If you are new to motorcycling, you may not know what someone is referring to when they ask you if you would prefer to have mid or forward controls on your bike. Simply put, this determines the location of the foot pegs that the driver uses to either brake or shift. The placement of these pedals on the bike is traditionally determined by the manufacturer, but you can change the location of the peg to make it better suited for you if you like.
For example, when the bike comes in as a stock model from the factory, the pegs are most likely to be located straight down from where the driver sits. These are mid controls, but they can be adjusted depending on how you ride the bike. If you like to take long rides on a cruiser (or other larger type motorcycle), then you will most likely want the control pegs moved forward eight to ten inches. This way you can sit with your feet out in a more comfortable position when you are going on long distance rides.
For those people who ride on sports bikes, then the control pegs will most likely need to be more toward the rear of the motorcycle. The reason for this is that riders have to ride hunched over the top of the bike with their head lowered to prevent drag. This position is often referred to as the crouching turtle, and the controls would be more easily accessed if they were toward the rear so that the rider's feet would naturally curl around.
