oxtar sidi boot shifter issue

[Matt Smith]

Ok, so I've been wearing a pair of boots that have a narrow toe while out riding, just an old pair of fluevogs that have some visual appeal to them and can actually kick some mud now and then. But yesterday it was raining out so I decided to try something different and kicked on my combat/parade boots and man ... did I have a hell of a time changing gears. I couldn't feel the foot controls. Anyone else experienced this? Is it possible to elevate the shift lever so my boot fits under it better? As it was I had to use the little lip of sole that ran around my boot to shift up ... Anyone else out there riding a klr with big heavy combat style boots?

[Wolfy]

I ride around in a pair of New Rock Reactors (http://im.edirectory.co.uk/products/1602/i/newrock313blackreactor123l01.jpg ) with no problem at all (they have about a 1.2-2" bottom). Sometimes I switch to a regular pair of sneakers still with no issue (though sometimes it does "feel" odd). It takes a bit of getting use to. -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Matt Smith Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 10:09 AM To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] boot nightmare Ok, so I've been wearing a pair of boots that have a narrow toe while out riding, just an old pair of fluevogs that have some visual appeal to them and can actually kick some mud now and then. But yesterday it was raining out so I decided to try something different and kicked on my combat/parade boots and man ... did I have a hell of a time changing gears. I couldn't feel the foot controls. Anyone else experienced this? Is it possible to elevate the shift lever so my boot fits under it better? As it was I had to use the little lip of sole that ran around my boot to shift up ... Anyone else out there riding a klr with big heavy combat style boots? Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links

[jim skowron]

i moved my shift lever up a bit,it helped but you still can't wear huge toed boots to fit under it.you have to remove the bolt on shift lever and slide it off the splines,reposition it where you want.i had it too high the first try had to ride to find out. Matt Smith wrote:Ok, so I've been wearing a pair of boots that have a narrow toe while out riding, just an old pair of fluevogs that have some visual appeal to them and can actually kick some mud now and then. But yesterday it was raining out so I decided to try something different and kicked on my combat/parade boots and man ... did I have a hell of a time changing gears. I couldn't feel the foot controls. Anyone else experienced this? Is it possible to elevate the shift lever so my boot fits under it better? As it was I had to use the little lip of sole that ran around my boot to shift up ... Anyone else out there riding a klr with big heavy combat style boots? Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links --------------------------------- Discover Yahoo! Stay in touch with email, IM, photo sharing & more. Check it out! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[j solo]

>From: telliott@... >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Oxtar Sidi boot shifter issue >Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:32:38 EDT >I don't have an issue with the Sidi's. I measured but it depends on where >you consider the shift area. The toe of the Sidi curves up from the ball >of the >foot. At the point where I contact the shifter it is only 2.5 inches maybe >a >little less. They fit great on my KLR and KLX. Much thinner than hiking

2.5 would be just about where my current boots fall, at the place where I normally 'work' the shifter. Most new MX boots I've looked at were at 3 inches +, and that makes a huge difference for me.

> >Maybe you need to get your shifter extended so that it is longer. To me >it >appears that you may be getting too much of your foot under the shifter. >That >would move the shifter up higher on your instep, making that area thicker.

I have a 10 1/2 to 11 foot and don't seem to have a problem with shifter length. Generally I locate the boot at about where the toes would normally bend and that being about where the Ball of the Foot is, not any closer to the instep. But if the boot has a high and hard toebox, then the area behind the toebox isn;t going to be any lower or more flexible. So you may gain a bit after some breakin period of a flexible boot, but not much of anything on a boot with no flex. Have been communicating with Dave at NewEnough and he was kind enough to measure the Setup Adventure, and that came up with 2.5 also in the shifter area, quite a bit less than the 3 1/4 of the Gaerne Explorers. For some the height is a non-issue, but for me the lower profile is very important.

> >I've learned from too many years/miles on dirt bikes to keep the toes up. >So >I keep the boots back on the pegs a little. On the road you can get away >with hanging them down from the instep but it still isn't safe. Ever see a >board >or rock, etc. in the road. You may miss it with your wheels and then hit >it >with the "dangling toes". It really hurts to get your toes between a hard >object and the foot peg. Ask me how I know?? My right toe still hurts when > the >weather changes due to a root in a really muddy enduro and a dangling toe. >Good luck, >Terry >

I've never ridden with my feet anywhere other than ball on the peg. That actually is was makes shifting with a hightoe boot so difficult. Normally all I have to do is slide the boot forward a bit to get under the shifter, but with a high boot the foot needs to be unnaturally pitched down and forward. Now one could say, "adjust the lever higher"; but when you do that you have to unaturally pull you foot up to get on for a downshift, and that just isn;t acceptable for me. I've always used weighting the pegs as a part of 'tuning' how I ride, and that seems even more important the more time I get off-road. It just seems that gross leg movements to work a shift is counter what would make good, smooth flow on a trail (as it would be on a tight road section). I'm now teaching myself to also position the the foot/boot slightly more forward on the pegs, but still not quite back to the arch area - this seems to make just a bit more stable position as the bike bounces around under you, with less chance of a foot slipping off. Anyway, thanks for the info on the Discos, they sound like they would fall in the acceptable range. Right now the folks at NewEnough have always done right by me over many years of buying from them, so I'm gonna give the Setups a shot based on Dave' assuring comments and friendly help. If they don't prove to be the right 'setup' then I think NewEnough also carrries the Discos, so I prolly will find a solution in the coming weeks. Sadly, I'm away from home for the month, and moto-bikeless in the Garden State. So I won't get to solving my problem until July. But, hey, I've got the pedal bike out here, and plenty of places to ride to sooth any Ride Jonez, so life is still good. I will post what I eventually end up with, assuming some interest... js - 2 whls - always good _________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963