SuzukiSavage.com - Help! Can't reach clutch

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Help! Can't reach clutch
03/13/11 at 13:13:45

Hello, I'm a new member I just bought 2 Savages an 03 for my husband and an 02 for myself. We're both new riders (I just failed out of motorcycle safety class so I still don't have my license but I have a permit). I've never been on a bike before yesterday in class and we got a little overly eager in buying our bikes. I have tiny hands (xs glove in womens is a teeny bit big for me) and I'm having a hard time reaching the clutch I have to let go of the handlebar to reach it and even in class on the 250s I was reaching the clutch but my hand was really sore by the end of the day. Is there any way to take my clutch in a little bit? I read about ez clutch things that make it easier to pull the clutch as well for less sore hands has anyone tried that on the Savage? Do I need a whole new lever? I know I'll need to relearn the friction zone so I'd like to do this as soon as possible so I can just learn on the new clutch.

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Tiefighterpilot Senior Member Offline Daily Rider Posts: 346 San Francisco	Re: Help! Can't reach clutch Reply #1 - 03/13/11 at 13:50:04 Welcome to wonderful world of riding. I dont know about the clutch mod, but as to pain from using the clutch, it should go away as you get comfortable riding and ride more relaxed and don't clamped down so hard. Personally, I found myself getting tense and grabbing the clutch hard for few weeks.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28644 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Help! Can't reach clutch Reply #2 - 03/13/11 at 16:48:17 You could try adjusting a little more slack in the lever adjustment... It's the knurled knobs where the cable meets the lever on the handlebar... Turn the big one a couple of rotations counter-clockwise, and tighten the smaller one to it, a couple of turns clockwise... They're covered with a little rubber boot...
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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #3 - 03/13/11 at 17:09:20

Go to a sporting goods store and buy one of those little grip strengthening things. Avoid the parallel type and get the simple cheap type that makes an angle like this <. Doctors often have people use them after hand surgery and they really do the job and they happen to simulate the clutch on a motorcycle. Keep it out and as you watch TV or whatever and use it several times a day. In three weeks your grip will surprise you.

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verslagen1

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #4 - 03/13/11 at 18:06:34

hellokitty wrote on 03/13/11 at 13:13:45:

I have tiny hands...
and I'm having a hard time reaching the clutch...
I have to let go of the handlebar to reach it...

Never seen this so we may have to go drastic on ya...

1st, as bot said, loosen the clutch lever as much as you need to. But, make sure you can fully release the clutch when you pull it in or it'll try to walk away with you at stop lights. In other words, with the clutch pulled in, you'll need to apply brake to keep still.

And if that don't work, you may need to change the bars for smaller grips. A Gz250 may have 7/8" bars, so we may have to work out a way to fit them. This may have been why the other bikes at class you were able to grip them. As a short term fix, pull the rubber grips off and replace with bicycle handle bar tape. Not a long term fix but if it works, then I'm pretty sure the Gz bars will work.

You girls that have ridden the rebel and Gz chime in if it was easier to grip the clutch.

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mornhm - FSO Serious Thumper Offline HMMM Posts: 1105 Gender:	Re: Help! Can't reach clutch Reply #5 - 03/13/11 at 18:38:35 It's not the case with the Savage levers, but there are levers out there that allow the angle (thus the distance) from the bar to the lever to be adjusted. Not sure how fitting them to a Savage would go, but if you are determined, I'm sure there is a way.
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MotoBuddha

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #6 - 03/13/11 at 19:15:01

A couple of more involved solutions:

You could try heating the lever and bending it inward.

Or you could have someone with welding skills cut the thick part of the lever, slide it closer to the bar, and weld it back together.

But in either case, as mentioned above, you need to be sure there's enough total travel in the lever to completely disengage the clutch.

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arteacher Serious Thumper Offline Ride as if your naked and invisable! Posts: 2581 London ontario Gender:	Re: Help! Can't reach clutch Reply #7 - 03/13/11 at 20:09:13 Is there a hydraulic clutch that could be modified to suite?
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Help! Can't reach clutch Reply #8 - 03/13/11 at 20:31:05 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/YAMAHA-WR450F-MAGURA-HYDRAULIC-CLUTCH-KIT-03-0... You'll have to find one for a 1" handlebar.
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kimchris1

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #9 - 03/13/11 at 21:03:44

Ok a female that has ridden a Rebel and has med size hands.
I believe once you get your strength built up and get used to
pulling in the clutch it will become easier.
I would suggest spending time just sitting on the bike without
it running, practice till you think your gonna pass out, pulling and
releasing the clutch.
Oh yeah your hand will get sore, yet those muscles haven't been
stretched and now your asking them to be.
I have a friend that rides a V-star 650 and her hands are tiny. She is
able to manuver her bike and clutch just fine.

Guys could the bars be pulled back more? Would that possibly help her as well?
I know since my surgery on my thumb last May, my hand is sore from doing the clutch. Even though the thumb is not pulling in the clutch, the muscles are being asked to be used where they were on vacation for 10 months.. Grin

My 2 cents for what it is worth..
Good luck and don't give up.. These guys can help you make it happen,. hugs.. kim

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Help! Can't reach clutch Reply #10 - 03/13/11 at 21:58:04 The fz6 guys got a group buy together last year... said the force on the end of the lever is about 7 lbs.
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Wolfman

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #11 - 03/14/11 at 01:33:31

Heres a couple of thoughts. Look at some shorty levers or else some smaller levers like whats used on kids dirt bikes if they will fit. Both work for smaller hands.
The first link below is a website pretty much dedicated to womens problems on bikes. Size of hands, height ect. Lot of info.
The other two cover a couple of different types of levers women with small weak hands use and reccomend on the first site.
AMP power lever, Easy lite levers, ergonomic levers ect with some info.
I 'WOULDNT' cut a lever and reweld it ect! Chance of the weld breaking at the wrong time.
The lever WILL bend fairly easy if you take time and care bending them on a flat surface with a hammer(been there done that...lol).

http://www.vtwinmama.com/clutch_levers.htm

http://customchromecatalog.com/2011/t1.asp
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?productId=pH380620

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babyhog

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #12 - 03/14/11 at 05:02:48

I think some simple adjustment will work... because the lever on my '06 is much closer to the grip than it is on my son's '87. After we swapped out the mufflers on my son's bike, they wanted me to ride it down the road so they could hear it from a distance. I have very tiny hands too, and had the same trouble hellokitty is having. But on my '06, its no problem whatsoever. So there has to be some adjustment there.

Oh, and hellokitty, welcome to you!

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #13 - 03/14/11 at 05:18:04

Wolfman wrote on 03/14/11 at 01:33:31:

Heres a couple of thoughts. Look at some shorty levers or else some smaller levers like whats used on kids dirt bikes if they will fit.

The trouble with short levers in this instance is they require more force to operate. Simple rule of physics. Kid bikes can have short levers because they have tiny clutches with light springs.

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Routy

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Re: Help! Can't reach clutch
Reply #14 - 03/14/11 at 06:12:20

1) hand excercise theraphy,.....will probably solve the problem.

2) Bend lever closer to bar. But this does the same thing as more freeplay, in that you must be sure the clutch is still releasing well.
A dragging clutch can not only be dangerous, its hard on trannys.

3) Shorten lever ? This decreases leverage, may defeat purpose.

4) Hydraulic clutch ? Do they really have more power ? They didn't in the automotive world. I don't know that hydraulic has ever been more effecient in doing anything.

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