• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Clutch lever question... arthritic issue?

  • Thread starter Thread starter twotimeGSr
  • Start date Start date
T

twotimeGSr

Guest
Greetings,

My middle finger on my left hand is beginning to pop. It occurs behind the joint closest to the finger tip. I'm not sure if I will figure out what it is, or will just have to live with it. It snaps/pops and is quite painful when it happens. Probably 15 - 25 times per day (not just when riding). The pain is actually between the joints and on the left side of the middle finger.

I think maybe if my clutch lever had a shorter travel it might be easier on my finger. I have the lever adjusted almost perfectly for quick response and complete disengaging... so there is very little play before it tightens the cable. I think I have a complete disengage with a good 1/4~1/3 to go before it contacts the handlebar grip.

As I see it my options are:

Loosen the lever..
Bend the lever..
Buy a differently shaped lever..
Maybe get a hydraulic clutch setup... which I know even less about.
Go to the doctor and see what he says.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
Don't know what kind of levers you have, but if you have the non-recessed levers you could try the recessed or vice versa.
 
I don't recall what the clutch pull is like on your bike, but you may benefit from installing a new set of OEM clutch springs -- these will have the lightest clutch pull possible.

Aftermarket springs are much stiffer, and it's quite common to find that these have been installed.

A new clutch cable may also help things quite a bit. I installed a new cable on my GS850 just this morning, and the clutch pull is much improved -- the old cable was getting quite stiff. Same goes for making sure the lever and cable end is properly lubed -- make sure what you have is as good as it can be.

Another idea might be to make a slightly longer clutch actuation lever (the little lever at the top of the clutch cover). This is a common modification on the KLR650, for example.

I'm sure you could scare up a spare or two for experimentation, then find someone with a welder to extend it a bit.


Or is your problem more the distance you have to pull and not the force?
 
The tendons at the joint are beginning to slip laterally from their previous position. Therefore, the joint is no longer as stable as it once was and is beginning to wear more and producing the arthritic condition.

I, angrily, have the identical problem except that my finger has began to exhibit the slip (finger no longer straight). I spent decades of clutching big off road bikes and I also spent many years pulling 8 and 10 inch above-ground irrigation pipe apart about 4 months a year.

You need to start looking at the use of this hand in a different light. In other words, go out of your way to no longer stress this finger as much as you have done in the past. Also, it is an indication of doing the same with the rest of your fingers.

It is a condition of repetetive hard work and genetics. I am willing to bet this is your non-dominant hand.....right? If so, very typical. We tend to overstress our non-dominant (like, for steadying and tightly holding) and use our dominant for fine manipulation.

I spent 5 hours on the 750 yesterday and I try to use ALL of my fingers (much closer to the base) to do my clutch work when not in stress situations. Today, my identical finger hurts....as I type this. Makes me angry as can be. Wish I had not farmed for so many years.

I studied Occupational Therapy at KUMC and spent a good deal of time in the hand clinic.
 
Last edited:
tatu said:
Is this the same as what we call dog leg levers? if so the pull is reduced by about 1/2 - 3/4"
Venhill do a hydraulic clutch kit by magura and I've read mixed reports mostly by the dirt bike riders.
http://www.venhill.co.uk/Magura_Clutch_Conversion
Click to expand...

Recessed Lever
439d_1.JPG


Non Recessed Lever
0f64_12.JPG
 
sedelen said:
Recessed Lever
439d_1.JPG


Non Recessed Lever
0f64_12.JPG
Click to expand...

Yup thanks for that, We call the top one a dog leg lever and tother a straight.
That was a very interesting and infomative post by Dakatakid, thanks for that too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top