Shiney MCL Highway Blades

[Shiney]

A while ago I was discussing farkles with Diesel and remember him saying the best farkle he has ever had on his ST1300 was the Highway Blades and that he would recommend them to anyone  (can’t shut him up about them )

Now I had been looking at getting some of these for some time and thought , stuff it I have the money and should get a set before bills have to be paid again and the money disappears... so I got a set

I ordered them from MCL and they arrived in a reasonable amount of time and packaged beautifully (boxes inside of boxes with packing foam everywhere)

The Highway Blades have a stunning finish (nice shiney black) and are very straight forward to install (for the most part... I did make one mistake )

Anyway install went something like this…
1st Unpack the blades (top and bottom plate for left & right side), little bag of nuts & bolts and tip over bar covers. (They can’t be installed on the wrong side as they wont fit.)

**I forgot to take a photo of this

2nd Remove the original tip over bar cover (one bolt on the bottom)





3rd Grab a brush and give the area a bit of a clean.





4th Place the top plate of the blade over the tip over bar (they are grooved to fit to the bar)




5th Place the bottom plate in place the under the bar and screw the 2 bolts into it (the bottom plate is also grooved to fit the bar)


   


6th Thread the locking nuts onto the bottom of the bolt to lock the plates in place.

** This is where I stuffed up… I thought the bottom plate was just a tight fit to the bolt (it’s actually threaded like a nut) and I tried to pull the bolt through the hole by tightening the nut… the nut snapped the bottom of the bolt off   )





Anyway…

7th Carefully place the new tip over bar cover into place (it has little tabs that fit into grooves in the faring) and replace the original bolt to hold it in place.


      


8th Go for a ride

[Brock]

 

[royst1100]

looking good     . have you tried them out yet

[Shiney]

Yeah I’ve used them a few times when travelling to and from work and on the ride to Dugandan

They take a little bit to get use to but so far have made a huge difference
I’m finding I’m not getting discomfort in the legs, but I will have to test further before giving my recommendation with complete confidence.

Still so far they are awesome

Cheers
Shiney

[terrydj]

Kinda like em but????? They just look a touch too forward and a touch too high for me. Kinda like the legs bent and down comfortable. Like sitting in a straight backed chair Works for me.
In the picture he's really hanging on. Imagine the pegs down to the hieght of the originals and back a bit

[Streak]

I was really keen on them when I saw the riding position of the ST1300 with the blades, but the st1100 is completely different, so I have gone back to the mental drawing board for myself...

By the way, good work there Shiney, diesel loves his, I am sure you will take to yours as well

[Biggles]

I'm a big fan too.  It's a bit too cold out there on a winter's night, but has the added attraction of getting your legs out of the heat on a summer's day.  The bike's fairing cuts into the calves a little bit, but the idea is to stretch your legs for a change.  On a trip I only spend about 10% or so of the time with the legs out there, but it's a great relief to have the stretch.  It also allows you to push you butt back into a different position on the seat.

Another plus of their fitment is they're easily removed when you trade the bike in (dealers won't give you anything for them) and you've got two unmarked original tip-over covers to put back on, and a pair of highway blade to sell to ya mates on OzSTOC. 
The same goes for a GPI, which actually might work on the next bike if it doesn't come with one OEM.

[Tipsy]

  py
I love the blades and use then more than the standard pegs (even cornering) depending on conditions and speed.
Mine are longer than the standard ones so not so much of a problem with the fairings/calf thing.

They are even better now with my new seat sitting a bit lower. when the new ones are finished and fitted I or some one will post a photo.
Streak you are welcome to try mine out at Inverell a couple of screws for a change over.

Tipsy

[Shiney]

Ok it’s time for an update
I have now been using the blades for a while and can say without any reservations they have turned out to be a bloody awesome mod

All the extra leg positions they provide is so very, very nice and being able to stretch out while on the move is (as I said) AWESOME

I highly recommend this fakle to any and all that are thinking about giving them a go

If any of the Qld guys would like to check them out I show up at most of the RTE events and will be happy to show them off
I’m also going to the overnighter in Inverell so if anybody that’s going would like to check them out in person just let me know

Cheers
Shiney

[harieg]

I was really keen on them when I saw the riding position of the ST1300 with the blades, but the st1100 is completely different, so I have gone back to the mental drawing board for myself...

By the way, good work there Shiney, diesel loves his, I am sure you will take to yours as well

don't stress your self.   Tipsy now has 5 sets for sale, only for ST1100's,

 if you give me a BIG ! kiss
I'LL,   probably GIVE!!  you a set

[Streak]

I would love to see some photo's!

[Bikebear]

I did a lot of miles on the 1100 using the Highway Blades over the last week and I have to say that they are very comfortable (I'm about 5'10") . Initially they felt a bit odd but it didn't take long to get used to them, having the risers which moved the bars back slightly probably helped. 

You do get some odd looks though.

[harieg]

I would love to see some photo's!

20 blokes in here
WHO's pic's ???????

[Streak]

photos of the new highway blades :) i have seen enough of the blokes in here

[harieg]

ha ha ha ha   LOL

THAT'S not what i meant



i'll ring Tipsy and ask him  to post some pic's
at the moment they are in their raw state,
BUT he WILL have 3 finished sets for Warwick

one set for me,   a set on HIS bike

"AND A GIVEAWAY" set for you

[Dennisgw]

i'll ring Tipsy and ask him  to post some pic's
at the moment they are in their raw state,
BUT he WILL have 3 finished sets for Warwick

one set for me,   a set on HIS bike

"AND A GIVEAWAY" set for you

A GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Will be interested to see them on Saturday.

[harieg]

this first production run is for ST1100's ONLY
next run will be for ST1300's   OK   "D"
ring me 1300 36 93 93

[Tipsy]

  py

Posting pics in the 1100 section in a couple of minutes,

Tipsy

[Wild Rose]

 :-++I have been thinking about getting some highway pegs for a while
While in Warwick the other weekend I sat on Shiney's 1300.
Love them. I want some
Thanks Shiney for helping spend my hard earned money  

Leo

[Shiney]

:-++I have been thinking about getting some highway pegs for a while
While in Warwick the other weekend I sat on Shiney's 1300.
Love them. I want some
Thanks Shiney for helping spend my hard earned money  

Leo

My pleasure Leo, I love showing off my mods
Glad I could help spend your money

[StinkyPete]

I've resurected his thread as I have recently fitted some MCL highway blades to my ST1300, and am not overjoyed with the experience.  MCL were good to deal with, the delivery was prompt and the quality and fit is perfect.

However, on the road, I have found that my feet constantly slip outwards towards the tip of the blade, and I need to continually readjust my leg position before my feet slip off the blades.  They could be improved by perhaps angling the blades in by around ten degrees, so that they sit at right angle to my leg direction. Has anyone else experienced this issue, and it so, has a "fix" been developed.

I will persist for a while and see if I can resolve the problem, but at the moment I can't get on with them, despite the high recommendation from other OzSTOC members.

[ST2UP]

I had a similar feeling when I first installed mine Pete....although have never come close to slipping off them. Can you post up a pic looking down from above with the side of the bike in view for reference ??

They do seem more popular for ppl 6ft and beyond based on the ppl the have sat on our bike 


Having a boot with a more defined square edge to feel captured by the hook on the end of the blade I believe will help also if your boots are more the rounded edge racing style you may feel less secure 


This may be an excuse to pull your old platform 70's boots out of the back of the wardrobe....I know you have a pair stashed there somewhere   


 

[Biggles]

Haven't felt the problem.  I have BMW [washes mouth out with soap, disinfects keyboard] boots which are rounded at the sole edges, so they're not anything like "square".  I'm 182cm, so I can reach the pegs with legs a little bit bent.  My only issue is the Honda cowls cut into my calves a bit, but I can relieve that by bowing the legs out a little.

[West Aussie Glen]

I've resurected his thread as I have recently fitted some MCL highway blades to my ST1300, and am not overjoyed with the experience.  MCL were good to deal with, the delivery was prompt and the quality and fit is perfect.

However, on the road, I have found that my feet constantly slip outwards towards the tip of the blade, and I need to continually readjust my leg position before my feet slip off the blades.  They could be improved by perhaps angling the blades in by around ten degrees, so that they sit at right angle to my leg direction. Has anyone else experienced this issue, and it so, has a "fix" been developed.

I will persist for a while and see if I can resolve the problem, but at the moment I can't get on with them, despite the high recommendation from other OzSTOC members.

I have the same problem. I think it is due to the blades sloping down slightly. I intend making some temporary blades and sloping them up just to see how they feel and what effect it has on them folding away.

[ST2UP]

This may be a simple and cheap solution for you Pete 

Longer counter sunk bolt and series of washers and put the acorn nut back on......I would go to a chandler and grab it all in S/S