How to make your cable clutch lighter!︱Cross Training Adventure

crosstrainingenduro.com How to make a cable clutch lighter on your adventure bike or dual sport bike!Recently we explored how to make your clutch lighter. It focused more on hydraulic clutches. Now it's time to focus on the cable clutch, much loved by Japanese manufacturers. It's important to remember most of these clutch mods use extra leverage. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. You usually need the full movement of the clutch lever to disengage the clutch. If you have long fingers, this can be an advantage because it provides more 'feel' to the clutch. But if you have short fingers, this may not suit you. A lighter cable clutch? If you have long fingers, simply move your clutch lever to the left. Check out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. This provides extra leverage if you can still reach the lever. Also keep your clutch lever close to horizontal. Riders who stand on the footpegs a lot sometimes put their clutch lever at a 45% angle. But when you are sitting this will cause a lot of fatigue for your clutch hand and fingers. A longer clutch arm. Some riders just cut the 'clutch arm' and weld or screw in a longer section to provide more leverage. It doesn't need much extra length to make a big difference. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. Easy pull clutch levers for your adventure bike. Alternatively, source a 'clutch arm' from a different model that is slightly longer. Easy pull clutch levers for dual sport bikes? This DRZ400 part works really well on the DR650. Just loosen your clutch cable and remove the stock clutch arm. Stunt lever for adventure bikes? The DRZ400 clutch arm is 8mm longer which makes the clutch 21% lighter. The gold anodising should add 10 horsepower as well. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids. 21% might not sound like much but it has made a huge difference to my arthritic aging hands. 'Easy pull levers'. These are sometimes called 'stunt clutches' and rely on extra leverage as well. If your clutch has six bolts, you can try either two, four or six lighter springs. It's easy to check for clutch slipping. Just accelerate at full throttle through all the gears on a sealed road and check for slippage. An extreme test is to pull the clutch in while in top gear, rev the engine, then drop the clutch and see if there is any slippage. The second method. If your clutch has six bolts, you can simply remove two bolts and springs. Your clutch will be 33% lighter. Again, this is completely at your own risk. I have tested this on my enduro motorbike over the past year with no problems. Personally I would not do this on a road or adventure motorbike. And a 33% reduction will probably cause clutch slipping on most motorbikes. Does it unbalance the clutch itself?
Some levers provide adjustment so you can adjust the lever to sit further or closer to the handlebar... but generally the lever will need a lot of movement to fully disengage the clutch so short fingers may have trouble. I've google around to see if anyone had problems, but nothing to report yet. The third method? Add 1mm washers so that your clutch springs aren't as compressed. You can buy cable lube tools for this. What methods have you tried? Any handy tips for various motorbike models? Remember we add useful information to our pinned first comment for other viewers to use! The potential problem? If you use too many washers, the bolts will hit the inside of your clutch cover. I used 2mm wide washers without problems on my enduro motorbike. I have not tried this on the DR650. Riders usually report a 10 to 15% reduction clutch pull. Generally it will just be safer to buy lighter clutch springs. The most expensive way to get a lighter clutch? Ditch your cable clutch and fit an aftermarket hydraulic clutch. Personally, I don't think it's worth the expense when you only experience perhaps a 10% reduction in clutch pull at best. Maintenance! Cable clutches become tougher as lubrication dries up, or dirt slowly creeps in. Remember to lubricate your cable on a regular basis. Beware of manufacturers claiming up to 50% less pull. Generally you can only expect about 20%. Do your research. Some owners report certain brands were a waste of money. A similar mechanism is the 'Easy pull add on'. It's also called an 'easy pull clutch kit', or easy pull clutch system'. Again it's using extra leverage. These are usually mounted at the handlebar and personally I don't like the added complexity. Again, beware of ridiculous claims such as 80% reduction in clutch pull. Who are they kidding? One potential advantage is your clutch cable becomes longer which could be useful if you fit bar risers. So subscribe. Or don't subscribe to our Cross Training Adventure riding channel.
#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #adventurebikes #dualsportriding
#dualsportbikes

[@emfl4437]

Great tip on using the DRZ clutch arm on the DR650. Thanks!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Bang for buck it's been a great mod!

[@coryjs9646]

I love this channel, I'm glad it continues to make videos. I had no idea about the drz clutch arm!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Likewise. I first read about the DRZ arm maybe four years ago. I wish I'd tried it sooner, it's amazing how much difference 20% makes.

[@mikeyfrompiha]

Pick up a stress ball or a squeeze ball and hold your squeeze, do this multiple times to increase your grip strength, it's amazing how much you can increase your grip strength over a short period of time with no need to even mess around with changing levers or anything on your bike. (not for everyone of course!)

[@lennartschluetter7733]

What a detailed, comprehend and helpful Guide this is. Lovely!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BlueThunder69NZ]

File down burred clutch basket, yz250f springs, lubed cable, and moose easy pull lever have made my licence plated wr450f a dream to ride. Almost as light as my enduro bikes hydraulic clutch with a Midwest lever. Well, for the first half of the pull in any case 😅

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good work, I'll have to remember the 250F springs to remind a few WR450F owners!

[@KLRmurdercycle]

I'm thinking of replacing the klr arm at the case with a CamelADV arm.

[@zardportugal]

Precious tips. Cheers.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Obrigado!

[@Liam1304]

1) If no medical reason for a lighter clutch then just buy a cheap set of hand calipers or a tennis ball and get squeezing. Improving your grip strength has benefits in many areas. 2) Lubricate your clutch cable with Graphite powder: make a cone of tape around the top end of the disconnected cable and partly fill with graphite powder. Move cable up and down to facilitate entry of lubricant. Keep doing so for a long time so graphite gets all the way to the cable's end. This should help lower the cable's friction and because it's dry won't attract dust or dry out.

[@jimmcbride6297]

Great tips! I did buy a DRZ clutch arm for the DR last year, but haven't made the switch yet. Lazy I guess.

[@drzrider3440]

I tried the add on style lever thing. Broke the first ride. Nope, i just keep mine stock now. DRZ400S. Replace first clutch at 20,000 miles. Still going with 2nd clutch, now at 53,000 miles.

[@robertking8298]

I recently ripped off the middle finger of my clutch hand on a log splitter. My 85 Superglide clutch is pretty stiff any way so I was thinking of cutting radial slots in the diaphragm spring to make it easier to.pull. Your video gives me hope it just might work.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Ouch!

[@tieoneon1614]

My DRZ I picked up had those stupid shorty levers on it. I bought new OEM levers for $20 and put them on, big difference. Longer and Lighter!

[@Dirt_Breaker]

What’s the best finger for the clutch? Pointer or flipper?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good question. I think most people use the pointer, assuming the clutch is light enough to not need more fingers on the lever. Haven't actually heard of anyone using the middle finger...

[@KLRmurdercycle]

I actually use both. Maybe because the klr has a very stiff lever

[@bryanreeme8584]

My '18 klr has such a sloppy clutch, constantly adjusting cable tension, but can't ever find nice precision (my klx is sweet tho!).. for me, other than moving levers etc, nothing would improve it's feel/touch

[@robbieandbeckie]

The clutch feels effortless on my Honda DCT!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

🤔😂

[@nkwd007]

why is the lever so far from the bar generally? bringing it 10 or 15mm closer would make the power needed to press it much smaller. Brake lever comes with adjustment, but clutch doesn't, why is that?

[@eljuano28]

My advice: stay off the clutch. 😂

[@lessmore444]

Embark on a carpentry or brickwork career, your eventual digit strength with laugh at everything but seized cables.

[@KLRmurdercycle]

😆

[@chrisharris1641]

Genius