Looking for a littel help for my brand new rider wife of mine..

[Guest kozman01]

Hello everyone. My wife decided to take the plunge and learn how to ride her own scoot. She's 5'1 and 115 lbs so we started small and picked up an 08 Honda Rebel with 280 miles on it at the local dealer for a great price. Anyways, she's learning quick but we keep running into one nagging problem. She has very small hands and can't get a decent grip ont he clutch and front brake. These levers are not adjustable on the Rebel. I'm rather shocked at how far out these things are on such a SMALL bike. Anyways, looking fo rsome opinions on some solutions. I've tried one company, I think it was AXT???, that makes adjustable levers and they said they do not make one for the Rebel. Maybe have a shop heat them and bend them back some??? I'm sure I'll get some great suggestions here on the board.

 

By the way, you should see how absolutely funny it it when her Rebel is parked next to my Venture!!! In all honesty, me being 6'4 and 240, I do not belong on her bike, but that thing is a blast to ride, like mopeds back in high school days. Makes me want to get something in the 600cc range to compliment the beast Venture. Anyways, thanks guys and I look forward to hearing form you.

[Eck]

You might want to take a look at the MSR Raptor adjustable clutch lever.

Basically it is a standard clutch lever with three different positions for the cable nipple to adjust the pull length/effort.

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.faster-motocross.com/images/34-1805lg.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.faster-motocross.com/msr-raptor-adjustable-clutch-lever-assembly.html&h=202&w=300&sz=13&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=UcbDrU_7weMdcM:&tbnh=78&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMSR%2BRaptor%2Badjustable%2Bclutch%2Blever%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

 

Not positive if it will fit your bike though.. .but I think it is a "universal fit"..

[Al Bates]

Try to fine an old set and bend them as needed. Don't need heat on aluminum.

[rod]

We have some Rebels on the range for training bikes. The levers are brittle on the Hondas so I would put some heat to them and bend them. There is alot of room to adjust free play so that should be OK. Good luck Rod

[Bummer]

This is not about the Rebel, but it might be of some use.

 

My sister bought a V-Star 650. Same problem: Small hands, large clutch pull. On the engine end we threaded the cable through a light weight spring, with some wire loom to hide it. The spring pushes the clutch actuating arm away from the clutch cable mounting point. Taking that slack out shortens the clutch pull.

 

If you look at the side of the engine and see three of four inches of clutch cable that's exposed then hooked to an actuating arm this may work for you. Just push backward on the arm and see if that changes the clutch pull. If it helps let me know and I'll snap some pics.

[Guest kozman01]

THanks everyone for the input and all before 9:30am. Can always count on some good, quick info here!!

[Guest tx2sturgis]

One suggestion, admitedly outside the box:

 

Scooters. If your wife's hands are that small, then she might do better if she was on a scooter, which dont have a clutch lever, and the brake levers on the ones I have ridden were pretty small and easy to pull, about like a bicycle.

 

You can get scooters in the 400-600 cc range, which are quite capable of highway travel.

 

I have to say....I bet its quite the contrast...you being 13 inches taller and 125 pound heavier!

 

Good Luck.

 

 

[Guest kozman01]

I tried getting her to go the scooter route but she won't have it!! She likes bikes and thinks there very "cool". She's the one that prompted me to get the Venture. I think I'm going to pick up a set of clutch/brake levers off of ebay and try to slightly heat them and bend them a tad. If it doesn't work, oh well, I didn't ruin the ones on the bike. Your suggestion of the scooter is well taken, some of those things FLY!

[cruiselady]

Congratulations on the new bike!!! It sure is fun. I understand having very small hands, my index fingers are only 2 1/4". I have a 250 Virago and it seems to work just great. I also have a XT and I have no problems.

I wish I had an answer for you!!! Motorcycle school sure did help me allot.

[FutureVentures]

  Bummer said:

This is not about the Rebel, but it might be of some use.

 

 

If you look at the side of the engine and see three of four inches of clutch cable that's exposed then hooked to an actuating arm this may work for you. Just push backward on the arm and see if that changes the clutch pull. If it helps let me know and I'll snap some pics.

 

Yes, I would be very interested in seeing the pics please.

 

Thanks!

[GigaWhiskey]

There is the FJR 1300 version without a clutch lever. Then, you get another scoot for you to ride in your stable.

[Iowawegian]

Virago is the way to go! I ride an 1100 and I love it. I'm 5'3 but I have no problem handling it and it keeps up with all the big bikes. It sits low to the ground, and I have no problems reaching anything on it. I don't know the weight of it, but it's light enough for me to handle. Plus you can get an older one reasonably priced.

[SilvrT]

  rod said:

We have some Rebels on the range for training bikes. The levers are brittle on the Hondas so I would put some heat to them and bend them. There is alot of room to adjust free play so that should be OK. Good luck Rod

 

Aluminum .... or "pot metal"??? I dunno but if levers are made out of pot metal, I wouldn't put any heat to them.

[KiteSquid]

  kozman01 said:

I think I'm going to pick up a set of clutch/brake levers off of ebay and try to slightly heat them and bend them a tad.

 

Have you called your local motorcycle salvage yard????? no shipping cost.

 

 

 

IIRC the rebel has quite a rake to the front end which makes them a little more difficult to handle at low speeds. This is actualy a plus as she will learn on a more difficult bike and not the other way around!!!!!!

[Bummer]

  FutureVentures said:

Yes, I would be very interested in seeing the pics please.

 

Thanks!

I think this is the site the idea came from.