Back in April 2021, I reviewed Suburban Machinery’s DL-9 footpeg lowering kit on my 2013 F 800 GT. I was impressed with that setup’s clever design and meticulous craftsmanship, and enjoyed its ergonomic benefits throughout the remainder of my tenure as that bike’s owner. Several years ago, I replaced the GT with a 2020 R 1250 RS. As was the case with the GT, I haven’t had any real complaints about the stock footpegs’ positioning on my RS, though they’ve always struck me as a tad high and rearward, given this motorcycle’s sport-touring mission (with the emphasis on touring) and the relative roominess of the upper half of its cockpit. The oddly tight lower half felt even odder after I added bar risers and a dished aftermarket saddle, as this combination located my hips a bit closer to the pegs and rotated my torso slightly closer to vertical. The fact I’m reasonably limber with intact knees and a mere 31” worth of inseam kept me from feeling the need to pursue a “solution” to an arrangement that wasn’t actually problematic for me. However, when a friend offered to let go of the SM footpeg lowering kit from his R 1200 R prior to putting that bike up for sale, I was curious enough to try it out on my RS.
Though considerably simpler than the bracketry for the GT, this kit ($280, designated DL7N and fitting 2015+ R 1200/1250 R and RS models) displayed the same precision CNC machining I appreciated before. I installed the brackets without any instructions, as those weren’t part of the handoff from my friend, but this was no issue whatsoever, since the process is so simple and obvious. For what it’s worth, the instructions included from Suburban Machinery with the GT’s brackets were perfectly clear, comprehensive and well-illustrated; I’m sure the same would be true of what’s provided for those purchasing this kit new. All that was required on the RS was the insertion of a flat relocating plate on the right side and a more complexly shaped – but still easily installed – piece on the left.
The right-side plate bolts onto the frame where the OEM footpeg/brake pedal bracket had been, using two new M8 Allen bolts supplied by SM. The OEM bracket then bolts to that plate with its original two Torx fasteners; there’s no fiddling with either the peg or pedal. The greatest difficulty with this procedure on my bike was fighting the copious amount of thread-lock agent that had been applied to the OEM bolts during assembly. Once I’d cleaned the recalcitrant crust off the two old bolts and smeared some fresh medium-strength (blue) Locktite on all four, putting everything together was quick and easy (reassembly torque is 38 Nm).
On the left, things were a little more involved. The hinge-pin in the footpeg must be removed, which involves pulling a circlip from its lower end and then working the pin free from the side-loading produced by the footpeg’s spring, some of which can be relieved with downward thumb pressure on said spring (use a thin punch from below or pliers from above to liberate the pin). With the peg off, the SM piece slips into the emptied space and the hinge-pin gets replaced, although the blocky new piece doesn’t hinge there. It has a small amount of free play with the pin inserted, but this gets taken up by two tiny (#0 Phillips), deeply recessed set screws. Once those are seated against the OEM bracket, the new piece is completely stable. Now the peg can be remounted as before in the new piece’s clevis, using the included longer hinge-pin. Again, the spring produces enough side-loading to interfere with the pin’s longitudinal movement, but I was able to greatly reduce this effect with a set of channel-locks squeezing the spring into position; just tap the pin gently with a hammer on its way through all the holes involved. After being fully inserted, the pin gets secured with a beefy cotter pin instead of the original’s circlip.
In all likelihood, you’ll need to follow up the relocation of your footpegs with adjustments to the foot controls. The shift lever will now be higher in relation to the peg. I found 1.5 revolutions of the adjusting rod restored the desired relative height (remember, both of its 10mm locknuts turn in the same direction, with the rearward one having reverse threads). Although the right-side peg and brake pedal were moved together on their OEM bracket, your biomechanical relationship to the new arrangement will be altered. I found the brake pedal wound up a little further from the toe of my boot, prompting me to raise it slightly. Loosen/retighten the 12mm locknut atop the clevis, adjusting the master cylinder plunger’s effective length – and therefore the pedal height on the other side of the fulcrum – by turning the 10mm hex fitting that hides inside its rubber shroud (temporarily pushed up and out of the way to gain access.)
With the new parts installed and my controls adjusted accordingly, I felt the footpegs were located more appropriately for the bike’s overall layout and purpose, especially in conjunction with my other modifications – it now seems like a more “correct” configuration. The difference is readily noticeable, but not dramatic: SM’s adapters move both pegs 1.25” down and 0.4” forward. Even without my bar-risers or aftermarket saddle, I’d have probably welcomed this change. With those mods, footpeg relocation completes the package. The only downside I can imagine with the new setup is having the peg feelers scrape pavement sooner during aggressive riding. I never rode the RS hard enough for them to touch down prior to this installation, and I don’t plan on doing so going forward, even given their new position closer to the road’s surface. That’s just not how I use this motorcycle. Instead, I’ll enjoy the more relaxed seat-to-peg relationship as I wile away the hours in sporty-touring mode. Modest lean angles in the mid-30-degrees (per my “Sport” dash readout) pose no danger to my lowered hard parts.
Actually, another drawback to the DL7N kit is its hefty $280 price tag (shipping not included). I was surprised to learn this simpler set of parts costs $60 more than what I paid for the GT’s hardware, four years of inflation notwithstanding. It’s even more surprising when I factor in the much larger volume of kits I imagine SM sells for a broad range of R-bikes compared to a narrow range of F-bikes. On the other hand, Ohio-based SM is a small operation that’s no doubt subject to greater fluctuations in operating costs than a major manufacturer, and they deserve credit – and compensation – for building well-thought-out and well-made equipment, even when it’s elegantly simple. If I’d bought this kit first and the GT’s later, I might have just thought the latter was a huge bargain. Armchair merchandising speculation aside, I can certainly recommend the DL7N footpeg lowering kit as an easy-to-install, comfortably functional, high-quality accessory for the last decade of boxer roadsters. Riders with longer legs than mine will likely find it an even better value.
