Blood, sweat, tears & beers . . .

Sounds like your saying you've got too much travel in the pedal to deal with. If so try to relocate where the link attaches to the shift arm(making the arm longer) Or the arm on the tranny shorter

DO NOT ALTER THESE PARTS--you will be sorry. The lengths are carefully thought out to allow the (aluminum) shift drum to move gears without too much force.

The problem is your foot and ankle are uncomfortable due to having to ROTATE on a peg instead of ROCKING your heel slightly on a footboard. Forward controls were originally meant to use footboards for rider comfort. Mid controls work best with pegs because of leg geometry.

I know that's not the answer you want Josh, but that is the big reason behind footboards. Try this while sitting at your desk and see what takes more effort.

All answers are good, Alex! So, I learned something new today. I get it about the leg geometry. I see a couple of solutions, I think. I could add footboards to go with my shifter with the forward controls. I have seen other bobbers with them, but I don't think that's the way I want to go. Another solution might be to use a LONGER shift lever. I saw an older stock shovelhead over at Tattoo's today and it had a longer shift lever, but it had mid controls. The forward controls that came with my bike came off a 2000 FXST which has a different set up than a 4-speed shovel. Yet one more solution might be to use a ROCKER SHIFTER which is operated with the heel and toe, which I saw on another shovelhead at Tattoo's.
I'm leaning toward trying out a rocker shifter. Using one of those, I wouldn't need to get my boot under the shifter. What do you think of that?


Looks like I'll be out for a ride this coming Thursday, whatever the shifter - should be in the low 70s, clear and sunny. This weather is like 20 degrees warmer than usual.

Was just looking at some floorboards on J&P's website. They have a nice driver's mini set for $120. They fit into the female peg hole on forward controls and are adjustable about an inch back and forth and also can be adjusted for angle. They are 7 1/2" long and 3 3/4" wide. I am willing to make this concession to style if they work. From what I have been reading about them, riders say they are more comfortable than pegs. However, no one says anything about whether or not they help with shifting.

I'm really not liking lifting my leg up every time I shift up or down - wears me out and I don't have a lot of control shifting, either. Sometimes I'll miss a gear and it's nearly impossible to find neutral trying to hold my leg up.

It's actually cheaper to get the floorboards than to get a quality heel/toe shifting lever. Any feedback on this idea about trying out the floorboards?

Joshbob, you have a little wiggle room with the shift linkage...you can move the heim joints on both ends in or out a little so you can rotate the shift arm to change the height of the lever...you can turn both ends all the way in to make the linkage as short as possible the move your lever on the shaft,you can also move one or the other or both out to lengthen the linkage but I wouldn't want to leave less than 1/2" threaded portion in the heim joints...

Isn't it the position of foot to shifter the problem and not the foot rest? Would floor boards on that same angle have the same effect as the pegs? Just asking, I've never felt comfortable with forward controls for that reason.

good idea, I'd try that before I bought anything.

A heel and toe shifter would help to alleviate the strain on your ankle, but I think you'd like the short footboards better. While sitting at your desk, practice shifting both ways to see what you like better.

I know how important it is to keep the right look to your machine, but sometimes you just have to go with something that works better. Riding a bagger, I always feel like my bike looks overweight and unwieldy. I've removed a bunch of parts in an attempt to slim it down a bit, but there are things that I have to accept as necessary to keep me safe and lets me continue to ride.

I've tried adjusting it every which way but loose - no dice. Shoot! I went out and looked the shifter assembly over closer and realized I would not be able to use the floorboards I wanted. They won't work with the FXST forward controls.
Looks like it's going to have to be a heel/toe shifter. I found a cheaper one for around $90 after searching high and low. This way, I get to keep the bike looking more like a bobber, too.

I can definitely get more movement with the heel/toe shift arm - it appears it will work. I'm going with it.

There ya go. See, you had the right answer in your mind all along. Good work!

I expect you will like heel toe shifted. I don't have your issue, but have ridden bikes from two buddies with it and I liked that shifter.

I posed this shifting problem on the shovelhead forum and one of the guys said he had the same problem with his build. Said he got another dust cover with the shifter lever pointing up (instead of down like mine is) which resulted in a much improved throw and a reversed shifting pattern. He says, like Alex, not to change any of the geometry in the linkage, only to change the dust cover/shift lever.
So, I started looking at pictures of shovelhead bobbers and they all had the cover with the shifter pointing up. I reckon I'll try that first now, especially since a new cover is much cheaper than a new heel/toe shifter. Who'd a thunk?

That's a good idea in theory. I have read about several riders who tried setting up a proportioning valve like you mentioned - none have been successful as far as I know. They give the reasons why on the shovelhead forum.

I am going to change the rear caliper for a better one. Tokico makes a very good 4 piston caliper that Fab Kevin sells. Also, he sells a builder's kit that includes a matching front one. Both come with custom stainless brackets and can be used with 10" rotors.

Remember when I was thinking real seriously about going with a slap shift suicide clutch? I have some things to think about - maybe that would be the way to go, and maybe not . . . in any event, I was shifting a little easier today. I had adjusted the sfift lever as low as it would go - had to squeeze my boot under it, and also put some new bushings in the linkage pivot points and took a lot of the slop out. Now there's only about a 1/16" slop.

Went for a short ride today to get a Subway, 20 miles round trip. In the parking lot, after I ate, I couldn't get the beast started. Tried for a half hour at least. A guy came over and gave me a push and it sputtered to life, then died. Kicked it to life and on the way home it started missing and coughing out the carb. Lurched home and took out the plugs and they were gas fouled, especially the back one. I'm certain the mixture screw is set right - only a turn and a half out - can't be too rich. I must have fouled the plugs trying to start it at home and in the Subway parking lot. Anyway, put some new plugs in and it runs much better, no missing. I'm thinking I still don't quite have my starting routine down yet. Mac the Wife says I always flood everything I try to start . . .

In other news today, my goggles came from Optics planet. I excitedly put them on and . . . (drum roll) . . . they fit perfectly. But I could barely see out of the left eye - they got the axis wrong at the lab. Have to send them back and who knows how long it'll be before I get 'em back. They're paying for everything, but the time lost is priceless.

All in all, a pretty eventful day.

Knew some boys back in the day who always had spare plugs wtth them