Spacer for clutch to adjust reach?

[hellokitty]

My clutch lever is too far away - I had my thumb joint fused because of arthritis - and now I have a bigger bike, I have a bigger reach to use the clutch.

I thought maybe I could get a clutch lever that came in closer - the one that has the part that bends in. The guys at the bike shop said I need to get a spacer fitted so the clutch doesn't go as far out, and then you get the clutch adjusted to compensate. They weren't particulary interested in helping me........

They couldn't give me any indication of price and I am on a tight budget. I can use the clutch as it is but it gets quite sore if I am riding in traffic or around town and changing gears a lot.

Does anyone have any better ideas? Or any idea of what it might cost?

[Taz]

Cable clutch? If you were closer I'd be able to devise something for you. Shame on the dealer for not trying to help tho. you could take the clutch lever to action or atomic and see if they have an aftermarket lever with less reach that would work.

[hayd3n]

you can sometimes get away with bending them a little but id buy a spare in-case it breaks

[hellokitty]

I think we could put a different lever on easy enough but it would look weird being different to the other lever..... the spacer idea made sense but the last thing I want is to do it and find I don't enough money to pay for - that would be too embarrassing! If I get someone other than a Honda dealer to do it would it effect my warranty? The bike is only 6 months old.

[vifferman]

Hello hellokitty - can you post a picture of your clutch? You still didn't say if it's cable operated or hydraulic (like the brake lever).
I think the idea of going to Atomic or Action bike wreckers is a good one, as they're both reasonably helpful guys, pretty clued-up, and shouldn't charge much if you're swapping one lever for another. The idea of heating your lever and bending it so it curves closer to the bar is a goodun too. I've done the same thing to straighten both levers, and it works well if you're careful.

[schrodingers cat]

I presume it is a hydrulic clutch? How far out/in is the 'bite' point. If it is really close to grip then it gets a bit trickier.

I had the same problem with my front brake lever. A different master cyclinder had been fitted and the point at which the brake came on ment your hand was still quite open and I couldn't modulate the brake.

By removing the lever, filing and reshaping the face that actuates the master cyclinder I was able to get the lever closer to the grip before it operated.
A little bit off this face is magnified by the length of the lever

Definately DON'T simply wedge the the lever closer to you - this has an effect on the internals of the master cylinder that may lead to other hiccups.

Bending the lever is a winner.
Remove it and place it on a BBQ and heat until a match stick rubbed across it leaves a black mark (from the resin/sap). Drop it into a bucket of cold water.
You have just annealed the aluminium and have a better chance of bending it without snapping it
Bend carefully
Re-assemble

[hellokitty]

Definately DON'T simply wedge the the lever closer to you - this has an effect on the internals of the master cylinder that may lead to other hiccups.

That is what the guy at the shop said they would do - he showed me the gap that appears when you pull the clutch in and said that is where the spacer would go, and that then they would adjust the clutch.
I thought a different style lever would be the easy way to do it as that i what we did to my old dirt bike.

I have no idea what kind of clutch it is, my bike is a 2009 Honda VT750

[Taz]

I have no idea what kind of clutch it is, my bike is a RED ONE

You sound like a gurl :lol:

[schrodingers cat]

Does the clutch lever have a cable attached to it on is there a square boxy thing with a sight glass and some fluid in there?

Also - red is not very helpful. What sort of red?

[hellokitty]

Does the clutch lever have a cable attached to it on is there a square boxy thing with a sight glass and some fluid in there?

Also - red is not very helpful. What sort of red?

I never said my bike was red - the Anthrax guy said it was red - read my post, not his quote (which is not what i posted)

[Taz]

Sorry kitty. :o

Your bike has a cable clutch. Usually there would be more than enough slack available to be able to put a spacer in. The flip side is ensuring you can still get full disengagement when the lever is pulled in.

[hellokitty]

I have no idea what kind of clutch it is, my bike is a 2009 Honda VT750

This is what I said, and apparently it is a cable clutch - I just checked with my husband.

[hellokitty]

I didn't want to ask him as he doesn't like me posting on this site - he thinks it is full of weirdos.

[vifferman]

I didn't want to ask him as he doesn't like me posting on this site - he thinks it is full of weirdos.
Strictly speaking, it's not full of weirdos - there's still room for a few more.

[Taz]

Weirdos!! What is weird is a husband who can't sort out your clutch for you :lol:

[Ixion]

OK. We ahve some limitations here.

You can buy aftermarket clutch perches with adjustable positioning. But you mention a limited budget. If your budget can afford one, then thats the best solution. Check with Messrs Cycletreads.

Solutions involving spacers require a workshop and at least a diploma in bodgery.

The simplest , albeit crude, solution , which often works , is simply to wind in the adjuster.

If you look at your clutch lever. Just to the right of the bit that moves toward the handlebar, you should see a black cable. It will be completely round, there may be others which are black, but are electric wires. You want the round one. About as thick as a pencil . That's the clutch cable.

Now have a look at the bit where the clutch cable goes into the moving lever bit. There will be a little gizmo that looks like a screw. It may be under a rubber cover. That's the clutch adjuster. There will be a little turny nut bit on the adjuster. If you wind that in (so it comes back to the right), the lever should get "loose" and "floppy" . So when you pull the clutch lever in, the first bit of the movement is very light. That will effectively reduce the reach of the clutch. Experiment and try , to see how "floppy" you can make the lever, before it starts making nasty crunching noises when you put it into gear.

I did this for a chick with small hands, and it worked OK. It looks a bit grungy because the lever is floppy . If you do this, you'll find that you'll need to redo it every time you have the bike serviced, because they will helpfully adjust it correctly. (I have manfully resisted associations between husband who thinks we are weirdos and "floppy" ).

[hellokitty]

thanks for the replies - looks like we will just get the guy at the shop to do it - went back with the husband today and they said $20.
ended up buying my husband another bike though - dammit! hahaha

[DEATH_INC.]

How about something like these, they have a fair bit of reach adjustment.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pair-Clutch-Brake-Lever-Honda-CB-CBR-600-900-RR-VTX1300-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem335a10a274QQitemZ22055 4371700QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_3 009wt_894

[CookMySock]

Check that the clutch start-lockout still works, or you might get bitten.

Steve