If your clutch lever is too heavy for whatever reason, there is something that can be done to make it lighter, like getting a grip strengthener! That would make levers lighter not only on your bike, but also on any other bike! And improved health and blood circulation in your hands would keep your hands warmer on colder riding days! Also saved cash by not spending on all that bling = more fuel = more riding! Win Win! On the other hand, if this is not an option – keep reading!
Cable clutch
Good old school cable clutch! More reliable and easier to fix, however this one most of the time feels heavier compared to hydraulic clutch, and asks a lot more love, time and care.
In general, looking after all the pivot points (or fulcrum) and cables does help to keep it as light as stock, so if the clutch turned heavy over time – time to inspect cables and lube all the moving parts.
However if the clutch felt heavy straight from the beginning, here are 5 solutions that will make it lighter.
All of them use leverage to make the clutch lighter, and that means that to change gears, the rider will have to pull in the clutch lever a bit more than before, but at the same time that gives more control when it comes to feathering it.. So, not so sensitive clutch lever is a good thing or a bad thing – you decide!
5 ways to make cable clutch lever lighter:
1. “Easy pull” levers.
“Easy pull” levers like ImpakTech or Ballards Pivot Assist. Basically manufacturers of these levers pushed the cable end bit (cable end stop, cable nipple, call it whatever you like it) closer to the pivot point than OEM levers, some even extended the lever itself out for more leverage.. More leverage = lighter clutch feel. Some can be even adjusted by relocating the cable end stop closer or further away from the pivot point.
Cons: Brake and clutch lever will look mismatched, stuck with the same lever.
Pros: There is nothing else that needs doing!
2. “Easy pull” add on.
Add on‘s use same principle like levers, it just packed in a separate box, and apart from extra stuff dangling around handlebars, it also adds extra cable length. In some cases extra cable length can be a good thing, but can be a bad thing too as bowden cables don’t like to be bent, so tucking extra cable length might be a problem.
Cons: Extra stuff dangling on the handlebars, added extra length to the cable.
Pros: Cheaper option than easy pull lever, allows to use whatever levers rider wants to use.
3. Extending clutch actuator arm.
Same principal, extending the arm – increasing the leverage! Cheapest but more involved than the rest of the options. Less visible than the rest too.
Cons: Might not work on some bikes (lack of room around that area, etc), and if modified the original actuator arm – there is no easy way back!
Pros: Cheapest option, visually no changes to bike, no changes to the rest of the components.
4. Changing cable clutch system to hydraulic system
One of the most expensive ways to go about that, and certainly if the wrong kit installed, changes might not be quite what was expected.
Cons: Good decent kit is more expensive than any other way.
Pros: Much nicer feel than cable clutch, If kit uses mineral oil – virtually maintenance free.
5. Modifying the clutch lever
Modifying it in a way, that cable is attached closer to the pivot point to increase leverage. This involves drilling a new hole on the lever closer to the pivot point, and making a new channel for the cable. For some reason it is popular among stunt riders.
Cons: Does not work on some lever due to design of the lever, more or less ruined lever, and lever snapped in an “off” – new lever will have to be modified again too…
Pros: Cheapest and least time consuming mod, works just as well as the rest of the mods.
Because there are 2 types of clutch systems (or 2 different ways how the clutch is operated), both have their own tricks to make them lighter, however there are few tricks that could be useful for both, and these can be found on post: “Other ways to make motorcycles clutch lighter!”.
As a final note, I would highly suggest picking only one way to achieve a lighter clutch feel, or taking a step back and trying another way. Please don’t go bonkers changing levers and modifying clutch actuator arms and stuff, simply there is so much movement in the lever that by adding two mods there might not be enough span in the lever and the clutch might never engage or disengage properly, so be smart!
Anyway, here they are, the most common mods to make the cable clutch lighter on your lovely ride!
Explore More!
A list of posts about Bike Maintenance and General Modifications that might be Interesting to know!
General Modifications:
- Throttle Tamer Mods (4 ways to tame your horse!)
- Projector headlight conversion from right side road traffic to left and vice versa.
- How to make your own Exhaust or how to modify an existing one.
- Power Commander (PCV) and Thoughts on it.
- Brake Snake / Pedal Anchor – why and how!
- Lighter Clutch Mods:
- How to make motorcycles Cable Clutch lighter! (Part 1/3)
- Cheap ways to make your motorcycles clutch lighter! (Part 2/3)
- How to make a Hydraulic clutch lighter on your motorcycle! (Part 3/3)
- How to make Custom Clutch or Throttle Cables – Easier than you thought!
- How to make clutch lever lighter (Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Specific)
- Rear Suspension and Drive-Train:
- How to extend the life of Cush-Drive rubbers.
- The dangers of motorcycle lowering links, Important things to know!
- How to swap rear shock spring with no special tools!
- The Best Motorcycle chain lube!
- How to set motorcycle chain slack when suspension is not standard?
- How To Remove Stubborn And Hard To Reach Chain Adjuster Bolt
- The List of Most Useless Adventure Motorcycle Mods And Bling!
- Dangers of the lowering kits (things to know before Lowering your Bike!
Bike Maintenance:
- How to pass MOT the first time – every time!
- How to Maintain your motorcycle Locks (works with all locks!)
- Best Suspension Bearing Grease!
- What grease to use on your motorcycle?
- How to shorten Life of your wheel bearings! (Or what not to do to them!)
- Why should you grease your bolts! (And not only Bearings!)
- What is the best Chain Lube for your motorcycle?
- How to buy used Motorcycle – Free Guide.
