Light clutches: Paging Timo?

This commute is being a PITA [1]

Is there either a nice touring type bike that I should buy for 120 miles
per day, or a light clutch conversion pack?

TIA

[1] Pain In The Arm
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Catman says...

Have you fitted the reach adjustable clutch lever from the Bonneville
yet?

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
GSF600SW (broked)
'I do not object to people looking at their watches when I am speaking.
But I strongly object when they start shaking them to make certain they
are still going.' William Norman Birkett, 1st Baron Birkett, Oct 1960.

 

No
Is this a good thing?

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Catman says...

It's a dogleg version with a span adjuster like your brake lever has, so
makes it easier to use than the straight one you have. Pop over and
we'll fit mine to your bike so you can try it out if you like.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
GSF600SW (broked)
'I do not object to people looking at their watches when I am speaking.
But I strongly object when they start shaking them to make certain they
are still going.' William Norman Birkett, 1st Baron Birkett, Oct 1960.

 

OK, first thing is to find out where the problem lies - strength (or
lack thereof) or nerve damage (which is my main problem).

That said, I assume from my short experience of a Speed Dribble, that
you've got at least some weight on your hands when you're riding slowly
- and that is likely to be a large part of the problem. IME it's the
push & pull action (pushing your body up and pulling the clutch against
it at the same time) that's the killer.

If you've got a cable clutch (I don't think you do though, right),
there's a mechanism called 'easy clutch' that you can put into the
cable that changes the gearing and makes the clutch easier to operate.
On BMWs at least it also pretty much ensures that the clutch will
drag...

Anyway, you could look into fitting higher bars or bar raisers to your
bike instead. You basically want to sit as upright as possible but that
means you'll need a fairing for riding longer distances.

Regarding tourers, well. I haven't tried *everything* but my impression
is as follows:

Honda ST1100 Pan Euro. Not bad, bearable for me but you've still got
some weight on your wrist.

ST1300 - only sat on one, I think the bars are a tad higher. Clutch
again appears to be similar to the 1100.

BMW - forget any 4V boxer with a cable clutch. An old R80RT or R100RT
should be OKish, as should be the R100GS. K100/1100LT - the same. 4V
Boxers with hydraulic clutches are a lot easier on the hand, but you're
still looking at either an RT or a GS.

One bike I found extremely useable was a very late (2005) Harley big
twin. The clutches on the new ones are surprisingly light and you
pretty much have zero weight on your arms. Plus, the big ones (at least
in touring guise)are superb mile munchers.

 

Well the pain is actually in my shoulder / neck

Yes, that could well be true. The pain doesn't really ease when not
using the clutch IYSWIM

No, it is cable

Yes, I was afraid of that, thinking of how they work.

Hmm, which starts to look like a less good idea. Not sure if there are
any for the Triple

OK, the earlier ones were already in the frame anyway. They seem ideal
for what I'm doing. Problem is finding the time to find one. K100 is
fave at this point. Might have to sell the Triple though

Oh. Right.
Shame
Thanks for all that



--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

http://www.trade-it.co.uk/AdRef/TV1...der/AGEU/Keywords/guzzi/Web/FullAdDetails.asp

 

I had the same problem going from the nice, light hydraulic clutch on
the old Tiger to the cable clutch on the 955. There are a couple of
things that may help help though:

1. Make sure the lever is in the right position i.e. when holding the
bars normally, stretch your fingers out in a straight line with your
forearm, & ensure the lever is just below them. If you have to bend
your fingers or wrist up a bit to clear the lever, it needs adjusting
down.

2. Loosen the cable nuts at the engine end, & any clamps, & make sure
the cable isn't twisted. This isn't unknown on Tigers, & the extra
friction makes the pull stiffer.

3. Get one of those eazipull things to go between lever & cable. Most
off-road parts suppliers sell them.


--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

for a winter bike?



--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

I *think* it's fine, but I will double check.

Just bee serviced and adjusted, but I may well give it a double check.
It's not *that* heavy, but it's *too* heavy IYSWIM

Ta



--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

are you sure the problem isn't being caused by buzzing from the bars?

 

It only takes a slight twist when fiddling with your nuts to make it
stiff[1], & we all know how careful spanner monkeys are with these
things.

[1] Yes, I know.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

Heh. TBH it's always had this effect, but I've never done 120 miles day
on the M25 before.

You should be ashamed. I shall check over the weekend.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Reasonably. I only get it in the left shoulder and it carries on after
I've stopped.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Catman

It appears he failed to understand your stinging retort.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Mark Olson

Hive no idea, is it?

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

hmm - maybe you'd be OK if you just used the bike for bumbling around
rather than commuting on it.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Verdigris

Bloody Italian engineering, eh?

"There's drive. ****! There isn't. There's drive. ****! There isn't.
There's drive. ****! There isn't. There's drive. ****! There isn't.
There's drive. ****! There isn't. There's drive. ****! There isn't.
There's drive. ****! There isn't. There's drive. ****! There isn't.
There's drive. ****! There isn't. There's drive. ****! There isn't.
There's drive. ****! There isn't. There's drive. ****! There isn't.
There's drive. ****! There isn't..."

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

I've got a GoldWing like that.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..87753../..22653.../..31893.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR Clues: 84 Pts:1800 Miles:5704

 

Wicked Uncle Nigel says...

Sounds like an Alfa Romeo 156 with 'Selespeed', or whatever they call
it, transmission.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
GSF600SW (broked)
'I do not object to people looking at their watches when I am speaking.
But I strongly object when they start shaking them to make certain they
are still going.' William Norman Birkett, 1st Baron Birkett, Oct 1960.