MCL Adjustable Footpeg Lowering Brackets - Not at all happy with this product.

CYYJ

Michael
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
2,399
Age
69
Location
Toronto & Zürich
Bike
None any more.
STOC #
2636
I hate to write an unfavourable review of a product, and the task is made even more difficult when the designer of the product is no longer around to respond (Motorcycle Larry passed away in 2012). But, in this case, I think that there are so many problems with this product that it is in the best interest of community safety that the problems I encountered be brought to light.

I purchased this product - Motorcycle Larry Adjustable Rider Footpeg Lowering Brackets - with the hope that by lowering the rider footpegs an inch or two, I would achieve a more relaxed riding position, with less of a bend at my knees. Rider posture on the motorcycle is primarily a result of three things: Handlebar position, seat height, and peg position. I had already installed Heli-Bar Gen 3.2 handlebar risers on my 2012 ST 1300, and was happy with the more relaxed posture that the riser provided. I was hoping that by lowering the footpegs a bit, I would achieve an even more relaxed posture - less 'scrunched up', so to speak.

MCL offers two different kinds of rider footpeg lowering devices. One is not adjustable (Driver Footpeg Extensions), the other, which costs twice as much, is adjustable (Motorcycle Larry Adjustable Rider Footpeg Lowering Brackets). This review is about the adjustable product.

At first glance, the idea looks like a good one - a device that lowers the footpegs and allows the driver to adjust the extent to which they are lowered. But, once the installation process began, shortcomings, design defects, and measurement errors became apparent.

The first problem I ran into was that the upper part of one of the brackets simply would not fit the casting on the frame to which the footpeg attaches. After a considerable amount of fooling around, liberal application of grease, and tapping with a hammer, I managed to get the part in place, but it was then obvious that the part had simply been machined to the wrong size... it was about 1 mm too long. That particular part incorporated two set-screws that were intended to allow the rider to firmly snug the bracket up to the frame after installation. In my case, I had a very difficult time fitting the part to the motorcycle with both of the set-screws fully retracted, and when I finally got the big pin driven through it, there was no need at all for the set-screws... it was a friction-fit. I didn't encounter this problem with the matching part on the other side of the motorcycle, which is what causes me to believe that there is a manufacturing error with the dimension of the left side attachment bracket. I think it is at least couple of millimeters too thick.

It is noteworthy that the left upper bracket (the one with the fitment problems) is 27.5 mm thick, and the right upper bracket, which fit as it was intended to and could then be secured with the set-screws, was only 25 mm thick. I doubt very much that Honda specified different dimensions for the OEM footpeg attachment points on the ST 1300.

Left Side Upper Attachment Bracket
There was no clearance at all between the bracket and the frame, and I had to hammer the pin into place. The arrow calls out the location of the problem.


Dimensional (Thickness) Differences in Upper Attach Brackets
I suspect this is a manufacturing error.


Eventually, I was able to get the lowering brackets on both sides fitted. Before even riding the bike, design problems became apparent.

Honda designs the motorcycle so that the first thing that touches the ground when the bike is leaned over (and the suspension is compressed, as is typical when the bike is leaned over in a corner) is the acorn nut on the bottom of the rider footpeg. This is an extremely important design consideration. As long as the acorn nut on the bottom of the rider footpeg touches the ground first, the rider will receive adequate haptic warning of ground contact via the footpeg, which will then retract aft, out of the way, to enable the rider to continue riding without dragging a 'hard part' and losing control of the motorcycle.

With these adjustable footpeg extensions installed, the geometry changes considerably... during high lean angles (with suspension compressed) the acorn nut may still be the first part that touches the ground, but only a small amount of further lean will result in the lower outboard corner of the footpeg extension contacting the ground (see photo below). This part won't give or flex, and if this part touches the ground, an accident is likely.




In addition to lowering the footpegs, these brackets also move the footpegs considerably further outboard from their original positions. I don't see any benefit in this outboard movement, in fact, I think it is undesirable. The brackets could have been designed in such a way that the footpegs were lowered, but not moved outboard. They were not. The outboard movement makes it a little more awkward to operate the shift lever and the rear brake lever.

Outboard movement of footpeg from original pivot axis


The first 'test fit', with the motorcycle still on the centerstand, also revealed that the right-angle upper corner of the bracket dug into the side of the rider's foot on both sides. This problem could have been resolved by radiusing that corner so that it matched the curve in the attach point of the Honda frame, but that was not done.

This sharp corner should have been rounded off during the design process.


I rode around with these footpeg extensions fitted for a few hundred miles. It didn't take me long to realize that if I 'adjusted' them, the entire footpeg would then be tilted forward or tilted aft. In other words, the only way to get a flat footpeg - with the acorn nut on the bottom positioned correctly for safe operation - was to adjust the device so that the footpegs were in the mid-range of the span of adjustment. Any further adjustment to make the footpeg higher or lower not only displaced the footpeg forward or aft along the motorcycle, it also tilted the footpeg so that it no longer presented the flat rubber surface to use as a footrest.

After two days riding, I took them off and reverted to the OEM footpeg fitment.

All in all, I think that this product has not been fully thought through. It strikes me as a 'first attempt' to do something, one of those ideas that sounds good when you think about it, but in reality needs a heck of a lot more refinement before putting it into production. It's possible that Larry was injured or passed away before he could fully refine this product - if that is the case, it is unfortunate. But, be that as it may, I cannot recommend this product to anyone. In fact, I think it creates a safety hazard, not only because of the risk of the fixed parts digging into the road during high lean angles, but because of the outboard offset of the rider's feet from the foot controls.

There have been other discussions of this product here in our forum. Some riders like the product, other riders have raised the same concerns I have. Here is a partial list of other discussion threads about these footpeg extensions. I recommend you read them all before making a decision about this product.

Michael

Prior Discussions about MCL Footpeg Extensions
Installed MCL Lowered Pegs, Need to adjust Brake Pedal
MCL drivers foot peg extenders
Installation Issue with MCL Driver foot peg extensions.
MCL drivers foot peg extenders
Motorcycle Larry foot peg extenders
[Article] ST1300 - MCL Peg Lowering Kit
MCL lowered foot pegs
Whats the difference-MCL Adj Foot Peg brakets vs lowing foot peg brackets?

PS: I eventually achieved the same effect (as lowering the footpegs) by way of a custom seat. I had the seat constructed so that it fit the bike in the highest of the three adjustable positions, and specified that the seat raise my bum a bit higher than the OEM seat. That reduced the bend angle in my knees, which had the same effect as lowering the footpegs would have.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,112
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
Did you contact MCL to talk to them about the problems with the different thickness of your two brackets? I've read here that their customer service is very good.
 
OP
OP
CYYJ

CYYJ

Michael
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
2,399
Age
69
Location
Toronto & Zürich
Bike
None any more.
STOC #
2636
Did you contact MCL to talk to them about the problems with the different thickness of your two brackets?
No. The main reason why I have not contacted them is because after having fitted the brackets and used them for a while, I removed them for reasons other than the fitting problem, reasons that I set out in my original post. I have no intention of refitting them.

I do agree that their customer service is very good - I visited their office in person about 6 weeks ago, and met both Diane and David. They are fine people, and I have given positive reviews in the past to other MCL products. I would certainly consider buying other products from MCL in the future - I have their fork brace and aft crash bars installed on my bike and am totally happy with both of those products, and they are certainly a good source of Powerlet and Throttlemeister products. But, I am disappointed in these lowering brackets, I think the design is 'not fully mature'.

Michael
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,112
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
No. The main reason why I have not contacted them is because after having fitted the brackets and used them for a while, I removed them for reasons other than the fitting problem, reasons that I set out in my original post. I have no intention of refitting them.

I do agree that their customer service is very good - I visited their office in person about 6 weeks ago, and met both Diane and David. They are fine people, and I have given positive reviews in the past to other MCL products. I would certainly consider buying other products from MCL in the future - I have their fork brace and aft crash bars installed on my bike and am totally happy with both of those products, and they are certainly a good source of Powerlet and Throttlemeister products. But, I am disappointed in these lowering brackets, I think the design is 'not fully mature'.

Michael
Since you agree with what I have heard about them providing good service, they would benefit from your critique. I hope they read st-owners.com regularly. If I've had good service, I like to give the seller honest feedback on their product. The guys who care about their customers want this information. Your pics and explanation were great describing your problems with these brackets.

On another note, I'm curious about your experience w/ the fork brace. I'm not having any problems w/ my bike, but have been intrigued with this product. Did it make an obvious difference to the way your bike handles? Posted threads here have said both - 'i don't know if it improved things' and 'Wow, what a great improvement in handling'.
 
OP
OP
CYYJ

CYYJ

Michael
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
2,399
Age
69
Location
Toronto & Zürich
Bike
None any more.
STOC #
2636
...On another note, I'm curious about your experience w/ the fork brace... Did it make an obvious difference to the way your bike handles?
I think it is really hard to come up with an objective, quantifiable evaluation of a fork brace, because there are so many variables involved. For example, many riders who purchase a fork brace do so because they are unhappy with the performance of the front end of their motos - but, the problems they are having might be caused by misalignment, not the absence of a fork brace.

I fitted the fork brace and fully aligned the front suspension at the same time. For sure, I noted a considerable improvement, especially when travelling over ruts that are parallel to the direction of travel. But how much of that improvement was due to the fork brace, and how much was due to properly setting up the front end, I don't know.

In any case, I think that a fork brace is the kind of thing that can "do no harm" (unless someone attempts to fit it to an improperly aligned front end), and it's not that expensive a device ($90). I'm kind of surprised that Honda didn't provide additional bracing on the front of the ST 1300.

My report about my experience with the MCL fork brace can be found here: MCL Fork Brace.

Michael
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2011
Messages
123
Location
Kendall Park, NJ
Bike
2010 ST1300 ABS
I had a pair of the MCL Adjustable Footpeg Lowering Brackets as well. They installed fine but never really seemed to fit me well. I had to make extreme adjustments to the brake pedal and gear shifter; I was forced to point my toes in more than I preferred to use them. I sold them within 1k miles for a substantial discount. I would not recommend them either.

Whenever you have to fit yourself or your riding style to a product, that product is not for you.

Keith
 

970mike

Mike Brown
Site Supporter
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
6,167
Age
66
Location
Lompoc, California
Bike
07 & 12 ST1300A
SPOT
LINK
STOC #
8057
I am one who has ridden a ST across the US with them on and feel they make riding dangerous with them on as you cannot even go around a corner slow with out them making the foot pegs drag, as soon as I got home I removed them. They were on the bike when it was purchased and if I had my tools with me they would have come off sooner.
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
39
Location
south Louisiana
Bike
2010 ST1300
I must admit: mine have been sitting on the garage shelf for some time. I did enjoy them on the highway. Once I got anywhere near the twisty roads, I was scared to lean. They touched down in the first corner. :eek::
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Messages
39
Location
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Bike
ST1300A 2009
STOC #
8316
Thanks for this very comprehensive review. I have the MCL standard lowering kit (which advertises lowering the footpegs by 1 1/2 inch). Even with this minimal lowering, I still catch some pavement on occasional hard leans into a corner. The MCL standard kit moves the foot-pegs only slightly more outboard than the factory fit. The standard kit lowered my foot-pegs enough to feel a difference, but required no adjustment of the brake or gear-shifter. You do have to raise your toe a bit to get to the brake / downshift lever.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
58
Location
Lathrop, CA
Bike
2008 ST 1300
STOC #
8766
I would like to lower my pegs, now I'm wondering what's the best way. I've used Buell pegs on my blackbirds in the past. My feet touch on tight corners with stock pegs but I'm tall and have pretty big feet. What's the best options to lower the pegs without using the mcl brackets.
 

ESB

STRIDER
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
277
Location
Oklahoma
Bike
'07 ST 1300
Too bad about the Footpeg Xtensions -- BUT -- doesn't surprise me.
In about 2011, I got the MCL POWERLET fitting - Replaces the Honda cover between the handlebars.
IT was NOT machined correctly, and the screw holes didn't line up.
They DO have great support, though, and sent me a replacement that fit perfect. So, I think they DO have machining & Q.C. issues.JMO.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2015
Messages
1,957
Location
near Harrow, Ontario, Canada
Bike
'83 BMW R100RS
STOC #
8870
Hi All: I just installed the non-adjustable MCL peg extensions today and all I can say is..HOLY COW! What a huge difference in comfort.

I had to adjust the rear brake lever and gear shift as described in the initial post above.

This is is an easy task:
- remove BOTH of the black lower cowls and leave the bike on the side stand.

- you can access the gearshift mechanism from the RH side

NOTE: Be sure to mark the factory position of the lever with a Sharpie marker BEFORE removing it!!
NOTE: You must take the bolt right out to get the little lever off.

- as stated, moving the lever by one spline tooth will lower the pedal about an inch - which is just about right.

BTW, as I recall it, lowering the pedal requires that you to remove and rotate the gear mechanism lever (the one you can see just above the exhaust pipes on the RH side) CW as you face the front of the bike. Removing the gear mechanism lever requires removal of one 6mm hex bolt and takes less than 3 minutes. Wait until the bike is cold (don't ask me how I know that).

THE GEAR SHIFT ADJUSTMENT requires modifying the left-hand side lower cowl as shown in the photos above. As said above, the modification is invisible once you install the cowl and it was definitely required as the shifter wouldn't move with the unmodifiied cowl in place. BTW, there was a tiny rub on the side standing my bike, but it doesn't seem to be causing any grief so I don't plan to do anything about it.

All-in-all, not a huge job (maybe 90 minutes including the test rides and fiddling with the rear brake light switch) but the difference in my fit on the bike is quite remarkable. I would never have guessed that these little aluminium blocks would make such a difference. Also, having looked at the geometry of the pegs and the shifter and brake pedals, I cannot imagine how some folks are about to avoid adjusting these controls. There was NO WAY I could possibly have shifted gears without adjusting the shifter pedal.

I went out this morning after the install and did some ramping on the local freeway and I did touch my toe once or twice, but I was pushing harder than I normally would so I don't think I have anything to be concerned about on that score. In any event, the improved riding position (for me at least) makes that a minor consideration.

Anyhow, I have a 30" inseam and am just about 6' tall - so, not a particularly tall guy and not really all that scrunched up in the stock position, but I was getting left hip pain sometimes and it was reducing the fun of it. (Amazing how the old carcass changes after 50). I had previously installed an MCL Gen-3 bar riser (the one with the Powerlet plug and the RAM ball for my GPS) as well as some foamy Grip Puppies and so now I'm comfy and all set!

Cheers,

Pete
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2015
Messages
1,957
Location
near Harrow, Ontario, Canada
Bike
'83 BMW R100RS
STOC #
8870
Dear All: my apologies....the post above refers to the FIXED foot peg lowering blocks from MCL and for some dumb reason, I mistakenly posted it in this thread which refers to the ADJUSTABLE kit.

Sorry about that - it's Victoria Day weekend here and I may have had a BEvERage or two.

Pete
 
Joined
Jun 20, 2005
Messages
122
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Bike
2006 ST1300
In addition to lowering the footpegs, these brackets also move the footpegs considerably further outboard from their original positions. I don't see any benefit in this outboard movement, in fact, I think it is undesirable. The brackets could have been designed in such a way that the footpegs were lowered, but not moved outboard. They were not. The outboard movement makes it a little more awkward to operate the shift lever and the rear brake lever.
I just returned the set I received last week. I only rode around the block and did not like the pigeon toed way you have to shift. I called customer service for the return and the lady said the lots of those adjustable sets come back. I did have the regular peg lowering brackets on my last St1300 and liked them OK.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
9,262
Location
SF-Oakland CA
Bike
ST1300, 2010
That's a great review on both the adjustable and fixed extensions. Regarding the both designs I wonder if anybody has used either on bikes with aftermarket springs fore and aft. I would think that a properly "sprung" bike wouldn't scrape the pegs or extensions as much as the OEM suspension allows.

I understand there are other problems with the adjustable kit that would still make them unsuitable. I'm just curious.

And the fixed pegs don't require pigeon-toed manipulation? Occasionally the front of my hips start to cramp and the only relief is either stopping and walking or standing up on the pegs. Stretching them out as though I had highway pegs doesn't help.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,112
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
I went out this morning after the install and did some ramping on the local freeway and I did touch my toe once or twice, but I was pushing harder than I normally would so I don't think I have anything to be concerned about on that score. In any event, the improved riding position (for me at least) makes that a minor consideration.

(Amazing how the old carcass changes after 50).
Pete
I've wondered about these lowering kits. I was in a very tight turn with my toe under the shifter (stock ST13), leaned way over and my foot touched down. Might this kit be a problem when you are in a tight turn and find you have to lean over even farther to tighten the turn a bit?

No kidding about the body's changes. Just wait another 10 or 20 years.....grin.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
541
Location
near london ont
Bike
st1300 vfr800
I have the Racetech setup on my bike and I can still touch pegs sometimes on corners but that is the fault of the rider not these footpeg lowering blocks .
 
Top Bottom