Logic behind lifting entire leg to use brakes on 2016 RT-S rear brake pedal--

[JOEMOTO]

Aloha from LavaLand,


Actually I'm on Oahu, and except for the specific area where lava is flowing and air quality in vicinity... it's beautiful for the entire rest of the state.. pls visit and bring your Spyder!... I am riding--everyday... but Spyders are rare here... need company!


So I have a question.... The ergonomics of lifting your entire leg to use the brake on 2016 rt-s... BRP must have some science/thought behind this placement? No other motorcycle I have ever ridden from Honda 50, hodaka superrat---and on and on... have this “different” setup.


Thanks for your theories, opinions, comments, educational quips...


This spyder forum is awesome--- thank you everyone!
Joe

[Fatcycledaddy]

Aloha from LavaLand,


Actually I'm on Oahu, and except for the specific area where lava is flowing and air quality in vicinity... it's beautiful for the entire rest of the state.. pls visit and bring your Spyder!... I am riding--everyday... but Spyders are rare here... need company!


So I have a question.... The ergonomics of lifting your entire leg to use the brake on 2016 rt-s... BRP must have some science/thought behind this placement? No other motorcycle I have ever ridden from Honda 50, hodaka superrat---and on and on... have this “different” setup.


Thanks for your theories, opinions, comments, educational quips...


This spyder forum is awesome--- thank you everyone!
Joe

Every bike I have ever had that had floor boards on it required lifting your leg to brake. With foot pegs it was not required because you can move your toe down pass what would be the flat plane of a floor board.

[Lew L]

I think every car/truck I've ever owned required me to lift or at least move my foot to apply the brakes. It is slower than than the motorcycles ( of course you adjusted the pedals and levers to fit you ---- right) but not an unusual movement.

Lew L

[Peteoz]

Well I’m the opposite to Lew and Fatcycle, Joe

My Vulcan2000, Triumph Rocket Touring and Victory Vision allowed me to leave my heel in place and lift only the ball of my foot across to operate the brake. The F3-L was the first ride I have had that requires me to lift my entire foot off the floorboard and move it across to the brake.
Obviously others have the same issue, or there would not have been a market for Lamont to make more angled floorboards so that you to simply lift and rotate the ball of your foot to use the brake.
Perhaps BRP felt that due to the fact there was no hand operated brake, they needed to ensure the rider put full downward pressure on the brake pedal.

Pete

[Fatcycledaddy]

Well I’m the opposite to Lew and Fatcycle, Joe

My Vulcan2000, Triumph Rocket Touring and Victory Vision allowed me to leave my heel in place and lift only the ball of my foot across to operate the brake. The F3-L was the first ride I have had that requires me to lift my entire foot off the floorboard and move it across to the brake.
Obviously others have the same issue, or there would not have been a market for Lamont to make more angled floorboards so that you to simply lift and rotate the ball of your foot to use the brake.
Perhaps BRP felt that due to the fact there was no hand operated brake, they needed to ensure the rider put full downward pressure on the brake pedal.

Pete

Is the F3-L different than the RTL floor boards?

[Peteoz]

Is the F3-L different than the RTL floor boards?

Yeah Fatcycle, but that’s not relevant in this case. The OP said that he had to lift his foot off the floorboards to access the brake, and that’s the same as the F3 with boards. My comment was that unlike others experience, I did not have to lift my foot off the boards on my cruisers to access the brake. I also don’t have to lift my heel in order to move from the accelerator to the brake in my motor cars. It’s just a swivel on the heel.

Pete

[Easy Rider]

Is the F3-L different than the RTL floor boards?

I have an RTL and don't feel that it is really "necessary" to lift your leg to operate the brake pedal.......IF you have your foot properly positioned to start with. But then it might be likely that you would catch the edge of the sole UNDER the pedal and waste valuable time.

This is part of the reason that I'm having a hand operated brake lever installed.

[Lew L]

Well I’m the opposite to Lew and Fatcycle, Joe

My Vulcan2000, Triumph Rocket Touring and Victory Vision allowed me to leave my heel in place and lift only the ball of my foot across to operate the brake. The F3-L was the first ride I have had that requires me to lift my entire foot off the floorboard and move it across to the brake.
Obviously others have the same issue, or there would not have been a market for Lamont to make more angled floorboards so that you to simply lift and rotate the ball of your foot to use the brake.
Perhaps BRP felt that due to the fact there was no hand operated brake, they needed to ensure the rider put full downward pressure on the brake pedal.

Pete

Hi Pete,

I've always adjusted the levers ( all of them) on my motorcycles ) so there was no lifting involved. On the sportier bikes I often with the ball of my foot on the peg in the twisties. My short parents had me add extensions to the gas pedal of their auto so they could more or less slide over like Pete is doing. I never did it on my own cars/trucks though.

I'll assume ( I hate to do that) that the " angled floorboards" are for the F3's??????????

So in the interest of creative ( and inexpensive farkeling), I'll try to come up with a simple solution for those who have an RT with floorboards.

I have the RTS that came with floorboards. I just might try a little rest to the right of the brake pedal ( small enough to not interfere with the foot on brake pedal)

Lew L

[DGoebel]

I think this issue has to do with each of our individual foot flexion ability. I just lift my toe and press the brake, like I do in my car. I don't have to lift my whole foot, but that's likely due to my leg and ankle geometry compared to others. Now if I've stretched out or "gone cafe" to stretch my legs then yes I have to move my foot to brake. But that'd be true of any footboard brake combination. I usually reset to my normal riding position when traffic or intersections are approached. Same as if I was in my truck on cruise though.

[billybovine]

Is the F3-L different than the RTL floor boards?

Yes they are different. You do not have to lift your foot as high on a RT 2013 and later models with floorboards. The floorboards have a drop down feature that give you more brake pedal travel in the rare occasion you need it. On the F3-L the boards are fixed. So the pedal is much higher to allow for full pedal travel if needed.

[Fatcycledaddy]

I have an RTL and don't feel that it is really "necessary" to lift your leg to operate the brake pedal.......IF you have your foot properly positioned to start with. But then it might be likely that you would catch the edge of the sole UNDER the pedal and waste valuable time.

This is part of the reason that I'm having a hand operated brake lever installed.

Exactly what I was thinking. And that was why my question was relivent

[SpyderAnn01]

Prior to the floorboards, and for those of us with manual transmissions, you did not have to lift your leg to hit the brakes. I find it to be totally uncomfortable and I would not want a Spyder that was equipped with them. I’ll keep my pegs thank you.

[Peteoz]

Hi Pete,
I'll assume ( I hate to do that) that the " angled floorboards" are for the F3's??????????
Lew L

Yeah Lew. What others have said about ankle flexibility also comes into it, but the fact remains that for me, I have never had to lift my heel off the floorboard in (or on) any vehicle other than the Spyder. Lamont’s boards for the F3 are a real boon that saves remodelling your brake linkage.

Pete

[wrb3004]

Aloha from LavaLand,


Actually I'm on Oahu, and except for the specific area where lava is flowing and air quality in vicinity... it's beautiful for the entire rest of the state.. pls visit and bring your Spyder!... I am riding--everyday... but Spyders are rare here... need company!


So I have a question.... The ergonomics of lifting your entire leg to use the brake on 2016 rt-s... BRP must have some science/thought behind this placement? No other motorcycle I have ever ridden from Honda 50, hodaka superrat---and on and on... have this “different” setup.


Thanks for your theories, opinions, comments, educational quips...


This spyder forum is awesome--- thank you everyone!
Joe

Hello from New York. Have always wanted to visit Hawaii but I'm afraid I won't want to come back home.

I've always had the same question and wish the pedal was further forward. I only have a 32" inseam and find it very cramped getting to the brake, I'm not sure how those with longer legs can get to it very easily. I have tried the wider pad but it overhangs the floorboard and gets in the way of my foot. I have tried the pedal extension sold by "Refinedcycle" but didn't find this to work very well either. At the end of the day it's a small issue that I have learned to live with. Wayne

[sealfloorboards]

I don't have to left my foot to break with my Seal Floorboards. When my feet are forward (most of the time) I just use my heel to brake. It's a very natural movement. BTW, you can mount Seal Floorboards on top the small BRP floorboard by pop-ing the rubber pad off and three nuts and bolt's.
Ride in comfort,
John

[Easy Rider]

I have never had to lift my heel off the floorboard in (or on) any vehicle other than the Spyder.

What is different about your Spyder to make that necessary ?

I was out for a ride today and paid attention to what I was doing........and it is quite easy for me to position my foot so that I raise my toes and swivel on the back of the heel of my boot. And I have small feet.

Of course, if you move your feet around so that they are "out of position", then raising the whole foot might be necessary.......the same as any bike if you move your feet.

[billybovine]

What is different about your Spyder to make that necessary ?

You may have missed my previous post explaining the difference in the floorboards between a RT and F3.

[UtahPete]

Every time I see this thread in the 'New Posts', I'm just glancing at the thread name and first thing comes to mind is 'male dog, fire hydrant'....

[Easy Rider]

You may have missed my previous post explaining the difference in the floorboards between a RT and F3.

Guess so.
But the original title said 2016 RT-S.
Is that model different than the RT-L, floorboard wise ??

[Culpjp]

I noticed the same issue when I sat on both an RT and am F3. I'm used to the pegs on my GS and you just slide your foot over. I found that with my riding boots on I couldn't angle my ankle enough to raise my toes over the foot pedal for the brake. I had floorboards on my Vulcan 900 and never had the same issue as with the new Spyders.

[Revalden]

I have an RTL and don't feel that it is really "necessary" to lift your leg to operate the brake pedal.......IF you have your foot properly positioned to start with. But then it might be likely that you would catch the edge of the sole UNDER the pedal and waste valuable time.

This is part of the reason that I'm having a hand operated brake lever installed.

I'd be real interested in seeing how a hand operated brake lever is installed. Yesterday I almost lost it going too fast into a hard left turn. Needed to brake but also needed to keep my ass on the seat.

[Easy Rider]

I'd be real interested in seeing how a hand operated brake lever is installed. Yesterday I almost lost it going too fast into a hard left turn. Needed to brake but also needed to keep my ass on the seat.

It is a front brake actuator assembly from Harley, that is mechanically attached to the Spyder's brake linkage and "pushes" the brake lever down just like normal operation with your foot. Or so that is the theory.

I had one installed on mine and am finding it totally inadequate.
It was barely adequate at first but now is producing less and less braking action.......to the point of almost being useless above 5 MPH or so.

I need to get it back to the shop for an inspection and re-bleed.

[fjray]

I had no trouble being able to engage the ABS with the hand brake on my 15 RTL.

[Easy Rider]

I had no trouble being able to engage the ABS with the hand brake on my 15 RTL.

Good to know that there is hope.

[wingit3611]

Hand brake would be a real plus for these bikes