Heel and toe shifter for Breganze 750, not rearset.

arancia

arancia

Senior member
Location
Arizona, USA
Has anyone a spare heel and toe style shifter for the 750 twins?
Having some right ankle pains and problems, riding the left shift bikes no problem but the Breganze twins are causing issues. Before I try to make something, does anyone have such a thing spare or can tell me if there's a suitable part from other bikes?
NOT a SFC style rear-set heel and toe, I want one that goes directly on the shift shaft for standard footrests please. Hope it'll be a temporary thing and can get my body fixed!
 
Sorry, they're no longer available. I managed to get hold of the last 2 from the Moto Witt stash many years ago. Apparently the factory fashioned some in alloy as well, mating the splined bit from a stock lever to the heel-toe bit from the '64'ish 125 Sport, good luck finding one of those!

The pictured 750s have consecutive frame and engine #. Mine came with a stock toe lever that I swapped for the steel hee-toe. The lower pic shows the alloy lever on my mates GTL, originally delivered to Bassano del Grappa police force. The lever has been presumably fitted by the factory, it is clearly visible in the pic of the actual bike under its former owner standing at an intersection, possibly somewhere in Bassano, in Tim Parkers "Italian Motorcycles".

piet125 Sport.jpg
DSCN0223.JPGDSCN9496.JPG
 
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Here is mine, credits to reunited Chris for the final piece. Took a few goes to get it perfected. The vertical one actually worked for a short trip around the block!
 

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Paul Marx said:
Surely one from another marque would suit the purpose?
Pretty much standard fitment in Italy up until the 70s.

Paul
Click to expand...
Paul, agreed, my original question included seeking whether anyone knew if anything would fit from other bikes as I am reluctant to modify the shaft and its spline since I hope to fix my ankle so that the original toe change is no longer a problem. I'm hoping this will only be a short term thing unless I find that I really love it and start installing them on all the bikes! I very rarely used the heel shift on the SFC and never got into that habit but age-related challenges can force changes of habits.That said, the variety available in local breakers does not include a lot from Laverda or other Italian brands so I will sacrifice a stock lever for custom modification unless I can find something easily adapted, I do seem to recall that some early japanese, less-sporting-oriented bikes also had h-t-s?
Worst case, I'm finding a lift with the heel of the boot on the toe shift works most of the time but then I have to keep telling myself "elegance be damned, I'm no longer young" and if the old-timers could do it with a hand change then why not?
Some years ago out on a group ride, was with Lance Weil "Rickey Racer" who was on a borrowed Triumph triple which dropped its shift lever, we hunted for it, never found it, he did the rest of the day's riding in one gear engaged with a set of Mole grips. On last year's Laverda event at Baskerville, my 750GTL decided to stop down-shifting on demand, only when it felt like it, I did lots of starts from stationary in traffic in fourth and fifth gears, thank goodness for its flexible engine and forgiving clutch. Who needs gears? :):):)
 
arancia said:
Paul, agreed, my original question included seeking whether anyone knew if anything would fit from other bikes as I am reluctant to modify the shaft and its spline since I hope to fix my ankle so that the original toe change is no longer a problem. I'm hoping this will only be a short term thing unless I find that I really love it and start installing them on all the bikes! I very rarely used the heel shift on the SFC and never got into that habit but age-related challenges can force changes of habits.That said, the variety available in local breakers does not include a lot from Laverda or other Italian brands so I will sacrifice a stock lever for custom modification unless I can find something easily adapted, I do seem to recall that some early japanese, less-sporting-oriented bikes also had h-t-s?
Worst case, I'm finding a lift with the heel of the boot on the toe shift works most of the time but then I have to keep telling myself "elegance be damned, I'm no longer young" and if the old-timers could do it with a hand change then why not?
Some years ago out on a group ride, was with Lance Weil "Rickey Racer" who was on a borrowed Triumph triple which dropped its shift lever, we hunted for it, never found it, he did the rest of the day's riding in one gear engaged with a set of Mole grips. On last year's Laverda event at Baskerville, my 750GTL decided to stop down-shifting on demand, only when it felt like it, I did lots of starts from stationary in traffic in fourth and fifth gears, thank goodness for its flexible engine and forgiving clutch. Who needs gears? :):):)
Click to expand...
I didn't re-read your original post. However, today, bike breakers are globalised, surely, between ebay and Subito you'll find something adequate?

Be careful not to hit the road with your foot if using your heel to upshift.

One gets used to using the heal. I use it on my Falcone where I've inversed the shift pattern so heel for up and I used to use it on my Ducati single where it was heel for down. I've never used it on the SFC, selection is very light, it's not necessary.

Paul
 
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