Oversized footpegs and Ankle injuries

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b1dude

Member
Jul 5, 2004
39
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So I'm out riding yesterday. All morning long all over the hills in/around the Mojave Desert...no problems. Take my kids to our local track. One of the kids takes a spill...superdad is off across the infield to rescue my stricken son. Superdad comes up on huge hole left by a front loader to build a nearby berm. The choices were to ride it out/let the front wheel drop/sending me flying over the bars...or wheelie the bike across the hole to try to hop it. I chose option two. Cased the back side of the hole...stayed on the bike...but sprained BOTH ankles from the shot...I mean tweaked! I can barely waddle to the crapper! :uh:

So heres the question. I've got the stock foot pegs on my 2003 Kawi. I think if I'd had a bigger platform for my feet I woundn't have folded my toes up to my shins :ohmy: from the shot.

Anyone out there of the opinion that larger footpegs prevent injury? Or do they just send the damage to another part of the body? :|
 

rm_racer

Member
Mar 15, 2005
501
0
Where you wearing boots?

I would say the the over sized pags would help if you feet were neutral on the pegs, but if you were on your toes I dont think it would have helped much. If you werent wearing boots, that would probly have been the problem.
 
W

Wraith

Do the impossible its fun
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 16, 2000
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That's what I was going to ask, were you wearing boots? Or were your boots worn out/ in need of replacenment, I know I've passed on upgrading my safety equipment because my son needed it more than I did and I didn't have the $, but I'm sure the boots were on and OK? I've got the Moose oversized pegs on my bike and love them but can't seem to believe that they would prevent what you are describing, but it all depends on how YOU stand when you ride (I would Guess), tip toe, balls of the feet etc... If you took a hard impact I don't think it would matter, but larger footpegs are worth the $ just for the added feel of stability you get while standing.
 
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Rcannon

~SPONSOR~
Nov 17, 2001
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I love the feel of my lightspeed pegs as well. They are worth the money, for sure. I cannot see any possible way they would have helped you with your injury.

Best wishes to you. That trip to the crapper must be good for laughs from the entire family
 
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b1dude

Member
Jul 5, 2004
39
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Thanks for chimin in fellas.

Yup wearing boots. Older AXO RC4's. Just ordered a new set of SIDI's last night.

I second the safety equipment comments. First rule to every new rider that starts quizing me on this/that is I tell him to plan on falling every time out. This isn't street biking :pissed: .

I pretty much ride on the balls of my feet. I thought I liked the control it gave me in the landing phase. I noticed a jpg of Stewart in his famous scrub :yikes: ...he's got his left foot peg firmly planted in the arch of his boot instead on the balls of his feet.

What does everyone else do for foot placement for landing or taking a big hit....balls of the feet or middle of the boot/arches?
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,788
35
I love bigger pegs, they do distribute impact, but with decent boots you shouldn't notice much difference.

Before oversized pegs were available I had my brother weld on some extra steel to my 90 YZ pegs. They worked great, but added unusual loads to the stock units and I ended up breaking the stock welds. (His added ones held) Those things were like running boards, I loved them.
 

kelsorat

Knucklehead Newbie
Nov 5, 2001
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What's your weight. I see you ride a KDX220. If you weigh anything over 150, you need to consider a revalve and front/rear spring change.
 

RM_guy

Moderator
Damn Yankees
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Nov 21, 2000
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I like my wide pegs. I feel more stable with them. It's hard to belive that we used to use a piece of roundstock with some weld beads tacked for traction. How times have changed ;)
 
S

SpeedyManiac

Member
Aug 8, 2000
2,374
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If you ride woods, balls of the feet is the way to go, otherwise you WILL catch your toe on a stump/rock/rut and tweak it. For MX most guys ride on their arches for impact absorbtion but in really rutted conditions riding on the balls is probably better so you don't catch your foot in the rut and tweak something.
 

ellandoh

dismount art student
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Aug 29, 2004
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this is what i go with also .....when i was a teen i rode in hightops tennis shoes and learned that a hard landing on the ball of the foot will take out the ankle...........gotten older , now use all safety gear and have to remind myself to use the ball when in the woods or ruts........spiral fractures are nasty!!
 
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mxmatthew

Member
Apr 7, 2003
276
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I can't stand riding on the balls of my feet. I don't know if I havn't practiced doing it enough or what, but I dont feel comfortable at all on the mx track or in the woods. I always ride on my arches.
 
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b1dude

Member
Jul 5, 2004
39
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kelsorat said:
What's your weight. I see you ride a KDX220. If you weigh anything over 150, you need to consider a revalve and front/rear spring change.
Click to expand...


6' 175#. I agree on the stock KDX suspension. I hated it. Added KX forks w/much stiffer springs up front. The rear spring was just right according to the race tech guys.

From what I hear from everyone...oversize footpegs are cool...

If you can be ready for a BIG HIT/CASED landing etc....get into your arches.

Again thanks to everyone for chimin' in. Best to learn from someone else's pain if you can. ;)
 
V

velosapiens

Member
Mar 18, 2002
170
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arches for big jumps, balls of the feet for woods and tight stuff.

it definitely helps to be in shape too. the best injury prevention you can get on a motorcycle is not clothing or equipment but:
a) riding skills and good judgement (i.e., not blasting along through unknown terrain faster than you can stop).

b) fitness, strength and light weight. if you weigh 160 lbs and do some kind of calf-strengthening exercises as part of your twice a week weight routine, your ankles will be alot more stable.

mw
 

rm_racer

Member
Mar 15, 2005
501
0
What I do for my ankles when Im at the YMCA is, you know that sled thing, where you do deep crouches and push the sled thing back up, its on a incline and you lay on you back, and add weights to the sides, well I lay on my stomic and lift about a 90-120LBS with just my ankles, like just have your legs straight, and straighten out your ankles. It really helps with the ankle strength, and the tendon at the back of the leg. (archilles or somthing like that, right?)
 
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