland's was they were very comfortable on the highway but in town and being long legged, the brake pedal arrangement was a disaster waiting to happen. There is a pedestal on the brake side mount to rest your heal on when using the brake. But it made me shift position to do so. In slow speed
parking lot manuevers it was impossible for me to use confidently and safely. The boards are not a true foot forward type of board due to the wing's engine design. I have kuryakn highway pegs and sold the markland boards and went back to pegs. Now its a real motorcycle again. I was getting to the point of hating to ride in town because of the brake arrangement with the floorboards. I do miss them on the highway but not enough to EVER go back to them.

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Rudy

· #7 · Aug 17, 2009

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I have the Marklands and find them very comfortable. At least I did once I made a few other mods...

I re-cut the stock seat back about 1.5" (as far as you can go) before I finally got my hands on a used Diamond custom seat and sent it to the factory for a custom rebuild, which matched my needs better.

I also changed out the early stock hoop style engine guards for the newer open type. That gave me less interference while also showing off the heads much better.

I extended the front shifter by about an inch to the outside so I didn't have to do Swan Lake to get at the shifter easily. Bad knees you know.

Finally I added a modified Kuryakyn set of ISO pegs just ahead of the front of the boards and just under the rear section of the heads.

All that combined helped me greatly, but then again I'm a shortie. With longer legs I would definitely have a pair of Mick O Pegs on there as well.

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SailorKane

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 17, 2009

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Rudy wrote:

I have the Marklands and find them very comfortable. At least I did once I made a few other mods...

I re-cut the stock seat back about 1.5" (as far as you can go) before I finally got my hands on a used Diamond custom seat and sent it to the factory for a custom rebuild, which matched my needs better.

I also changed out the early stock hoop style engine guards for the newer open type. That gave me less interference while also showing off the heads much better.

I extended the front shifter by about an inch to the outside so I didn't have to do Swan Lake to get at the shifter easily. Bad knees you know.

Finally I added a modified Kuryakyn set of ISO pegs just ahead of the front of the boards and just under the rear section of the heads.

All that combined helped me greatly, but then again I'm a shortie. With longer legs I would definitely have a pair of Mick O Pegs on there as well.

Wow, lots of info here. The previous poster did not like the braking with the Marklands. Do you find it OK? Again, I'm used to floorboards on a cruiser-style bike....

Do you remember if they made Marklands for the GL1500 in two versions--"low" and "high"?

BTW, when you say you are short--how short? I'm 5'10", which is not tall compared to some of the basketball-player types!

THANKS!

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DougW

· #9 · Aug 17, 2009

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I had the boards on mine, they are out there in the barn somewhere along with the heel/toe shifter. These ones did not have the heel rest for the brake side. Mine are the same height as the stock footpegs would be. The ones on my Brother's wing do sit lower so there are 2 types.

If you want to try the ones I have they are available, I did cannibalize a couple of the bolts out of them but the rest is there. I will not go back to using them. I have not looked to see what a fair price would be so if you are interested PM me and we will see what we can work out.

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Popeye

· #10 · Aug 18, 2009

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I use my rear brakes about twice a year, otherwise, just don't need 'em much. I've been that way for 40+ years & 400k+ miles.

I like my pegs for shiftin, but then my #14s go up on the highway boards while I lean back into my [essential] backrest.

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exavid

· #11 · Aug 18, 2009

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So Popeye you're satisfied that only one caliper out of three is enough? That's all you're getting because the other front caliper isn't operated by the handlebar lever.

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METAL50501

· #12 · Aug 18, 2009

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Kuryakyn Fully Adjustable Iso Peg.I like them because the fact you can now have three postions for your legs. Either on can have your feet on your stock pegs or on these pegs or totally stretch out and with the iso pegs under your calf. I have had total reconstructive surgery on my knee and I can not stay cramped up for more then about a hour. These work perfect for me.

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Rudy

· #13 · Aug 18, 2009

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SailorKane wrote:

Rudy wrote:

I have the Marklands and find them very comfortable. At least I did once I made a few other mods...

I re-cut the stock seat back about 1.5" (as far as you can go) before I finally got my hands on a used Diamond custom seat and sent it to the factory for a custom rebuild, which matched my needs better.

I also changed out the early stock hoop style engine guards for the newer open type. That gave me less interference while also showing off the heads much better.

I extended the front shifter by about an inch to the outside so I didn't have to do Swan Lake to get at the shifter easily. Bad knees you know.

Finally I added a modified Kuryakyn set of ISO pegs just ahead of the front of the boards and just under the rear section of the heads.

All that combined helped me greatly, but then again I'm a shortie. With longer legs I would definitely have a pair of Mick O Pegs on there as well.

Click to expand...

Wow, lots of info here. The previous poster did not like the braking with the Marklands. Do you find it OK? Again, I'm used to floorboards on a cruiser-style bike....

Do you remember if they made Marklands for the GL1500 in two versions--"low" and "high"?

BTW, when you say you are short--how short? I'm 5'10", which is not tall compared to some of the basketball-player types!

THANKS!

The big hassle about the foot brake on boards is you have to lift your foot up so high to get on it and that can be a slow episode for some.

In my case, remember those ISO pegs just ahead of the board? I rest my feet on the pegs and use my heels for downshifting and braking. Almost like having extended controls.

The Marklands come in only one height to my knowledge.

I'm 5'10" also with a 29 inseam. I do a lot of tip toeing. Especially fun in gravel.

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