Offset levers

[Treb]

Anyone have a good source for offset clutch lever? I searched a couple threads but haven't found anything I can use

[djh3]

Have to ask why your looking for something more off set. Are you meaning closer to grip? Clutch is hydraulic so it has to have a certain amount of throw. So if you found a handle closer to grip, it probably would not disengage the clutch.

[Treb]

I like the clutch to engage before the end of the lever travel. Hydraulic clutches are notorious for engaging a long ways from the grip and it makes low speed handling more difficult. When you are trying to keep it in the friction zone that far from the grip it wears you out. m.youtube.com/watch?v=H52l-e-Uo1k

I practice the sort of stuff in that clip all the time.

[djh3]

Yours may be a little different then mine was. But my clutch didnt disengage until just about at the grip. So like I said if it has to have say 1.5 inch of travel to compress the slave master, unless you change the length of the piston in the master, I do not believe your going to be able to change angle of the dangle of the lever.

[Treb]

Yours may be a little different then mine was. But my clutch didnt disengage until just about at the grip. So like I said if it has to have say 1.5 inch of travel to compress the slave master, unless you change the length of the piston in the master, I do not believe your going to be able to change angle of the dangle of the lever.

 

There is easily 4.5" of travel at the end of the lever where you have the most leverage. Offset levers decrease that distance so you can use the end of the lever to provide more mechanical advantage. Offsets and adjustable levers are common upgrades on most other bikes and I'm sure there is some aftermarket company that makes them for the Venture as well, I just haven't found it yet.

[YamahaLarry]

There is easily 4.5" of travel at the end of the lever where you have the most leverage. Offset levers decrease that distance so you can use the end of the lever to provide more mechanical advantage. Offsets and adjustable levers are common upgrades on most other bikes and I'm sure there is some aftermarket company that makes them for the Venture as well, I just haven't found it yet.

 

As mentioned by @djh3, I do not think this will be possible with the hydraulic clutch as is used on the RSV. On most bikes, you have maybe a 1 to 1-1/2 inch of travel (just guessing) from clutch partial engaged to fully engaged. On cable clutches, you can adjust where you would like for that range to be, top of the lever or closer to the hand grip. Even so much that you can't fully disengage or even to where it will not fully engage.

 

Pretty sure there is no such range of adjustment on the RSV hydraulic clutch unless there is something you can do with the slave cylinder in how that it works with the clutch assembly.

 

FWIW, I lead a lot of rides, some parades and have even escorted "walkers" (not the Walking Dead kind) before, and at times do quite a bit of feathering clutch/rear brake. I haven't came across a situation to where my hand gets tired in doing that. BUT, it does get tired in stop and go traffic like when there is an accident in the road ahead. I guess maybe it is the holding clutch in for prolong periods and not being able to work my hand.

 

Just my thoughts.

[cowpuc]

As mentioned by djh3, I do not think this will be possible with the hydraulic clutch as is used on the RSV. On most bikes, you have maybe a 1 to 1-1/2 inch of travel (just guessing) from clutch partial engaged to fully engaged. On cable clutches, you can adjust where you would like for that range to be, top of the lever or closer to the hand grip. Even so much that you can't fully disengage or even to where it will not fully engage.

 

Pretty sure there is no such range of adjustment on the RSV hydraulic clutch unless there is something you can do with the slave cylinder in how that it works with the clutch assembly.

 

FWIW, I lead a lot of rides, some parades and have even escorted "walkers" (not the Walking Dead kind) before, and at times do quite a bit of feathering clutch/rear brake. I haven't came across a situation to where my hand gets tired in doing that. BUT, it does get tired in stop and go traffic like when there is an accident in the road ahead. I guess maybe it is the holding clutch in for prolong periods and not being able to work my hand.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

Having no experience with the RSV I should probably keep my to myself but being similar to the 1st Gens, I thought I would toss this out there.. The Stock, OEM plates in my 1st Gens have always produced an excellent clutch range of feathering. Their downfall though has always been, at least on my bikes, they also produced a weak clutch that, even brand new, would slip in the top gears as soon as I brought the engine "up on the pipe" (an old two-stroke riders term for hitting the power band) if I had a full load on. I am currently running non-OEM, after market Barnett plates and, although they hook up like a locker when I wick er up, the engagement position out on the perch is now very close to full lever and a lot more sensitive. Reading this thread,, I really wonder if the Barnett plates would not be a PERFECT candidate for setting up a clutch with a cantilevered lever. My R1 has Quick Click adjustable levers on it (but it is cable) that I LOVE so I know the desire to be able to move the lever in but, other than thru the plates, or maybe by adding a few thou to the clutch rod that engages the pressure plate? - I really cant think of any other decent method of accomplishing the task.. Maybe someone like MiCarl , or Prairiehammer or Skydoc or Flyinfool or videoarizona or VanRiver or the likes would have a clue..

[MiCarl]

@cowpuc I don't have any slick answers. Lengthening the clutch rod won't work - the hydraulic system will adjust for it (that's actually what happens as the clutch wears).

 

My guess is that somewhere there is an adjustable lever that would probably work, there probably not that many different clutch perches. Finding the right one might be difficult without some inside knowledge of the supply chain though.

 

I have a customer with small hands and a VStar 1100 that had a similar complaint. I reshaped his clutch lever a bit to get the friction zone closer to the grip. If you decide to try that you need to heat it some, they're somewhat brittle.

[Rafterd]

Well, if it doesn’t have the proper travel, it will constantly drag. That would really be a drag.

[Treb]

Guys this is not that unusual...My V65 Magna has an adjustable lever on the hydraulic clutch as well as the brake and I'm sure there are others. There is plenty of room for adjustment before there would be any slippage or failure to disengage on the Venture as well. There is easily 2" of travel at the end of the lever before the bike starts moving forward. If I could decrease that by 1/3 it would make a huge difference. Most of the time for normal riding it's not an issue at all. But try a full lock right hand turn while feathering the clutch sometime and you will see what I'm talking about.

[djh3]

Only way I see to do it is swap out the entire master/handle assy. Something like this.

[YamahaLarry]

Having no experience with the RSV I should probably keep my to myself but being similar to the 1st Gens, I thought I would toss this out there.. The Stock, OEM plates in my 1st Gens have always produced an excellent clutch range of feathering. Their downfall though has always been, at least on my bikes, they also produced a weak clutch that, even brand new, would slip in the top gears as soon as I brought the engine "up on the pipe" (an old two-stroke riders term for hitting the power band) if I had a full load on. I am currently running non-OEM, after market Barnett plates and, although they hook up like a locker when I wick er up, the engagement position out on the perch is now very close to full lever and a lot more sensitive. Reading this thread,, I really wonder if the Barnett plates would not be a PERFECT candidate for setting up a clutch with a cantilevered lever. My R1 has Quick Click adjustable levers on it (but it is cable) that I LOVE so I know the desire to be able to move the lever in but, other than thru the plates, or maybe by adding a few thou to the clutch rod that engages the pressure plate? - I really cant think of any other decent method of accomplishing the task.. Maybe someone like MiCarl , or Prairiehammer or Skydoc or Flyinfool or videoarizona or VanRiver or the likes would have a clue..

 

Yeah, I am thinking something internal with either the plates/spring or slave. Hydraulics are pretty much fixed, so not sure how one would do this. I do have a very small leak at the slave on the 99, and when it starts getting too low, the fully disengage will begin getting closer to the grip. And if I don't add fluid pretty soon, I lose fully disengage totally. That happened to me on a ride last year while having to set up road blocks at intersections. Things got pretty squirrelly by the end of the ride in coming to stops, keeping engine running and keeping the bike in the intersection. It's a wonder I didn't scorch the clutch.

 

As for both of my 2nd gen RSV, with ample fluid, clutch is fully engaged until lever is pulled in maybe an inch or so and then the feathering begins, and is fully disengaged maybe 1 to 1-1/2" later. Just a guess. I am not sure about 4-1/2" of travel. Seems a much but may be true at the tip. Regardless, I have no problem feathering even for more extended times than the average bear. In leading a lot of bike rides, parades and even walkers, I have to do it quite often. Hand never really gets real tired as compared to dealing with the stop and go in heavy traffic.

 

Both of mine are OEM. I had the 99 plates slip with me a couple times last year in lower rpm range 5th gear and trying to accelerate. So, I ordered a set of OEM plates. I had been using MotorKote additive for most every oil change. Changed the oil with no additive, and hasn't slipped since (have gone to using additive every other oil change). Anyhow, got me a set of plates when I do finally wear one of them out.

[Treb]

Problem solved....

 

 

So here is the story. My Honda adjustable clutch lever just uses a threaded pushrod to change the length slightly to increase or decrease the travel. I found an MC pushrod in my junk pile from a Honda that is identical to the one in the Venture. I cut approximately 1/16 to 3/32 off the end that goes into the lever bushing and now the clutch starts engaging about 1" from the grip instead of 2". The clutch still fully disengages and does not lurch forward when put into gear even with cold oil.

[djh3]

Yankee engineering at work. Have a problem, make something to fix it. Unlike todays youth, they would have to you tube it and see if someone else was smart enough to figure it out.

[camos]

Can't check it at the moment because I'm in Puerto Vallarta basking in 79 degree sunshine but as I recall, the clutch should start disengaging pretty close to the outside end of travel. That would be on a properly blead system with no air to compress before there is enough pressure to move the clutch. For a small handed person there should be room to reshape the lever before losing compression on the clutch.

 

As mentioned, the levers are brittle so it might be best to source a pair with a deeper curve before attempting any modifications.

[Treb]

Thanks for your input camos...I shortened the plunger pushrod and it works perfectly.

[camos]

Thanks for your input camos...I shortened the plunger pushrod and it works perfectly.

Yes, I saw that. It's nice to find useful things in your parts bucket.

 

The point I was trying to make for you and anyone else who might mess with the throw of the clutch lever is that you must bleed the system thourghly or you may find there is very little leaway within the movement range available.

 

It's one of those things that is pretty obvious to most but not necessarily to everyone.