Radial Clutch

So maybe it's just me, but I cannot get used to the clutch lever reach on this bike. I've messed with the adjustments, and even dropped big money on Pazzo levers last year and it's helped very little. Has anyone tried a radial clutch setup on a 6th gen VFR? I'm desperate. I love this bike, but the reach makes it very hard for me to ride smoothly. I've owned and ridden several other bikes, and this is the only one that's given me fits.....

I have found the clutch very easy on the 6th gen. I also don't use the clutch fully when shifting between gears, but just enough to release it.

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Jun 6 2009, 08:03 PM, said:

I have found the clutch very easy on the 6th gen. I also don't use the clutch fully when shifting between gears, but just enough to release it.


I don't have an issue with the effort, just the reach. I can barely get my fingers on the lever with my hand fully open. The fact that the engagement is way out at the end of the travel causes my hand to tire quickly. I have not noticed this on other bikes I've ridden. I was hoping a radial clutch assembly might help me fine tune this. I have not seen anything specifically made for the VFR though....

[image: View Post]troyce, on Jun 6 2009, 09:15 PM, said:

So maybe it's just me, but I cannot get used to the clutch lever reach on this bike. I've messed with the adjustments, and even dropped big money on Pazzo levers last year and it's helped very little. Has anyone tried a radial clutch setup on a 6th gen VFR? I'm desperate. I love this bike, but the reach makes it very hard for me to ride smoothly. I've owned and ridden several other bikes, and this is the only one that's given me fits.....


I think the stock levers are great while modulation is mnimal due to hydraulic clutch it is there, replacing them probably made it worse, the oem has 5 levels of adjustment, I wonder is something is wrong with your clutch.

why not try to use 2 or 3 fingers, and develope some sensitivity

go back to stock lever and move master cyclinder to left or right to fit the curvature of your fingers better

http://www.motorcycl...mall-hands.html

Maybe this will help,or lead you in the right direction..... Monk

Could you shorten the clutch lever pushrod slightly to get the effect you are looking for?

Buy a new spare and experiment on your used one?

Mr.RC45's clutch is straight off the NR750 and the spring pressure is for the rigors of WSBK racing
consequently it wore out my hand on the street... but a 16x18 Brembo radial master cylinder cut the
pressure in half... about $350.00...

Brembo 16 x 18 numbers correspond to 16mm piston bore and 18mm pivot... the bore diameter
determines how the lever feels.

Bore:
The bigger the area of the bore, the less pressure is generated for a given input lever force. The
smaller the bore area, the more pressure can be generated from that same input force...

The bigger the area of the bore, the less stroke required to move a given volume. The smaller the bore
area, the more stroke is required to move that same volume.

Pivot:
The smaller pivot length has the same affect as a smaller bore size - the 16mm pivot requires the least
effort to generate a given pressure, but has the longest stroke. The 20mm pivot requires the highest
force to generate a given pressure but has the shortest stroke...

If you wish to keep the clutch cut off switch that's in incorporated into the stock lever then order
the Brembo pressure switch... it works in the same manner as the brake pressure switch...

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1240339736/gallery_3131_51_7998.jpg

Thanks for the feedback guys. I may mess with bending my stock lever or screwing with another master as someone mentioned. If there was a bolt-on radial master I'd do it, but it looks like a custom deal and they are really expensive. What's weird is the brake side is fine. Why does the clutch lever sit so much further away from the clip-on? I gained almost a 1/2" with the Pazzo's, but the reach is still ridiculous! And no, there's nothing wrong with mine. I sat on a brand new one over the weekend and it was the same deal....

[image: View Post]troyce, on Jun 9 2009, 04:40 PM, said:

Thanks for the feedback guys. I may mess with bending my stock lever or screwing with another master as someone mentioned. If there was a bolt-on radial master I'd do it, but it looks like a custom deal and they are really expensive. What's weird is the brake side is fine. Why does the clutch lever sit so much further away from the clip-on? I gained almost a 1/2" with the Pazzo's, but the reach is still ridiculous! And no, there's nothing wrong with mine. I sat on a brand new one over the weekend and it was the same deal....
What is the measurement between the lever and grip you have now?

A number of later model sport bikes have radial setups, find one that would work and check eBay for used mc's.

I checked mine, and with the bar firmly against the palm of my hand, I can reach across the level with 2 fingers and grip it, no stretching....you have short fingers maybe?

This is the reach on mine. It generally works for me, but can get a bit tiring with alot of stop and go.
If the Pazzo's will be a 1/2" better, they might be worth considering. Anybody know about ASV's?
http://home.comcast.net/~pserve/public/grip.jpg

[image: View Post]pserve, on Jun 11 2009, 05:02 AM, said:

If the Pazzo's will be a 1/2" better, they might be worth considering. Anybody know about ASV's?

[image: View Post]troyce, on Jun 6 2009, 08:15 PM, said:

I've messed with the adjustments, and even dropped big money on Pazzo levers last year and it's helped very little.
;)

[image: View Post]troyce, on Jun 6 2009, 07:15 PM, said:

...Has anyone tried a radial clutch setup on a 6th gen VFR?...

Yes, I have a Magura 195 Radial Clutch on my VFR. Very adjustable and the pull is almost effortless. I believe the bore I got was 13mm. Be perpared to drop some money on it. Another option would be to go with a Brembo master like BusyLittleShop did on his RC45.

The main reason why I when with the Magura radial clutch was because I needed something to match the Magura radial brake I had on the other side. :biggrin:

Bending the stock lever will probably be the easiest (and cheapest) option.

This is what I end up doing to my wife's motorcycles as she has difficulty with the reach on both levers.

Heat and bend with a pipe very slowly.

Cheers,
-T

[image: View Post]pserve, on Jun 11 2009, 04:02 AM, said:

This is the reach on mine. It generally works for me, but can get a bit tiring with alot of stop and go.
If the Pazzo's will be a 1/2" better, they might be worth considering. Anybody know about ASV's?
http://home.comcast.net/~pserve/public/grip.jpg


I have ASV's and don't seem to have a problem with them. They have an adjustment dial that puts them closer or further away from the bar. If you needed them even closer to the bar, you could always machine down the aluminum. Great levers...

[image: View Post]Darth Bling, on Jun 11 2009, 08:10 AM, said:

The main reason why I when with the Magura radial clutch was because I needed something to match the Magura radial brake I had on the other side. :biggrin:


Matching radials.... all reeeeeet Tim!!!

[image: View Post]troyce, on Jun 6 2009, 10:15 PM, said:

So maybe it's just me, but I cannot get used to the clutch lever reach on this bike. I've messed with the adjustments, and even dropped big money on Pazzo levers last year and it's helped very little. Has anyone tried a radial clutch setup on a 6th gen VFR? I'm desperate. I love this bike, but the reach makes it very hard for me to ride smoothly. I've owned and ridden several other bikes, and this is the only one that's given me fits.....

Why not just bend your lever in? Put it in a vice, heat it up, and bend it. Just make sure you don't scratch it.

So after looking at this more carefully, it does appear the more prominent bend in the Pazzos is having a bearing on my problem. I also have helibars, and if I move the assembly fully to the right, the area I should put my hand now allows me to barely stay on the grip. I think I was grabbing the "V" in the lever which made things worse. It's slightly better now, but I cannot move as far right as I'd like because I've run out of room on the helibar clip-on......I'll keep messing with it. Are the stock bars really that uncomfortable? I bought mine with the helibars, so I have no idea.

I have the stock bars on my bike and never considered helibars or such. They work great for me.