boots catching on the bottom of the tank, etc

[jaguar]

I bought new boots and then put them in the closet due to 3 reasons:
They wouldn't bend at the ankle.
I couldn't feel the shifter when I upshifted and I lost all sensitivity for braking.
I sometimes couldn't take my right foot off the peg due to the boot catching on the bottom of the tank.
They are Answer Team 2 boots.
I bought hiking boots to replace them that have ankle padding and I'm happy as a lark with them. I don't motocross so I'm not worried about not having as much protection. People put 100% protection on their feet and yet ride with little other protection. not too smart. The sensitivity I have with the hiking boots actually greatly decreases my chances of wrecking since I have much more control now.
any comments?

 

[DCMan]

I had similar problems at first but I've adjusted to them; and now I actually prefer them. Once you break em in they're not so stiff at the ankles, and by then you should have adjusted to the feeling of the brake and gears!
But whatever works.....as long as we ride!:cool:

 

[MADisher]

I often put-put around my yard, or hit our little track with nothing but hiking boots on.

But, in the woods... I wouldn't wear anything but my Fox Forma boots (and I absolutely HATE them too.) The buckles are a tremendous pain in the assets, and they are still stiff after two years of riding.

But I've smashed into enough rocks, sticks, tree stumps to know I'd have broken something with just plain hiking boots on.

Not to mention the shin protection.

Especially in the mud. Slip off your kickstarter and have that bad boy rake up your shins and you'll see a grown man cry. (I still have scars I think).

I also like the sense of water-proofness, sort of. At least in 6-7 inches of slush.

-MD (just my $.02)

 

[jaguar]

hey guys, Do your boots not catch on the bottom of your gas tank? (or that just a problem with older KDX's?)

 

[smb_racing]

I would never ride without protection for my feet and shins, and I'll tell you why. I was riding two weeks ago on some trail I've ridden many times before, but I came around a turn and there was a downed tree with limbs sticking out like spears. I took one right square to the front of my shin and it was deflected by my guards, tore the leg clear out of my riding pants. If I had not been wearing the guard it would have been through my shin. There is no substitue for good protective gear. It takes a while to break in new boots, I had to wear my trackers like house slippers for months before I got them to where I could feel anything. Also they don't catch on my gas tank at all :)

 

[motochick]

I have never had a problem with boots catching on any part of my bike, nor have I had the uncomfortable feeling you are describing. I wear tech 8's and they were as comfy as tennis shoes the first time I wore them. I didn't even have to wear them around the house, just rode for a 100 miles on the first day.

I have personally seen what could happen to you if you wear only hiking boots and it is not a pretty site. In fact, it kind made me sick to my stomach. I will try to get crashdoc to tell his horror story a maybe even post a picture.
You should always wear your moto boots, even when "putting around".

Brenda

 

[MADisher]

I know what you're talking about Jag.

My boots can catch some part of my older RM, and it can definatly catch the plastic when kickstarting my sons PW-80. Still worth wearing though or figuring out another solution. (perhaps some hundred mile an hour tape on said plastic parts).

-MD

 

[Yamamoto]

Its your call

I would cut the piece off my boot before I would ride with out it!!!

Don't be dumb ....seat belt save lives....boots save your feet, and ankles.

ACL mean anything? ......Its the most aquired injury in the sport of MX.


Maybe your boots are to big.
Maybe the top buckle is not tight enough.
Maybe you should park your bike and walk around the house till you figure out how to make the boots work without catching.
Maybe if you walk enough the boots will brake in and your problem will be solved.

 

[CrashDoc]

Some insight into wearing hiking boots while riding motorcycles..........On the weekend of May 4-6th I went riding with Brenda(Motochick) and her hubbie Adam(ATKAdam) . We had two good 100 mile + days of fun riding with no problems(No soil samples :-) . I had my Hi-Point boots on along with full protective gear. On Sunday May 6th we went to a trials competition that they were competing in. We took my KDX so that I could poke around between sections and watch B&A ride their Montessa trials bikes, fun stuff to watch!! I was thinking to myself after 2 days of "real" riding with full gear on I would just kick back and wear levis, sweatshirt, elbow guards(have a thing about my elbows being protected!!),helmet and hiking boots. I was out poking around in the woods, riding between trials sections and just having a totally mellow putt thru the woods. BUT then I came to a little downhill rocky section and the front wheel kicked on me the bike started to go over. This all was happening at a very slow speed and I instinctively reacted by sticking my left foot out and trying to catch the bike's fall. Well I ended up taking a footpeg with the bike's weight behind it in the lower part of my front shin area. As the following picture shows it ended up being quite a visual/painful reminder as to why I should have had my motorcycle boots on INSTEAD of my hiking boots.

So anyway it's been over 2 months since that happened........the color has finally all went away......BUT I still have soft tissue damage at the point of footpeg engagement (the "scrapped/scab area at the top most part of my leg that you can see in the picture) , my ankle/foot still swell up and the the area above where the damage happened still backs up fluid which swells up that area a bit.

I now have a pair of Tech 8's (thanks Brenda!! :-) and they are GREAT!! No break-in horror stories, a minor re-adjustment to the "feel/feedback response" of the shifter and brake controls and alot more comfy than my Hi-points!! Moral of this story is that if I'm going to motivate on a motorcycle, especially off the pavement I will wear my boots as I don't want to go thru that mess again. CD

 

[B]

Ouch...

B

 

[jaguar]

well theres pros and cons to every topic.
In favor of hiking boots: Yesterday I was wearing just tennis shoes and practiced a few laps on a motocross course that is pretty simple.(unscheduled stop). The track was hard and dry and the front end almost went out from under me as the tire lost traction crossing a small rut at an angle. Well with lightning speed I dabbed my foot down and saved the situation. If I was wearing 4 pound MX boots I doubt I would of saved it, would of crashed, and would then of needed all the protection that money can buy.
moral of story:
Speed and agility of movement are also safety factors.

 

[Yamamoto]

Beam me up Scotty!!!

You are so right...Tennis shoes are much better, I am getting rid of my heavy protective boots and getting the a wimpy pair sneakers instead. ......................Ahhhhhh Scotty ....BEAM ME UP!!!! Now !!!

 

[xrsforever]

Boots are important. Take it from someone who rode once with Hiking boots who broke his tibula,and fibula. I won't even kick a bike over without boots.
Helmet,Boots,Goggles,Long Sleeve shirt,riding pants,gloves,and chest protector at the MINIMUM> Also Kawis are prone to boots getting caught,but I thought it was on their side plates.:cool:

 

[CrashDoc]

Jaguar's response of ". Well with lightning speed I dabbed my foot down and saved the situation." reminds me of a 'adage' that I got from a friend of mine who crashed so hard at speed down in Baja that he split his helmet open and ended up losing the usage of one of his eyes. He still rides better with one eye than most people do with both :-) ! His adage/advice which I try to live by whether on the street or in the dirt is; " Dress for the crash, NOT for the ride! " ..........Gravity is still the predominent force we fight when riding, "lightening speed" might save you........sometimes.... :-) CD

 

[Yamamoto]

We can lead a horse to water

But we can't make him ( THINK) ....he will have to learn the Hard way, and its gona hurt!

 

[CrashDoc]

Ya pay your money and ya take your chances...........This is true Yamamoto(the "leading" thing) , when Jaguar ends up in the hospital, then out walking with crutches/cane, then limping around just waiting/wishing to feel good enough to ride again .........THEN MAYBE he will reflect back on this little forum dicussion. Ya gota learn at your own rate/expense/speed......Have fun!! :-) CD

PS......I do motorcycle crash testing work for $$$$ (hence my handle) so have seen a pile of ATD's(AnthropomorphicTestDevice)/crash test dummies flying thru the air, smashing into vehicles, head plants, sliding on ground.......you name it I might have seen it/tested it!! I also install the sensors to record the data collected in the test, then I repair them after they are all broken up so is alot of fun seeing how certain test situations cause repeatable broken parts :-)

 

[motochick]

Jaguar, if wearing 4 pound boots is such a problem, then maybe you should start doing some leg lifts and squats!

Crashdoc didn't get to ride for 2 months because of his "lightning speed" reaction. Deal with it.

Be smart.

Brenda

 

[Sage]

when shopping for boots or anything saftey related for that reason, I usually toss money aside and go for fit & quaility, yes it costs a lot more for the good stuff but all it takes is one good smack, and when you get up off the ground, take a look at what just happened and smile because you just walked away with the wind knocked out of you and a bruised ego, you WILL smile and thank yourself for buying the best. new boots feel like $h*t, but after there broken in there your best friend. next time your planing to go out, toss your boots in the bathtub for about 20 min to 1/2 hour and ride them dry, they will break in way faster. a friend told me this once and I told him that I not tossing my new $320.00 boots in the damn tub! but after about 8 rides we went for a thunder shower ride, and after that the boots fit like a custom set. since then all my boot come out of the box and go for a swim prior to there first ride. I hope you can get your boots to fit because I've crashed in hikers before and it really sucks. sorry so long, but you'll remeber this someday when lighting reflex's just wern't enough. try the water thing. :)

 

[jaguar]

OK guys, enough!

I plan on getting Tech 8's when I can afford them in a couple months.
Till then I am content with what I've got and will ride where there aren't rocks, roots, etc.
I like the wide open spaces anyway.
But when you look at all the pros and cons the only real solution is a good boot that allows you to move your foot. The answer isn't camping boots or cheap stiff-as-a-brick low cost boots.
If I'd of know these boots would be so stiff I never would of bought them.
next subject...

 

[Yamamoto]

You see the importants in boots now

all you have to do is like someone said ...soak them in the tub then wear them till they are dry...that will help losen where it need to losen and tighten where it needs to be tighter.

OR Mink oil ....Great stuff to losen tough leather.

 

[rames90]

I have Answer Team 2 boots as well Jaguar, your right they are kind of stiff, and the little buckles are very hard to close.

I've had them soaking wet everytime I go riding, I usually have to stop a couple of times and dump the water out during the course of a morning. I also wash them at the carwash every now and then. None of this seemed to help soften them up.

Question about this mink oil Yamamoto, will it require frequent reapplication after getting the leather wet? Or, does it soak in to the leather quite well and only need re-applying once or twice a season?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[Yamamoto]

the more you apply it the more your boots will start to feel like a Baby's butt.

once it starts to feel good then just apply as needed.

 

[Draco692]

In replying about boot getting caught under the gas tank of my kdx. I also have the same problem I wear oneil element boots and after hitting a jump my boot would get stuck under the tank. I own a 98 kdx 200. To fix the problem me and my dad ducked taped that area around the fram and have not had any more problems with my boot getting stuck.

 

[teton]

Hey the jagster is right ! next time I go snow sking Im toss'n the 4lbs plastic boots that wont let me move with quick desiecive actions to save my rear-end.;)

On the real side, dont mess with your ankles, take it from me, I have 4 screws hold things together now (also a nice new ti rod in my tibula) I wont be riding for aleast a year. Safety gear is a must ! learn to ride with the stuff and walk the next day !

One day long ago I rode with tennis shoe's on, the rock was quicker than my speedy foot, MAN THAT HURT, I wanted to cry, I was lucky that day.

 

[RADMAN]

I bought hiking boots to replace them that have ankle padding and I'm happy as a lark with them. I don't motocross so I'm not worried about not having as much protection.

I broke my foot riding in a Hare Scramble in Texas. It was a fluke thing in that my bike came out from under me as I entered a turn..I fell forward and the bike came down on top of my heel...bending my foot up and snapping the bones on top of my foot in half and I was wearing a good quality , well known brand of MX boots... I shudder to thank what the damage would have been if i were wearing hiking boots......