[lstarett]

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I am thinking of buying a heel-toe shifter for my '85 Aspy. Never used one before. Anyone have any thoughts? Do you like 'em? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Just looking for some wisdom before I plop down my money.



Thanks, in advance. :waving:

 

[SETHAN12]

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I had one on my 1100 shadow and just loved it. My 1800 wing I do not think would be comfortable because I am 6'4" and prefer highway pegs to stretch my legs out.

 

[ordonje]

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I know guys that love them, but they are not for me. I have demo'ed enough bikes with them to know. I just can't get used to picking up my foot to move it to the downshift or upshift paddle. After I get there, I like it better.

ifI try to straddle the two paddles, I move my foot enough to where I'm always out of position when I need to shift.

I grew up on dirt bikes, so i guess that's the reason.

 

[JupiterJim]

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I'm in the same boat. I like the one that came standard on my Honda VTX 1300 with floorboards, but can't decide on putting one on my wing.

 

[daveswing56]

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I dont like them. I am constantly looking down to shift. Caused an accident many years ago

 

[spuder]

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i had a 1200 1500 1800 heal toe shilf love every one you will in joy it im 5.7

so good luck

 

[P Yanney]

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I hate 'em. Last one I had was on my GL 1100. After a while, I took it off and threw it as far as I could. I'll never put one on my 1200. They are just too clumsy for me and I can shift smoother and faster with the OEM shifter.

 

[GSMacLean]

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I had never had one before I got my 1100, which had a Markland heel toe shifter on it. My previous bike was a GSXR750, which changed gears if you twitched your big toe, so moving from that to what felt like this big clunky thing that you had to stomp on was a change. I was constantly downshifting instead of upshifting, which made for some interesting results (going from 2-1 when intending to go from 2-3, causing rear wheel lockup). I could never feel if there was another gear, so I tried shifting into 6th all the time. It was next to impossible to shift to neutral (My "switch to neutral" was more like 3-2-1-2-1-2-1-Neutral). I kept swearing I was going to take it off...

But then a funny thing happened. I got used to it. I realized you don't have to stomp on it to shift. I figured out that you could in fact feel when there was another gear, and I even figured out how to shift to neutral easily. I can now shift quickly and effortlessly without thinking, just like I used to. I can do lightning fast up and downshifts with a tiny bit of preload.

So I'll keep it, simply because it works great with the floorboards on my bike, and I'm now used to it.

So if you're prepared for a learning curve, and are willing to stick with it (it took a whole season for me to really get used to it), I think you'll be OK.

That said, maybe you'll hate it and rip it off.

However...one day I plan to get a 1500, and I don't want a heel-toe shifter on that bike.

 

[53jimc]

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I have a heel-toe shifter on my 84 aspy with markland boards and I don't care for it. But, when I took it off I could barely get my toe under the shifter with my tennis shoes on. I'll try again a little later to move the shift lever up one notch but what a beyotch getting to it under the exahust and through the engine guard.

 

[coachk64]

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I didn't have one on my 1100, but there's one on my 1200 with floorboards. I love the floorboards so I wouldn't remove the heel-toe shifter. The only problem that I run into is I sometimes accidentally pop it into first and kill the engine while putting down the kickstand.

 

[PA Chuck]

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I had the same experience as GSMacLean. My 82 GL1100 came with Markland running boards and a heel-toe shifter and I actually contemplated taking it off, but then I would have had to take off the running boards, and ...

then I got used to it and it's second nature now. I actually like it. Truth is I didn't want to consider the alternative!

 

[AVA AUTO TECH]

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On my 1200 they were great. On my 1800 I haven't put them on yet. Don't like the shift lever front and back distance apart.:waving:

 

[grambo]

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only get the best set ..adjusted right..the cheapies will only junk your shifter and seal....i dont use em..i like to feel my gears when down shifting and could not get used to it and the rear shifter was always in the way

 

[ddrumman2004]

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While I don't have a set on my Interstate, I do have a set on my 06 Yamaha V Star 650 Classic.....

I know, I know, I know.....not a Wing but the principle is still the same.
I grew up shifting with the toe of my foot and not the heel so I shift this bike with the toe part only. Using my heel to shift just doesn't feel right. Plus, the heel portion is in the way when I slide my left foot back on the floorboard.

I have toyed with the thought of cutting the heel portion off with a grinder but something tells me not too.

In other words, I would not have them on my Wing!

 

[rcmatt007]

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love the one on my harley.... is designed and works right

hated the one I put on my 1000 and an interim 1200A I had

 

[Snorebaby]

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I never used one until I bought my 1200 LTD. They came with the bike. Hated it....that is until I got used to them. Took about 2 weeks of riding to really get the feel. And yes I did do the downshift intending to upshift mistake. That is part of the learning curve.

I bought my 1500 and it didn't have them. Caught myself lifting my foot up to use the H/T shifter it didn't have. Took me a while to get used to toe shifting again.

With that being said.........I am putting a H/T shifter on my 1500 this weekend. I really love it and miss it badly.

But it is totally up to you. Just like oil and tires...it's all in what you like. I say try them, if you don't like them, take them off.

 

[GLester]

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I hada seton the 1100,they caused more shifting problems than it was worth, and also almost caused me to drop the bike several times. They came off, and I was much happier. Was talking to a friend who is a certified Goldwing mechanic at a stealership down in Texas, who has been working on them since 75, told me thatevery 1800 to come in with transmission problems all had heel/toe shifters with floorboards. he highly recommended that I don't put them on my bike, to which I told him there was no way.



Gene:waving:

 

[Jeff M]

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I tried a heel/toe on my 1500, didn't care for it. Then, I put on Markland floorboards which also had a heel/toe. I didn't care for that either. My friend's HD has one and I love it. The difference is that the Wing opposed engine takes up the room that the HD has for this shifter. Also, the Harley places your feet much farther forward which I believe makes it easier to use the heel/toe. I'm now back to the stock shifter.

 

[Dusty]

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GSMacLean wrote:

I got used to it. I realized you don't have to stomp on it to shift. I figured out that you could in fact feel when there was another gear, and I even figured out how to shift to neutral easily. I can now shift quickly and effortlessly without thinking, just like I used to. I can do lightning fast up and downshifts with a tiny bit of preload.

So I'll keep it, simply because it works great with the floorboards on my bike, and I'm now used to it.

So if you're prepared for a learning curve, and are willing to stick with it (it took a whole season for me to really get used to it), I think you'll be OK.

That said, maybe you'll hate it and rip it off.

However...one day I plan to get a 1500, and I don't want a heel-toe shifter on that bike.

He is right it takes some getting used to but when tou do man look out it is sweet

 

[Motosickle]

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i had a set of boards on my recently aquired Gl1200. once i re-adjusted the shifter mechanism that part was fine. however, on the brake side was another headache. the pedal would fowl on the mounting bracket. plus i tended to scape them way too much in the corners.
now i am running regular pegs. i also have a bolt-on heel/toe shifter to try later...