Can you Rock a Heel/Toe Shifter keeping your foot centered on the Peg ?

Laverda SF

Laverda SF

Hero member
From my experience a Heel/Toe Shifter don't shift like that. It's different where you have to lift your foot off the peg and use your heel to shift up - Really no big deal but you have to learn and get accustom to it.

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For starters the SF is a short motorcycle and I have long legs, weighed only 138 lbs at 5'11" with a 9 1/2" foot. The original center peg location was uncomfortable for me so I relocated the shifter and rear brake pedals rearward mounted on the Passenger sanctions. I did keep the original center pegs as they were very useful when diving deep into Hi-Speed corners to keep the bike balanced - Plus they served as a crash guard.

Sometimes, if you where not positive, I would get a false neutral shifting into 5th but it's a common Breganzie issue.

Even the Triangle location was too cramped for me when touring my SF. I found it rather easy and fast to either shift and brake where I mounted the levers.

I'm rather proud of that Spring Loaded Shifter Lever design - Same with my rear Mechanical Lever Pedal for the Super Ferino Rear Drums. Mainly because it looks Classic and will keep your body off the ground.

I kept the original Honda bars but twisted then a few degrees lower and welded in darts to prevent the bars from slapping the tank.

Heaven forbid for denting that Tank. A Breganzie would sooner fall over just looking at her and always dent the tank if you used the side stand.

"Can you Rock a Heel/Toe Shifter keeping your foot centered on the Peg" - NO you CAN'T - Just how flexible is your ankle - You always have to lift your foot off the peg to up shift with your heel - Perhaps if you have a 12" foot you could ;o)
 
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I believe the reason heel and toes were fitted to SFC`s was to give the rider the option of changing up in mid corner whilst banked over using his heel, without the risk of getting his toes trapped between lever and tarmac.
 
Rockenrail: Agree, I shaved my footwear, including my knees and elbows, numerous times using a shifter lever located on the original center peg.

Considering the Breganzie SFC competition rider was approx 5'6" and weighted under 150'bs.

Yes the SFC used a longer duration cam with a slightly higher compression and Amal Carbs suited for a race track but not conducive for road racing like the 70 SF.

After owning a 69 Bonny kick starter (Great handling bike providing you got her started), I hated Amal ticklers. Dellortors and Mikunis were God send.

My 70 750F Breganzie was only 17.5" wide and was a sail in the wind and rain with that fucking fairing. Name the fairing - Hint not Dunstal.

"Rickman" and could do 120+ mph down any straight.
 
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As well as fairings and top boxes Rickman Brothers also produced frame kits/rolling chassis for early Jap lumps such as Z1000`s,and also produced the Rickman R125 Six Days trail/enduro bike which the British Trophy team used in the `73 International Six Days Trial in the USA.
I bought one of these.
It used an aircooled version of the 125 Zundapp 2-stroke engine which was employed in water-cooled form in Laverdas LZ125/175.
It was fast on the road (although not really it`s natural habitat) showing an indicated 80 mph plus,but it ate plugs.
Because of it`s sulky nature the joke at the time was that it`s named the Six Days because the thing will never quite see Seven.
 
rockentonrail: I scavenge a Rickman Fairing off a Yamaha 1000 to fit my 70 Breganzie SF and it works just fine.

Extremely light and kept the wind, bugs and rain off me and looks great ;o)

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The 3/4 Rickman Fairing is a natural habitat on a 70 Breganzie SF with a few mods.

70 SF in Touring Mode:
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We are getting off topic - I'm discussing Rear Sets

If your interested that's a Deer Buck skin saddle - Which I would never recommend as it soaks up water like a sponge - Requires a lot of Mink Oil. Other words a very comfortable saddle if you don't mind getting your ass wet.

HIC !
 
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rocketonarail said:
I believe the reason heel and toes were fitted to SFC`s was to give the rider the option of changing up in mid corner whilst banked over using his heel, without the risk of getting his toes trapped between lever and tarmac.
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Nearly all Italian bikes of the period were fitted with a heel and toe lever.
Maybe so as not to damage the moccasins from Milano. Or because the period gear selection needed a heavy stomp.

My Falcone Turismo has a heel rear brake, that takes getting used to.

I now need a bike with a foot clutch and a hand gear change.

Paul
 
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Paul Marx said:
Nearly all Italian bikes of the period were fitted with a heel and toe lever.
Maybe so as not to damage the moccasins from Milano. Or because the period gear selection needed a heavy stomp.

My Falcone Turismo has a heel rear brake, that takes getting used to.

I now need a bike with a foot clutch and a hand gear change.

Paul
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If that's just to complete the set, I wouldn't recommend it. I have a friend so set in his habits I've had to make up conversion pieces for brake and gear pedals for him for several of his bikes. Left foot shift only for him.

When we were rebuilding the family 250 Guzzi, we used an Italian friend as a translator. He was very definite that heel and toe pedals were for shoe protection. Doesn't work very well when you look at the underside of the toe pedal on most of them. Painful.
 
rocketonarail said:
I believe the reason heel and toes were fitted to SFC`s was to give the rider the option of changing up in mid corner whilst banked over using his heel, without the risk of getting his toes trapped between lever and tarmac.
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Absolutely true. Better to get accustomed to it, especially on the disc brake models, because that pedal is a bitch to operate with your toe only.

Marnix
 
If I raced at my nearest track I would have to fit one. 5th gear down a steep hill tightening right hander (nicknamed "anxiety" into a 3rd gear right hander full on the brakes. Race pattern change impossible to change down. A fantastic corner sequence but.
 
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