[NighthawkGS]

Hi there, for folks who have used lowered footpegs... Have you experienced problems with the foot controls? Specifically, vulnerability to damage from tipovers or crashes; or problems with adjustment range? (Sounds like the motorwerks brake piston extender helps.)

(EDIT: Should have mentioned, I have handguards, and Givi engine guards not yet installed, and use soft bags when for ADV...all to help with drops.)

The pegs are a bit tight for me, but thinking that lower would also really help with standing, without raising bars. (Might also allow me to shave seat the about half an inch... bike is slightly tall for me, even with excellent narrow seat shape. Also, might allow mounting cheap aluminum Ebay footpegs, easier to drill out mounting holes than steel, but they tend to be taller.)

I should probably mention that, I prefer the brake pedal relatively low, to somewhat reduce likelyhood of locking rear brake. Though the V pretty good in this regard.

Thanks! Would particularly like to hear from people who have crashed or dropped it a bunch. (My kinda folks. ;- )

Planning to is this new-to-me 2012 for quite a bit of ADV/dirt, though I also have real dualsports, DR650 being the star.




Sent from my Galaxy

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

I'm about 5'9", 30" inseam. The Motowerk footpeg lowering blocks bring them down 1.3", which MIGHT not sound like much, but it makes a HUGE difference to your "rider-triangle", so they were one of the FIRST mods on EACH of my V650s.

I've 'dropped' my V650s a "few" [] times, but ALL the ones that happened while I was moving were onto the left side.
No great damage to the bikes.

P6212188 by Ed Copeman, on Flickr

 

[Fly-Sig]

I find the lowered pegs much more comfortable for any ride longer than half an hour. There was no problem until I bruised the meniscus in one knee, which then hurts when riding. The lowered pegs fully cured that problem.

One time I dropped the bike and the right peg was broken off during recovery. It was a very slow speed tipover on a steep rocky tight uphill turn. The pedal survived that just fine, but when my helpers swung the bike around on the pedal to get the wheels downhill before lifting it up, the plate the pedal mounts to broke. I can't recall if this was before or after installed lowered pegs, but I do believe the same damage would be done either way. I rode home with a broken collar bone and with vice grips as a replacement foot peg! The brake lever was bent beyond use, too.

The V650 really isn't designed for off-road mishaps. The foot peg mounting plates are aluminum, and the bosses the foot peg attaches to are not robust. The bike really needs either steel mounting plates or some kind of crash bar to protect them.

In a simple low-side slide on pavement, my hope is the crash bars and axle sliders will keep the pedals off the ground.

As to the brake and shift levers, yeah they are a bit close to the pegs. They are ok when I wear street boots, but too close when wearing bulky adventure boots. The brake lever could use a step a la BMW, with one level for street riding and a higher level for when standing. I have Pivot Pegz installed, and those do help a lot. Factory pegs are narrow front to back, but for standing I prefer a wider peg. Regular wide pegs eat up some of the space between the peg and the shift lever. Pivot Pegz solve that problem nicely.

I did need to install the brake piston extender. I tried it first without because it looked ok, but it does need the extender. Just do it.

 

[dddd]

Lowered or not, a tipped over versys will rest on the pegs. On flat surface that is certain. Plenty of scrapes here.

Note: if you say the bike is tall for you, then you must be less than 5'10.
I'm that tall and I can't imagine needing to raise the handlebar or to lower the pegs.
The ergo is nearly perfect for stand-up riding, slight bent and forward attacking, except the tank 'corners' are right in the meat above the knee and perhaps a tad wide. Tkacks did a recent video about that:

Any higher handlebars or lower pegs would lead to prairie-dog-style straight up posture which is wrong.
So if you are shorter than me and can't be optimal standing up on the v650, that's just not making sense unless your posture is too straight.

Personally, I would stay away from messing up all the foot controls.

If you are mostly looking for room while sitting (but then you would't lower the seat), put highway pegs bracket (motowerks) and have the full relaxed ergo for long haul. Highway pegs bracket will also be a contact point if tipped over, also certain. The sad part is that the motowerks bracket is ALU and despite being robust, it does bend on more violent impacts. Mine have visited a vise and pipe wrench to return to shape a couple times, but I expect a 3rd visit will be the last one...

Hope this helps.

 

[jaaklucas]

Ive got lowered pegs on my 650 and sometimes they touch on a steep lean on a corner.

 

[NighthawkGS]

Thx guys, particularly Fly-Sig, good info.

I edited my original post to include: Should have mentioned, I have handguards, and Givi engine guards not yet installed, and use soft bags for ADV...all to help with drops. (Highly recommend soft bags for dirt duty, great crash bumpers...though I did use custom plywood hard bags for many years on my CB700SC and later CB750 with great success being dropped and crashed.)

I don't find the egos when standing to be great. 1.3", that's plenty for a major ergo improvement! Don't agree that all standing should be in the "attack" position--sometimes you just need to get up a bit for a bump; and when standing, even a bit of bent knee can really help with bikes that don't have much suspension travel. (I am 5'11"+, 32" inseam, very long arms, and 54 yo. Wear ADV boots, which are non-optional with my 1999 DR650 and KLR650 [both lowered]. ;- )

Would rather not mess with peg position, but seems like it could help in several ways; metal footpegs will be non-optional if the V is going to be seeing any dirt/ADV duty.

Don't agree that V isn't too tall. Fine on flat pavement; ironically, not so much on uneven surfaces, or when dealing with gnarly narrow u-turns, or when you need to dab to stay upright. ;- (

Actually, haven't taken the V on ADV yet...but it does seem to excel at walking-speed handling, particularly when turning. Loving that.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

The foot peg mounting plates are aluminum, and the bosses the foot peg attaches to are not robust. The bike really needs either steel mounting plates or some kind of crash bar to protect them.

SOMEWHERE in one of the "jdrocks" threads he shows steel footpeg plates that he made for one of his builds.

 

[Fly-Sig]

SOMEWHERE in one of the "jdrocks" threads he shows steel footpeg plates that he made for one of his builds.

I have zero welding skills. High school shop classes for me were auto, wood, print (moveable type presses), and electronics. Shoulda taken metal shop too.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

IF you find his post, you could print it and any pics, then go to a welder for a new plate.

GOOD luck!