Extended footboards and cornering clearance.

Delmar

I was seriously considering extending my footboards for accommodating my big feet. Typically I ride two-up and with conservative cornering I never had a problem with anything scraping. This week I had the opportunity to ride solo and really carve some corners. Twice already I have ground the right footboard into the pavement. The worst was on an offramp cloverleaf and stuck it good, it even affected my line through the corner and scared the bejezzes out of me.

Getting back to the garage I went to assess the damage. Looking under the footboard I discovered a considerable amount of metal missing. Most of the asphalt machining must have previously been done by the cops, but I’m sure I took a bit more off myself. Even the mounting bracket underneath was ground down, reference the pic.

How do you guys that installed footboard spacers handle the reduced corning clearance?

Dr. Doolittle

Very simple actually - you must be aware of your new lean limits and ride accordingly. I'm not super aggressive but I have noticed I'm scraping more often. Like you said, it's usually transitioning from one type of road to another where the camber changes and REALLY cuts into your clearance. Just be mentally prepared for more scraping and the accompanying noise and you'll be fine.

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2008 Street Glide

glider

If you look at the line of the bracket you scraped underneath and the line of the frame, there isn't much more to lean it over without hitting the frame too.

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glens

You didn't do much of that in only two touchdowns.

Those floorboards are symmetrical and with fit either side the same. HD makes a set which only mounts on the side they're made for, with the pans 3/4" further forward on the underside bracketry. It frees up the left floorboard for full use with the rear shifter just at the rear edge. They also drag a little less, though it's nice to have them touch before the frame mounts do for a little more (safer) "heads up".

Delmar

I can get used to irritating screeching noises (I’m married) but when it affects the handling you can count me out. I have a thing against making modifications that affect the rideability of the bike.

glens

... or get an '09 or later. I used to drag my '07 RK floorboards on a regular basis. I've only dragged twice in a bit over 4k miles on my '09, and I can (and do) ride it much more spiritedly. The chassis is much more capable, if just a tad harsher-riding.

I have the floorboards I mentioned above, since about as many miles on the odometer as it takes to get between the dealer and my place. They are the ones I've dragged twice while riding. I'm sure the stock ones would've touched a bit more in all the same situations. I know the frequency went down when I swapped out the stock ones on the '07.

I think they're about $75.

Porter

I agree with you Dr. Dolittle.
Carving turns is part of the enjoyment, but know your limits.
I took the riders edge advanced safety course this past summer and we spent about 1.5 hours scraping the floorboards with the instuctors watching.
Knowing how far you can lean at various speeds and getting upright quickly for hard braking is a skill that should be practiced.

It reall made me more comfortable hearing the noise and understanding the handleing characteristics. It was suprising to me the difference that shifting half a seat width to the inside of a turn made. On a tall bike like the UC, and inch is a big deal...

Delmar

I strongly agree with always riding within your skills plus the bikes limits, and practicing to ensure you are exactly aware where both reside. Practice was one important item I neglected to do before setting out on my carving mission.

The point of my posting was questioning a popular modification that potentially could negatively affect the bikes cornering limits. In my opinion reducing your riding limits to compensate for a modification is not an acceptable resolution.

Dr. Doolittle

Well then any such modifications should not be done by a person like you. I feel like the vast majority of Harley riders are "cruisers" and we can totally enjoy our bikes performance limits, even with some modifications like these floorboards. If I really wanted to "get after it" in the twisties, I would not have bought a Harley, especially a touring model.

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2008 Street Glide

Jack Klarich

Dragged my floor boards on the way to Devils tower on a 80 Flh that was in 91 havent done that again