Easy pull clutch lever

[wildman]

Has anyone here tried the "Easy-Pull" clutch lever advertised in Ebay, ect. on a KTM engined Penton? How about the "Honda ratio" OEM replacement levers. I'd like to get an easier pulling clutch but don't want drag from insufficient cable travel. The easy pull has like three locations for the cable end.
I also have been looking at extending the lever arm on the clutch throwout mechanism on the engine. I have some spare levers from wornout units. Anyone ever try this? We used to commonly do this on old Maicos. Thanks Dan Pagel

1975 250 Cross Country, 1974 175 Jackpiner, 1975 125

[Gordon Brennan]

I purchased an Easy Pull by Moose Products for one of my trials bikes, (not Penton), and didn't notice much of a difference. It could have been just my situation, but I didn't like it, and just added it to the rest of the stuff I hoped would work.
I think you would be better served by extending your lever arm. On an Ossa motor, the arm is external, and easy to add on to. I know of people who have extended them 3/4", with good results. I bought an extra arm to do the same thing, but haven't done it yet. Not sure how you would extend one on a Sachs or KTM.

[wfopete]

Most (if not all) of the EZ pulls systems are a compromise between lever effort and your "engagement point".  The EZ'r the effort, the more sensitive your engagement point becomes and may require frequent adjustment depending on your riding style. I believe I have an early MSR lever on my 'Piner that offers three locations for the cable to go into the lever. I run it in the middle location and use a Terry cable.  I have found that the best thing for an EZ lever pull is basic maintenance followed by a good shot of lube (I use WD40) through a cable luber. I lube it until it slobbers out the other end of the cable housing. WD40 doesn't last long, maybe a couple of days under racing conditions, then I need to relube. There are probably better lubes but WD40 is always at hand and I'm just as concerned about flushing out dirt and H2O as I am putting lube on the cable.

So in summation:

1. Make sure all the clutch pieces & pivot points are working correctly and not worn/broken.

2. Use a good quality cable.

3. Check and double-check the cable routing.

3. Lube it generously.

If all else fails, pull the clutch in of a old 501 Maico, then you will appreciate your 'Piner.


Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good

[garrettccovington]

On my MC80, I ended up changing the routing of the cable.  Instead of going around the cylinder, up the frame, thru the forks, I went up under the tank thru the forks to the lever.  It is a lazy, backwards S routing.  I used a new Terry Cable. Better, but not perfect.

G

72 six-day

[chicagojerry]

hi dan. those ez pull levers on ebay probably won't work on your ktm motored penton. i have gone through all this before and found that if you get them to not drag, they slip. and if you get them to not slip, they drag. here is the main reason. magura levers pull more of the inner cable out of the outer cable sheath than the japanese style levers. and the clutch actuators on the ktm motors require the additional length. i've also used those other devices that go in line with the clutch cable and encountered the same problem. good cable routing is a must as well as keeping the cable lubed. hope that helps.
chi jer

[sachsmx]

I used one on my '86 KTM 500 along with a Motion Pro cable for years. I found it worked best at the lowest leverage setting, otherwise the clutch lever would contact the grip before the clutch disengaged. It was a slight improvement, but I wouldn't buy another one. A high quality (Motion Pro) cable with a dry graphite lube (Dry Slide) will work best. Wet lubes tend to attract dirt and actually hinder rather than help cable action. Proper routing is also essential as others have mentioned.

[brian kirby]

I found the same thing Jerry did on my Maico and Can-Ams. The Euro bikes need a longer throw on the lever to completely disengage the clutch. Except for Sachs engines, I only use the clutch to start so heavy pull is not a huge problem.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[wildman]

Glad I didn't bother trying the easypull yet, Thanks. I am going to try rerouting my cable behind the cylinder. I have trued the clutch pressure plate, rebuilt the throwout mech. new terrycable and greased Magura lever. I wonder how much clutch pull is added by 1  extra turn too much of the clutch springs? I get arm pump on the Penton I don't get on my modern bikes! Next will be easier front brake. Wildman

1975 250 Cross Country, 1974 175 Jackpiner, 1975 125

[garrettccovington]

My bike fell off my trailer and i got my parts today.  Turns out the Bars I got also had the Magura perch's and Levers.  To my suprise the magura levers were 1.5 inches longer than the levers I had on my bike originaly.  My original clutch lever wasn't broken,but since the longer levers were already on the bars that I needed to put on I left them on.  Turns out this longer lever made it easier to pull in the brake and clutch.  I really think these were GS80 levers and perches, since the front brake had a holed drilled for a mirror and a hole drilled for a front brake light switch.  Other than that everything looked the same.  I'm going riding tommorrow and will find out.

G

72 six-day

[tomale]

Just like my Maico's cable maintainance is really important... It is not enough just to lube the cable. It needs to be flushed out too... My buddy rick put a brand new cable on a bike and it did not work as well as the old one. Since he was racing the next day he found another used cable, cleaned it, lube it and it worked very well... cable routing is really important and using the best cables available is important too...

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[garrettccovington]

I went riding today and the Longer levers were alot better than the ones that came with the bike.  No drag, perfect engagement.  All I did was practice tight turns, clutch and brake.   I looked in my parts list to find the number and all they list is the short lever.  The new levers are Magura and they are 7.25 inches long, my stock ones are Magura levers are 5 .75 inches long.  That inch and a half really did help.  Try to find some.  With the new routing and levers There is a big diference.

G

72 six-day