Aftermarket clutch and brake lever quality question

[rustybronco]

Does anyone have any experience using the later 'dark' aftermarket clutch and brake levers such as the ones you get from parts unlimited, emgo and the like? I mostly concerned with how the finish holds up over time.

Thanks in advance,

[Whitedog]

Use them all the time. Have replace several. Both on the GSX are parts unlimited and 1 Emgo and 1 parts unlimited on the XL. Found better than stock quality for the Shadow from parts unlimited. Generally a good value for the price.

[sedelen]

If it's levers like these, well I haven't had any problems with the finish wearing off it that's what you mean. These levers I think are from two different manufactures, only way you can tell is the front brake lever has a hole on the bottomside of the ball. Now Dale, you could get wear marks from where the lever chaffes the inside of the housing it mounts into, like on my '82 GS1100E, but you don't see it when the lever is in it's normal position.
I think you'll be happy with the levers.

[rustybronco]

If it's levers like these, well I haven't had any problems with the finish wearing off it that's what you mean. These levers I think are from two different manufactures, only way you can tell is the front brake lever has a hole on the bottomside of the ball. Now Dale, you could get wear marks from where the lever chaffes the inside of the housing it mounts into, like on my '82 GS1100E, but you don't see it when the lever is in it's normal position.
I think you'll be happy with the levers.

Steve, yes levers like those and the finish wearing off them was what I was worried about. I wasn't to concerned with were they normally rub the finish off through usage, I just didn't want to have them to look like junk after a year or so of normal wear and tear. It was either get the Emgo's and pray that they hold up, or spend the bucks necessary for factory ones. I thought I would ask here first before taking the plunge on aftermarkets.

[sedelen]

Steve, yes levers like those and the finish wearing off them was what I was worried about. I wasn't to concerned with were they normally rub the finish off through usage, I just didn't want to have them to look like junk after a year or so of normal wear and tear. It was either get the Emgo's and pray that they hold up, or spend the bucks necessary for factory ones. I thought I would ask here first before taking the plunge on aftermarkets.

I think the finish on my aftermarket ones will hold up better than the stock ones on my 1100. Whatever finish it is (can't really tell if it's paint or a thick dye of some sort) on my stock levers is very thin and allot thicker on my aftermarket ones.

[rustybronco]

I just went and bought a set of parts unlimited brake and clutch levers off Ebay for the screaming price of $18.19. One less thing I'll need to get for the skunk.

Thanks for the help gentlemen!

[sedelen]

Dale,
The one thing you won't have to concern yourself with is the clutch safety feature, I had to modify my lever to work that post for the switch in the clutch, didn't have to do that for the front brake light switch. Anyhow, I still didn't give it enough slack or it was too tight and after about 1,000 miles I do believe the post broke off, I don't know if it indeed did because I never checked into it.
All I know now is I don't have to pull the clutch in to get the bike to start.