Dragging feet

[user 213]

Some foot movement is reqired, no matter what size your feet are. A bigger peg will just drag sooner. Suspension mods to ensure you're sag is correct will go a long way to preventing some hard part dragging. It's pretty likely that the stock spring is too soft for your weight, even on the hard setting. I have a 800 lb spring on my wilbers shock and it's much less prone to dragging crap then with the stock shock and my 260# plus riding gear.

And actually, the heel-toe shifter isn't that hard, or that far fetched. You might even be able to adapt one of the Star parts to fit.

Balls of the foot on the pegs, manage your corner speed before corner entry, and go on from there.

 

[SnowAviation]

I remember the first time the side of my foot scraped in a turn, it was a parking lot. I didn't know the

FJR could lean so far over going that slow. The next time was on the road after a stop sign then accellerating

through some tight corners.

Kinda hard to already be in the right gear when you were stopped. I just take them slower now and keep

shifting, it's easier on the boots.

 

[cpsfjr]

Read THIS
I don't know of any aftermarket peg kit that would help your complaints.

Your riding style could use some adjustment. Ball of the foot goes on the peg. Toe never under the shifter in corners. If you feel you need to shift in the corner, your entry speed was wrong. Yes, I know you're thinking I'm full of shit. Read the link. Smooth is fast. Faster than you are now. W/o grinding hard parts or boots. Even yours.

You may find an aftermarket shock is needed to get proper sag for your weight. You may also want to spend some time setting up the suspension if you haven't already done so. That alone can make a big difference.

Good post. +1.

In addition, shift your weight a tad to the inside and toward the mirror, and look (where you want to go) through the corner. (Leaning to the inside a bit will lower the overall COG.) It'll allow you to maintain a better pace through the turn with less bike lean angle and draggin of parts.

 

[madmike2]

Superbig, to add to the collective advice here:

How many miles on your '05? OEM or aftermarket rear shock?

If you're a "big guy" a good aftermarket shock with appropriately designed spring should give you more ground clearance. :yahoo:

At least that is my experience, feet properly placed on foot pegs, proper gear selected, etc., etc., (250# rider with size 14 boots). :blink:

 

[ahchiu]

I put 5/8" longer dog bone in and a stiffer spring it raise the rear up and no more draging parts

 

[Bounce]

Pick the proper entry speed before entering the corner, get the balls of BOTH of your feet up on the pegs, late apex, and power out after you see the exit.

BTW: Isn't the rear suspension somewhat counter-intuitive? Longer dogbone=lower rear suspension and shorter dogbone=taller?

 

[Mcgyver74]

Superbig,

I was in the same boat, I was dragging feet/pegs et through just about every hard corner, over this past weekend 3 things happened that cured me of that

1) I installed after market springs and set the suspension up properly (BIG improvement since I was WAY WAY overpowering the stock springs)

2) New Fork Oil was used (Couldn't believe how nasty the stock oil was after only 7000 miles)

3) Took the Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic

Before these 3 things I was dragging my size 13's through the turns, now I'm going through with plenty of room to spare,

As so many people have said in previous posts, Foot position is key!! You need to be on the balls of your feet when going into corner in order to have maximum control, while there is a technique for shifting in a corner if necassary, it's something you REALLY want to avoid if at all possible as it can destabilize the suspension and make bad things happen if you do it wrong..

All of that aside, if you are having to shift in the corner it means you are selecting the wrong entry speed/gear, Are you going into the corner at such a high RPM that you need to shift in order to be on the throttle through the entire curve?

Also, Body position is also key as having the right body position will pick the suspension up which will allow for you to take the same corner with less lean angle, this not only prevents foot scraping, but also leaves u a traction reserve in case of an unexpected event (Suddenly finding yourself in a decreasing radius turn for example)

Just my 0.02

 

[Loki]

Since I got my AE a couple years ago, I can count on zero fingers how many times I have had to put my toe underneath the shift lever (that is, once I remembered to turn that damn shift light back on). I have very average size 10 feet, but for some reason the angle and clearance seems tight to me between the peg and the shifter. I let my fingers do the upshifting. It is one of the nice little "features" I wasn't considering when I got this model. I was really not in the market for an AE, wanted a pretty Blue one, but they were hard to find. These seem to always languish in the dealerships.

I know this doesn't really solve your problem right now, but might be something to consider if your ever in the market for another FJR (and don't need a new one, since they apparently aren't making the AE anymore). Just sayin!

 

[Anthony]

Try raising the rear, it definitely increases cornering clearance: https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Raising-Ris...es#ht_500wt_956

 

[Fred W]

I put 5/8" longer dog bone in and a stiffer spring it raise the rear up and no more draging parts

Actually, raising links are shorter than stock. The suspension pulls on them, so shorter = higher.

Try raising the rear, it definitely increases cornering clearance: https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Raising-Ris...es#ht_500wt_956

Or, buy mine: Clicky

 

[rogdeb]

""Actually, raising links are shorter than stock. The suspension pulls on them, so shorter = higher. (FredW)""

Ya beat me to it Fred

 

[ahchiu]

I put 5/8" longer dog bone in and a stiffer spring it raise the rear up and no more draging parts

Actually, raising links are shorter than stock. The suspension pulls on them, so shorter = higher.

Try raising the rear, it definitely increases cornering clearance: https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Raising-Ris...es#ht_500wt_956

Or, buy mine: Clicky

Your right, I put 5/8 shorter to raise the rear

 

[Stephen]

You could ride 'Motard style'... just turn, stick that foot out there and hit the throttle! :yahoo:

 

[dll]

We're about the same size, and though I have an AE and usually use the toggle switch I can say I tend to move around on the pegs a fair amount. The fact that my boots hang over doesn't bother me, I can still comfortably stand on them when I want to stretch.

What I've actually found works well is riding back on the rear pegs ... at least when I'm cruising. Switching back and forth makes the ride go by

 

[Fred W]

What I've actually found works well is riding back on the rear pegs ... at least when I'm cruising. Switching back and forth makes the ride go by

I've seen and heard of other folks doing this and don't understand how it works for them (you). How can you get any weight on your pegs if they are so far behind your COG? In order to keep my arms relaxed I need to keep some of my weight supported on the pegs and the rest on the seat. Then when cornering aggressively I try to put even more weight on the pegs to lower the weight further and steady the line. With your feet way behind you I'd imagine a lot of weight being on your arms/wrists/hands being transferred to the bars.

Am I missing something?

 

[bandit]

If your draggin your feet, your not on the balls of your foot. It should be ridden like a sportbike, If your in a turn , you shouldne be shifting so you should be on the balls of your feet adn your peg would hit before your feet do. I have big feet alos. but I have never touched a foot since I started riding with the balls of my feet on the pegs.

 

[dll]

What I've actually found works well is riding back on the rear pegs ... at least when I'm cruising. Switching back and forth makes the ride go by

I've seen and heard of other folks doing this and don't understand how it works for them (you). How can you get any weight on your pegs if they are so far behind your COG? In order to keep my arms relaxed I need to keep some of my weight supported on the pegs and the rest on the seat. Then when cornering aggressively I try to put even more weight on the pegs to lower the weight further and steady the line. With your feet way behind you I'd imagine a lot of weight being on your arms/wrists/hands being transferred to the bars.

Am I missing something?

I find that by riding the rear I lean forward more, arch my back more, and find myself "holding on" by using more leg pressure against the sides of the bike, and the position puts my arms more level with the bars, so there isn't a ton of pressure.

Ok that may sound a little risque ... but it works, something different on long rides