Customize your motorcycle controls
When you ride a motorcycle, everything should be within reach ... and under your feet! In general, all controls are adjustable: pedal height, selector lever, brake and clutch lever protectors, the orientation of these levers on the handlebars, and the orientation of the handlebars themselves. According to your estimates!
Difficult level : light
1- Install levers and handlebars
When riding a motorcycle, keep your hands on the brake and clutch levers without twisting your wrists. This arrangement depends on your height. In principle, these levers should be in line with the forearms while riding. All lever supports (cocottes) are fixed to the handlebars with one or two screws. Loosen to be able to orient yourself as you like (photo 1b opposite), then tighten. If you have a one-piece tubular handlebar, it can be rotated in the same way by placing it on a triple tree (photo 1c below), with rare exceptions when they are equipped with a centering pin. Thus, you can adjust the height of the handlebars and / or their distance from the body. If you change the position of the steering wheel, change the position of the levers accordingly.
2- Adjust the clutch free play.
Cable-operated, lever travel is adjusted using a knurled adjusting screw / locknut that matches the cable sheath on the lever support. It is necessary to leave a free play of about 3 millimeters before you feel that the cable hardens (photo 2 a opposite). This is a guard, only after that the action of leaving the battle begins. Even if you have small hands, do not be overly careful because it is very likely that you will no longer completely disengage to shift gears. Finding a neutral point becomes very difficult. When using hydraulic control of the clutch using the disc switch, you adjust the lever distance to the size of your fingers (photo 2b below).
3- Adjust the front brake clearance
To feel comfortable when braking, we change the distance between the lever and the steering wheel, in other words, the course of the attack. You should feel that your fingers are in the correct position for an effective bite - not too close to the handlebars, not too far away.
With a lever having a wheel with multiple positions or positions with multiple teeth (photo 3 opposite), you just have to choose. Other levers have an integral screw / nut system facing the master cylinder piston (photo 3b below). Thus, you can adjust the lever distance by loosening the retainer / nut and acting on the screw. For a lever completely devoid of adjustment, see if there is a model in the range of your motorcycle brand equipped with a similar wheel. on its joint and replace it. (suggestion to remove if the text is too long)
4- Set the switch
It is still best not to lift your entire leg or twist your foot to change gears. Depending on your shoe size and size (as well as the thickness of the sole of your boots), you can change the angular position of the gear selector. You can change the position of the direct selector without reference (photo 4 opposite) by changing its position on its gear axis. Loosen the selector clamping screw completely, pull it out and replace it with an offset as desired. The selector rod selector has a screw / nut system between the selector and its input shaft in the transmission (photo 4b below). This adjusts the height of the selector. Loosen the locknut (s), select your position by rotating the center shaft, tighten.
5- Adjust the brake pedal height
The rear brake is not an accessory, it is a very useful additional brake in many cases. If you need to lift your leg to place your foot, this is not normal. On the hydraulic actuator, there is a screw / nut system between the pedal and the master cylinder. Loosen the lock nut to rotate the threaded axle to the desired pedal height. With a drum brake, cable or rod system (which is quite rare today), there are two settings. The screw / nut locking system acts on the pedal height at rest. Place it at a height that will prevent you from lifting your foot off the footrest for braking. By tensioning the rear brake cable or rod with a screw, the effective position of the clamp can be changed during pedal travel.
6- Adjust the throttle clearance
It is rarely necessary to change the protection of the gas cables (one cable opens, the other closes) when the handle is turned, but this can also be adjusted. The large shield is unpleasant due to idle rotation and sometimes interferes with full throttle opening. Next to the handle on the cable sheath is the screw / nut system. Unlock the lock nut, you can increase or decrease the idle rotation angle on the handle. There should always be a little empty guard. Make sure it is still in place by turning the steering wheel all the way to the left and right. Lack of protection can lead to spontaneous acceleration of the engine. Imagine a reversal situation!
Pit stop
– On-board kit + some additional tools.
– The boots you usually wear.
Not to do
– When you receive a new or used motorcycle from a rider, don't think about asking (or not daring) choosing the control settings that suit you. On some motorcycles, adjusting the selector or brake pedal height is not so easy, because it is very inaccessible.
