Tweak Questions
Tweak Questions
Just a few tweaking questions.
Been wrenching a little on the bike. I’ve always been bothered that when I use the heel lever to up shift that the lever contacts the rear of the floor board on depression. You can feel it. So I decided to remove the lever off the spline and move it up 1 tooth. Well now the lever don’t touch the board but the action is un-natural per muscle memory. You have to really lift your leg to use the heel lever since the lever is higher. I then decided to just adjust the linkage from the front of the assy to the shift lever on the tranny. I shortened the rod length by turning IN the ball end connectors. Shame HD couldn’t reverse the thread so all one had to do was unlock the nuts and twist the rod. Anyway, now the heel lever is nice. Sits a taste lower than 3o’clock and it don’t touch the floor board by a heavy ź” when fully depressed. The toe shifter lever is fine. NO adjustment made and it feels good. BUT now I see that the front lever that the front ball joint connects the rod to is straighter up and down vs. being canted forward when you’re off the lever. Any issues with this? Bike seems to shift fine…no issue. In fact I think the up shift is better since the contact of the heel lever is removed. Could be it’s a better CLICK and shift all around now. ???
I also decided to work on the clutch lever/cable. My lever was adjusted when I got the bike so there was a very heavy ź’ play at full out when first squeezed. And the lever had to be pulled in ALL the way do disengage. Always started up in neutral but when colder outside the first clunk into 1st was always more loud than I liked to hear or thought normal. Even after about 3 min warm up. Bike coasts fine but it just didn’t feel right. So I adjusted the cable so now the lever has about a 1/8” play at full out to first squeeze. Did the adjustment when the bike was not run 1st thing in the morning. Feels good at cold and as bike warms up the slack is a taste more but nowhere near where it was before I did removed all the slack. WOW the clunk sound is much quieter and bike again seems to shift better and hilly pull outs are easier since the friction zone is not right off the grip handle. Personally I like this. All ok on this too?
THANKS!
Been wrenching a little on the bike. I’ve always been bothered that when I use the heel lever to up shift that the lever contacts the rear of the floor board on depression. You can feel it. So I decided to remove the lever off the spline and move it up 1 tooth. Well now the lever don’t touch the board but the action is un-natural per muscle memory. You have to really lift your leg to use the heel lever since the lever is higher. I then decided to just adjust the linkage from the front of the assy to the shift lever on the tranny. I shortened the rod length by turning IN the ball end connectors. Shame HD couldn’t reverse the thread so all one had to do was unlock the nuts and twist the rod. Anyway, now the heel lever is nice. Sits a taste lower than 3o’clock and it don’t touch the floor board by a heavy ź” when fully depressed. The toe shifter lever is fine. NO adjustment made and it feels good. BUT now I see that the front lever that the front ball joint connects the rod to is straighter up and down vs. being canted forward when you’re off the lever. Any issues with this? Bike seems to shift fine…no issue. In fact I think the up shift is better since the contact of the heel lever is removed. Could be it’s a better CLICK and shift all around now. ???
I also decided to work on the clutch lever/cable. My lever was adjusted when I got the bike so there was a very heavy ź’ play at full out when first squeezed. And the lever had to be pulled in ALL the way do disengage. Always started up in neutral but when colder outside the first clunk into 1st was always more loud than I liked to hear or thought normal. Even after about 3 min warm up. Bike coasts fine but it just didn’t feel right. So I adjusted the cable so now the lever has about a 1/8” play at full out to first squeeze. Did the adjustment when the bike was not run 1st thing in the morning. Feels good at cold and as bike warms up the slack is a taste more but nowhere near where it was before I did removed all the slack. WOW the clunk sound is much quieter and bike again seems to shift better and hilly pull outs are easier since the friction zone is not right off the grip handle. Personally I like this. All ok on this too?
THANKS!
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
As for the shift linkage adjustment, that is really personal preference since as long as you can move it into and out of gear, all is well.
As for the clutch cable adjustment, the slack needs to be adjusted cold and there is a specific amount but I would say 1/8 is close - I actually think it's less than that: might be 1/16 to 1/8 but I don't have my book in front of me. I use a nickle actually and that works fine for me. This adjustment is important because along with the actual clutch adjustment itself, it dictates the clutch release point and how much the clutch disengages. It sounds to me like your clutch wasn't fully disengaging before and was dragging, causing the clunk when you shifted into 1st. You don't want to make the cable too tight (no slack) because then potentially your clutch may slip, nor do you want it tool loose because then the clutch won't fully disengage.
Sorry, that's a little long winded...bottom line, is follow the process in your shop manual. If you don't have one get one, they are well worth it, especially if you do your own wrenching.
As for the clutch cable adjustment, the slack needs to be adjusted cold and there is a specific amount but I would say 1/8 is close - I actually think it's less than that: might be 1/16 to 1/8 but I don't have my book in front of me. I use a nickle actually and that works fine for me. This adjustment is important because along with the actual clutch adjustment itself, it dictates the clutch release point and how much the clutch disengages. It sounds to me like your clutch wasn't fully disengaging before and was dragging, causing the clunk when you shifted into 1st. You don't want to make the cable too tight (no slack) because then potentially your clutch may slip, nor do you want it tool loose because then the clutch won't fully disengage.
Sorry, that's a little long winded...bottom line, is follow the process in your shop manual. If you don't have one get one, they are well worth it, especially if you do your own wrenching.
Book does say max 1/8" end play - from memory.
Never gave the nickel a thought...I may give that a whirl tomorrow morning before riding. That would make it very consistant.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Never gave the nickel a thought...I may give that a whirl tomorrow morning before riding. That would make it very consistant.
Thanks for the suggestion!
My 07 SM says clutch cable end play should be 1/16 - 1/8" , mine is set a little past 1/8".
Tweaking is all about getting the fine adjustments to suit your specific needs: Clutch play, rotating the levers up/down for your hands, adjusting the handlebars, throttle cable play, tire pressure ... etc. Whatever it takes to get it right for you.
Tweaking is all about getting the fine adjustments to suit your specific needs: Clutch play, rotating the levers up/down for your hands, adjusting the handlebars, throttle cable play, tire pressure ... etc. Whatever it takes to get it right for you.
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