Adding Front Floor boards and changing exhaust

[jwcpastor]

I wanted to know if there is a way to mount floor boards to replace the front pegs to get a heel toe shift on my 2003 Kawasaki Voyager XXI. Also, can you change the exhaust pipes to get a louder sound? I appreciate any thoughts and info.

[Barry]

Here's a link for installation directions of most of the factory accessories which were made by Markland:
https://amervoyassoc.org/techtipsXII.ph ... ccessories
Just click on drivers floorboards. Please note all of the original accessories are discontinued. There are folks out there that might be willing to part with the floorboards. I think the floorboards might be slightly higher than the foot pegs in order to maintain ground clearance in the corners. I've had mine for 20 years and can't remember what foot pegs feel like.
Cobra made a nice sounding exhaust system. Good luck locating these items.

[cranky]

... IMHO, the boards are lower, and the biggest problem you'll
run into is getting the heel/toe shifter!! Best to Ya!!!

Also, there is a louder muffler out there, someone put one on my
right side, glad they only did one!!! She barks rite nice under
gas!!! GBG ... yes, I bought'er this way so have no comparison....

[doug of so fla]

Many people buy floorboards with out sitting on a MC with them and then they find out that with the floorboards on their stance is too wide and they cant touch the ground safe enough when stopping. That is the main reason that there is always some for sale on ebay. If your too short on one end they will not work the way you want them too.. Just saying...

[Nails]

Use Search. Lots of info here.

I recently dumped the floorboards, going back to pegs. I like the pegs MUCH better, primarily because the heel-toe shifters aren't long enough to let my feet between them. Harley shifters (to take an example) are much longer -- you can fit your boot between the heel and toe parts. But with Kawa, you have to choose whether to have your toe or heel in, else just ride with your feet far apart. I couldn't stand the "squatting duck" riding position.

with the floorboards on their stance is too wide and they cant touch the ground safe enough when stopping.

There's that, too. Much easier to "paking-lot paddle" with pegs.

There are folks out there that might be willing to part with the floorboards.

I was, and sure don't want them back.


Regarding the exhaust, I have some Harley pipes I plan to try. There's another thread about that, including discussion of noise and "engineering" issues. That little project is shelved in favor of another mod (stay tuned ). I think I'll get a little more bark (they're stock pipes, widely available for cheap), a little less weight (and more centralized), all for a lot of screwing around (they don't mount anything like Kawa). I suspect that this would make the most sense if also replacing the rear floorboards and mount, such as part of a bigger project to customize the XII for solo touring (what I mostly do). But right now I actually use the rear floorboards a lot when droning on the superslab. Like I say, that little project is on the shelf for now.

[jwcpastor]

Appreciate the insight. Did not think about stance when stopped. Still would like to see if any are available. Not sure about the pipes issue. That may be my either project. I am so anxious to ride. Northwest Indiana weather has bee terriable but it’s about to break.

[dsmmrm]

Interestingly I have just done both of those mods courtesy of other AVA folks. I got the Cobra pipes last fall and the floorboards over the winter that I just put on last weekend. The cobra pipes are pretty loud. On the verge of too loud for a touring bike when you get on it hard. They have a pretty good tone, though. Kind of like a vintage british sports car, maybe a lotus super 7 or something along those lines.

With regard to the floor boards with Heel/toe shifter, I have very few miles on them so far but the thing I noticed most is that I can't seem to get a good position for the shifter that doesn't either have the front or rear too high. It is definitely too short and sort of the wrong shape. If I resign myself to only using the heel to upshift and the toe to downshift I can make it work but that means adjusting it so i can't get my toe under the front at all. Not so good. I will look for alternatives or maybe fabricate one. Other than that the position for me if fine. I don't find them too wide and the ability to move my feet around is a good thing. I have no trouble with them getting in the way when I put my feet down.

On the brake side there is an extra textured pad that I need to put my heel on in order to hit the pedal effectively. I can't reach the pedal easily with my foot on the flat part on the board. That's disconcerting, I'll have to see i I can get used to it.

Overall I want the floorboard to work, they are more comfortable overall for me than the pegs. If I find I can't get used to them I'll pass them along to another in the AVA family.

One last note, the bolts that hold the pegs on are not long enough to mount the floorboards. A trip to the hardware store is in order. I believe they are M8 1.25 thread pitch. I just eyeballed the length.

[cranky]

... you didn't mention.... er.. I missed it.. IMHO, the floorboards are
lower than the pegs, but never having pegs.. I dunno... thoughts?

[Nails]

I think the boards are about the same height, but the controls are higher. Certainly the brake.
So the boards effectively are higher. I usually had my heel on the pad, and I never did figure what to do with my left foot.
In a conversion, you have to move the brake pedal a lot. Note that there are two switches that must be readjusted, too.

[cranky]

... I set mine up so my toe goes under the front shifter and the heel shifter
just.... does the job.... The floor boards along with Emgo crash bar
boards make almost a continuous shelf.... If my foot was to slip off
the Emgo boards.. my heel would hit the driving boards....

[Barry]

My foot never slips off because I leave my heel on the floorboard & put my toe on the crash bar emgo board. With this setup there are infinite places to put your feet. It helps eliminate muscle aches.

[cranky]

.. yup.... BTDT... If I could just stretch'um out a couple more inches.....
but think they are keepers!!!!