6 years ago I discovered these amazing boots, said to add 2+ inches of height to your inseam!
And that they did. At the time I was riding my Ninja 250 and I was at the balls of my feet while wearing Oxtars (discontinued but now known as TCX Auras). I heard these magical boots would add lift, extra comfort and a GORE-TEX (GT) membrane.
If you read my full review, you'll see how much I relied upon and loved them. I still love them, they're one of the most comfortable boots I've ever worn and the GT liner is fantastic. I still long for a pair of boots with GT liners, so I will keep searching for something that will fit my tiny Euro 36-37, US 6.5-7 feet. There are a few men's boots that are offered in this size, so that may be my next option.
Last year I reviewed Sidi's Vertigo Lei and started wearing them daily. I liked having the extra protection and I had never worn a sport boot with that kind of fit. They worked really well on my SV and I added an insole to make them even more comfortable. Unfortunately I lost all the height that I had gained with the Daytonas. I was now almost on my tiptoes and one flat left with a noticeable butt shift to the left off my seat. (vs. a slight lean left). I really had to be careful and more cautious about where I could put my feet down, the pavement grade and more interesting, parking with one foot (since the 2 tiptoes weren't helping). I had to acclimate to wear and review these boots. I knew I could manage, it just took a little time to get used to things. I admit, I didn't like losing all the height but I was also really happy that I didn't really Need the extra height to navigate on my bike. Yes, it was really nice to have it but it wasn't the end of the world!
I remember someone telling me last summer that they liked their Daytonas overall but didn't like how clunky they felt and wanted something lighter. That stuck with me so and I didn't notice until I started wearing the Vertigos how true that was. As a sport boot, they're super lightweight and really lean, making it easier to get your toes under the shifter. Fantastic.
I definitely couldn't manage a taller, heavier bike with these just yet, but we'll see. I have ridden with these on the Brammo plenty of times since it's a taller but lighter bike (by about ~150 lbs and 2 inches). Sometimes it's all about weight, not height!
However, not long after I started riding the Brammo last summer, I started to break in a pair of Gaerne Black Rose Boots, which were sitting on my shelf. I got them for the Yamaha Ride Review but never wore them after that. They were still stiff and not broken in so I just reverted to my Daytonas at that time.
So a few months back I decided to wear these again and break them in. I hadn't worn them so why not break them in and do a review. I only wear them around town since I always try to wear my Vertigos for highway riding. (I did wear my Daytonas a couple times last summer for a couple of trips where I thought the GT would come in handy.)
They are now my every day boots around the city. They're much lighter than the Daytonas and less clunky. I also was surprised at how comfortable they were. I only lost an inch and it hasn't really mattered. I've ridden two even taller, heavier bikes since then with them and I managed just fine: 2012 Aprilia Shiver and 2013 KTM 690 Duke (YES!).
Don't let the "2 flat feet rule" (which isn't a rule, more of a guideline) change your perceptions of what you can or can't ride. It may take you a little longer than you'd hoped but motorcycles aren't a 'quick and easy' thing to learn. If you think it is, you may not be ready to ride....
