Pegs

Stock Pegs

The stock footpeg setup on any year GS500 is the same: 

 Stamped steel flat plate or "rear-set".
 Rubber coated steel peg.

The stock pegs that come with the GS500 are chunky, heavy, and utilitarian (not sporty). This setup can be improved/lightened considerably by purchasing aftermarket rearsets or modifying another bike's to fit.

Ebay Pegs

It is very difficult to find pegs available on Ebay designed for the GS500. I have found a set for another bike that are very cheap ($20/pr), easy to modify to suit and look great/perform well. They are turned aluminium and available in a variety of anodized colours.

The item is listed as "Suzuki GSXR600 750 TL 1000 - REAR FOOT PEGS" (UKGP Shop). It is very important you get REAR pegs (ie passenger pegs) for this mod, front pegs will not fit. We will be modifying these pegs to become riders pegs.

The parts required for this mod are:

  • needle-nose pliers or small screwdriver (for removing e-clip)
  • angle grinder
  • 4 washers (3/16")
  • new pegs (obviously!)

The flat face of the peg hinge (ie not the angled surface) needs grinding. You can install the pegs into the peg-hangers (angled surface upper-most) without doing this and you will see that they do not sit horizontal. There is a small hump on the non-angled side of the peg hinge that is preventing them from going fully down - this you want to remove (picture: below-left). Basically you grind the surface flat by 1-2mm until it looks like the picture below (right). This is easily done with an angle grinder and the peg in a vice.

Test fit the pegs by inserting them with the angled surface facing upwards, using the bolt and e-clip used on the stock pegs.

As the peg hinges are slightly narrower than the stock ones you will need to put a washer on either side of the hinge (ie 2 for each peg), but inside the hanger bracket (see pictures above and below). Slip in the bolt and push on the e-clip to secure.

The stock pegs rely on a metal washer compressing against the rubber of the pegs to provide the flip-up-flip-down action. These pegs will flip up if you ground them on a corner, but the movement is limited by the upper corner of the sides of the peg bracket slot (because aluminium doesnt compress like rubber!). If you were inclined you could round this off with the angle-grinder, but the movement even without this alteration is more than enough for some pretty spirited riding.

I really like the way they feel over the rubber of the stock pegs - they catch the heel of your boot better and feel nice underfoot. They are much thinner too which means that you have slightly more leg room (about an inch), but you will probably need to adjust your foot brake lever due to this change.

Matching Rear Pegs

Thanks to forum member 'galahs' we now have a solution for matching rear pegs.

Now they needed a touch of modifying to get them to work as rear pegs. The peg when rotated forward wont stop in position and want s to keep rotating forward. It needs a stopper put in place.

1. Grind the circular flange so its flat like the body of the peg

2. Remove old pegs. Keep the pin and circ clip

3. Position the new peg in the bikes peg bracket in the position where it is when it will be in use (outwards)

4. mark the pegs location.

5. drill a hole for a bolt or thick split pin to ensure the rear footpeg wont rotate past that position

6. insert and secure the bolt with a nut or split the ends of the split pin

7. put a think(ish) washer under the peg to tighten up the peg in the bracket

8. put the pin and circlip back in through the bracket and peg

9. Enjoy!!!

(PhilWard)

Other Pegs

Other bikes that will reportedly transfer over with minimal effort and Name of GSTwins Member/Forumite that has done the swap 

 CBR900RR (Any year?) Octane Motorsports
 CBR600F3 ('95-'97) Chimivee, Mk1inCali