Clutch lever travel?

**p.dath** · 5th February 2011, 08:46

I'm not very good at riding really slowly, so have been practising it recently. As part of this I have been deliberately letting the clutch slip. Still not very good, but I'm wondering a little about my machine.

The clutch lever only needs the tiniest of squeezes to change up or down. I'm guessing there is about 10mm of travel at the end of the ever. The clutch lever itself feels firm with little play.

So now I'm wondering if this amount of travel is normal or not. Having more travel would mean I could slip the clutch more accurately. I can't really remember what "normal" travel has been on other bikes I have owned.

How much travel should there me on the clutch lever before the clutched is engaged, and power is removed from the wheels?

**Spearfish** · 5th February 2011, 11:45

Is yours hydraulic or cable?
Both manuals I have in front of me say 10-20mm of free travel.

**p.dath** · 5th February 2011, 12:19

Originally Posted by Spearfish

Is yours hydraulic or cable?
Both manuals I have in front of me say 10-20mm of free travel.

It looks cable based to me.

**george formby** · 5th February 2011, 12:47

Originally Posted by Spearfish

Is yours hydraulic or cable?
Both manuals I have in front of me say 10-20mm of free travel.

+1 I have 10 - 15mm of waggle in me clutch lever. Enough to be able to keep it covered without letting it drag for slow speed, bad surface, downhills etc when I'm riding slow enough to stall the bike.

**imdying** · 5th February 2011, 14:25

Fix the bottom actuators setup and the top lever will regain the correct ratio of movement.

**Spearfish** · 5th February 2011, 15:02

Originally Posted by imdying

Fix the bottom actuators setup and the top lever will regain the correct ratio of movement.

Purdy much how the book says to do it.
(If you go by books)
If you just want to experiment and move it a small amount then try the lever end first.

**John_H** · 5th February 2011, 17:28

My clutch has about the same travel in the 'slipping' zone but it is quite close to the grip. Is that normal or should I adjust it somehow?

**Ocean1** · 5th February 2011, 18:22

Originally Posted by John_H

My clutch has about the same travel in the 'slipping' zone but it is quite close to the grip. Is that normal or should I adjust it somehow?

Same as above, if it's a cable then it's usual to adjust it at the gerabox end. The adjustment at the lever is just for fine tuning, should be kept fairly short. Varies but I like it set up so the middle 1/3 of travel is the slip zone.

If it's hydraulic then it's time to break out the service manual.

**John_H** · 5th February 2011, 19:12

Originally Posted by Ocean1

Same as above, if it's a cable then it's usual to adjust it at the gerabox end. The adjustment at the lever is just for fine tuning, should be kept fairly short. Varies but I like it set up so the middle 1/3 of travel is the slip zone.

If it's hydraulic then it's time to break out the service manual.

Excellent thanks. Should I tighten or loosen the cable to bring the biting point closer to the start of the lever travel?