Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Vstrom Upgrades



After riding a fair amount out of the saddle, I decided it was time to improve upon the Vstrom's cockpit positioning. The stock position isn't bad, but I find myself holding the handlebar with fingertips or crouching over the front to lean down to them when standing. Wider, lower foot pegs and a raised handlebar should solve this issue. The parts ordered for this upgrade include:
SW-Motech Ion Dual Position Foot Peg Kit
SW-Motech Handlebar Riser Kit - 25mm Rise
Adventuretech 2" Extended Braided S.S. Top Hose

The first to arrive was the foot peg kit. Installation was relatively straightforward, as is the case with most SW-Motech products which arrive with accompanying instructions and easy-to-follow illustrations.

Removing the stock peg went smoothly. One pin held by a C-clip is all that holds it in place. In order to protect the C-clip for reuse, I made sure to pry it carefully from the pin using a small pick. I instinctively popped the clip in my mouth while removing the rest of the hardware so it wouldn't be lost ;-)



SW-Motech's instructions made identifying the correct adaptor for each side of the bike a breeze and I was soon ready to install the new pegs.

The only tricky part was the combination of the stock spring and the additional spring provided by SW-Motech. The new spring must be fished THROUGH the original in order to fit them within the adapter.







Once in, I made sure to recess the stock spring into the indentation on the bracket.



After that, it was onto the other side to repeat the process.



The next day I had a chance to test the feel of the new pegs. I was surprised how noticeable the drop in location was. I could notice immediately that my handlebars felt closer as soon as I stood to ride out of the saddle. I think the riding position will be PERFECT once I've received and installed the bar risers!

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1 comment:

Motorcycle windscreens said...

Look for some new windscreen, it's great upgrade. Great blog, I like to read you. greetings.