Footwear you shouldn't ride with

[not-fishing]

This fall my Daughter had purchased a Father's Nightmare of an old farmhouse that had Hillbilly Renovations and Expansions.  Over the weekend I had to help my Daughter refinish her hardwood floor which meant working on my hands and knees along with switching vehicles.  Rather than using my lace-up field boots I switched to pull-on Wellington boots that I've had for about 3+ decades. I wear my motorcycle boots to work so I wanted to keep them relatively clean.

Now we all know about riding with flip-flops, zories and tennis shoes --- but boots should be OK.

It was a painful mistake, the toe of the boot was so soft that the up-shifting really put pressure on my oft-damaged big toe.

The heel was also such that it would hook the peg and not let my foot slide forward more for the shifter-peg.

I've always only ridden before with motorcycle boots, now I am reminded as to why that's a Good Idea.

[Tobit]

I wore cheapo Frankenstein looking FOX street boots for a few years, then Bates Fast Lane boots for ten years after that.  Lately it's a pair of waterproof Joe Rocket street boots, but they're so stiff I gravitate to my hiking boots.

For a couple of years in the '90s I wore cowboy boots and really liked them.  The pointy toes were great for shifting and the heel hooked the footpeg nicely for relaxed cruising when not on the balls of your feet.

The only footwear I've ever crashed in were tennis shoes but only scraped up my forearm and knee (shorts and T shirt in the '70s).

Tobit

[Stormtruck2]

Finding 10 1/2 EEEE motorcycle boots has proven to be....ah problematic to say the least. So I wear my old duty boots to ride in.  They are 10 inch high and lace up but are without amour.  At least they give more protection than bare foot, flip flops or nikes.  ::)

[cwiseman]

11 1/2 EEEE so I feel your pain Stormtruck!

[Penderic]

Why not try a custom Police Patrol big boot set? Some of those LEO guys ride a lot.

This site has lots of info on ordering custom and extra big sizes ..  P:)

http://www.publicsafetyspecialties.com/motorcycle_officer_uniform.htm

[Nic in Western NYS]

Have these fantastic 'made for BMW' in Italy Gore Tex boots for 15 years.  Cost a pretty penny at the time but the best footwear I ever had.

[Stormtruck2]

Why not try a custom Police Patrol big boot set? Some of those LEO guys ride a lot.

This site has lots of info on ordering custom and extra big sizes ..  P:)

http://www.publicsafetyspecialties.com/motorcycle_officer_uniform.htm

COOL!!  I'll have to check them out!! Thanks Penderic. ;-T :bow :bike

[sliphorn]

Finding 10 1/2 EEEE motorcycle boots has proven to be....ah problematic to say the least. So I wear my old duty boots to ride in.  They are 10 inch high and lace up but are without amour.  At least they give more protection than bare foot, flip flops or nikes.  ::)

Wolverine and Dingo make 4E boots in your size.

[Stormtruck2]

Wolverine and Dingo make 4E boots in your size.

I can find boots in that size, but not armored riding boots.  I have to settle for regular work boots.

[lc4dakar]

I used to ride around in canvas deck shoes and shorts.  Never had any problems, even when I flipped the bike. 
Did wish I had been wearing a shirt, though  :(

[L.A.kevin]

Army Tanker boots are pretty damn good as motorcycle boots.

http://uspatriottactical.com/corcoran-tanker-10-inch-mens-leather-boots-5407-black/?dfw_tracker=2646-3734&gclid=Cj0KEQiArK6lBRC5-_jv48uxgrgBEiQAuxdZ9Qgaotx6uB_JcTJVvqufi_BeVo6Ahs0pbo6Sn6jo7NcaAkUV8P8HAQ

[Lannis]

This fall my Daughter had purchased a Father's Nightmare of an old farmhouse that had Hillbilly Renovations and Expansions.  Over the weekend I had to help my Daughter refinish her hardwood floor which meant working on my hands and knees along with switching vehicles.  Rather than using my lace-up field boots I switched to pull-on Wellington boots that I've had for about 3+ decades. I wear my motorcycle boots to work so I wanted to keep them relatively clean.

Now we all know about riding with flip-flops, zories and tennis shoes --- but boots should be OK.

It was a painful mistake, the toe of the boot was so soft that the up-shifting really put pressure on my oft-damaged big toe.

The heel was also such that it would hook the peg and not let my foot slide forward more for the shifter-peg.

I've always only ridden before with motorcycle boots, now I am reminded as to why that's a Good Idea.

Those rubber wellies are a good example of what not to wear.

The ULTIMATE in motorcycle-riding horror-footwear are some things that are actually DESIGNED to be used on a bike.

Those are the slip-over plastic rain boots with an OPEN SOLE, designed to keep your boot uppers dry, that have elastic straps criss-crossing over the sole of your boot, so you are walking on your boot sole and the elastic straps.   These straps will always get caught on the footpeg or on the levers, and you'll find out only when you try to put your foot down at a stop and can't because the elastic is hooked on the bike.

The one and only time I wore them, I had ripped half the elastic straps off forcing my foot down (lucky I made it in time), and when I got home, I tore them off and binned them.

Terrible idea!

Lannis

[Sheepdog]

I have had hiking boots come off in a crash due to laces being cut by the lace hooks. I broke my big toe on the second bounce...

I like tanker boots, too. The Coyote Tan rough-out variants are a great summertime riding boot and can be purchased for reasonable prices. I got mine for $70.