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2006
Monday,
March 6
Dear
VTwin Mama,
I have a Honda Spirit 750, am a new rider, and developed tendonitis last
year because of shifting. I
am looking for a clutch lever that will bring the reach closer inward. The
Honda dealer told me to find a dog bone style or low profile. All
the clutches mentioned make it easier to pull the clutch in but I need
something that will bring the lever CLOSER to my hand as they are small.
CAN ANYONE HELP?!
Thanks, – Anonymous
Dear
Anon,
Exactly, lots of solutions make for an easier pull, but not a
narrower gap for the finger curl around the lever, and this is a challenge
that requires research perseverance. The solution indeed is to find a
clutch lever "blade" that is deeply bowed in (yes, they exist!),
but I'm scratching my head as to why your Honda dealer didn't open up
their extensive OEM and aftermarket catalogs to show you the
possibilities.
Or
did you make that inquiry over the phone? If so, go to the dealer, preferably
during a less busy time, as it's going to take some looking to find what
you need. If necessary, take a close-up picture of the current
lever/handlebar area so that you can compare with greater confidence. –
Mama
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Wednesday,
May 17
Dear VTwin Mama,
For Harley owners looking for a more ergonomic (easier) clutch action, all
they have to do is go to www.easypullclutch.com.
This device is the least expensive and most effective device on the
market. Sincerely,– Linda
Dear Linda,
Thank you for sharing one source for this product, which many
riders are choosing to install. –
Mama
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Sunday,
May 28
Dear VTwin Mama,
I just installed an easy pull clutch on my ' 03 Sportster and it really
does make a difference. The picture
on the web site doesn't look like much but it is well worth the $30 or
so dollars. It came with instructions (I also have a service manual) so I
took a shot at installing it myself, all in all it was not too difficult
and took an hour after some trial and error adjustments. Have fun out
there there; sure are a lot of Linda's on the site. –
Linda
Dear Linda,
Excellent! A reminder that this particular solution currently only
applies to Harleys (as far as I can ascertain). –
Mama
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Friday,
December 22
Dear
VTwin Mama,
Hi! I am new rider, really new . . . only been out
practicing twice. Just got my first H-D Sportster 1200 Custom. My problem
is that my left hand tires very quickly using the clutch. Are there any
products or modifications that could be made to the bike to shorten the
distance from the hand grip to the clutch handle? Or soften the tension of
the clutch? Or perhaps I simply need to strengthen my hand? is this a
common occurrence among women? Please advise. Thank you! –
VTwin Mama Wannabeeeeee
Dear
VTwin Mama Wanabeeeeee,
Congrats on joining the adventure in motorcycling and getting your
first bike! New riders, both women and men, often find their left hand
getting tired pretty quickly because a lot of the beginning practice work
is on slow maneuvers and repeated start/stop stuff. This is normal and
will ease as you begin to incorporate longer rides where you're not
clutching every few seconds.
Otherwise
your question depends on whether you bought a brand new Sporty 1200 or
something older. The newest H-D models already incorporate their latest
reduced clutch lever technology while older ones (I believe from 2005 and
older) do not. For these you can find products that will ease the pull-effort
action. You'll find more about these possibilities on my Bike
Fix: Clutch Lever pages . . . or talk with your local dealer's parts
department to discover options. – Mama
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2007
Friday,
April 20
Dear
VTwin Mama,
I'm glad I started a search. I bought a 2001 Sportster 1200 last fall
(hubby got the Fat Boy). I had been complaining my clutch was tight and my
hand was smaller, and being a guy, he didn't believe me! Anyway,
maybe it was a blessing in disguise, because I dumped it and broke the
clutch! The bike and I are fine other than that : )
So,
people have been telling me I wouldn't be able to find a clutch for a
smaller hand, so I decided to search . . . low and behold I found your
site! Thanks so much for the information you gave re: AMP! –
Carol
Dear
Carol,
I'm so glad to hear that archived material on the VTwin Mama site
(or was it Avalon
CycleWorks' ad on the Bike
Fix: Clutch Lever page?) was able to assist you in your search for
solutions and we're also glad to hear that both you and the motorcycle are
essentially ok after the oopsie. – Mama
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Thursday,
May 10
Dear
VTwin Mama,
I have taken the motorcycle class, passed my license test, purchased a
motorcycle (actually a Suzuki trike!) and now am starting to ride. I know
that I'm a beginner and I need to have patience with myself, but one thing
is bothering me right away. How long will it take to get my clutch hand
stronger? – Cathy
Dear
Cathy,
Congrats on everything so far! Some clutch actions are stiffer than
others. New riders tend to be clutching more because you may be working on
the slow maneuver skills or riding in more stop/start situations (vs. out
on country roads or highways). You can get one of those hand flex things
that strengthens grips (sports shops will have it) or you can look for a
more ergonomic lever. Talk with the local Suzuki dealership's parts
department and tell them you want a clutch with an easier pull action. If
one is available for your year/model, they'll know about it. Previous
letters on that subject can be found on my Bike
Fix: Clutch Levers pages. – Mama
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Friday,
May 11
Dear
VTwin Mama,
As I regularly visit your site I thought you could help me with a clutch
problem. I've checked out the fix a bike page but most of the postings
were for small hands. My problem is I think in the adjustment.
When I pull the clutch in and put it in gear my Star (V-Star 650
Classic) clunks and bucks forward slightly. Which tells me it's not
disengaging. She only has 3,800 miles put on by the previous owner. Also,
the clutch engages right away after the free play. Do you know how and
where to adjust these problems? A mechanic (and bike shop owner) friend of
mine said the free play adjustment is correct. I'm a newbie to bikes but I
do have mechanical knowledge of sorts and something isn't right. My
Clymers book doesn't cover both of these happening all at once. I would
like the clutch to engage about half pull. I've discovered this while
trying to stay in my friction zone. Any help would be greatly appreciated. –
Terry in Thonotosassa
Dear
Terry,
If I recall correctly, the VStar engage/disengage point cannot be
adjusted in terms of where in the range of the lever it is. However, if
you're clicking into first gear and it wants to jump forward with the
clutch lever pulled in, then you're right, something is not disengaged
correctly. This typically indicates that there is too much freeplay
(you've got clunk and creep). Reduce the freeplay just a tad and see if it
resolves the problem.
Yes,
you've only got 3,800 miles on the motorcycle, but clutch cables stretch
with use and the adjustment at the clutch lever must be made on occasion.
If there is no more adjustment at the lever, then follow the cable down
and see if another adjustment is available. If not, you'll need to remove
the cover to the clutch basket and find the adjustment there.
Now,
just another thought. Bikes that have correct freeplay, but want to clunk
and creep, may have sticky clutch plates/tension springs. This can happen
when the oil is old or the bike has been sitting for longer intervals
(previous owner?), or simply stuff accumulated and stuck to the plates.
Not the most likely thing with your mileage, but don't completely rule it
out. – Mama
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Monday,
May 14
For Cathy who wants a
stronger clutch hand:
An off the wall thought
but since you're a new rider . . . think carefully, was the clutch
on the course bike easier to engage? As
Mama said, a death grip on the clutch is common for new riders, but if you
have small hands like I do, clutching & front braking) can
be difficult unless/until the levers are changed or adjusted. If you have
to over-reach your hands get very tired very quickly, and engaging
the clutch is what you do most and it also often requires a
sustained grip. Just a thought. – Jem (note from Mama:
good point . . . also, taking a look at the positioning of the controls on
the handlebar may prove to be a solution . . . they can be loosened and
twisted around a bit for better hand reach . . . 'cause arching your
wrists up and over to get those levers can be a strain also.)
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Monday,
May 14
Dear
VTwin Mama,
Hello all. I bought my wife a 2007 Harley 883 low and it her first bike.
In learning to ride, her clutch hand cramps up and hurts. Will the AMP fit
up because of the 2007 safety switch? I was wondering. –
BadBoy
Dear
BadBoy,
Well, I thought this was going to a no-brainer answer, but it
appears a bit more complicated than I realized. I did a search through my
favorite aftermarket catalogs, noting that the AMP EZ Pull only fits
"as is" up through the 2003 models. Now, Avalon
CycleWorks (an advertiser at this site) notes that the 2004 through 2006
can be retrofitted with pre-2004 parts (but it's not a biggee).
Unfortunately, there is no retrofit for the 2007 model (yet). Contact
Brian at Avalon to inquire about future possibilities.
Meanwhile,
I read through some of the earlier letters posted on the archived Bike
Fix: Clutch Lever pages. There is a product called a MRC
Clutch and it promises reduced pull effort and is appropriate for the
2007. – Mama
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Monday,
May 21
Dear VTwin Mama,
I'm in my 50s and am about to take the motorcycle class and buy one
(gulp!). I found a bike I love - a Johnny Pag 300 Raptor. The only thing
is, my hands are small and a bit arthritic. Pulling on the clutch HURTS! I
saw in your forum info on the Easyboy Lite, but that is just for Harleys.
Do you have any suggestions for the bike I want? –
Lyonsden10
Dear
Lyonsden10,
Johnny Pag is a custom bike builder who is now introducing his
production model motorcycles. I would head to the main Johnny
Pag site's contact page, where you'll find both a California headquarters'
phone number and also an email address. I would pose the
question to them directly as I know of no retrofit for these newer
production models. – Mama
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Tuesday,
June
26 Fix for VStar 650 clutch lever (smaller hands)
Dear VTwin Mama,
I previously asked you about adjusting my clutch lever closer to which you
gave great advice. I have recently bought and installed the Seritec Clutch
Adjustment Kit. I wanted to let you know that there is hope for those of
us with small hands that have trouble with the clutch lever. I found a kit
on the website (Delphi Forums) that you suggested for V Star owners. The
kit consists of a spring and a tube. The kit is very easy to install and I
now have a clutch that engages about half way. What a joy to ride when you
don't have to struggle with the clutch. Any of the riders with smaller
hands should check this out. – Terry in
Thonotosassa
Dear
Terry,
I went one step further and contacted Roger of Seritec for more
information and picture! His response:
Petra,
Thank you for your
inquiry. The only bike that this works on (or that needs it as far
as I know) is the Yamaha V-Star 650 (all model years). For some
strange reason Yamaha designed this bike so that the clutch engagement
point is out at the end of the lever throw and it cannot be adjusted
closer to the grip without the lever and cable being left loose and
"flopping" around. This also could cause the cable to come
out of the holder and leave the rider with no clutch.
This
fix, although relatively simple, solves this problem and allows the rider
to adjust the clutch engagement point closer to the grip like most other
bikes. This is especially helpful to riders with smaller hands which
includes a lot of females. I have sold well over two thousand of
these and more than half have been either to, or for, women riders.
I send it with complete, illustrated instructions and it usually take
about 15 minutes to install and adjust. Anyone with just some
knowledge of mechanics should have no trouble.
I
sell these kits to dealers (in bulk), over the 650 V-Star forum, and on
ebay. You may want to check out the description (and also read the
feedback comments) on eBay. Just search "Yamaha V-Star clutch
adjustment kit."
I
sell these to individuals from the forums (not through eBay) for $12 USD
and that includes shipping. I charge an extra $1.00 to Canada and a
little more to most of Europe. The eBay prices, since they are an
auction, usually run about $15 - $20. I did all the R&D on this
fix and patented it over a year ago. The parts are not "off the
shelf" parts and are manufactured specifically for or by us.
Some people have made their own after looking at our photos but I don't
see how one could ride or drive over town, buy the parts (and they would
still not fit correctly) and install them for the above price.
I
take PayPal (use my email address seritec@aol.com
as the ID under the "send money" tab. If anyone needs to
send a bank check/money order, it can be sent to: Roger
Helmstetler (make check to me), Seritec,
Inc., P.O. Box 1254, Jamestown,
NC 27282.
Thanks
again, – Roger
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Thursday,
July 26
Dear VTwin Mama,
Is your HD clutch hard to pull? The
Easy Pull Clutch is for five speed 1994-2007 Sportsters, 1986-2006
Softail and Touring HDs, and 1991-2006 Dynas. –
Philip Pontillo
Dear
Philip,
Thanks for sharing your source solution! – Mama
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Friday,
August 31
Dear VTwin mama,
I just stumbled on your site and wanted to let you know there is an
automatic clutch available for Harleys and other full size bikes. Revloc
Automatic Clutch. – Anonymous (note from Mama:
thanks for sharing. I took a look and for street bikes, it's a limited to
Harley and Ducati, with lots more for the off-road bikes. I found that the
online operating instructions give a good idea of how this system works.
From that home page, click On Road, Information, Operating Instructions.
This will help someone decide if they would like to consider the product!)
Wednesday,
September
5
Dear VTwin Mama,
I just bought a 2007 VStar 650. Previous bike was a 750 Vulcan. Vulcan was
too tall and top heavy. Love the fit of the 650 but do not like the clutch
action. I literally let the clutch all the way out before the gears engage.
Needless to say on a hill you cannot feather the clutch to get started. Is
this normal?? My husband rides a 1300 Tourer and he has what appears to be normal
clutch response.
– Susan
Dear
Susan,
Unfortunately you are describing the standard VStar 650 clutch
lever. However, there is good news! There
is a $12 kit that will fix this and bring the engage/disengage point to the
middle of the overall lever action! – Mama
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Thursday,
September
6
Dear VTwin Mama,
I recently bought my first bike, a 2007 VStar 650 Custom. While I love the
bike itself and how it rides (sans the clutch), I find that it looks like
everything else out there. Soooo ... off to customizing I go.
The only thing I
am unsure of is making the jump from my standard rear tire to a larger
one. Do you how big I can go on this bike and does a larger rear tire
affect the ride? Thanks!
– Melissa
Dear
Melissa,
Congrats on the new motorcycle! You no longer have to put up with
that awful clutch lever's action at the end of the range of motion. $12
and 15 minutes will fix that!
The standard rear
tire is a 170/80-15, which means it's 170mm in width, has an aspect ration
of 80% (so a height of 80% x 170 = 136mm), and a rim diameter of 15".
You want to be
careful putting something fatter on because rims are designed to support
tires of a certain width. Sometimes a larger rim, and therefore different
tire, can be put on a bike. Otherwise, typically you can go about 10mm
wider, and a slightly higher aspect ratio (but that could interfere with the
fender) but I'd double check with the local dealer's parts department on
that one. You want something approved by the bike manufacturer (and double
check on any impact on the warranty).
Yes, a wider tire
will affect your ride. More width, more traction, more traction, new
handling realities in slow turns and high speed curves. Nothing that a
little parking lot and road practice won't solve. That's the key whenever
you make a change! – Mama
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Monday,
September 10
For Melissa and Susan on adjusting
the VStar 650 clutch lever:
I'm not sure what the difference is between the 650 and 1100 VStar as far
as how the clutch cables are attached. But on the 1100, you just loosen the
locking nut (looks more like a wheel) then turn the cable end nut to the
desired amount. I had to do this after they adjusted my clutch for some
reason on the first service. They set it so the clutch didn't engage until
the lever was literally ALL the way out! A guy at work said they did the
same thing to him. Hope this helps. – Michele (note from Mama:
while this is the standard adjustment on most motorcycles, it is my
understanding that doing this on the 650 VStar only adjusts the freeplay. If
you try to move the engage/disengage point, you end up with a loose clutch
cable, which is not right. Not sure why this is.)
I also have a 2007 VStar 650 Classic and have read a lot of posts
regarding the clutch lever problems. At first, I found it very difficult and
certainly very different from my previous bike. But with a little practice
it has now become second nature. Didn't have to get the clutch adjustment
kit you mentioned. – Denise from Newfoundland (note from Mama:
yes, many riders will keep working with a system that may not be optimal but
doable with practice. I think I compensated for many things over the years,
but with the advent of the Internet, it is so much easier to talk things
out, and if a different set-up is available, it may be something to
consider. Yahoo to the Internet!)
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Wednesday,
September
19
Dear VTwin Mama,
I'm a new rider and I just purchased a 2006 Suzuki LS650. It's a great
bike for my height (5'1"). However, I have small hands. Reaching the
clutch lever and letting it out properly can be a stretch, literally! Is
there any way it can be adjusted or are there custom clutch levers that
may have more of a bend in them? Thanks! – Stacy
Dear
Stacy,
Over the years we've seen this question quite a bit and the answer
is still less than perfect!
Most solutions
are about the stiffness of the clutch lever action, i.e., more ergonomic,
meaning that the pull and release can be "softened up." For many
of the newer motorcycles though, this is really not an issue.
One thing you
can do right off the bat is to take a closer look at your hand position
relative to the clutch lever. If the whole assembly is secured on the
handlebar is such a way that it's causing an arch of your hand, you could
loosen the assembly and rotate it down a bit, thus aiding your overall
ability to operate the clutch lever.
If the
positioning is fine, but the overall handlebar is a bit far away, you can
investigate whether a pullback riser would help.
The OEM or
aftermarket solutions for levers that let a smaller hand grab and release
with greater ease are more difficult to research. All I can offer is that
you'll need an enlightened person at the parts desk of the local dealer.
By opening up their vast catalogs of aftermarket products, they may be
able to identify a clutch lever that has a greater bend or is overall
flatter and thus not as far from the grip.
Many bikes offer
a "dial" adjustment, but you would have seen that already if
your bike had it. Some motorcycle clutch levers can be adjusted so that
the engage/disengage point is closer to one end of the range of motion so
at least your smaller hand can work the friction zone properly. For this I
would call up the service department and put forth your dilemma.
If none of this
helps, the only other thing that's been suggested is that you take it to
an independent shop and investigate whether they can heat and bend your
current lever. It's been noted that this could weaken the lever, but a knowledgeable
person could offer more input on that.
Last but not
least, the LS650 Savage is now called the Boulevard S40. It's useful in
your research to note that there may be a S40 solution that would fit to
your 2006 model. – Mama
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Friday,
December
14 New kit to modify friction zone on Yami VStar 650
Dear VTwin Mama,
Atrox Customz
has developed the long awaited, easy fix, for the short friction zone on
the Yamaha 650 V Star. The kit installs easily in just 30 minutes for the
average do-it-yourselfer. It increases the friction zone to a more
comfortable, standard length without doing any irreversible damage to your
bike. It also allows the friction zone to be adjusted closer to the hand
grip where most riders prefer it to be, and it will soften the feel of the
clutch which allows for more clutch control, which is especially helpful
for riders with small hands. The kit comes with all hardware and
instructions. $35.99. – Jeremy Huff
200 8
Monday,
March 10
Dear VTwin Mama,
Just a little up date on the REV-LOC
Automatic Clutch. I have a 2000 Roadking and have had a rev-loc going
on 5 years and about 20,000 miles. I'm 60 now with weak hands due to years
of being a mechanic. The clutch allows me to keep riding especially in
city traffic. smooth take-offs (no stalling) and smooth shifts. By the way
it is now available for Sportsters and it will hold all the horsepower you
can put to it. Thanks, – Powerman
Dear Powerman,
Thanks for the reminder on this product, which takes all the
clutch/shifting out of the equation. Yes, Sporty 883/1200 from 1991 and
newer can be retrofitted, as well as some other HD models and it looks
like some Ducati models as well. There is a good video clip on Rev-Loc's
site to watch if it's of interest! –
Mama
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