clutch pull

[Marcy]

Is there anyway to reduce the tension in the clutch lever making it easier to pull? I'm starting to get arthritis in the hand and it's making it more difficult. Can't give up those long trips.

[5bikes]

Shorten the throw so you don't have pull the lever as far.

Remove the clutch lever by removing the 10mm nut and bolt. Inside is a rod from the lever to the master cylinder. It is partially hidened behind a black soft rubber gasket. Make a slightly shorter rod (less than 1/8" less?) rounded at both ends like the original. I used a old allen wrench of about the same diameter.

Do not make it so short that the clutch does not fully disengage. Hard shifting, banging gears and hard to get into nuetral are indications of this.

The shorter throw makes it easier on my arthritic fingers.

You could try replacing the spring inside the master cylinder with a softer one too. Much harder to do.

If you try anything down at the engine it may not transfer power sufficiently.

[Eck]

You can up shift and down shift these bikes with out even using the clutch by slowly letting off the throttle as you pull up or push down on the shifter....

Maybe this would give your hand some rest and only use the clutch when coming to a stop.

[Sylvester]

When my second clutch goes in my '02 RSV, I am replacing it with the auto clutch. Here is the site:

 

http://www.efmautoclutch.com/street.shtml

 

No more clutching unless you want to.

[GeorgeS]

going to the gym and pumping iron, helps

[Pappa Bear]

I've had to have reconstructive hand surgery, artificial joints etc... this looks wonderful

[Venturous Randy]

You can up shift and down shift these bikes with out even using the clutch by slowly letting off the throttle as you pull up or push down on the shifter....

Maybe this would give your hand some rest and only use the clutch when coming to a stop.

 

I also shift most of the time without using the clutch going into 3rd, 4th & 5th. I can actually do it smoother than using a clutch. I guess this is so because I pay more attention. I don't find down shifting is as easy for me so I don't do it. It does take a bit of coordination on letting off the throttle slightly as you shift, but once you do it a few times you be amazed at how smooth you can do it. I also do not do this when I am accellerating hard up thru the gears.

RandyA

[phochief]

Shorten the throw so you don't have pull the lever as far.

Remove the clutch lever by removing the 10mm nut and bolt. Inside is a rod from the lever to the master cylinder. It is partially hidened behind a black soft rubber gasket. Make a slightly shorter rod (less than 1/8" less?) rounded at both ends like the original. I used a old allen wrench of about the same diameter.

Do not make it so short that the clutch does not fully disengage. Hard shifting, banging gears and hard to get into nuetral are indications of this.

 

I sometimes have the hard shifting, banging gears and trouble getting my RSV into neutral, so would my solution be exactly the opposite -- make the rod a little longer? Or is there another way to make sure the clutch is fully engaging?

 

David

[KiteSquid]

I see a lot more Naproxen in my future.

[CMIKE]

When my second clutch goes in my '02 RSV, I am replacing it with the auto clutch. Here is the site:

 

http://www.efmautoclutch.com/street.shtml

 

No more clutching unless you want to.

 

I think you need to really do some research on this before you jump. I know some guys that used these on racing dirt bikes...(not this particular brand) sometimes they have a mind of there own. I know the newer FJR's have an electric shift which pulls the clutch and shifts the bike for you and some folks I talked to say they are really unpredicatable in parking lot handing speeds. Definitely something to get used to. Most of the time if I see a FJR in the show room it is a Electric shift left over and seems they are not catching on because of this. Manual shift bikes sell a lot better.

 

Something to consider.