Spacer for clutch to adjust reach?

**hellokitty** · 6th June 2010, 13:27

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** · 6th June 2010, 13:58

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** · 6th June 2010, 14:32

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

**hellokitty** · 6th June 2010, 15:41

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** · 6th June 2010, 15:56

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** · 6th June 2010, 16:04

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** · 6th June 2010, 18:12

Originally Posted by schrodingers cat

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** · 6th June 2010, 18:28

Originally Posted by hellokitty

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

You sound like a gurl

**schrodingers cat** · 6th June 2010, 19:30

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** · 6th June 2010, 20:13

Originally Posted by 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?

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** · 6th June 2010, 20:16

Sorry kitty.

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.