klr foot pegs

[shepherd klr]

This is the first time that I am able to get to a computer in a little while so I have to catch up. Thanks to all that helped me out on the Newbie ride with advice about how to ride off roadeasier.What I can do to my KLR to make her better and to Tracy on the KTM that told me I was riding on "Death Ring " tires. lol.

The Pegs. I have been told as of late, that I should put on a moreof an off road foot peg for the rubber street type is to slippery. The Bolts that hold them to the frameare also not as strong as they should be. Can someone shedsome light on this way for me? There seems to be alot of weak parts on this bike that I am surprised at. Thanks again

 

[JavaJude]

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On my DRZ 400 and BMW Dakar I just poppedthe rubber out of the footpegs.Iam not familiar with the KLR's footpegs but I'm assuming that you can do thesame.

If you are going to do a long street ride you can put the rubber back in for more comfort and less vibration. I've never felt the need to put them back in.

:ted:We take the rubber out of the footpegs for off road usefor better boot traction on the pegs. If the rubber is left in and the pegsget wet or muddy they become very slippery.

-Judy-

 

[BMWNut]

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Change your pegs to an off road version if you are able... You'll be better off for sure.

 

[Kuzzy]

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Change the pegs for sure. I've slipped off my rubber pegs after going through mud holes many times. You might want to go with ones that are not too sharp to save your boots.

 

[ZED]

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For pegs, it really depends on what sort of riding you're doing. If you're just doing a lot of back road touring, and not much mud, then stick with the stock pegs. Your boots will thank you.

If you're riding in much mud, and water off-road, then go to a local MC wrecker as I did and get a set of used dirt bike pegs and put them on. Your shins and other parts will thank you. The stock ones do get slippery in the mud.

As for bolts, yes, most of the stock KLR bolts are very low grade. That's our sacrifice for having such a great low priced dual sport! :tup: Fortunately we are in Canada. Metric fasteners are easy to get. You don't need anyone's special bolt kit like the U.S. folks do. Just about any external bolt you see on the bike (eg. peg mounts, subframe, tripple clamps, etc.) is a weak POS.

I stock most common sizes of metric bolts in my shop, so any time I lossen a KLR bold, it gets replaced with a grade 8.8 bolt. One exception to that is the rear subframe bolts. They are a larger cap head screw which I do not stock, so I had to go to the store and get special ones. I think the bolts for two KLRs cost less than $10 including gas to go get them. They're grade 12.9 becasue that's what the store had and we tend to ride fairly loaded at times.

 

[E Town KLR Dude]

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Go for some off road pegs for sure. The first time you get mud on your feet then try and stand on the stock pegs you will be wishing for the more aggressive pegs. Also, if you are thinking of doing anything with mud, do not do it on the stock tires. They are brutal in the mud. I dumped my 08 in the mud a couple of weeks ago and smashed the side fairing.

 

[FixerDave]

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shepherd klr wrote:

The Pegs. I have been told as of late, that I should put on a moreof an off road foot peg for the rubber street type is to slippery.

The stock pegs are fine, until you're on some technical trail, dab your foot down for balance, and then try to get back up on the pegs. Just about then, when you probably need the most control, your now muddy boot will slide off the peg... and then bad things happen.

For the above reason, I limped around my shop and welded up my own set of metal pegs from scrap. I've been running them ever since. If I were to do some major highway trip, I'd probably put the rubber back on, but I haven't yet.

shepherd klr wrote:

There seems to be alot of weak parts on this bike that I am surprised at.

Weak is not always bad. Fuses are weak, and that's a good thing. I've sheared off one footpeg bolt, in 16 years worth of riding my KLR, and I'm damn glad it sheared. I can still walk because it did.

Basically, I was scooting down this trail, keeping far to one side to avoid some ruts. The left peg was burying a little in the brush to one side, which was no big deal, until I hit a hidden rock, a rock that had no intention of moving out of the way. Something had to give. Either the bolt shears, the footpeg crushes out of the way, the frame bends, or the whole bike ricochets off in a new direction, sans me. The rock was not going to move. Considering the alternatives, and considering that my foot was actually pinned between said rock and footpeg, I'm glad the bolt sheared.

If you keep them tight, the stock bolts are not going to break, unless you hit something. Then, like I said, something has to give. It might as well be the cheapest thing to replace, like a bolt.

David...

 

[TG6]

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FixerDave wrote:

Weak is not always bad. Fuses are weak, and that's a good thing. I've sheared off one footpeg bolt, in 16 years worth of riding my KLR, and I'm damn glad it sheared. I can still walk because it did.

I will have to "Second" that. I hit a log that was sitting beside the trail with my foot and if the foot peg bolt hadn't sheard off, I'd be limping a lot more that I was...

 

[edzzed]

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i changed my pegs to off road and would not ever consider going back to stock. Ed

 

[dooveman]

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Late to put my 2c in but I got off road that are 1/2 inch offset which gives me more distance to the shifter. They also give you a better and larger platform to stand on. So more comfortable. Also, I have soft souled street boots. And they have never worn on the pegs to my surprise. So yeah, off road good. Rubber.... bad.

 

[amigoride]

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Another reasonably priced option( if you order online from Bike Bandit or Ron Ayers) are stock Suzuki DR650 pegs and springs. They have a serrated top surface and run about $40.00. I have the part #'s if you want.

Brian.

 

[Swinada]

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And what would be the big difference between a brandname peg like Moose or IMS that costs anywhere from 85 - 130 $ plus shipping and something of e-bay that costs 25 plus shipping? http://cgi.ebay.ca/HONDA-XR-50-70-80-100-KAWASAKI-KLR-650-BLACK-FOOT-PEGS_W0QQitemZ180239288095QQihZ008QQcategoryZ35588QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

are the brandname ones so much better that it is worth paying so much more?

 

[ZED]

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Obviously it's a personal preference thing, but I wouldn't waste my money on expensive after market pegs if I could help it.
I went to a local cycle wrecker and bought some cheap used steel dirt-bike pegs. The mount angle is almost the same. They work great. :tup:

 

[FixerDave]

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Swinada wrote:

And what would be the big difference between...
are the brandname ones so much better that it is worth paying so much more?

Don't know... haven't tried either. I have, however, made 3 sets of my own. I've learned what doesn't work:

1) make sure the mud can go through the peg, top to bottom. If there's a solid surface for it to sit on, it will. Then, you're just standing on rock-infested mud - which isn't good. Judging by the photo, there's a landing where junk can sit. Would it be a problem? I don't know, but I wouldn't make a set that way (not any more). I've had my fill of picking muddy rocks out of my pegs.

2) watch the width, front to back. On my second set, I made them wider thinking it would give better support. It did, but it also made it harder to shift. Now, I've got big feet, so other people may have more luck with wider pegs, but you should think about the trade-offs.

3) well, no complaints anymore; third time lucky I guess. Well, next time I make a set, I'll weld a pipe through where the bolt runs. I'm getting a bit of wear at that point and the pipe would help.

Being only shop-time, which is really just hobby-time, I didn't mind learning these lessons. I'd be plenty upset if I forked out $100 for pegs that didn't work for me, though. Keep asking questions.

David...

 

[Swinada]

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Don't know... haven't tried either. I have, however, made 3 sets of my own. I've learned what doesn't work:

Must be nice to have the skills to do all these things. I really have to learn how to use my welder.
What kind of material did you use to make your pegs?

 

[FixerDave]

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Swinada wrote:

Don't know... haven't tried either. I have, however, made 3 sets of my own. I've learned what doesn't work:

Must be nice to have the skills to do all these things. I really have to learn how to use my welder.
What kind of material did you use to make your pegs?

Tools, yes; skills, not so much...

Actually, I came up with a design that's easy to make and doesn't even require much in the way of tools: welder, hacksaw, drill, angle grinder...

I just did a blog entry: http://bikerdave.blogspot.com

The full how-to is here: http://fixerdave.googlepages.com/klrfootpegs

David...

 

[EnduroMo]

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Those look like they would go easy on the riding boots too. Some of the aftermarket pegs are a little too agressive and look like they would take a good chunk out of the bottom of your boot or shin if your foot was placed firmly in the center.

 

[fergie]

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I have the $25 ebay ones. I was a little reluctant when I first got them as I realized that they are cast. but Ive put them through hell and back with no problems. I highly recomend them for the money. one thing is that they are quite a bit wider than stock and it does not allow very much room for the boots. I got used to it after a while and seems normal now. you may want to get a longer shift lever though. hope this helps, Fergie.

 

[FixerDave]

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EnduroMo wrote:

Those look like they would go easy on the riding boots too. Some of the aftermarket pegs are a little too agressive and look like they would take a good chunk out of the bottom of your boot or shin if your foot was placed firmly in the center.

Yea, that was deliberate on my part. My last pair of riding boots had some pretty serious notches cut out of the insole from my old XR-250 pegs. I've not slipped off the homemade pegs, so I'd say these teeth, angled to keep boots inward, are aggressive enough.

And yes, some people say you're suppose to to ride on the balls of your feet, not the insole, but I prefer to keep my toes where they're useful, like near the brake and shifter. Besides, I've been riding 33 years now; it's not like I'm about to change my style. I don't think I could anyway, my fingers and toes twitch in sync when I think about riding. It's total muscle-memory now; no brain involved.

David...