Is there a aftermarket device for releaving clutch handle strain on harley-davidson

[ricckk]

As I said in my previous thread. My wrist cannot take the strain of pulling the clutch handle on my 1987 H-D FXR. I have already replaced the clutch pull assembly underneath the transmission plate where the clutch cable goes in. Its supposed to relieve 40% of the pressure of the clutch pull. It simply is not enough. I have replaced the cable and I have it routed the best possible route. And according to H-D it is the best cable I could have purchased for this model bike. I have been researching installing a hydrolic clutch but I don't think it is going to make that much of a difference. The clutch spring below the derby cover in the clutch basket is stock. Harley says they have a replacement spring for my bike that would help but not by much . I have asking around but no definative answers. Would anyone know of ANY THING that may be of assistance??? Or know of ANY modifications I might do. Or ANY ideas??? Thanks guys Rick B.

 

[MikeHalloran]

If you inspect (CAREFULLY) the clutch linkage in a car, you will probably find an overcenter spring (big and dangerous) in the pedal assembly. It's set up so that you're compressing the overcenter spring for the first inch or so of pedal travel (when the actual clutch spring is not fighting back real hard), then the spring goes overcenter and helps you push on the real clutch spring. It's not an easy thing to squeeze into a motorcycle, but it probably could be done.

OR

You could rig an electric motor, or a hydraulic cylinder (not the same as a hydraulic clutch), or an air cylinder to help you push the regular clutch spring. Of course all of those need some kind of power source, and a servo wiffletree sort of linkage to make them multiply the force you apply to the lever.

OR

You could install a hydraulic clutch linkage, which just replaces the cable with a master cylinder and a slave cylinder, basically eliminating the cable friction. It won't be much better than the freshened assembly you're using now, unless you use a slightly smaller master cylinder or a slightly larger slave cylinder to change the effective ratio.

OR

You could install lighter clutch springs, or shim out the basket on the ones you have, giving you a lighter feel, and less clutch pressure when engaged, but the clutch will be more likely to slip under load. To counter the slippage under load and compensate for the reduced spring force, you can add weight to the clutch arms that assist the springs with centrifugal force. ( I don't know if these actually exist on your clutch, but adding 'flyweights' is not impossible. )


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[MikeHalloran]

OR

In the other thread, roydm mentioned a little (roller?) chain-based 2:1 linkage on a beemer. It might be available for your beast, but it sounds like something you might be able to homebrew.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[ornerynorsk]

There's not much cheating applied force and actuation distance without an auxiliary pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric system assisting in the equation.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[kcj]

I know nothing at all about HD but have worked cable clutch mc a long time.

Is it glitchy and uneven, or just hard to hold after it has disengaged? If former, then cable housing friction or worn slight dips in the clutch basket, or sharp or uneven tab edges on the plates. Al;l of these cause friction to motion.
If latter, and a force issue only, then somehow you have to change leverage for trvel.

Do you have plenty of lever travel after the clutch disengages? Can you give up some travel in exchange for leverage and force? Anything that amplifies force by a leverage ratio will decrease the stroke or travel of the clutch.

The off road world has some aftermarket levers with adjustable pivot point distances to change the effective length of the levers.

If you convert to hydraulic, changing the master cylinder and slzve cylinder areas trades the leverage for travel.

There must be some HD expert sites that have faced the problem.

 

[ornerynorsk]

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/making-a-push-button-clutch/59246/page1/

http://www.pingelonline.com/eshifter.htm

Food for thought.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[BrianPetersen]

A number of people on a local motorcycle internet forum swear by this:

http://www.righteousstuntmetal.com/domestic/levers.html

I have NO idea whether your Harley has a handlebar and lever design that are compatible with the sport bikes that this is originally designed for, but it might be worth a phone call.

 

[ornerynorsk]

"Billet". The most over-used slick marketing word of the millennium amongst motorheads.

If it's billet, it has to be better, right?!?! Oooh, and it's machined out of a SOLID 6061 billet . . . as opposed to one that's in a gaseous state, perhaps?

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[dgallup]

Honda NS700 has an optional DCT transmission with no clutch lever. It's almost as slow as your HD.

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[BrianPetersen]

The difference with the Righteous Stunt clutch lever isn't what the lever and perch are made of ... it's (mostly) the leverage ratio and (partly) the use of a bearing inside the pivot instead of a bronze bush. One potential downside is that I do not believe these have a provision for installing the clutch safety switch. (Big deal ... if you stall it, you'll have to shift to neutral to restart.)

I think the Honda VFR1200 and Yamaha FJR1300 are also available with semiautomated transmissions that eliminate the clutch lever completely, if you can't stand that NC700.