Current production off-road motorcycles are marvels of technology and engineering. What professional riders can accomplish with the benefit of the latest developments in suspension and power delivery is a level of performance that was unthinkable just a few years ago. The technology incorporated into production bikes that are available for sale to the public is not far behind that of the machines raced by the world’s top riders with full support from the Manufacturers. Production bikes have numerous adjustable parts and components with various different settings and positions intended to better suit each rider’s size, weight, skill and riding conditions.

In addition to the versatility built into the production bikes, there are numerous aftermarket companies and specialty machine shops producing every imaginable part and accessory to better suit every type of rider and, in most cases, to add performance. Even the top factory teams will often defer to an aftermarket company to supply a specific part. Some parts are custom made by the factory team machine shops per the rider’s needs. These ‘works’ parts are usually unavailable to the general public. Works parts are often made by hand, very costly, and are generally produced only for the top factory racers. It is a long held belief that race wins on Sunday equate to bike sales on Monday so for factory racers there are few limits on R&D or custom parts.

The top riders can typically have their bikes set up with readily available parts and accessories. There are usually only a few cases where works parts need to be made. The ergonomics of the controls and levers that the rider uses to operate the machine are among the most crucial elements of bike set-up. Handgrips and levers are available in all different shapes and sizes to fit every rider. Aftermarket Bar Mounts and Handlebars provide every conceivable handlebar position.

Production bikes come with a folding shift lever mounted to the engine at a fixed distance from the footpeg. As this distance is crucial to proper engagement of the lever with the foot while standing on the footpegs, the manufacturers set this distance based upon the foot size of their ‘model’ size rider for each bike type. In most big bike cases, the footpeg/shifter compartment is sized for a rider with a boot size in the range of an eight or nine. For riders with larger or smaller than ‘average’ sized feet, the footpeg/shifter compartment is either cramped or too wide and the rider must change his or her stance to comfortably and safely engage the shifter. Unfortunately, while changing stance makes shifting easier, it also places the rider in an awkward and imbalanced position on the footpegs.

The stock shift lever arm mounts to the engine on a splined shaft. It can be removed and rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise on the splined shaft to move the lever tip up or down. This adjustment is extreme, however, as it moves the lever tip roughly 10mm with just one place of adjustment. For most riders, this is much too great of an adjustment and is an impractical source for correcting fit as it does nothing to change the distance from the footpeg to the lever tip.

For some time aftermarket companies have been offering wider footpegs to replace the relatively narrow platform provided on stock bikes. Virtually every professional racer uses works or aftermarket footpegs. These have become very popular, however many models are widened from the center out, effectively moving the leading edge of the footpeg even closer to the shift lever tip. Footpeg positioning is an ongoing science and often a new setup will be discovered that provides better balance and control that involves a relocation of the footpegs to an altogether different position on the frame. In this case, the stock shift lever is no longer in the same location relative to the footpeg. The stock shift levers limited adjustability makes it impractical to use if the footpegs are moved.

The stock shift lever tips are usually constructed of a thin sheet metal and connected with a light rivet on which they rotate in the event of incidental impact. These sheet metal tips invariably bend and become loose with wear. As the stock tips loosen, they start to rattle and often fall apart quickly.

Despite the vast improvements in technology and engineering over the last decade and even with all of the aftermarket shops pumping out every conceivable part, there has never been a replacement adjustable shift lever tip available to the public. Professional racers that do not meet the rider ‘design specs’ for their bikes or prefer a non-stock shift lever set-up must have custom shift levers made. This is a tedious process and expensive since it is necessary to have multiple identical back-ups. For factory racers, of course, this has never been much of a problem.

Now everyone can feel like a factory rider with the Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip. By selecting the properly sized offset and adjustable tip from our wide selection of lever tips fitting most major makes and models, riders can now fit the shift lever to their foot size and stance instead of adjusting their riding position around the stock shift lever. Improvements in control and balance in bike set-up translates to more comfort and better safety while riding.

Hammerhead Designs™ has developed a recommended sizing system that takes into consideration the rider’s boot size and the distance from the footpeg to the shift lever for each model application. With offsets including +5mm, +10mm up to +25mm and even a -5mm and -10mm, there is a Shift Tip™ for nearly every bike and rider.

The Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip also adjusts vertically with the use of moveable shim washers. Repositioning the shim washers on the Shift Tip™ triples the number of vertical positions available. Where before one move on the splined shaft raised or lowered the lever tip roughly 10mm, with the use of the shim washers the rider can now make much more accurate and smaller vertical adjustments. Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tips are also available with no horizontal offset. These ‘zero offset’ models are ideal for riders who desire the vertical adjustability and improved performance or for riders seeking to replace damaged or loose stock lever tips without changing the stock horizontal position.

For riders with wide footpegs or for those who have repositioned their footpegs there is a Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip that will allow them to fit the shift lever to their preferred new footpeg platform and location.

Once the rider finds the desired position for the Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip on the shift lever arm the medium strength thread lock compound provided in each package can be used to secure the device.

The Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip is carved from 6061 T6 Billet Aluminum. The proprietary Pivot Pin design is cut from Stainless Steel, as are the Shim Washers and Button Screw. Parts are anodized to match bike brand colors. The Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip is made entirely in the USA.

The Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip is, in most cases, lighter and stronger than stock tips. The fastening hardware is removable to allow for adjustment or removal for use on another shift arm. The heavy knurling on the Hammerhead Designs™ Shift Tip™ adjustable shift lever tip is far rougher and provides more grip than most stock levers. Replacement hardware is available and all parts are warranted against any production or design flaw within six months of purchase.

The Hammerhead Designs Shift Tip™ is now available for a growing number of bikes, including Honda, Yamaha, KTM and Suzuki. Go to our Products page for sizing recommendations.

ORDER the Hammerhead Designs Shift Tip™ online with PayPal.