[phenol312]

So I finally took the plunge and got myself an '08 white 600. So far I love it.

One thing bothers me though. I have puma 1000 riding boots...and it is really hard to fit the boot under the shifter...I was wondering if any of you ride with riding boots and, if so, if you had to make any adjustments to make things work.

I can physically fit the boot under the shifter...but its almost like its wedged in there and it makes me feel really uncomfortable. also, when shifting it feels so "numb" i dont know if this is because the boots aren't broken in or because im just not used to it.

For now, I'll just be riding in sneakers/timberlands i guess.

 

[sifuquoc]

adjust the shifter to your liking and start using the boots

 

[phenol312]

so adjust the shifter or adjust the footpeg? I can see in the manual it says that if you move the shifter you need a new circlip. Can I just move the footpeg or what? If I need to replace parts just to move the shifter I'll just wait until hte 500 mile service and have the dealer do it.

 

[JETMECHANIC]

adjust the shifter to your liking and start using the boots

+1
Get used to wearing your gear I never ride anywhere without mine, its like not wearing a seat belt when I'm in the cage.

 

[phenol312]

I always ride in full gear...Arai Profile II, Held Phantoms, and an alpinestar ICE jacket. :thumbup:

I rode my old bike with timberlands...decided to get the pumas to upgrade and they fit fine. They are just impossible to use on the bike as it is.

I can shift gears...but i cant 'feel' that im shifting gears. Once i get my foot under the shifter its almost locked there and it have to "unjam it" to switch to a downshift. Thats far more unsafe than just riding in timbs or sneakers.

 

[Chango]

You can raise just the shifter itself. Attached to the shifter is a long-ish rod that is nearly vertical that goes between the shifter itself and the transmission. There is one nut at each end (on my last two Suzukis they were both 10mm). Loosen these two nuts and then twist the rod to raise or lower the shifter. Retighten the nuts and give it a try.

Your boots will need to be broken in a little, but once you get used to them you will never want to ride without them again. Riding in "timbs or sneakers" is far more dangerous than you realize.

 

[phenol312]

I'm aware...which is why i bought the boots in the first place.

I was really just looking to see if anyone else found the factory placements unsuitable...not for a safety lecture. :headscrat

 

[Empatho]

I'm aware...which is why i bought the boots in the first place.

I was really just looking to see if anyone else found the factory placements unsuitable...not for a safety lecture. :headscrat

+100 on breaking in the boots, when I first got my boots I felt like I was wearing a cast :laughingr but now I do not even notice them at all.

 

[JETMECHANIC]

No one is or was giving you a safety lecture. And yes I did adjust mine to suit me. I think almost everyone does.

 

[phenol312]

+100 on breaking in the boots, when I first got my boots I felt like I was wearing a cast :laughingr but now I do not even notice them at all.

Thats almost exactly what it feels like! ... i mean i got them in the winter so i only walked around in them a bit. I guess I'll have to go jogging in these suckers.

 

[phenol312]

No one is or was giving you a safety lecture. And yes I did adjust mine to suit me. I think almost everyone does.

Yeah, sorry if I overreacted but some people assume that new member = new rider. I'm grateful for the concern though.

I've volunteered and will be working the rest of my life in a hospital so I've seen and heard my share of stories of motorcycle accidents. Images are much more powerful than words. When you see a patient wheeled in and someone shows up a few hours later with that persons extremity...thats a good case to spend $300 bucks on a pair of boots.

 

[gsxrhokie]

Those Puma boots must be pretty big/thick. You can ride in a pair of Timberlands (which are typically pretty big, clunky boots) with no problem but the Pumas don't feel quite right? Surprising as they're made for riding...Just out of curiousity, what size shoe do you wear?

I used to ride in a pair of steel toe boots and had no problems with them fitting in or feeling the shifter. Just started wearing a pair of Sidi boots though; I'll never not ride in them now except for when I have to wear my steel toes to work.

Congrats on the new bike. I just bought the yellow 08 600 (first bike). How do you like the white so far?

 

[phenol312]

Yeah the problem was not the rearsets it was the boots. I walked around in them for an hour or two...loosened the calf adjusters a bit and now they work wonderfully on the bike. I guess they were too tight on my calf and it was restricting my range of motion.

So far 26x miles...loving every minute of it :thumbup:

 

[gsxrhokie]

Yeah the problem was not the rearsets it was the boots. I walked around in them for an hour or two...loosened the calf adjusters a bit and now they work wonderfully on the bike. I guess they were too tight on my calf and it was restricting my range of motion.

So far 26x miles...loving every minute of it :thumbup:

Wouldn't it be nice if everything in this world was that easy of a fix?