Making clutches lighter

[dern]

Are there any approaches that make the clutch lighter to pull? I've seen mechanical advantage systems for cables from companies like Moose Racing and lighter springs. Does anyone have any experience of using either of these approaches? Do the lighter springs make the clutch slip, for example? Does the mechanical advantage provided by the cable systems make the span too wide? And so on.

Thanks.

[Skub]

Venhill cables do an 'easy pull' clutch cable.
Lighter spring will certainly give you a lighter action,but will also increase the risk of clutch slip. You won't know until you try.

Lots of the triple mob,including myself speak highly of the Ralf Gille actuator,but this is bike specific.
https://kawasakitripleparts.com/product ... alf-gille/

Depending on the model of bike it may be possible to convert cable to hydraulic as another option.

Regarding span,I use ASV levers on the Zed. Very fine adjustment.

[crust]

I ran one of these on one of my CR500s, it took a bit of setting up to get the bite point right but once sorted worked well.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205855113510 ... I8QAvD_BwE

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I tried one of those easy pull things on my Husky, it didn't make much difference.
The best approach is to make sure everything is in good condition and works as it should.

[dern]

I ran one of these on one of my CR500s, it took a bit of setting up to get the bite point right but once sorted worked well.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205855113510 ... I8QAvD_BwE

That's the same as the Moose Racing one, maybe I'll just get one and see how I go. Thanks.

[dern]

The best approach is to make sure everything is in good condition and works as it should.

Agreed. The problem I've got is that I'm starting to get arthritis in the first knuckles of my left hand now, as well as my right. I want to extend my riding time for more years, and while I have a bike with DCT, the rest have normal clutches. The zx9r is one with a heavy clutch, even though I've fitted a brand new cable, and it all works well. I could sell it and buy a bike with a lighter clutch, but I like it and don't want to.

[Eclipse]

On one of my old XT 500's I had a Hydraulic clutch lever that worked with the cable I think it was Magura
It made it very light to pull.
(this was probly 20 years ago)

[Druid]

Depending on the model of bike it may be possible to convert cable to hydraulic as another option.

Regarding span,I use ASV levers on the Zed. Very fine adjustment.

A mate of mine converted a Ducati Darmah to hydraulic using Honda VFR parts

[mangocrazy]

The 350 LC has a cable clutch and until recently I found the clutch action too heavy for any kind of extended use. Over last winter I replaced pretty much all of the clutch components; basket, centre, plates, springs - everything except the back gear. The difference was quite remarkable - much lighter action and had the side benefit of being able to find neutral at a standstill. Over it's 20k life the plates had dug into the basket and centre and left grooves that made it hard for the plates to slide, and I'm pretty sure that was the cause of the heavy action.

Obviously a 2T clutch gets more abuse than a 4T, but I'd at least strip and inspect the clutch basket and centre for tell-tale grooves.

[dern]

The 350 LC has a cable clutch and until recently I found the clutch action too heavy for any kind of extended use. Over last winter I replaced pretty much all of the clutch components; basket, centre, plates, springs - everything except the back gear. The difference was quite remarkable - much lighter action and had the side benefit of being able to find neutral at a standstill. Over it's 20k life the plates had dug into the basket and centre and left grooves that made it hard for the plates to slide, and I'm pretty sure that was the cause of the heavy action.

Obviously a 2T clutch gets more abuse than a 4T, but I'd at least strip and inspect the clutch basket and centre for tell-tale grooves.

Definitely worth a try, it is 25 years old, thanks.

[crust]

Another alternative would be to convert it to - hydraulic to cable - that way you could use a different master cyclinder to ease the pull.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/227288046023 ... aUQAvD_BwE

[roadster]

I have tried a mechanical one similar to Crust's posted above. I agree that they help somewhat when precisely set up. But on an older bike everything else needs to be in best order. Its a simple trade off between more leverage and less movement so considering the bite point, the finding neutral when at rest point and the slack cable point is there scope for changes? I have been tempted to try an extended arm at the gearbox end but never had the courage to hack or weld!

[Horse]

Its a simple trade off between more leverage and less movement so considering the bite point, the finding neutral when at rest point and the slack cable point is there scope for changes? I have been tempted to try an extended arm at the gearbox end but never had the courage to hack or weld!

Wouldn't extending that arm require you to extend your fingers too?

[iansoady]

Depending on the bike it may be possible to fit a clutch lever with a smaller distance between the lever pivot and the nipple. This gives reduced effort at the expense of less travel. On the kind of bikes I ride, people often fit the wrong clutch (and brake) levers.

[JackyJoll]

Its a simple trade off between more leverage and less movement so considering the bite point, the finding neutral when at rest point and the slack cable point is there scope for changes? I have been tempted to try an extended arm at the gearbox end but never had the courage to hack or weld!

Wouldn't extending that arm require you to extend your fingers too?

I never miss an opportunity to practise extending my fingers.

[dern]

I have tried a mechanical one similar to Crust's posted above. I agree that they help somewhat when precisely set up. But on an older bike everything else needs to be in best order. Its a simple trade off between more leverage and less movement so considering the bite point, the finding neutral when at rest point and the slack cable point is there scope for changes? I have been tempted to try an extended arm at the gearbox end but never had the courage to hack or weld!

I was looking at the bike last night and thinking the same. It's all about mechanical advantage, no matter where you put it. That does seem like an easier place... I'll see what comes apart when I inspect the basket.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've converted my Z1100R to hydraulic, it's definitely an improvement, my mate built a GPZ1100 engine with a new clutch basket and the clutch was much lighter than mine, all the actuating mechanism was the old parts off my bike as I have them to him, I bought them new a few years before I went to hydraulic.

[Felix]

Quickshifter so you use the clutch a lot less?

[A_morti]

My fz6s had a horrible clutch.

Turns out the model is well known for it, and the common fix is fitting a longer lever off an mt07 down at the clutch casing end. I did that and it helped, but it was still kinda shit. Worth noting that any mod which decreases lever weight by increasing throw, also increases throw. On that bike it was a good thing as it benefited from a bit more slipping area.

The original cable was externally in good condition, but had a tight elbow at the top. Over time, the cable saws through the PTFE liner and you get a tight bit. I replaced it for a cable off the naked model which was a) new and b) doesn't have a bend, and it was a huge improvement.

After that - can you fit a slipper clutch off a later model or aftermarket? No idea if e.g. a zx10 stock slipper clutch would fit but I know you could do that on a crf250 using crf300 parts, for example.

[Eclipse]

I came across this YT video today and it reminded me of this post.