Lighten Clutch Lever Pull

[EricV]

There are lots of reasons people would like a lighter clutch pull. I'm fine now, but getting told you have pre-arthritis isn't a real comforting diagnosis. At some point I may not want to give up the big bike, but may need to change things. I have a couple of friends with missing digits too, another potential reason. And don't forget, clutchless shifting is a learned skill!! I've taught a few people how, on cars and bikes, but some people just don't have the aptitude, if you know what I mean. My BIL can break tools w/o moving parts. I shudder to think what he would do to a vehicle if he thought he could shift w/o the clutch.

 

[Ali Sleiman]

Just placed an order from OTR with some ABS sensor protection and the switch. Pricey but I've ordered few things before from. Quality is top !
For example, look at their quality.

 

[Lowryrides]

Any other experiences with lightening clutch pull, or how the OTR fix has or has not helped over time? I too find the clutch pull on the S10 to be very heavy, which is completely unhelpful and unneeded on a modern motorbike. I hear some folks trying to convince the community that the clutch pull is light, but my experience owning hundreds of bikes over 40 years tells me that this is only accurate if I think back to 1970's. Off road the clutch is a burden to modulate in technical terrain and in traffic I find myself thinking about the clutch pull, this interaction should be mentally invisible. Both of my Harley's, with cable actuated clutches none the less, are lighter pull than the S10. Any motorcycle meant to be ridden off road should be an easy 1 or 2 finger proposition.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Any other experiences with lightening clutch pull, or how the OTR fix has or has not helped over time? I too find the clutch pull on the S10 to be very heavy, which is completely unhelpful and unneeded on a modern motorbike. I hear some folks trying to convince the community that the clutch pull is light, but my experience owning hundreds of bikes over 40 years tells me that this is only accurate if I think back to 1970's. Off road the clutch is a burden to modulate in technical terrain and in traffic I find myself thinking about the clutch pull, this interaction should be mentally invisible. Both of my Harley's, with cable actuated clutches none the less, are lighter pull than the S10. Any motorcycle meant to be ridden off road should be an easy 1 or 2 finger proposition.

In my experience, with these two parts, it has gotten it as "light" as possible....

1) The Barnett spring conversion pressure plate(with the light springs-still more clamping force than stock)
2) The aftermarket slave clutch cylinder by: Off De Road from Germany.

With these two items, I have found this to be the lightest pull **best feel** you can get with a Super Tenere. I personally have this same set up, but I use the medium springs with the Barnett.

I ride lots of off road, technical, BDR, lots of clutch action. Great set up.

 

[Longdog Cymru]

I have never thought the clutch pull on my S10 was heavy or hard, but for those of you who do, you could try this solution,

Clutch slave cylinder Yamaha XT-1200Z Super Tenere

CNC machined billet clutch slave cylinder Yamaha XT-1200Z Super Tenere For more than 20 years now Ducati owners trust the well known and famous…

www.off-the-road.de

 

[twinrider]

In my experience, with these two parts, it has gotten it as "light" as possible....

1) The Barnett spring conversion pressure plate(with the light springs-still more clamping force than stock)
2) The aftermarket slave clutch cylinder by: Off De Road from Germany.

With these two items, I have found this to be the lightest pull **best feel** you can get with a Super Tenere. I personally have this same set up, but I use the medium springs with the Barnett.

I ride lots of off road, technical, BDR, lots of clutch action. Great set up.

Did you do both mods at once? I'm wondering how much lighter the OTD slave will make it feel. My MT-09's cable clutch is super light, seems odd that the 300cc bigger S10's clutch is so heavy. PITA while commuting through stop and go traffic.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Did you do both mods at once? I'm wondering how much lighter the OTD slave will make it feel. My MT-09's cable clutch is super light, seems odd that the 300cc bigger S10's clutch is so heavy. PITA while commuting through stop and go traffic.

Separately by many years….. many factors go into clutch design. Rarely can someone point to one ‘reason’…(between 9-1200)

 

[twinrider]

Separately by many years….. many factors go into clutch design. Rarely can someone point to one ‘reason’…(between 9-1200)

So you reckon the OTD slave made a noticeable difference in reducing the clutch pull effort?

 

[bimota]

fitted a OFF THE ROAD one 3-4 years ago now alot better than OEM

 

[Saint rob]

fitted a OFF THE ROAD one 3-4 years ago now alot better than OEM
View attachment 108251View attachment 108252

I know you like your red Rob, but a red cover on the bleed nipple does take it to another level

 

[bimota]

I know you like your red Rob, but a red cover on the bleed nipple does take it to another level

how about the red bolt, from OFF THE ROAD holding the gear lever on LOL

 

[Saint rob]

how about the red bolt, from OFF THE ROAD holding the gear lever on LOL

Does that help at all with the gear level getting sticky, is it modified in any way Rob?

 

[Tenforeplay]

I wondered about the aftermarket slave cylinder also for easing the clutch lever pull. A person could compare the slave cylinder dimensions and that would tell whether the pull would be lighter or otherwise. My stock clutch on the '23 starts to catch right off the handlebar, if it is operating correctly I can't imagine a slave with larger dia cylinder would work as the clutch would catch earlier than oem. And a larger dia cylinder would be needed to ease the clutch lever pull. And I did grease my clutch lever pivot.

There is more clutch pull with the lever setting of 1 vs minimum 4 so that may affect how it is felt.

 

[Cycledude]

The hydraulic clutch on any motorcycle I have ever owned has been very easy to operate, i wouldn’t say that about most cable operated clutches I’ve operated.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Just placed an order from OTR with some ABS sensor protection and the switch. Pricey but I've ordered few things before from. Quality is top !
For example, look at their quality.

View attachment 52420

I have a buddy with this same shifter... He has about 120K miles on it so far...... (he has kept up the maintenance)

 

[~TABASCO~]

So you reckon the OTD slave made a noticeable difference in reducing the clutch pull effort?

I had just the Barnett for many years...... I was helping a Tenere friend a few years ago with his clutch acting up... We thought it was a worn clutch master cylinder, re placed that....... That was only part of the issue. All the aluminum wear crap made its way down to the slave cylinder, (I have a post with photos), it needed to be replaced. Yamaha did not have one and was a very long lead time. I told him about the OTR unit and he had it from DHL in about 2-3 days..... after we got it installed, everything worked great again and there was a difference in "pull & feel"....... I asked if I could ride his bike for a few minutes to feel his new 'clutch'...... After I got off his bike I felt like the OTR made enough difference I came home and ordered one for myself.... I received mine in 2-3 days from Germany.............
So far, that's the best feel / performance I have felt on the Super Tenere......... The life and development of this bike is very close to the end, so I dont see any parts or combo of parts coming to ever make it better........ This is probably "it"..................................


Side note) If someone wanted to put the soft Barnett springs in along with this OTR unit, it would be way softer and smoother than a stock unit. The clamping force in the clutch is similar to stock (negating the super clamp force I want for off road), for many people that ride on the road you can enjoy a softer pull and keep the same -not less- clamping force for 'normal riding'...... NET- soft pull clutch for road riders.....

 

[twinrider]

I had just the Barnett for many years...... I was helping a Tenere friend a few years ago with his clutch acting up... We thought it was a worn clutch master cylinder, re placed that....... That was only part of the issue. All the work crap made its way down to the slave cylinder, (I have a post with photos), it needed to be replaced. Yamaha did not have one and was a very long lead time. I told him about the OTR unit and he had it from DHL in about 2-3 days..... after we got it installed, everything worked great again and there was a difference in "pull & feel"....... I asked if I could ride his bike for a few minutes to feel his new 'clutch'...... After I got off his bike I felt like the OTR made enough difference I came home and ordered one for myself.... I received mine in 2-3 days from Germany.............
So far, that's the best feel / performance I have felt on the Super Tenere......... The life and development of this bike is very close to the end, so I dont see any parts or combo of parts coming to ever make it better........ This is probably "it"..................................


Side note) If someone wanted to put the soft Barnett springs in along with this OTR unit, it would be way softer and smoother than a stock unit. The clamping force in the clutch is similar to stock (negating the super clamp force I want for off road), for many people that ride on the road you can enjoy a softer pull and keep the same -not less- clamping force for 'normal riding'...... NET- soft pull clutch for road riders.....

Thanks for the detailed info. Think I'll order it. Was the install straight forward? One guy's writeup mentioned that some pins or something didn't fit and he had to mod them.


I hope Yamaha gets its act together and comes out with a good replacement.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Thanks for the detailed info. Think I'll order it. Was the install straight forward? One guy's writeup mentioned that some pins or something didn't fit and he had to mod them.


I hope Yamaha gets its act together and comes out with a good replacement.

The instal is very easy. There is no need to mod any parts. The OTR is quality. It goes on very perpendicular to the face of the case. It’s a little tight, but must go on ‘square’ to the face. Then it’s smooth. It can not be ‘cocked’ at all.
Do not mod the pins or holes. You want zero slop with this type of part. Absolutely zero wiggle

 

[twinrider]

The instal is very easy. There is no need to mod any parts. The OTR is quality. It goes on very perpendicular to the face of the case. It’s a little tight, but must go on ‘square’ to the face. Then it’s smooth. It can not be ‘cocked’ at all.
Do not mod the pins or holes. You want zero slop with this type of part. Absolutely zero wiggle

Thanks, appreciate it. Will pull the trigger on it today.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Thanks, appreciate it. Will pull the trigger on it today.

Depending on the year of your bike, and the last time it was changed, I would suggest a "re build" kit of the master cylinder on top... Once done, it will be totally 'fresh' along with new fluid, Etc....
They dont last forever and Ive seen many of them worn in the bore... If you pull that plunger piston and see shinny wear or evidence of it wearing funky in the bore, I would suggest trying to clean out or wipe out the aluminum and junk inside the cylinder before you instal the new one................... I say all of this so you don't have an old part hurt or tear up the OTR new part............

You keep the plate on the new slave as well... Make SURE its turned the right direction... Its stamped.... If you have any questions, just let us know.