How to build forward pegs for $50.
So I am taking more long trips (> 3 days) with dad, brother, friends and they all ride > $30k Harleys and Indians. I refuse to spend that kind of money for a bike that cannot handle the mountains well. So, this is one of two mods made over Christmas (hard cases was the other).
Materials:
3' x 1/4" by 1" flat stock cold steel (also labeled welding steel rod)
3' X 1/8" by 1" flat stock cold steel (also labeled welding steel rod)
Some cheap aftermarket pegs of your choice from ebay
A set of double torsion springs
Tools:
Decent table vice
Dremel tool
Decent hand drill and bits
Base is made from the 1/4" thick bar. It mounts to the forward idler pully bolt and wraps around the front of the bike. 1/4" is overkill for the loads. I used it for torsional reasons (keeps the pegs flat).
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16011&d=1641830517
Top view of the unmounted base bar. Note the front support attachments are well left of center.
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16015&d=1641166450
The base bar is formed to not interfere with the front tire even under hard deceleration (I did not test knobby tires).
Right side vertical support is 1/8" bar mounted to the voltage regulator support rod
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16012&d=1641166450
Note this is a compound bend and it is fairly close to the exhaust pipe (approx. 1/2" gap to the engine). Heat has not been a problem on my trials but I ride with boots so.... I believe that this member could be dropped as the other mounts can share the load if others want to forgo this part.
Front support manages vertical load and lateral shift.
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16013&d=1641166450
A triangle structure is very stiff (resists deformation) and this locks the front of the base bar laterally. It mounts to the same voltage regulator support bar as the right side support (just lower on the bar) and the second mount is to the oil cooler bracket. Note the compound bends to provide extra clearance to the oil lines. These mounts are well left of center and the tire has plenty of clearance. Place the bars to use the opening in the lower faring to gain access to the back of the bolt.
Left support mounts to the oil cooler / voltage regulator support bar. Note the offset spacer to keep it away from the oil cooler
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16014&d=1641166450
I also bent the support to arc away from the transmission case. There is about 1" of clearance.
For the right side, the vertical support bar is outside the base bar to pull it away from the engine and oil lines. For the left side, the vertical bar is inside so it does not attempt to rotate around the oil cooler support rod (no clearance issues on that side).
The pegs are mounted inside the double torsion springs with the spring ends passed through 1/16" holes in the base bar. These are not the springs I used (I got some cheap ebay piano wire springs), but here is the idea: https://us.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/221005553126/
Take your feet off and the pegs immediately snap upright. Use your foot to push pegs down when you want to use them. It works quite well.
The pegs are not intended to support entire body weight but will easily handle the weight of legs and boots. Given that the peg placements are slightly forward of the maximum tank width, I am not sure that it is even possible to stand on them anyway. Just remember they are for cruising and not load bearing.
If using proper boots, I have even found it useful to rest my lower calf on the pegs for long trips. But you will want full boots for that or the pegs may dig into your skin.
I can remove the lower faring and change oil with the pegs on. It takes 5 - 10 minutes to take them off. A bit longer to reassemble as they have to be aligned.
This is the 3rd (and final design) iteration. To test the ability for the average person to build these, this iteration was constructed using the tools above (Dremel used to cut the bars, vice used to make the bends, etc.). I estimate 8 hours to build if you use the tools listed above. If you have a nice shop with drill press, saw, torch, etc., then it is probably a 4 hour job.
Photos were taken during the build. I gave it all a nice coting of Rustolium when done.
Happy riding all.
So I am taking more long trips (> 3 days) with dad, brother, friends and they all ride > $30k Harleys and Indians. I refuse to spend that kind of money for a bike that cannot handle the mountains well. So, this is one of two mods made over Christmas (hard cases was the other).
Materials:
3' x 1/4" by 1" flat stock cold steel (also labeled welding steel rod)
3' X 1/8" by 1" flat stock cold steel (also labeled welding steel rod)
Some cheap aftermarket pegs of your choice from ebay
A set of double torsion springs
Tools:
Decent table vice
Dremel tool
Decent hand drill and bits
Base is made from the 1/4" thick bar. It mounts to the forward idler pully bolt and wraps around the front of the bike. 1/4" is overkill for the loads. I used it for torsional reasons (keeps the pegs flat).
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16011&d=1641830517
Top view of the unmounted base bar. Note the front support attachments are well left of center.
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16015&d=1641166450
The base bar is formed to not interfere with the front tire even under hard deceleration (I did not test knobby tires).
Right side vertical support is 1/8" bar mounted to the voltage regulator support rod
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16012&d=1641166450
Note this is a compound bend and it is fairly close to the exhaust pipe (approx. 1/2" gap to the engine). Heat has not been a problem on my trials but I ride with boots so.... I believe that this member could be dropped as the other mounts can share the load if others want to forgo this part.
Front support manages vertical load and lateral shift.
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16013&d=1641166450
A triangle structure is very stiff (resists deformation) and this locks the front of the base bar laterally. It mounts to the same voltage regulator support bar as the right side support (just lower on the bar) and the second mount is to the oil cooler bracket. Note the compound bends to provide extra clearance to the oil lines. These mounts are well left of center and the tire has plenty of clearance. Place the bars to use the opening in the lower faring to gain access to the back of the bolt.
Left support mounts to the oil cooler / voltage regulator support bar. Note the offset spacer to keep it away from the oil cooler
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16014&d=1641166450
I also bent the support to arc away from the transmission case. There is about 1" of clearance.
For the right side, the vertical support bar is outside the base bar to pull it away from the engine and oil lines. For the left side, the vertical bar is inside so it does not attempt to rotate around the oil cooler support rod (no clearance issues on that side).
The pegs are mounted inside the double torsion springs with the spring ends passed through 1/16" holes in the base bar. These are not the springs I used (I got some cheap ebay piano wire springs), but here is the idea: https://us.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/221005553126/
Take your feet off and the pegs immediately snap upright. Use your foot to push pegs down when you want to use them. It works quite well.
The pegs are not intended to support entire body weight but will easily handle the weight of legs and boots. Given that the peg placements are slightly forward of the maximum tank width, I am not sure that it is even possible to stand on them anyway. Just remember they are for cruising and not load bearing.
If using proper boots, I have even found it useful to rest my lower calf on the pegs for long trips. But you will want full boots for that or the pegs may dig into your skin.
I can remove the lower faring and change oil with the pegs on. It takes 5 - 10 minutes to take them off. A bit longer to reassemble as they have to be aligned.
This is the 3rd (and final design) iteration. To test the ability for the average person to build these, this iteration was constructed using the tools above (Dremel used to cut the bars, vice used to make the bends, etc.). I estimate 8 hours to build if you use the tools listed above. If you have a nice shop with drill press, saw, torch, etc., then it is probably a 4 hour job.
Photos were taken during the build. I gave it all a nice coting of Rustolium when done.
Happy riding all.
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