Replaced levers, have an issue now

[derek533]

Hey guys, quick question here:  I replaced the levers with those aluminum levers that are so common nowadays on ebay and amazon.  They look great (IMO) and are really comfortable but the problem is, the clutch lever's actuator is made wrong in that when fully pulled, the actuator doesn't depress the clutch engagement switch.  So anytime I'm not in neutral, I won't be able to start the bike even when I have the clutch engaged. 

Do any of you think this is a big deal or will cause me issue? 

[Triple Jim]

I assume you mean you won't be able to start it, even if you have the clutch disengaged.  I wouldn't like that, although I've ridden a friend's motorcycle that was that way from the factory.  If I stall somewhere like leaving a traffic light with cars behind me, I want to be able to quickly hit the starter and get moving, not have to shift into neutral first.

But you can get used to it if you want to.  Most of my motorcycling miles were on my '72 Kawasaki H2, and that has to be in neutral to kick start it, because the kickstarter drives through the clutch, so it has to be engaged (plates clamped together).  If you're not in neutral, the bike tries to lurch forward while you kick, and  prevents you from getting the engine spinning enough to start it.

[redrider]

Luddite Guide to Mechanical Marvels, page 1, paragraph 1--" It is advantageous and highly recommended to dispense with any electrical switch or other contrivance that will interfere with, at the most inopportune moment, the proper operation of said mechanical marvel."

FYI, the Brits used to refer to the clutch as "engaged" when the lever was squeezed to the bar. Makes sense to me.

[Scud]

FWIW - I spent a little extra on Pazzo levers (rather than the generics) and I am 100% pleased with the feel and quality. They were a perfect fit and the adjusters work flawlessly.

[Triple Jim]

FYI, the Brits used to refer to the clutch as "engaged" when the lever was squeezed to the bar. Makes sense to me.

Think of a dog clutch connecting a motor to a load.  Engaged won't mean "motor not connected".

[redrider]

My NVT Factory Service Manual for the Commando uses "engaged" to mean lever to the bar. Most likely a holdover from the older designs and terminology that eventually migrated to the worldwide/Japanese standard no in use.

[twhitaker]

Not saying you should, but you could defeat the switch just like a lot of folks have defeated the sidestand switch.

[Bisbonian]

You can probably jump the wires for the switch so it is no longer active if you want. Or course this will mean you can start the bike in gear without the clutch engaged if you're not paying attention.

I would at least do something, whether it's getting the correct levers or disabling the switch. This won't be an issue until you stall your bike at a busy light just as it turns green. Then you won't be able to find neutral in order to start your bike as a dump truck comes up from behind. Because that's the way life goes.

[HDGoose]

Time to sell the bike.

[Tom]

Semantics....semant ics......"potato..potatoe"

[derek533]

Time to sell the bike.

Nope, going to keep this one a while but thanks for playing LOL. 

[atavar]

I just replaced the levers on my Norge and there was an adjustment for clutch interlock switch engagement.  It was an allen screw in the lever.  all levers are not equal so yours may not have that. 
The lever position is also adjustable on mine and can affect switch engagement.

[ITSec]

I got these levers for my Norge - I just fiddled a bit with the switch and it fixed the problem. Another thing to check is the pins that act as the axles for the levers, which wear into an oval shape that can make these switches hard to contact.

[RANDM]

I'm having trouble imagining what this safety switch is
saving you from? It does what - stops you starting the bike
in gear?

Maurie.

[redrider]

I'm having trouble imagining what this safety switch is
saving you from? It does what - stops you starting the bike
in gear?

Maurie.

It is saving you from yourself and the company from the lawyers.

[Tom]

Lawyer abatement device. 

[derek533]

I just replaced the levers on my Norge and there was an adjustment for clutch interlock switch engagement.  It was an allen screw in the lever.  all levers are not equal so yours may not have that. 
The lever position is also adjustable on mine and can affect switch engagement.

 

I'm such an idiot.  It didn't dawn on me that the adjustment had an affect on the travel and I had the levers at position 1.  No go on that one but on position 2 it works perfectly. 

Incidentally, if you will recall, it was your post about yours that inspired me to get mine.  Got red also and I think they look great and add pop of color on an all black bike just as long as they don't turn pink over time. 

[atavar]

Mine haven't turned pink yet.

[RANDM]

S'wat I thought - a bit of extra electrickery to save you from
the unimaginable horror of the bike lurching all of 2" before
you realise it's in gear and take you finger off the button.
Let's see - your at an intersection about to take off. You go
from neutral to first go to take off and stall it, and go straight
from there too life threatening panic - OMG what gear am I
in? What do I do, what do I do??? Really?

If you really need that you shouldn't be on a bike, bugger
it off, if you stall it, pull in the clutch lever and hit the button.

Maurie.

[atavar]

My G5 was even worse than that..  every great once in a while when you turned the key on the engine would start without bothering the starter at all. 
The ignition would spark once at turn on and if a piston just happened to be just past tdc it would be off and running.  The bad part was that it was strong enough that if you weren't sitting on the bike and it was in first it would ride down the road on the side stand at idle.
I always thought it was more of a feature than a bug myself if I could just have figured out how to get the engine to stop at tdc reliably.

[ITSec]

S'wat I thought - a bit of extra electrickery to save you from
the unimaginable horror of the bike lurching all of 2" before
you realise it's in gear and take you finger off the button.
Let's see - your at an intersection about to take off. You go
from neutral to first go to take off and stall it, and go straight
from there too life threatening panic - OMG what gear am I
in? What do I do, what do I do??? Really?

If you really need that you shouldn't be on a bike, bugger
it off, if you stall it, pull in the clutch lever and hit the button.

Maurie.

Just remember that some bikes (like the Norge) you don't hold down the button - the starter turns by itself after you tap the button and release it. It cranks till the engine starts, or the timer cuts it off. With that design, it's not such a bad idea to have the interlock switch on the clutch lever.

Oh, I also like sidestand safety switches 

[Mark Harpell]

Not saying you should, but you could defeat the switch just like a lot of folks have defeated the sidestand switch.

This......

[twhitaker]

I'm such an idiot.  It didn't dawn on me that the adjustment had an affect on the travel and I had the levers at position 1.  No go on that one but on position 2 it works perfectly.

You got your ID10T card. Good that you figured it out.

[Huzo]

S'wat I thought - a bit of extra electrickery to save you from
the unimaginable horror of the bike lurching all of 2" before
you realise it's in gear and take you finger off the button.
Let's see - your at an intersection about to take off. You go
from neutral to first go to take off and stall it, and go straight
from there too life threatening panic - OMG what gear am I
in? What do I do, what do I do??? Really?

If you really need that you shouldn't be on a bike, bugger
it off, if you stall it, pull in the clutch lever and hit the button.

Maurie.

Maybe the most likely one Maurice would be, you've pulled up on some ground that's very slightly downhill, (yes I know, don't say it 'cos I wouldn't either). You leave the bike in gear against compression as an added precaution against it rolling forward off the stand, upon returning after an altercation of some sort, you approach the bike from the right (wrong) side and turn the key on...... you then absent mindedly (foolishly), press the starter. $136 Australian dollars later the Norge is on it's side and you're wondering how you ever picked a bike up when you were younger, it should be easier 'cos some of the clutch lever has broken off so the bike should be lighter. No it hasn't happened to me but given time... And for the record my switch flew to bits so I disconnected it and sealed it off. Incidentally I thought about putting the wires through a switch somewhere as an anti theft device. Dunno...

[redrider]

The MSF Way-Always park in 1st gear. When mounting, squeeze the front brake. Have a seat and fuel, ignition, NEUTRAL, engine cut-off to run, adjust choke and squeeze the clutch.(FINE-C) Now we all know that an experienced motorcyclist will dispense with the basics, skip the neutral thing and hit the electron dispenser button. Another coach asked me if I did the prescribed start routine or sit, hit and go. I told him most times, I short cut it. Honest Injun, not two hours later I was almost on my butt. Just as I pressed the start button, my one foot that was on the ground in a patch of sand slipped. The clutch lever slipped from my grasp and now I had a V11 trying to start and ride off at the same time. Almost lost it with a stretched inner thigh tendon that was sore for a few days. I suppose a lot of aircraft incidents occur when the checklist is not adhered to as well. For the record, the Norton does not have primary starting. It must be in neutral with the clutch lever released. I became very good at the stall in traffic neutral kick 1st go procedure early on.

[RANDM]

Actually, I like side stand switches - self retracting
side stands not so much.
I'd forgotten those new fangled one hit starters though,
that's a fair point.

Never heard of a bike starting by spontaneous combustion,
that's amazing - must have had good sealing to hold the
compression, what you might call a willing starter!!

Huzo - I won't say it couldn't happen but I always leave it in
gear on slopes and know it. I know what your getting at, but
I have formed habits, maybe rituals to preclude most and it's
worked so far.

Maurie.

[Triple Jim]

Never heard of a bike starting by spontaneous combustion,
that's amazing - must have had good sealing to hold the
compression, what you might call a willing starter!!

I worked on a Mercury 115 6-cylinder 2-stroke outboard motor that would sometimes do that.  It was a fair bet with six cylinders firing every rotation of the crankshaft that one would be ready to go if it got a spark, and like avatar's bike, the ignition system sparked once when the key was turned on.

[Huzo]

 My Darmah did it once, actually started when I turned the key !!!

[RANDM]

Ok, this seems more common than I thought, though I've
not come across anyone who's mentioned it.
Oh well, finding out stuff is what keeps life interesting!

Maurie.

[Huzo]

Admittedly it's damn rare, but have heard a "woof" sometimes when turning the key. (No, not the neighbour's dog !!!)