Rattlebars Mfg.™ Kick Shift™

Not only is it a highly functional item, we think it's a work of art!

Rewards sometimes come unexpectedly. After months of hard work, design, development, testing in inclement weather, mechanical drawing, finding suppliers and more investment of time and money than we'd planned, Kick Shift provided us with an unexpected reward. Occasionally through serendipity but mostly through careful thought in all of the steps of R & D, we have developed a product that works better than we expected. That is our reward.

What were our original goals? It needed to be easy to install. It needed to be durable. It needed to be functional - comfortable, adjustable and easy to use. It needed to satisfy some rather high expectations for performance. And, since it was specifically designed to be bolted onto the consistently number one rated all around best custom on the planet, the Honda Valkyrie, it needed to be all of those plus graceful. We did not want something that looked like it was built in somebody's garage on the weekend and functioned the same way. We got our reward.

INSTALLATION
A single bolt installs and removes Kick Shift! On the GL1800, only two! A child could do it. In fact, the youngest member of our family, only three years old, watched us install and un-install kick shift then did it all by himself as we were off searching for a socket. Of course, he didn't torque to the specified tightness (we couldn't find the socket), but he did put it in the right place! Besides, installation instructions are clear, simple, and include detailed drawings (yes, that's right, pictures!) so even the least mekanikally inklyned can have it up and running in about 15 minutes.

DURABILITY
Triple chrome plated high quality strong American steel makes up Kick Shift. An oil impregnated sleeve acts as a bearing to protect the inner shaft and outer bearing from wear. High grade hardware completes the package. Extra dust seals are supplied.

FUNCTIONALITY
Comfort first. You won't even know it's bolted on. Kick Shift's graceful curves surround your foot without hampering normal riding postures. Adjustability goes hand in hand with comfort. The rear peg can be raised or lowered to suit your needs and style. It's completely compatible with our Peg relocation kit. You have long legs and need to lower and move your peg forward? Kick Shift will suit you because you have a longer thigh bone and larger shoe size. When you reach to kick, the angle of heel to peg will not cramp your instep nor stretch your Achilles. Shorter and have no need to relocate? Kick Shift is right where you need it. Closer to your heel and, since your thigh bone is shorter and the angle of attack is less, Kick Shift is lower in relation to your peg and your foot is in just the right plane. Easy to use? Kick Shift is easier to use than it is to install. After a few miles with Kick Shift, you'll find you can't live without it.

PERFORMANCE
The Valkyrie has a hopped up Gold Wing engine. Her shift linkage was born of that heritage. But, get out your measuring stick. The Gold Wing shift lever is nearly six inches long. Plenty of leverage to accomplish its task. The Valkyrie shift lever, however, is only three inches long. This means that a Valkyrie rider must shift with some "authority" in order to make effective regular shifts, let alone performance shifts. We did not want to replace the entire original shift linkage which would encumber Kick Shift with high cost materials and a complicated installation procedure. We wanted to keep it simple, relatively inexpensive, yet still provide the performance that Valkyrie riders demand and deserve. Here's where our most unexpected surprise arose. Once the design was finalized, we found we had an excellent "leg up" on performance shifting. The throw of the rear peg of Kick Shift -- the distance the peg must travel to complete a shift -- is less than that which is required to make a normal toe up shift. Plus, with the increased leverage Kick Shift provides and the fact that you are using naturally stronger muscles, less force is needed to make the shift. This last trick was incorporated into the design of Kick Shift through careful thought, as the drawing shows. The arc traced by Kick Shift coincides with the arc traced by the stock shift lever so that maximum force is applied with little wasted motion precisely at the shift point. Since just a light downward pressure is needed at the kick peg, with a mere ¾" or so of travel, speed shifting becomes not only a pleasure, but a thrill! And Kick Shift was designed specifically for the Valkyrie, not some makeover throwback to the Wing. You will know the difference!

GRACE Installed, she's gorgeous. The metal matches the OEM peg plate, with a triple chrome finish. She's nearly invisible when the lady is on her stand. She looks great when you're heading down the road (if anyone has the chance to look while you're zipping by, of course). With the optional decorative pegs available here or nearly anywhere, Kick Shift can be dressed to suit your needs and tastes. She has some curves alright. They were deliberately built in. No garage look, no garage feel. Original, graceful and swift - like the fine motorcycle she's designed to enhance.

Kick Shift is now more compatible with our Valkyrie Relo Kit and can be mounted in the lower hole of the relo kit so that it is lower in relation to your newly lowered riding position. Click here for a pic of them together.  Kick Shift™ is made right here in Ohio, USA. Just like the Valkyrie.

Helping with the design: George Missik, Chris Walters, Dave Humphreys, Joe & Janyne at Spartan Fab, Russ at H&R Plating, Doug at Dave Blaney Racing

How does Kick Shift work? Do I need a Relo Kit? Should I get a front peg?
For answers, we strongly recommend that you read our FAQ page about Kick Shift.

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