Product of the week

[rocketonarail]

For those of you struggling to reach the ground on those Marzo forked Triples ...........

Apart from giving the impression that you suffer from some form of double disability , or are an ageing fan of `seventies glam rock , these enable you to operate the controls normally , the makers reckon .........

Changing up maybe , but can you imagine trying to change down a couple of gears approaching your favourite roundabout wearing those ?

Or operating the rear brake , come to that ........

On the bike I ride at the moment , the gear lever is tucked in so close to the frame I have trouble finding it wearing ordinary boots , never mind wearing something like those ....... As for the rear brake , by the time my foot has found that ( if at all ) , I`ve sailed way past the point where I thought it might be a good idea to use it in the first place ......

Made by somebody with a grudge against bikers , more like ...............

 

[Vince]

I actually bought something similar once, I had an extremely expensive pair of Timberland Boots. By far the most comfortable work boots I ever owned but they had an Orange Valour surface that developed a big black stain from the Alloy gear lever that couldn't be cleaned off. So what popped up on my Facebook page but this gadget, so I bought it. atter failure, it Seems they are only made to fit left-side boots and my 3C has a right-side gear lever. Never fitted it, still have it.

2/3/5/10PCS Motorcycle Boots Protector Boot Cover Pad | eBay

It is a shoe protector that protects the left foot shoes from scratches during motorcycle gear shit change. 2/3/5/10pcs Brown or Black Shoes Protective. Nice and easy to use boot protector, Abrasion resistant,Soft rubber allows for tight fit to most size boots and shoes.

www.ebay.com.au

 

[rocketonarail]

My usual footwear is safety toe capped workwear type boots , and that is what I usually end up wearing when riding on the bike as well ........ But not being bike specific boots , they usually develop a hole in the top where the gear lever wears away the leather .

Something like those cover pads Vince has shown above would fix it , but what I usually do is find a spare bit of rubber from somewhere ..... old bicycle inner tube , anything like that ..... cut it into a square , fit it over the hole , then gaffa tape it in place ........

Not pretty , but it does the trick ....... just got to replace the tape now and again , where it wears away at the sole......

I ride more than I walk , so the boots will remain relatively like new , apart from the hole in the top ......

I have a pair of Alpinestars Drystar boots ..... short ankle type boots , which have protective pads for the gear lever , but a hole is developing there after only a few weeks of riding .

I also have a pair of Profirst sports type motorcycle boots , which are a bugger to get on and off ..... and almost too tight to zip up properly , despite being a size larger than I normally take ............ It is impossible to change up a gear with them at the moment as well , until I adjust the lever to give them more room .........


Below is one of my go-to riding boots , with repair as described above ..... not a sight for the faint-hearted I grant you .... but I like to get my monies worth ..... ......

 

[Vince]

Been there, I went through 2 knurled gear tips, they would wear smooth reducing the positive connection. What I hadn't noticed was they also were slowly wearing a hole through my bloody expensive Alpine Star Gortex boot top. I ended up buying a new pair of boots, for $500 and getting made a slightly longer non-knurled gear tip. It does occasionally slip off the boot missing a gear but it's better than wearing out $500 boots.

 

[rocketonarail]

Most lethal gear lever I`ve had to put up with was on a Suzuki GN125 , for some reason ........ Nothing much to look at , but it would cut through the leather uppers of a normal boot like a razor .......

Best lever is the Laverda ( of course ) ............. acres of room to get the boot under , and a nice round lever rubber .............. not a pointed little thing like a stiletto ... ( see above ) ........

Somewhere in the middle is my current R1 ......... tucked into the side of the bike so much it`s almost impossible to find , until you get used to it ........ but it does have a nice little rubber pad built into the underside of the lever to save your boots .......

 

[piranha-bro2]

Chucked the knurled Jota toe thing early on (still got it somewhere) - form before function IMHO. Custom made something with an M6 cap screw that I could fit a decent rubber to. Now have an RGS flat plastic one (thanks Piet) that bolted straight on to the Jota lever. My riding boots are not as ergonomically easy as I'd like, but I do get used to them once the ride is well underway.

 

[AJ]

My usual footwear is safety toe capped workwear type boots , and that is what I usually end up wearing when riding on the bike as well ........ But not being bike specific boots , they usually develop a hole in the top where the gear lever wears away the leather .

Something like those cover pads Vince has shown above would fix it , but what I usually do is find a spare bit of rubber from somewhere ..... old bicycle inner tube , anything like that ..... cut it into a square , fit it over the hole , then gaffa tape it in place ........

Not pretty , but it does the trick ....... just got to replace the tape now and again , where it wears away at the sole......

I ride more than I walk , so the boots will remain relatively like new , apart from the hole in the top ......

I have a pair of Alpinestars Drystar boots ..... short ankle type boots , which have protective pads for the gear lever , but a hole is developing there after only a few weeks of riding .

I also have a pair of Profirst sports type motorcycle boots , which are a bugger to get on and off ..... and almost too tight to zip up properly , despite being a size larger than I normally take ............ It is impossible to change up a gear with them at the moment as well , until I adjust the lever to give them more room .........


Below is one of my go-to riding boots , with repair as described above ..... not a sight for the faint-hearted I grant you .... but I like to get my monies worth ..... ......

View attachment 93929

I am not a fan of safety toe caps on motorcycles since my mate had 4 of 5 toes rolling around in his sock after glancing off the side of an oncoming car.

 

[Exmoor beast]

My usual footwear is safety toe capped workwear type boots , and that is what I usually end up wearing when riding on the bike as well ........ But not being bike specific boots , they usually develop a hole in the top where the gear lever wears away the leather .

Something like those cover pads Vince has shown above would fix it , but what I usually do is find a spare bit of rubber from somewhere ..... old bicycle inner tube , anything like that ..... cut it into a square , fit it over the hole , then gaffa tape it in place ........

Not pretty , but it does the trick ....... just got to replace the tape now and again , where it wears away at the sole......

I ride more than I walk , so the boots will remain relatively like new , apart from the hole in the top ......

I have a pair of Alpinestars Drystar boots ..... short ankle type boots , which have protective pads for the gear lever , but a hole is developing there after only a few weeks of riding .

I also have a pair of Profirst sports type motorcycle boots , which are a bugger to get on and off ..... and almost too tight to zip up properly , despite being a size larger than I normally take ............ It is impossible to change up a gear with them at the moment as well , until I adjust the lever to give them more room .........


Below is one of my go-to riding boots , with repair as described above ..... not a sight for the faint-hearted I grant you .... but I like to get my monies worth ..... ......

View attachment 93929

I’m getting Mike Hailwood vibes..

 

[rocketonarail]

I’m getting Mike Hailwood vibes..

Actually , the worn toe caps are more through scrabbling about on my knees on the garage floor when working on the bike , rather than demon cornering ( must save up for a bike lift ) ........ .......... Looks impressive though , does`nt it ......... must get the file out and start working away on those knee sliders ! ......

Having said that , I have been known to get the tips of my toes down through the corners ........ at least once or twice in the last 54 years ...... ............

 

[The Sock]

Actually , the worn toe caps are more through scrabbling about on my knees on the garage floor when working on the bike , rather than demon cornering ( must save up for a bike lift ) ........ .......... Looks impressive though , does`nt it ......... must get the file out and start working away on those knee sliders ! ......

Having said that , I have been known to get the tips of my toes down through the corners ........ at least once or twice in the last 54 years ...... ............

Trying to change up while banked over at the limit, in right hand bends, has wrapped my toes round the footrest more than once.

 

[Andy J]

I am not a fan of safety toe caps on motorcycles since my mate had 4 of 5 toes rolling around in his sock after glancing off the side of an oncoming car.

I nearly lost the little toe on my right foot 'kicking' a transit van bumper when we met on a 90 degree bend back in 1982 on my way to Mallory Park. I think it was for the International Rally. I was wearing ordinary motorcycle boots but safety toe caps may have done a better job of protecting my toe. A sticking plaster or two on the toe for the next few weeks and gaffer tape over the hole in the boot sorted the situation. It bloody well hurt though, and I can still see the scar! I might still have the boots somewhere.
Photo 1, at Brands, early in 84, only a small strip of tape on the side, but by August 84, both boots were well and truly taped up. The bike I was riding during the incident in 82 is the same bike as raced at Brands, but back in 82, I'd not long owned it, it was resplendent in Montjuic Speciale bodywork and fully road legal.

 

[rocketonarail]

Trying to change up while banked over at the limit, in right hand bends, has wrapped my toes round the footrest more than once.

View attachment 93932

Hamish ...... What you need is a SFC with one of those heel and toe ( Honda C90 type ) levers fitted .........


It solved the same problem for the likes of Brettoni , Jongetjes , Hutton and so on .......... You`re in distinguished company .... .......... ! .............

 

[The Sock]

Hamish ...... What you need is a SFC with one of those heel and toe ( Honda C90 type ) levers ..... fitted to prevent that very same problem ...........


Must be a good feeling to know you`re suffering the same problems experienced by Agusto Brettoni , Hans Hutton , Gerrit Jongetjes , et al .......... ................

I've thought about it a few times over the years. Haggis and I were looking at the one on the 125 Trail, at the Museo Laverda, and wondering where we could get some. Cheaper than SFC ones would be, for sure.

 

[lavgert]

I've thought about it a few times over the years. Haggis and I were looking at the one on the 125 Trail, at the Museo Laverda, and wondering where we could get some. Cheaper than SFC ones would be, for sure.

View attachment 93941

… much rarer and difficult to find than any 750 SFC!
Ciao, Gert

 

[Vince]

Make one out of 2 gear levers, as long as you have room on the bike and a friendly welder. It's way easier than getting my head around a race change, eg up for 1st. I rode a Norton for a while and it made my brain hurt trying to remember its race change.

 

[The Sock]

My Laverda Triple replaced my previous Norton 850 Commando, Vince.

 

[Vince]

I liked that Norton, 850 mark 2. But it was flogged to death before I rode it, some maintenance, a better front brake and working shocks would have helped.

 

[EncinoBoy]

I say chaps....anyone have a new pair of Derri Boots ? But in all seriousness I thought
this ad was a continuation of all the broken bone metal plates that were slickly (?)
advertised in "Classic Bike" awhile ago promoting road safety/sanity. Over here in the
colonies you can buy metal clips that affix to the bottom of your jeans and keep your
pant legs from riding up your calves when your feet are on the pegs. Still doesn't touch
my ALL TIME fave, the overhead surfboard rack from about 1966. Now ,maybe you are
still a fan of Slade and other 70's bands....

 

[The Sock]

OK, back on track, I remember looking at the ads for these back in the '70s.
I lived in Scotland at that time, so rain was pretty much a given.
Apart from looking deeply uncool, my main concern was the thought of it constantly buzzing as it whizzed round an inch in front of my face.
Can't have been the only one with reservations, as I've never seen anyone using one.
Imagine my surprise when I found they were still available!
Apparently, they are popular with the karting fraternity.

 

[Exmoor beast]

I say chaps....anyone have a new pair of Derri Boots ? But in all seriousness I thought
this ad was a continuation of all the broken bone metal plates that were slickly (?)
advertised in "Classic Bike" awhile ago promoting road safety/sanity. Over here in the
colonies you can buy metal clips that affix to the bottom of your jeans and keep your
pant legs from riding up your calves when your feet are on the pegs. Still doesn't touch
my ALL TIME fave, the overhead surfboard rack from about 1966. Now ,maybe you are
still a fan of Slade and other 70's bands....

I have used Derri boots- 100% waterproof and comfy, used to have them in the workshop for wet road tests. We used to sell gloves with illuminated arrows for indicating ( which I now see the sell for push bikes!) and electrically heated underwear that were hand sewn by an ex army officer! Vulcan gloves had two fingers ( supposedly to keep your fingers warmer..) that meant you couldn’t feel any of the controls properly. Rukka and Baleno were the waterproof jackets to have - my Baleno was in truth were pretty waterproof and extremely warm.
Frank Thomas paddock boots were must have back in the day as was the paddock jacket! I also remember fitting an alarm that had a pager- seemed hi tech back in the day.