Reviewed: Ankle-Savers by Moto Innovations 5

Tested by Nick Zuzelski on a
 2008 Yamaha YZ450F

Product Intro:
Ankle-Savers® are  the core product brand for Moto Innovations. They are designed to prevent hyper-flexion of your ankles during a hard landing, case, etc, and differ from a standard peg design in that an additional support platform is located on the backside of the pegs (under your heels). This platform is angled slightly, allowing room for the rider’s ankle to flex a comfortable amount before touching the platform. Ankle-Savers are cast from hardened stainless steel to fit nearly every bike on the market. Suzuki and some small bike models aren’t available just yet, but will be this summer.

Ankle-Savers vs. Stock YZ450 Peg
Fit/Install:
Using the stock peg mounts, springs, and hardware, Ankle-Savers are easily installed in less than 15 minutes. It should be noted that the Ankle-Savers retained the stock peg positioning (peg to seat height as well as front-to-back positioning). As you can see in the photo comparison, the foot peg portion of the Ankle-Savers is sized very similarly to an oversized stock Yamaha foot peg, and therefore offer very comparable ride characteristics during normal use.

Ankle-Savers were easy to install and fit well
Looking down on the bike

Riding Impressions:
The intent of Ankle-Savers is to provide ankle protection for riders when they need it, while at the same time remaining “virtually unnoticeable while riding.” Did they achieve this?

During the time that I was testing the Ankle-Savers I had a few hard landings.  As promised, they provided added support and comfort to my ankle. The extra support was actually confidence inspiring when I was in the air and knew that the landing wasn’t going to be a soft one, and they encouraged me to ride on the balls of my feet as a result. If you’ve had an ankle injury that now seems to hold you back, these may be your ticket to really getting after it again.

For the most part, I very rarely noticed the support interfering with my riding during normal use.  At my home track there are some pretty tall rollers that require me to get my weight way off the back of the bike. While trying to get that far back, I could feel my heel hit the support platform.  This took some getting used to, but it didn’t adversely impact the way I rode.

Maximum Boot Angle, Full Heel Contact

At first glance, you might get the impression that, when weighted, they might cause your boot to roll to the outside of your bike.  This simply isn’t the case.  I never once felt as though my ankle wanted to roll outward. The support they provided was solid and stable.

Bottom Line:
Are they for you? I’ll answer that with another question – why not?  If you have ankle problems, want some preventative ankle protection (and you should), have ever cased a jump or over shot a landing, Ankle-Savers are a great product to look into.  Starting at $149.99, I guarantee they are a lot cheaper than physical therapy and watching your friends ride while your ankles heal.

Visit www.gomotoinnovations.com for more details or to snag a pair
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