Motorcycle Tips: How To Set Up and Adjust Your Controls | MC GARAGE

Every bike should be fitted to its rider. Even if your motorcycle has no apparent allowances, you can still make some basic adjustments that will improve your riding comfort and the ease with which you manage your bike’s controls. In this MC Garage How-To video, we’ll show you how.
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[@DanteYewToob]

Basic or not, I had no idea you could adjust these things stock. I always assumed you had to buy upgrades and adjustable parts! I just moved my shifter a bit and it's so much more comfortable now! Also, I never even considered tilting my whole brake lever/button assembly! That is a great tip too, one my moped could use!

[@SamMBPBSB]

I am a newb and THIS was EXTREMELY helpful!!

[@lukamlinar]

SamMBPBSB same :)

[@ThorgalsWalhalla]

i know right!?! it absolutly smokes about 99% of all "7 things beginner must know" videos

[@aesmaeilig]

Same!

[@AndrewBoundy]

You would be amazed at just how little info there is like this - I've watched 200+ YT vids over 2 months preparing for my first bike and this was the first on this subject. Thanks.

[@MikeWanDoe1]

I learned everything I know from KZbin.

[@Mechanicalcircus]

PowerOf One hahaha yeah no!

[@delick01]

KZbin academy

[@chimpmunkboy8850]

At least the best things

[@marquisethomas5611]

Aint that the truth

[@Errafri]

I basically learnt to both ride and code from youtube... so yeah.. it's amasing!

[@fireball2004]

Actually just bought the FZ07 (MT07 here in Malaysia) last week and this video kind of blew my mind. Thanks for doing this, guys.

[@mrjamesx]

As a new rider, this series and this episode in particular have been unbelievably useful. Thanks

[@lateguitarvision]

I have ridden for 35 years (not continuously having a bike) and didn't realize that about the shifter/rear brake. Thanks for some good information!

[@usernamemykel]

Clear, simple, and with NO totally unnecessary & distracting music!

[@RED-pi5ej]

Best video I’ve seen on KZbin straight to the point very simple and helpful knowledge

[@kriskros5117]

I am a new rider and this info is really helpful I just go now to adjust my shifter. thank you.

[@muhammadabdullah03]

I have done these jobs, to help my colleagues. I made their motorcycle fit for them and it helped them a lot, especially when they apply the front brake and the clutch, I also tuned the shifter and rear brake.

[@davemoore53]

How do I adjust the reach of the clutch lever - has no adjustment?

[@robertb7362]

I was wondering about that last week. In my Ducati Monster was a little different but the principle was the same. Tks for your time to share.

[@RexyFan]

Would be handy if the dealers you bought your bike from would adjust this for you, so that you leave their store riding comfortably.

[@usernamemykel]

As long as they've got your moolah, they don't care what happens when you leave the dealership (unless your check bounces).

[@lordgrim1798]

@@usernamemykel “but i don't have *moolah* ”

[@usernamemykel]

Lord Grim The store exchanges your moolah for their bike. No moolah, no bike. Hopefully you have mojo.

[@ThorgalsWalhalla]

they just want to sell you a GSX-R and cry about ppl buying things online

[@Siper2]

These videos are great, for newbies or pros alike. Keep them coming!

[@chitownbikerboymotovlog467]

I think it is also important to point out that although the shift pedal can be adjusted, there are still manufacturer specifications that should be adhered to. For example, according to 2017 FZ-09 service manual, "the shift pedal position is determined by the installed shift rod length." The shift rod length spec is 256.9-258.9 mm (10.11-10.19 in). That is only a 2 mm range of adjustment of the shift rod length. Not sure how that translates to the shift pedal though. I assume the 2mm correlates to the shift pedal, however.

[@allanbaillo4990]

Nice bike! This video was doubly cool because you showed me how to do all this stuff on my specific bike. I mean I already knew most of it, but it was just really neat seeing it was my bike.

[@Errafri]

Thank you! I'm the perfect audience for this. You guys inspired me to ride and now I got rid of my darn shifter problem 🥳🥳

[@TheScatman89]

this video is literal gold thank you SO much - im a new rider with a MT-07 these adjustments are so handy to learn!

[@Votegoat]

As always good and simple instructions. However, you may also want to mention that the rear brake light cable should be adjusted accordingly after adjusting the rear brake lever. Otherwise your rear light might not light up instantly when you hit the brakes.

[@BigDaddyBetke]

Thanks Mr. Ari, I'll be picking up my new Yamaha FZ10 in a couple of weeks. I didn't focus on any of these basics when I had my last bike; but now that I'm older, I want to do it right this time. Thanks for the set-up tips!

[@mariushoetzel5978]

I bought my MT09 last year and have been complaining about the position of the brake foot peg, Im dumbfounded and amazed at how easy it really is....This is the first thing Im going to do when I hop back on my bike!!!

[@neilscoelho]

This i never knew could be done, Thanks for posting this. Am gonna try this on my ER6n today.

[@TomasUjhelyi]

Wow, had no idea doing all this was so easy. Ride is a lot more tolerable. Thanks a lot!

[@doczak2596]

Great video. Extremely helpful especially how we can adjust the position of the gear shift and rear brake. I had know idea and I really needed that. Thank you and good job!

[@gustav901]

I'm gonna go down to the bike and check right now. Haven't bothered stuff to it since a small lowsider as couple of things need fixing.

[@MattLab-wr2eu]

Great thanks! I knew the dealer put my clutch and break levers at the wrong angle!

[@BrokenFiddles]

One thing which surprised me after I adjusted my shifter position was that I had to change the way I changed gears. After raising the shifter few millimeters I had to be more deliberate in selecting 2 through 6 gears. Shifting gears the old way resulted in numerous missed shifts.

[@goldfever4570]

Really good video. Clear and to the point. Thumbs up!

[@TheSuperMotoHooligan]

adjustable reach on the brake and clutch lever should be made mandatory...

[@vinyldown8490]

what the actual F. It was one of the best videos in length to useful info ratio. Thanks

[@fotismavropoulos5818]

Thanks a lot for all this valuable information. Cheers💪

[@Axetota]

This is exactly what I was looking for. Nicely done.

[@Billsfan321]

Great video series Ari, many will learn from this.

[@TheINDIAN]

Hey Ari please make a video for suspension set up for street and track events.... and how to bleed,clean and maintain breaks best of the best(as a segment) break pads that one can buy for the street and track tyres sprockets ratios for acceleration or for top speed? what is the set up is best for your bike

[@Rollwitme]

thank you so much! That was so informative especially the Brake & shifter adjustment

[@thedakon]

What about the vertical angle of levers? That's important too. My CBR500 doesn't have any room for lever angle adjustment so that arms and hand make a straight line when you reach for them.

[@naturaladventure2023]

I drive motos for long time never try like this, thanks bro

[@Shadowdancer777]

Wow. This has helped me immensely thanks!

[@kellymeier579]

I took delivery of a new bike today and literally every control shown here needs to be adjusted. Now I know how, thanks

[@SoulShadow69]

that was good info, just what i was looking for

[@ELKFILMZ]

What a simple but super informative Tip video, thanks man! Cool choice of bike btw.

[@charlietango5163]

Thank you for your video. Im going to be adjusting my clutch cable today. It might be broken...not sure yet. Good tutorial though.

[@oslonorway1455]

like it too much thanks man. so clear so easy to understand and really helpful.

[@motoryzen]

1:45 to 1:55. On the 2017 and newer Honda rebels...know ahead of time you may need to LOWER the rear brake pedal's height some to prevent accidentally resting your foot on it to the point that you don't realize you're barely pushing it. I had to back when I owned my 2017 rebel 300 years ago. 32 inch leg inseam here for comparison.

[@broderp]

I was not aware you can adjust the relative position of the shifting lever. I will need to check it out on my bike. With my boots on, I seem to have to wedge my foot under to shift. Getting more clearance would be great if it doesn't mess with the shifting.

[@kenahnemann8343]

When adjusting the shift lever on the fz 07/mt 07 it is important to know that the bottom lock nut has a left handed thread. Notice in the video how he turned it clockwise to loosen which is opposite to what it would be for a normal right hand thread.

[@tomquinn607]

Remember...you may need to readjust your rear brake light after adjusting the rear brake.

[@davidrivera1727]

Very clear . Thank you

[@a.lalithdalvi1272]

Very nice thank you for teaching us

[@alexbond5805]

I've been riding for years and it seemed like all 6'5 of me was not meant to ride any bike with a good fit, i had no idea that this kind of adjustment was possible even though I've dismantled every bike I've ever ridden! I love you guys!

[@amitkrupal1234]

Position of hands w.r.t Shoulder, elbow & wrist shown at 00:15, Doesn't stretched biceps & forearms for long time causes pain.

[@kitzmanusig5160]

Awesome for the beginner like me

[@neverquit7190]

Great basic info! Thank you

[@rajasankar390]

Short and sweet.

[@merlin_on_mars8158]

Hey! Thanks for the vids guys! But what happens if the gear change travel is extremely long? How can you adjust this?

[@blackamericanlesbianprofes4357]

Thank you so much for posting this helpful video. I am getting back into taking motorcycle lessons to earn my Full Motorcycle licence next year so I can ride my motorcycle. :)

[@kentuckywaves]

Wow must be a vintage video. Thanks for posting!

[@andrewduclos1144]

Thank you!

[@hughjohnson1428]

Could you try and review MRF Masseter tyres from India, I've heard lot of praises for that tyre from Indian friends. Thanks!

[@KasperCDK]

Perfect. On my way to adjust my mc

[@LiamDent]

Great advice. Thank you

[@Bl4ckTwT]

Thanks basic but very very important.

[@6Twisted]

I'd love to have brake/clutch levers that only have say an inch of travel from fully open to the grips and to remove most of the free play in them, would that be possible? Having so much free play and travel in my clutch makes smooth clutch control difficult for me.

[@Kevin-yh8ol]

There's a good reason to have some free play for your controls, it's to prevent unnecessary friction wear in case the parts aren't adjusted properly

[@gurpreet.reehal]

Please make more tips video on motorcycle

[@MrGoThrough]

how does handlebars angle and width affect our riding experience? afaik, wider handlebars makes it easier to flick left/right correct? how about the angle?

[@alanirvine1094]

Great video

[@TheMaskedGamer404]

Thanks

[@Ammani-Yat]

nice tips

[@brunotvrs]

Adjusting clutch position will mess with the cable tension, right? Is that 'fixed' by that tension adjust 'knob' or you have to mess with the cable like in bicycles?

[@MotorcyclistMag]

+Bruno Siqueira Altering the angle of the clutch perch on the bar won't change the cable tension. If you need to adjust the cable (you want about 5-10mm of freeplay, as measured at the end of the lever), just turn the barrel where the cable enters the perch.

[@TheSenna76]

This is really handy considering I have a FZ-07 ;)

[@keshara2007]

hey guys .. there are any tips for short riders ... adjustments or riding tips ..

[@ThorgalsWalhalla]

thank you!!!

[@ChPetru]

Great help man!

[@vijayanarunachalam4469]

Thank u Bro 👌

[@jb9371]

I have a clutch adjustment spindle on my z900 does it just adjust the lever or does it adjust the clutch cable as well?

[@wattsmichaele]

Thanks for video. I just bought a FZ09 and owners manual does not say I can adjust brake levers or clutch ( foot controls)You make it look easy. Can I adjust mine?I'm disappointed the Yamaha manual mentions NOTHING about this. I hope I can slightly adjust like you show. Please help.Thank you for your time.

[@chitownbikerboymotovlog467]

wattsmichaele Agreed. For example, the 2017 FZ-09 has markings on the handlebar (small dot indentations) that indicate where to align the mirrors-brake/clutch levers (which are an attached unit). As a result, the front brake lever is slightly lower on the handlebar than the clutch lever. I assume that if one uses bar end mirrors the marking specs don't matter? Otherwise, adjusting the position of the levers will effect the position of the mirrors. What are your thoughts?

[@wattsmichaele]

I thought the young man who made the video would reply. He never answered. Disappointing.

[@chitownbikerboymotovlog467]

wattsmichaele I noticed. He's probably just real busy. He may still reply. ...

[@rehanbudye3598]

was vry helpful...thnx

[@kpowar]

plz help in maintainence tips on Royal Enfield ..thnx

[@TharinduMihiran]

thanks for this video it really helpful me ! Alot :)

[@chitownbikerboymotovlog467]

+Ari, great video. Please address my comment below regarding the lever setup specs in the FZ-09 service manual. I am sure other bikes/manufacturers have similar specs for lever setup.

[@danielhutz]

thank you

[@DL-sy5fv]

I want to adjust my brake lever position but i wonder if the reservoir should be in a horizontal position ....

[@Tyler_Mayhem]

Yeah i've ridden my cbr for 2 years now and never knew how to adjust the height of it properly. I mean I know that rod thing was there and it had bolts on it.. Didn't know what to do with it though and didn't want to mess anything up. Also on my bike, It has like a wrench looking circle bit that actually connects to the gearbox, I just pulled it off, moved it slightly in a direction and put it back on to adjust my shift lever :/ Is that bad

[@busansanai]

I'm glad you guys made a video using motorcycle I own. it's much easier to work on it since its the exact same bike. no need to re-interpret anything

[@gstehouwer]

I learned something.

[@reljoy]

That was fantastic!

[@crypton1782]

even if i'm a little late with my comment.. you should know that adjusting the rear brake lever could make it permanently make contact and light ur brake lights.

[@H3rBLif3]

Good one chief. Rode 300km yesterday and my wrist got pretty sore. I rate it's cuz of my clutch lever angle. Gonna sort that out asap. Maybe my rear brake too. I ride a Duke 390. Anything else I should sort. Gonna be on tour for the next two weeks!

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

Any tip to keep the mirrors in place when I am traveling lets says a bit way too fast ?:) I am tired to allways have to push the mirrors back , no matter how hard I tried to tighten the screw . I ride an old Z1000 ( 2006 ) . Everything is perfect except the after stock mirror that allways enter in an ''aero position '' :)) Thanck you !

[@The_Maine_Card_Guy]

Buy new mirrors. I actually need to break down and finally buy a new clutch side mirror for my 2007 FZ6. They just get worn out from being moved around....and from the constant wind pressure on them.

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

I bought new, same thing over 200 +++ km/h lol.

[@cesartapia610]

For the rear brake lever, I turned the push rod on the master cylinder too far out, and now my brake is locked, and I can't screw the rod back in. How do I fix this?

[@bryantchandler2925]

Adjusting your mirrors so that you can see the front of the car next to you out of the corner of your eye and the rear of the car in the mirror reduces blind spots and the necessity to turn your head before changing lanes.

[@Tyler_Mayhem]

THATS how to adjust my shifter. Thanks :D

[@nj1449]

Thanku..

[@gazsiextaz]

Wow it's like I bought a whole new bike. Thanks

[@matthewmeier1246]

I have a clutch switch that is activated by the clutch lever being pulled in but the new clutch lever that I bought to replace the broken off lever with a new one. However the new one hits the handle grip before it can fully activate this lever. Is it ok to bend the lever so that it will activate the switch before the grip or is it better to build up material with jb weld to activate the switch?

[@hiteshmakvana7664]

thanks😃

[@tehranboys3525]

you are great

[@MrJesus-jp1zv]

My saviour

[@7Dodgeviper]

MC, I have an issue on my handbrake. When I turn on my motorcycle, my brake light will light also. How to resolve that issue?

[@JordanSKDT]

Good tips. But there is a little bit more to adjusting your brake and clutch than that