The AMA and other racing organizations used to require foot pegs that folded up at a 45° angle for safety reasons. If you tried road racing on a stock Commando you'd rapidly find the footpegs hitting the pavement in turns. A rigid mount peg will dig in if you get too aggressive in the turns, and will lever the rear wheel off the pavement, usually resulting in a crash. The folding peg eliminates that risk. You will notice that most modern sport bikes have folding pegs for the same reason.
Back in the '70s, when I started racing Commandos, I saw plenty of ground down stock foot pegs, as well as riders who just shortened them with a hacksaw, and some (like me) who replaced them with Bates folding pegs.
The same problem can be encountered in brisk street riding. I share a MK3 with stock foot pegs with my grandson, and even with slightly longer rear shocks, he has still managed to wear the ends off the footpeg rubbers, as well as dragging the sidestand mount a bit. And that's with stock 19" wheels. I don't have that problem, but he rides a bit more "vigorously" than I do.
Ken
