Motorcycle Shifter Boot Protector

[LearningCurveLeatherwork]

Hey y'all,

Does anyone have any experience making boot protectors? I was going to take a swing at it for the first time and wondered if there were any tips or tricks as far as durability and fit goes. Couldn't seem to find anything in the forums.

 

[immiketoo]

You mean to protect the toe form the black mark?

[LearningCurveLeatherwork]

Yes! It protects your shoe or boot from getting scuffed by the shift lever.

[immiketoo]

Honestly, the best way Ive found is to use white heat shrink around the shifter, but I suppose you could wrap it with veg tan and do a baseball stitch for a cover.  Sounds fiddly to me, but it would look cool.

 

[LearningCurveLeatherwork]

The heat shrink thing is interesting, I've never heard of anyone doing that before but its a great idea.

However, something like these pictures is what I meant. Seems pretty straight forward, but I was just wondering if anyone that had experience with a handmade one had any advice.

Obviously leather is probably not the most ideal material for this application, but it sure is cool 

Edited May 10, 2018 by LearningCurveLeatherwork

[immiketoo]

Ahhhhh that is cool. You could do a lot of cool stuff thigh that!  My suggestion goes on the bike itself, not on the boot, but it could work.  Another option would be to make a tongue that hung from the laces somehow so you wouldn't have to stand on the strap holding it on.  

[Pintodeluxe]

I always wore those skuffs on the left boot with pride back when I rode.  

Cool idea though.  

[fredk]

I think you're on you're own here

I had to look them up. All my motorcycle boots had protectors sewn to the boot vamp. One on each boot, cos British motorcycles have the gear shift on the opposite side of Japanese motorcycles. On my boots it was just a thick piece of leather sewn on. Maybe it was about 2mm thick. Never wore out in several thousand miles of motorcycling

[LearningCurveLeatherwork]

1 hour ago, Pintodeluxe said:

I always wore those skuffs on the left boot with pride back when I rode.  

Cool idea though.  

Ah yes, but there's a whole generation of hipsters that don't want to ruin their pretty shoes and drool over hand made goods 

Oh well, I never say no to an adventure. I guess we'll see how it turns out!

[Mark842]

6 hours ago, Pintodeluxe said:

I always wore those skuffs on the left boot with pride back when I rode.  

Cool idea though.  

Yep! I have an old pair of riding boots in the closet that 40+ years on them and the scuff is nearly worn all the way thru. Kind of a badge of honor for all the miles on them...and me.