Bandit Alley
MODEL SPECIFIC => SUZUKI BANDIT 600 thru 1200 - AIR/OIL COOLED TECHNICAL => Topic started by: BANDIT#999 on May 10, 2008, 03:28:10 AM
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Hey guys, I just finished a mod to my Bandit.
It involves the switching of the rear passenger footpeg brackets to give my better half a bit more leg room. The only problem was that when the brackets are reversed the support that came with the GIVI Wingrack does not reach anymore as can be seen in the first picture.
So here is the picture by picture record of what I did to fab up the new brackets to support the Wingrack.
Around here, the city does the occasional yard clean up, which means you can put all your "Junk" at the curb and they'll pick it up and haul it away, for some reason they leave toilets though.
My first thought was to just put a piece of flat bar between the bracket and the foot peg, but I thought it would look cobbled together, plus I'd have a flex point where the bracket and flat bar bolted together. So I decided I'd get some thin wall tubing and make it fit. I went to a couple of places but didn't see anything suitable and besides, I wanted it for free.
As I was driving down the street I noticed that a neighbour was throwing out some old lawn furniture, it was round, thin wall metal tubing, BINGO!!!
I went out and rented a "Hickey", pretty sure that's what they're called and set to making practise bends recreating the bends on the GIVI bracket. Well I couldn't get it right and then I came up with this idea, just straight back, with one minor bend and "Hey Presto" it looked OK.
The nice factory stamped ends had to be drilled out a bit for the bolt size on the bike and the tubing did kink just a little and then I just flattened the other end so I could attach it to the rack.
The finished product turned out pretty well I think.
At the end I threw in a couple of shots of how I supported the can with a pice of aluminum flat bar, just a couple of kicks in each end for the offset and a spacer to keep the peg bracket even.
I'm looking at modifying the actual footpegs next and I'll take pictures of the progress I make on it too. The idea is to move them forward a couple of inches, drop them one inch and move them out about three inches and still have them fold out of the way when I'm riding solo. So stay tuned, as I'm looking to do that next week.
Too Short Free stuff
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2200/2479173291_bafaf1641e.jpg)(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2052/2479174079_c0b563dabf.jpg)
Cutting to size Getting ready to bend
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/2479988396_964c009db3.jpg)(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/2479989852_acd9fa9ab2.jpg)
Well, those didn't work
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/2480090120_ac2e463df5.jpg)
Now I'm getting the hang of it Just what I need
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2479989098_f2ebe7d5db.jpg)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/2479176451_5ffb1f05ae.jpg)
Looking good so far A little hammer tuning
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/2479176665_9521ed1f6e.jpg)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3153/2479992740_b8722171af.jpg)
Just a little bigger Starting to look good
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2004/2479177849_4c43f100e6.jpg)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/2479175977_82e35367c4.jpg)
Got the holes right Fits like a glove
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3056/2479174613_22f7fa41bc.jpg)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/2479179613_7d7af39d4f.jpg)
All lined up Finished product
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2223/2479986938_a4f4a5f0fd.jpg)(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2278/2479179513_283b33465d.jpg)
Can hanger Spacer so it's all even
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2256/2479176915_45fc87342b.jpg)(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2388/2479177081_daccbedebd.jpg)
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"999" Great MacGyver project!!! A friend of mine recently picked a 750 Boulevard and it has a lot of flex in the hard bags you just gave me a few more ideas!!
:yikes: :yikes:
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Well, I finally did the rear footpeg mod. I'd kicked around several ideas that involved welding bits and machining parts, but finally came up with a very simple easy to do mod.
Ok, here goes... the first thing I did was to use a couple of 1" sq. coated pieces I had laying around and cut them to the length that worked for me. I then had to use a hammer and cold chisel to indent two places on opposite sides to fit in the factory footpeg. I'd smack it a couple times and test fit and repeated until I got a nice snug fit. I then marked the holes where the factory bolt went through and drilled them out.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/2604603959_e795c69152_b.jpg)
I then figured out where the $12.00 universal footpegs would go and drilled them at a 90% angle to the first hole.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2605432868_3822b6eda0_b.jpg)
Using some of the left over lawn furniture tubing (never throw anything away) I made a couple of spacers up for the peg, one to take up the excess length and move the peg out just a little further and another inside the 1" sq tubing so that it would not crush when it was tightened. I also angled the footpeg so that as it loosened up from use it would not flop around because it was tucked up behind the luggage support that I made earlier.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/2601928252_b2d3d11f2b_b.jpg)
Looking from the rear of the bike the pegs tuck away nice and clean when not in use, I didn't want them sticking out all the time I was riding.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2601095053_d0e0e3c4e7_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2601924314_209b028776_b.jpg)
So, now that it's done, Mrs Bandit likes the position of the pegs and seeing as they do stick out further than mine I don't have the problem of her toes hitting the back of my calf!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2601102765_c65e36651a_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2601092933_b6948fed73_b.jpg)
Plus, when the pegs are folded away when not being used the little bracket makes a perfect perch for my heel when I've got my toes on my pegs!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/2601916770_c0e4b09e9a_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3126/2601917842_0c810d28fd_b.jpg)
So that's it for my rear footpeg mod, it's clean, tidy, does the job and the two best things are, it was cheap and Mrs. Bandit is a lot more comfortable!
Hope it works for you if you try it or at least gets you thinking about coming up with some other ideas.
Cheers, Graham
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I guess it works but it looks tacky as hell, so do the forward rider pegs, and the flattened conduit "brackets". I was looking for a tip and I think the thing to do is fork over 100-150 bucks and have a fab shop make some. When I get it done I will post a pic or two. Thanks for the pictures
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...well it may not look the greatest, but it does get the job done.
The El cheapo mod did a 2000 kilometre round trip to Indy for the Moto GP and back to my place in London last year and with no problems.
Besides, unless you look really hard at the bike the changes are not that noticable. I think the close up shots I did to show how I changed things emphasises how they look because of the close up view of the camera.
But hey, it's your money, this was pretty much free!
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It looks really sturdy and functional,I admire your creativity. My bandit is pretty new (07 with 5000mi) and I dont want to start hangin bits of scap metal on it, I heard somebody makes an extension that attaches to the stock bracket or pegs from a Buell may work. Any info is appreciated. Sounds like a great trip you took to indy, if you are headed to so. Cal. anytime we have some great riding. Keep the shiney side up.