Gear shifting on the f800gs with MX boots

[JGoody]

Originally Posted by pauljm

My Wunderlich adjustable gear lever managed to snap on the weekend while on road up shifting.
Its been a while since I have been off road where it would get a knock unless its just been weaken for a while.
Anyway it bent up on the slide shaft one half snapped one still hanging on. Straightening snapped it obviously managed to rig it to continue the ride & get home. MacGyver eat your heart out.
Thinking of a replacement & maybe an Alloy lever that snaps isn't ideal. Any one found anything new recently to hit the market? Need it longer than std my size 12 Sidi Adv won't fit under/between the std lever.

Interesting -- I just put on the Wunderlich as the stock adjuster moved up a notch (and the rubber removed) was OK but not perfect with boots. I do wonder about the alloy casting -- it seems like the cheap BMW shifter would bend but not break and could be bent back. Anyone else with out there with Wunderlich problems? Also did yours slide on easily? -- Mine was so hard to get on I had the dealer do it as it was due for service and going in the shop anyway. Touratech makes a cheaper adjustable model that I believe is steel.

[TowPro]

I tried the touratech lever. When you slide the touratech (or stock shifter) on, the cross bolt that holds it on is made so it lines up with the relief in the shifter shaft. This way if the bolt comes loose, the shifter will not fall off (unless the bolt comes all the way out).
With the touratech the hole for the cross bolt was drilled to close to the shaft. When you slide the bolt through it binds on the shifter shaft and it cross threaded the bolt. When I went to loosen the bolt it broke off. I ended up having to drill the bolt out to get the shifter off. They exchanged it for me saying that the powder coating must have gotten into the hole. Got the new one and and it was exactly the same way.
I noticed with the shifter off the bike the bolt threads in perfectly, on the bike the bolt binds against the shaft. I called them about this and they said "BMW sources the shift shafts from different vendors, and yours must be machined wrong"
Sure. No way the touratech shifter could be drilled in the wrong spot, it has to be the BMW shifter shaft
It went back to touratech for a refund.

[mikefletcher24]

I bought the GS boots and had the same problem with mine. Ordered the touratech adjustable one and also raised it up a notch. It was hitting the case, so I bent it slightly and now it works great. Breaking in the boots helps too as you get a better feel.

[GB.]

Hello from the UK, what I did on mine was; I had a touratech lever off a R1200GS laying in the garage, I unbolted it and mated the front part with the folding tip with the standard part by cutting off the tip of the stock one.





Works fine

[Steveman]

kewl idea

[señormoto]

Originally Posted by Corona

Thanks for the info guys. Should my boots be slightly big or should they be a tight fit? I am normally a UK 9 and I ended up buying a US10 boot.

They should be as comfortable as a hiking boot. All of the alpinestars boots I've had took a while to break in, afterwards they shifted easier. Walk around in them and the flex will loosen up.

[tinpusher]

Moved mine up a notch and bent it out slightly to fit over engine case. Works great now.

[KLRscoob]

I have a size 14 boot and all I did is move the shifter up a couple of teeth. Gives more clearance for rocks and such as well. No need for adjustable levers unless you just want to support the aftermarket suppliers

[Harry Swan]

Originally Posted by KLRscoob

I have a size 14 boot and all I did is move the shifter up a couple of teeth. Gives more clearance for rocks and such as well. No need for adjustable levers unless you just want to support the aftermarket suppliers

Doesn't that make it harder to get your foot up to downshift? My MX boots aren't that flexible. I still like Wunderlich's longer shifter.

[JGoody]

Originally Posted by JGoody

Interesting -- I just put on the Wunderlich as the stock adjuster moved up a notch (and the rubber removed) was OK but not perfect with boots. I do wonder about the alloy casting -- it seems like the cheap BMW shifter would bend but not break and could be bent back. Anyone else with out there with Wunderlich problems? Also did yours slide on easily? -- Mine was so hard to get on I had the dealer do it as it was due for service and going in the shop anyway. Touratech makes a cheaper adjustable model that I believe is steel.

Same issue with mine! Same worries about the alloy casting -- but the fit is good.

[KLRscoob]

Originally Posted by Harry Swan

Doesn't that make it harder to get your foot up to downshift? My MX boots aren't that flexible. I still like Wunderlich's longer shifter.

I just lift my whole boot like an MX bike. Doesn't require much boot flex with this technique.

[whitham_wannabe]

My Wunderlich failed too, after three years or so. Made a replacement out of steel, so far so good.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831880

[EPMD]

Originally Posted by Corona

I now have a pair of Alpinestar Tech 7 boots which feel suitably tough enough to protect my ankle but I now find it super hard to change gear as my ankle doesn't move. Is there a nack to this, do I need a longer gear lever, is the gs suitable? Any advice appreciated.

MX boots won't let you articulate your ankle the same amount as road boots and/or regular shoes.

So you'll need to adjust accordingly.

When seated, especially when leaning forward, you'll basically need to lift your entire foot off the peg to shift. Same goes for braking. You end up using your whole leg to shift (and brake).

When standing, you should have enough ankle range of motion to brake and shift. Important tip! Stay on the balls of your feet for greater control and shock absorbing abilities by letting your ankle joints work. When needing to brake/shift, transition to the arches of your feet. Then switch back to the balls of your feet as soon as you can.

I'm not making this stuff up either. These are all pro MX and off road riding tips from Donnie Bales and Gary Semics.