Heel/Toe Shifter

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by Big_Jim59, Sep 13, 2019.

  1. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    Does anyone know of a heel/toe shifter made for a 5th gen VFR? I have been having problems with my left toe joint, just above the big toe. This is the exact area where the shifter digs in and a short ride cane leave me in pain for weeks. I would love to ride but just can't until I figure a better way to upshift than a rope tied around the shift peddle.
     
  2. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Not off hand Jim. But if you can't find one commercially available. I would think a decent fabricator/welder should be able to custom make something that attached to your existing lever that would work with your heel. Sorry to hear you are going through this. I can see where that would hurt.
     
  3. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    That's what I am thinking. If I buy a used lever and maybe another item I can have a welder combine them into one. Italian bikes of old used to be very big on heel/toe shifters. H-D is big on them too but they are huge and made for floor boards.
     
  4. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    Any chance you could make a protective plate for your boot to protect your toe?
     
  5. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    So the bike sits. I sold my Buell Cyclone and I was riding it across the yard, to put it in his truck, and that's all it took. I have crippling toe joint pain in my left foot. I didn't even try and ride the Viffer, I just dry shifted it and now it is all I can do to walk. Riding is out of the question. Fabrication a heel/toe shifter won't be easy due to the position of the shift shaft and the side and center stand. A plate in my boot seems ploasable but the fact that my foot has to put pressure on the joint to do anything is a problem. I may have to wait until I sell the house, sell my trusty yellow Y2K and get a VFR1200 DCT. This is really annoying.
     
  6. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I really feel bad for you Jim. A hell of a thing to not be able to do things you once got great pleasure from.
     
  7. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I keep expecting it it heal but it hasn't. Any pressure just set it off again.
     
  8. Norse

    Norse New Member

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    Why not just use stiffer boots? I have tried boot where you literally couldn't feel the shifter at all.

    But if you absolutely want to do it the hard way, any halfway competent metal worker can make a heel/toe shifter for you. Or you can get electric speed shifters.
     
  9. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    This is the kind of toe/foot pain that is agony to walk on once it flairs up. It's actually painful to have a sheet on that foot at night. At the moment I can't wear a boot at all. I will have to let the foot heal before I can try anything. I am considering the electric speed shifter route.
     
  10. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    Really sorry to hear about this Jim.

    The 5G won't be easy to convert as the gear lever connects directly to the shift shaft. Your old VTR would be easier to work with as the shift pedal on these rotates around the footpeg, so a heel shift could be hung off the back of the peg (provided there was clearance there). If you tried to adapt the same to the VFR, you would end up with a race-shift pattern i.e. one up and 5 down.
     
  11. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    Right now I am kind of out of options. The quick shifters are in the $999 range and for that kind of coin I will look for something in the DCT range (when I get a job that is.) I guess I will just hobble around, focus on getting the house ready to go on the market and get my kid to take the VFR out occasionally for exercise.
     
  12. Norse

    Norse New Member

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    That is actually exactly why it would be easy to do. You need nothing more than a double sided shifter pedal. Only issue would be that there is limited room behind the peg due to the side stand, but that is a problem that can be fixed.
    You just need something like this (only shaped to fit the VFR, obviously):
    [​IMG]

    And yes, the heel shift would logically be 1 up/5 down. Which is pretty standard for heel shifters. The toe part would still be 1 down/5 up.
     
  13. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    I would just bend up some aluminum rod, and weld things up.

    Although the front part would be past the fairing. Remember that our shifters point back from the pivot. To do a nice job you would need to make a custom peg setup, with some linkage to operate the shift rod.

    Jose
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2019
  14. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    It's not that simple. The shift lever is pointed toward the back of the bike. Forward of the shifter shaft is the fairing. Under all of that is where the side stand rests when retracted, It does need a custom linkage possibly like a rearset that pivots around the base of the foot peg which is a problem because the foot peg is cast in.
     
  15. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    Actually, what I suggest wouldn't really be a heel/toe shifter. It would require you step down on both with the ball of the foot. Potentially cumbersome to boot.

    I suppose another possibility would be a pivoting arm that just pushes the lever up. I'm thinking of it as more of an add-on bracket that pivots around the peg, with a short arm sticking out forward to lift the shifter when you step down with your heel.

    A good starting point could be a new left side peg bracket, with the peg mount tabs cut off. Then use a bolt mount peg that can be a pivot for the arm.

    Jose
     
  16. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    This is the VTR1000F arrangement. If you were to flip the arm on the shift shaft to 12 O'clock and add an extension over the back of the peg for the heel, it might work. The VTR uses the same frameless arrangement as the VFR so it is remotely possible the fitting around the swingarm pivot is the same on both. Would at least make for useful starting point.

    shifter.png
     
  17. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    That does look like a great starting point.

    Jose
     
  18. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I think I may have fixed or mitigated the problem. I reinstalled the OEM foot pegs replacing the lower Buell pegs. This makes my knee hurt a bit (I am a mess) but it changes to point of contact from the shifter to my boot. I also purchased one of those hard rubber guard to go over my left boot. Then I cut an inch off of some heather hose and used it to make a bigger and squishier shift pad on the shift lever. It took it out today for a short ride and so far my foot feels OK.
     
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