Two Finger Clutch and Brake

Tanere

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Oct 4, 2019
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Miramar, FL
I am running stock clutch and brake levers and setup. I have been watching and reading information about riding offroad and low speed drills. At least 90% of the information out there says you should use no more than 2 fingers on your clutch and brake so you still have fingers on the grips. I get it, however I feel like my clutch never fully engages with I use only two fingers. Probably becouse the other fingers are in the away between the lever and the grip. Couple questions here.

1) How many of you all use just 2 fingers
2) is this just simply a clutch lever adjustment?
3) Do any of you run aftermarket levers to solve this? If so any recommendation?

Thanks
John
 
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ballisticexchris

Guest
For everyday road riding I cover/and modulate both my brake and clutch with 2 fingers. I normally use 4 fingers when puling it all the way in and holding it at stops. I'm almost never in neutral except when it is parked on the center stand or rolling it around in the garage. The OEM levers are just not to my liking. The adjustment is very coarse and is hard to do on the fly.

I run the ASV levers. Shorty brake and standard clutch. The adjustment is a very personalized decision. When I fist installed my levers I had the clutch starting to disengage right off the grip. As I have got used to it, I have it set to disengage farther out. I still struggle with balance at slow speeds on this bike. Hopefully some of the more experienced members here will chime in on what clutch adjustment works best for them.
 

KYwoodsrider

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Aug 15, 2014
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I always ride with 2 fingers on the clutch and brake.
With the stock Tenere levers you can adjust the distance of the lever from the grip using the 4 position knob on the top of the lever.
Unless you have really large fingers you should be able to adjust them so that you can fully engage the clutch while keeping your ring finger, thumb and pinky on the grip.
The front brake is much easier to adjust than the clutch (my opinion).
The Tenere clutch also has a long slow release (again my opinion) so it is much easier to use the clutch when riding slow technical terrain.

My CRF450L does not have the lever adjustment (along with other dirt bikes I've owned) so I had to cut the clutch lever off in order to ride with the 2 finger style.
The clutch engagement on this bike is also very quick and at the end of the end of the lever stroke. It sometimes cause me to stall the bike, which is frustrating.
 
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ballisticexchris

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Are you in "T" mode? I can't use "T" because I always kill/stall it.
Doh!! Wasn't paying attention. I still hate "T" though.
Interesting. I too have stalled a few times in T mode. It's normally after a long stop. I will try out running in sport mode more often.

BTW Robert, how is your clutch adjusted on your bikes for slow speed drill? does it start to disengage right off the bar or out a little farther?
 

dannyv

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Indianapolis, IN
Are you in "T" mode? I can't use "T" because I always kill/stall it.
I've been having trouble stalling out, only a few times, but a pain. Okay, I'll try S instead of T, but most days, I am in no hurry whatsoever, just never felt the S setting suited my style. It has also been suggested that I need to have my throttle bodies synced. On a 2018, with 5000 miles?
 

Don in Lodi

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ASV shorties. Two finger full time, all the time.
 

Sierra1

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. . . . just never felt the S setting suited my style. It has also been suggested that I need to have my throttle bodies synced. On a 2018, with 5000 miles?
Don't know anything about the synching. . . . mine runs fine/perfect. "S" throttle reacts instantaneous, many do not like it. I use it all the time, not for speed, but there's absolutely not delay in throttle input. It also make clutchless upshifts extremely smooth; you will have to recalibrate your right wrist though. :)
 

KYwoodsrider

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My bike has Anthony's reflash. I primarily use S mode unless I need more engine braking, then I use T.
I haven't noticed a potential to stall in T.
 

cyclemike4

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ky
I like to use only 1 or 2 fingers on the brake and clutch. For me I find the Super T has too long of an engagement. I can get the lever set so i can get two fingers under the clutch lever and have it disengaged but just barely and still have enough reach in my fingers to comfortably grab the lever when it is all the way out. It isn't where i would like it but that is all i can do with the stock set up. On my dirt bikes i only use one finger on the brake or clutch and the engagement is very short. I find this much more to my liking. I can modulate the clutch much easier. I have been too lazy and cheap to try an different lever on the Super T. I get along just fine with it but it isn't the best set up for me. the front brake on the other hand feels great for me on the Super T.
 

Checkswrecks

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I just about always have two fingers on each lever, and it varies whether I use one or two. It was a b1tch when I took the MSF instructor class and had to NOT cover the levers.

When commuting in heavy stop & go I almost exclusively used T mode and never had an issue.
Heavy traffic and commuting? Dang I don't miss doing that every day since retiring!
 

bnschroder

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Is there a way to adjust how soon and how quickly the clutch engages?


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bigbob

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Is there a way to adjust how soon and how quickly the clutch engages?


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I wish! My Tenéré takes friction at about 1/3 release. The venture is at or more than 2/3.

So I ride the Venture for a few hundred miles letting the clutch half way out then adding throttle for smooth take off.

Switch to Tenéré and muscle memory says half way out no throttle. Stall it. A couple times! Then brain kicks in and throttle and clutch at the same time. Smoothness for a few hundred miles.

Back to the Venture. You know how embarrassing it is to hit the rev limiter sitting still?
 

Don in Lodi

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Adjust the knob to adjust where the engagement point is.
 

Sierra1

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I wish! My Tenéré takes friction at about 1/3 release. The venture is at or more than 2/3. . . .
I know Tenere has the numbered adjustment nobs. I'm betting the Venture does too. I've heard some people say the nobs adjust the effort. Not true, it's the engagement point. When I went from the ST1300 to the T-12, I just adjusted the nob to match what I was used too.
 

bigbob

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I know Tenere has the numbered adjustment nobs. I'm betting the Venture does too. I've heard some people say the nobs adjust the effort. Not true, it's the engagement point. When I went from the ST1300 to the T-12, I just adjusted the nob to match what I was used too.
So which should be 1 and which 5?
 
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