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Old October 5th, 2016, 11:48 AM   #14
Wanderer
ninjette.org member
 
Name: Ruben
Location: Arizona
Join Date: Sep 2016

Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 and 1991 Yamaha Virago XV750

Posts: 228
Quote:
Originally Posted by adouglas View Post
Just to be clear here, as I read it RacinNinja is talking about free play in the clutch lever, which is not the same thing as the actual clutch bite point.

Free play is the point where all the slack is taken out of the cable and the clutch arm actually starts to move. If you remove all free play, then the clutch could be slipping.

Bite point (or release point), on the other hand, is where the clutch actually engages/disengages.

I believe the OP is asking about the latter, and wants to get that point closer to the handlebar.


Actually, having the bite point near where the lever is fully released helps you shift quicker, because there's no need to pull the lever in all the way. When I'm accelerating up through the gears, a brief tug on the lever is all it takes. The only time the lever ever gets pulled fully is when I'm at a full stop.

If the real issue is getting comfortable with the friction zone and the biomechanics of controlling clutch slip when launching from a stop, then yeah... adjustable levers are the way to deal with that. The actual bite point won't change, but your hand position will.
Yes, you are correct. I want the "bite point" or the beginning of clutch release to happen closer to the handle bars. I would like the "bite point" to happen near the middle of the clutch lever range instead of at near the end of the lever release.

I have very little loose cable or "slop" in the clutch/lever action. Maybe only 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch, no more.

It seems that many people are also interested in this issue.
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