Hitchcocks Forum

Our hosts sell tyres for those who like to "push their bullets that bit harder." I have the standard SM tyres on my 2006 350, and it's all too easy to grind footpegs on roundabouts and corners. The tyres seem to cope just fine.

So -- those of you who do push things a bit: what do you do about the footpegs scraping?

It's the mainstand that touches down first on mine.

I fitted the eccentric centre stand stop from our hosts that allows you to alter the height the stand sits at when up. This massively increased the ground clearance.
http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/ac ... #part_4273

It depends on your riding style. Some riders push the bike down and lean outwards to the bend, whereas others hang off the bike to the inside of the curve which is my riding style. I'm pretty sure I could never touch the footpegs down on old Avons before they slid away, yet I'd be cornering more quickly than the push the bike down, lean out style, which is ok for slowish corners but too unstable on fast corners...IMO.

Grinding footrests on Avon SM's??? Ye gods! They are good for nothing but sidecar outfits, congratulations on still being alive! I suspect it is the all too easily grounded centre stand as Stinkwheel says and not footrests.

We all have a perfect right to use whatever tyres we like on our bikes, but I find it hard to understand why the poor old Avon SM's get the flak from people who choose to ride old style bikes. The Avon's where designed for this style of bike, but have moved with the times softer modern compound rubber and round profile (no longer square). I have a selection of bikes from the 40s 50s and 60s plus a modern Honda, over the years I have tried many different makes of tyre on the oldie's and have always gone back to the SM's as in the real world on variable road surfaces and weather conditions I find that they do all I need, and yes I do scrape various lower parts of the bikes on the road. In fact some of the modern tyres I have tried have upset the handling of the bike to a scary degree...... Duck and runs for cover!.

Never mind footpegs, I once leant over on a Suzuki so far that I scraped the handlebar end. Mind you, that was the end of the ride that day!

We used to crank over at some pretty good angles on our Goldies and Bonnies back in the sixties on the Avon SM's as I recall! Although when the current SMs have worn out on my Bullet, I intend replacing them with TT100's (K81) because no doubt they are superior, but the SM's have never broken away on me in the dry - scraping pegs and all!

Hi Guys -----------It's the PANDORA'S BOX of tyre folklore viz }---love or hate the Safety Milage ?? As mentioned the earlier profile was so square you had to book your route through a roundabout 2 days in advance !! I believe the latest SM's Mk2 do have a rounder profile, look at this }-------------http://www.wheelhousetyres.co.uk/avon-s ... ----------. My own preference is for the ribbed SM at the front with a Dunlop K70 on the rear. Look at this }-----------http://www.nationalbiketyres.co.uk/moto ... --------.I believe in some countries ( Germany, I think, for example) you are NOT allowed to fit anything other than tyre types that were supplied as original equipment??

It's definitely the footrests scraping, and it has improved a bit since I sawed half an inch off them. I think LesH's observation about riding style is relevant: I don't hang off, and always try to keep more or less in line with the bike. I'm quite heavy (about 15st) which I guess also compresses the suspension a bit.

Anyone tried the folding footrests? Might they be an answer?

Can I suggest you try shifting your centre of gravity more? Hanging off the bike is not necessary but leaning your top half forwards and across as if you were peeking round the side of the handlebars is very effective.