I have a painful problem with the tendons/ligament on the up side of my left foot, its all the fun of gettin' ole an fallin' to bits. Sometimes it's real bad and i can't change up, the change from first to second can be excruciating the rest less so. I now change up by swinging the foot over and nudging the changer with my heel, it's a bit ungainly but it works even if it's a bit like changing in a car, the process takes a bit longer etc,.

As far as I can see there's no better way but if anyone can tell me otherwise I am listening!

ps It's not all bad news I've been diagnosed with Gallstones so at least that's a bit extra rather then something dropping off.

what about converting to a rocker type shifter, like the harleys use

Remove the shifter lever and rotate it forward so that it points down lower.  It will require less of an up-swing on your foot's part.

Jockey shifter baby!!!!!  There are kits out there to move the clutch mechanism from the left handlebar to the left foot and you shift with a lever attached to the gearbox.  I don't think that they are made for the GS, but it'd be pretty cool to see if someone could come up with something.  They're also called Suicide shifters (i'm assuming because you've only got the throttle hand on the bars when you shift.

Just an idea.

John L.

My first reaction would be to pick up another stock shift lever and have it welded on upside down and backwards to the original (mirror image front and back) and use it like heel toe cruiser type shifter. You would have to make sure that this arrangement didn't get hung up on anything or rides right where your heel would normally sit, but it would be a fairly cheap experiment. Any lever would do really, even dirt bike, but the length would probably be of concern to make sure it clears your foot, etc.

I am sure there are more elegant solutions, but this would be functional, quick and dirty.

if ur willing to plunk down some cash, i saw a thumb operated shifter somewhere for racing use that u can use on ur bike....i saw it in one of those $8 british sportbike mags and checked the website......try looking up thumb shifter or something on yahoo...

Paui said it-air shifter!

or install rearsets from another bike that uses linkage. then install the linkage upside down to reverse the shifting to GP style race shifting, 1u-5d instead of 1d-5u.

if you converted to a race shift, you'd still have the problem when making downshift.

airshifter is the way to go.  plus it adds some serious trick factor.

How boot just gettin' some fine chick to ride you around and do all the shiftin' fur ya?

Oops, thought I was logged in as a guest.  

Thanks, lots of ideas, some kind of heel-toe rocker seems to be the way to go, if I cant sort out the flesh 'n' bones I will go that way, a chick is a great idea but I can see "her indoors" finding fault, thanks again.