FIRST DAY WITH NEW 2023 TRIAL

[STEVE.B]

SHIFTING WITH HEEL TOUGH GETTING USE TO

 

[oldskool]

SHIFTING WITH HEEL TOUGH GETTING USE TO

Work with it a while before doing anything drastic about it. It works quite well with the auto clutch once you get the hang of it.

 

[Shoot870p]

Use your toes on front and rear on tge shifter.

 

[SneakyDingo]

Exactly as shoot says. Tap only using your toes and you'll find it much easier to work than trying to hit the rear one with your heel.

 

[Kev250R]

Welcome! Another Pro-Tip is to let off the gas (briefly) when you shift. Helps to make it a little smoother.

 

[STEVE.B]

REMOVED RUBBER INSERTS FROM FOOT PEGS DROPS MY FOOT DOWN AN INCH MUCH BETTER

 

[CTExplorer]

REMOVED RUBBER INSERTS FROM FOOT PEGS DROPS MY FOOT DOWN AN INCH MUCH BETTER

Better grip as well

 

[inkmann]

SHIFTING WITH HEEL TOUGH GETTING USE TO

Welcome.I had to think first on each gear changes ( as used to a clutch lever) but now pretty smooth and automatic . Just coming up to 300 miles and first service so getting out and enjoying the scenic views. Great wee bike. Enjoy

 

[SneakyDingo]

Some things run better at 1000 mi than 10 mi, and the Honda Trail's shifting setup is one of those things. Gets better with a little wearing in. 300 mi isn't quite enough, you're enjoy it even more after another 700 or so.

 

[Plotus]

When I got my ct125 it felt about the most awkward of all the bikes I ever owned. My first Honda, 50 about a 1964-5 model felt like a well-worn-in shoe. Give it a few days and it will feel right and your timing will improve.

 

[Cpd419]

REMOVED RUBBER INSERTS FROM FOOT PEGS DROPS MY FOOT DOWN AN INCH MUCH BETTER

Stop yelling lol. I must be to tall or too stiff cause I can’t get to mine at all.

 

[oldman1940]

the shifting was the hardest thing to learn on this bike. But with time and miles I should be very use to it.

 

[Little_Thumper_Boy]

SHIFTING WITH HEEL TOUGH GETTING USE TO

Wecome Steve.B!
Just cut the rear section of the shift lever completely off! IMNSHO here... I put up with that heel shifter extension for about the first six months (far too long), trying to develop a technique and an adjustment for it to function satisfactorily: heel-toe, front-toe/back-toe, made adjustments to the lever's pitch angle, bent it inward/outward, even heated it with a torch and bent it more downward... - nothing doing. It's just in the way. Having been used to riding a Trail 110 with the same type shifter setup (but its pegs and shift lever are actually positioned differently) , and I, an 'average' size 9.5 boot, don't think it's necessarily a side effect of big feet only .
Perhaps Honda put that heel-toe lever on their early bikes because they thought it was necessary or clever for its design intent back then; they didn't know any better. IMO it's merely there on the 125 as a legacy retro reflection of the super popular CT110. Anymore, I suppose it's fine for an Electra Glide, but not for trail bikes.
The worst effect on the Trail 125 (for me) is all too often when standing on the pegs in anticipation of absorbing a bump or rut, your boot heel hits the rear shifter and disengages the clutch unexpectedly; not fun, obnoxiously disruptive, and the sudden power cutoff can be risky in some situations. There was no angle or position that I could successfully adjust or bend that lever to avoid that, and I tried. Maybe those with smaller feet wouldn't encounter this as much?
One concern I had when deciding to chop-off the rear lever was that pressing down on the rear shifter pad would somehow be more effective for modulating the clutch when upshifting, compared to lifting upwards with my toe to upshift. However, I actually found it to be considerably easier/better for modulating the clutch using my toe for upshifting, and of course downshifting, too (YMMV).
You can mess around with either shift method with the full-length lever intact of course. But I highly recommend chopping it off, getting it the hell out of the way, making things simple to operate (it's a pretty simple 20-30 min job), then try it that way for a time and if you're convinced you actually liked the heel-toe thing better (doubtful), you can replace the lever for $20.51 (RockymountainATVMC.com).

 

[oldskool]

Nothing wrong with a heel toe shifter, just need to learn how to use it. "Think you can , think you can't either way you are right"

 

[Salty Sway]

I didn't care for the heel/toe shifter and installed a Hammerhead traditional shifter (CT125 model), liking it so far. Occasionally looking for a clutch lever and think a traditional clutch would be a wonderful thing.

 

[m in sc]

the manual clutch mod made a huge difference on mine. and w the hydraulic setup now offered, its def worth a try for you i''d think.

 

[Salty Sway]

the manual clutch mod made a huge difference on mine. and w the hydraulic setup now offered, its def worth a try for you i''d think.

I was looking at the hydraulic setup on WebikeJapan and was a bit confused, easily done. Does that make it a total manual clutch?

Hydro Clutch Conversion Kit that can change from a stock centrifugal clutch to a manual clutch is available!!!

By installing this product on the stock clutch cover, the clutch can be changed from the stock centrifugal clutch to a manual clutch.

By leaving the primary automatic centrifugal clutch in place, the automatic centrifugal clutch can be left in operation during starting and stopping, eliminating the need for clutch operation.
The clutch lever allows the engine power to be disengaged and connected to the clutch, allowing the rider to enjoy the true motorcycle riding experience.

The first two sentences sound like it becomes a manual clutch but then read a bit further and ....

Thanks and greatly appreciate your wisdom with other modifications. I'm 3 orders deep at WebikeJapan in the last 3 weeks, ordered a Kitaco cam, PCX150 injector, aftermarket exhaust, and the efiee device for performance. I have a Z125 for mini performance but can always use a bit more, goal is 55mph for the CT on flat ground. Will add a bbk if I can't get there with what's already been purchased. Loving how inexpensive the CT is to mod.

 

[m in sc]

SHOULD BE FINE. YEAH, THE HYD CLUTCH STILL RETAINS THE AUTO CLUTCH (sorry caps) for take off, etc. so depending what you want, that needs to be taken into consideration. they way i did it was a HUGE pain, so wouldn't recommend it but its def repeatable even (im sure) on the new setups.

 

[Farmer Mike]

Well, I guess I don't want to learn to use the heel shifter... it's going (probably tomorrow). I've been riding motorcycles for 50 years... and my trail 90 obviously had one (didn't own it long, and I was just a kid), honestly can't remember ever using it... I'm just a toe shifter, and that's what I'm going to be. I'm also going to do the clutch mod, I just want the clutch. I reach for it constantly, very annoying actually. Guess I'll talk to my dealer about that. Making the assumption it will void the warranty? Liking the little bike, the miles are rolling on it, slowly adding mods that are useful to me. Don't care how it looks really, want it to function as useful transportation and enjoyment... which it certainly is!

 

[dmonkey]

Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in the USA modifications and aftermarket parts do not "void the warranty", but they do create an out for covering any issue where that modification is found to have contributed to or caused the failure. Don't expect dealers to care about that though. In the unlikely event you encounter an issue that would be covered under warranty, it's hit or miss whether or not it's going to be a pain for you even with a stock bike. IMO if you're comfortable working on the bike mod away, it's a simple and relatively inexpensive machine.