Motorcycle Views

Motorcycle Glossary Dictionary Term - Heel-Toe Shifter

Heel-Toe Shifter: Normally, shifting on a motorcycle is done by placing your foot under the shift lever, squeezing the clutch lever all the way to the grip and then kicking upward smartly for each gear change as you from first through all the higher gears. Similarly, downshifting from a high gear to the next lower gear requires the rider to place their foot on top of the shift lever and stomp down smartly to make one gear change.

When a heel-toe shifter is used, the rider has use of a different mechanism designed so that a downward kick is all that is required whether upshifting or downshifting. By stomping down on the ball of your foot on the forward lever, the transmission is shifted into a lower gear. By stomping down on your heel on the rear lever, the transmission is shifted into a higher gear.

Of course, you can also use the heel-toe shifter as a normal shifter. Just use the forward lever and stomp down to go to a lower gear and kick upward on the bottom of the lever with the toe of your boot to go to a higher gear.

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