xeriotti Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Hi guys, its been 2 days since i ride this no-seat bikes and find really uncomfortable with stock levers, specially the clutch... Ive been riding bycicle trials, stunting sportbikes and riding enduro with chopped levers. where I just operate the levers with my index finger... Pros that found are... -You dont pinch your other 3 fingers with the lever -As you will be woriking the lever closer to the bar, with almost a closed fist stance. wou will be using a stronger muscle group (1st flange, rather than 2nd and 3rd for non chopped) for working the clutch and front brake gives you less cramps and is more precise to control under stressful rides -Lowers the chance of a broken lever (less profile to catch them or or hit them against something and if happens less leverage means less chance to brake them) -Less weight -Looks nice. I havnt found ANY CONS...that stops me from chopping my levers also in my trials bike... And as im new to this id like you guys to tell me if theres any REAL WORLD reason to leave them stock.... (And please dont tell me i can stab myself with the pointy ball-less lever :D ) This is the stock setup of the bike.... Now, lets imagine you grab the bars and prepare to operate those levers... When yo pull in... (imagine green bars as fingers and red arrows as force vectors, Red lines indicate lever travel stops) ...If you clutch in hard or brake in really hard you will end pinching your fingers, and in the case of the brake, limiting the the travel hence power!) And this is what happens with CHOPPED LEVERS under the same conditions... If anyone is using this, i would like to know....If theres any reason i shouldnt do this i also want to know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelly1 Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 i just adjust the travel so it doesnt need to crush fingers for instance the brake lever wont go in far enough to touch my fingers and clutch operates on the last inch of travel and rests against the fingers when in no crushing nice pics very clever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeriotti Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 I agree with the brake....I can leave it stock, But what about the clutch??? I really dont like it beign so far, working it with my finger extended seem very unprecise and tyreing for me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyt Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 If you chop the levers you would not be allowed to ride any sanctioned event. Why? The ball at the end of the levers would be cut off. The ball is there for safety reasons i.e. to stop it puncturing through you should you fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelly1 Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 give it a few days and see if you get used to it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfc Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 If you remove two clutch springs the clutch action will be lighter and then one finger will operate it more easily when it is set up so it does not need to touch your other fingers on the bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee99780 Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 You could try some S3 digit levers! Yeah I'd be worried if I had to pull my brake in that far to stop me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guys Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 For the brake: longer lever = more leverage = more stopping power and better control, and thats how I like it. I recently even mounted a S3 lever on my Nissin brake because it's about 1 cm longer. My lever never touches/crushes my other fingers when I brake, even at full stop, with one or two fingers on the lever. My clutch lever is adjusted so I can "work my clutch" without crushing the other fingers or overstretching the finger(s) on the lever. Maybe it's because you aren't used to work the so much all the time or you may have to adjust the levers a bit up or down to find a more comfortable position... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie chitlins Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Whenever I broke a lever, I'd light the torch and weld a ball on the end. I keep them for spares. I really like them, but something makes me replace them again with a long lever. I think it's just tradition. I'm just damned old and those stubby levers look weird to me, so I replace them with "proper" ones. I know...it's sad... You are right, though...being able to pull the lever in next to your fingers really works...especially if you have an older GG Pro with a draggy clutch. The extra throw really helps. You do, though, lose the option of adding a second finger as the day wears on. At one point I had thought about making them as a side business, but virtually nobody I asked had any interest. I'd say, If you like them, run them! I also knew a guy who used to cut his throttle tube and grip in half so a few inches of handlebar protruded from the end of the grip. He said that being able to hold the bar and the grip at the same time gave him much more throttle control. I rode his bike and it was not unpleasant. I'd never seen that before or since...but it worked for him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thats_a_five Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 If you heat up the levers with a gas torch they will become soft enough that you can bend the extra length out so it does not hit your other fingers. Be careful - not too hot but hot enough that they bend and not snap. I had to do that on my vintage bikes to get more brake pull and clutch lever travel. They look funny but work very well. I will try to attach a pic of my TY250 so you can see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie chitlins Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 The more exact way to bend cast aluminum...other than "hot, but not too hot"...is to rub the lever with white soap, heat until the soap turns black, then immediately quench in water (or your favorite quench...oil...lard...the blood of your adversaries...) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeriotti Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I rode the bike today... without touching the levers.... stock levers but propperly adjfirsusdted... I think ill leave them stock, ill get used to it in a few more rides.... The bike was having fue llevel problems, but now that i fixed it.... Its delicious, firstly i didnt like the bike at all (evo300 2013) it was my first experience with a trials motorcycle ever.... I now assumed its gonna be tough to get good at this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) Bruno, Maybe you simply need to get your levers adjusted correctly, first, before you think about shortening them.... When I first started riding trials a little under 2 years ago, I thought the Trials Folks were nuts the way they said to have the levers set up. I was used to the conventional way of my mx bike setup, and (wrongly) thought I could/should transfer that same setup over to my trials bike. It did not work out too well..... I also needed to learn to ride with a finger on the clutch lever & brake lever, and it just didn't work while riding in a trials stance. I had the levers set up pointing too far downward, as well as having the pivot point out too far towards the end of the bars . I now have my pivot perch moved in farther than I used to with my mx bike, and the plane the levers move inward/outwards is probably just a few degrees from level, if that makes sense. It works out much better tor trials riding. If you can, set your bike on the stand, and have it as level as you can get it. Now stand off to one side, and look at the angle your lever is pointing at. It works out best for me if I have set it level/parallel with the ground, and then downwards just a few degrees. I'd bet it will be pretty similar for you, if your levers aren't that way already..... The pivots on my bike are moved inwards quite a ways; almost to the downwards bend of the bars. My first finger tends to get pretty good leverage on the lever moved in this far, and when I fall (not IF I fall......), they don't tend to break. I also do set the lever perches just tight enough so they will rotate on the the bars in a crash, and this helps keep 'em in one piece during a crash..... Hope this helps some! Jimmie Added in EDIT: It sounds like you already have your levers set up. Sorry about my long post; I need to read your posts better before I write mine.... Edited October 7, 2013 by mr neutron 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeriotti Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Bruno, Maybe you simply need to get your levers adjusted correctly, first, before you think about shortening them.... When I first started riding trials a little under 2 years ago, I thought the Trials Folks were nuts the way they said to have the levers set up. I was used to the conventional way of my mx bike setup, and (wrongly) thought I could/should transfer that same setup over to my trials bike. It did not work out too well..... I also needed to learn to ride with a finger on the clutch lever & brake lever, and it just didn't work while riding in a trials stance. I had the levers set up pointing too far downward, as well as having the pivot point out too far towards the end of the bars . I now have my pivot perch moved in farther than I used to with my mx bike, and the plane the levers move inward/outwards is probably just a few degrees from level, if that makes sense. It works out much better tor trials riding. If you can, set your bike on the stand, and have it as level as you can get it. Now stand off to one side, and look at the angle your lever is pointing at. It works out best for me if I have set it level/parallel with the ground, and then downwards just a few degrees. I'd bet it will be pretty similar for you, if your levers aren't that way already..... The pivots on my bike are moved inwards quite a ways; almost to the downwards bend of the bars. My first finger tends to get pretty good leverage on the lever moved in this far, and when I fall (not IF I fall......), they don't tend to break. I also do set the lever perches just tight enough so they will rotate on the the bars in a crash, and this helps keep 'em in one piece during a crash..... Hope this helps some! Jimmie Added in EDIT: It sounds like you already have your levers set up. Sorry about my long post; I need to read your posts better before I write mine.... Mr. Neutron, thanks for your time and advice... I think im in the same place that you were when you started...(=r...am I trying to blame setup for beign so lame :D ) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Mr. Neutron, thanks for your time and advice... I think im in the same place that you were when you started...(=r...am I trying to blame setup for beign so lame :D ) It's always the bike's fault..........never the rider....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.