smiles79
XS650 Addict
Hi all, the clutch lever on my '75 is pretty sloppy, a lot of up and down play. Is this caused my a worn pivot? If so, is that fixable or do I need a new perch and everything? Thanks!
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Sloppy clutch lever
- Thread starter smiles79
- Start date
angus67
Welder's penetrate deeper!!
yup. worn pivot. if you take the bolt out, no doubt that hole is elongated. Don't even bother with mikesxs replacement. I tried, and the perch snapped on the first pull. find a good original at a junk yard, or ebay.
this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-82-Yamah...-TA-/400040554988?hash=item5d244671ec&vxp=mtr
The bushing in this one will stop the slop
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motion-Pro-...?fits=Model:XS650&hash=item487cd8d7f8&vxp=mtr im not sure those two will fit together, but its what your looking for.
5twins uses a Kawasaki perch on his, but I don't remember what year.
this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-82-Yamah...-TA-/400040554988?hash=item5d244671ec&vxp=mtr
The bushing in this one will stop the slop
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motion-Pro-...?fits=Model:XS650&hash=item487cd8d7f8&vxp=mtr im not sure those two will fit together, but its what your looking for.
5twins uses a Kawasaki perch on his, but I don't remember what year.
smiles79
XS650 Addict
Will that work fine on my 75?
angus67
Welder's penetrate deeper!!
yes.
stay far away from these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XS65...-00-/311327694318?hash=item487c939dee&vxp=mtr
the money spent on those....you might as well burn it.
stay far away from these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XS65...-00-/311327694318?hash=item487c939dee&vxp=mtr
the money spent on those....you might as well burn it.
rbjenterprises
650B in SW Virginia
I got this lever only from Mikes
https://www.mikesxs.net/product/08-0014.html
It was the best clutch improvement to date.
I have been following all the clutch improvement threads, with sloppy lever none will ever work. If I had the tools or friends I would put a brass bushing in.
https://www.mikesxs.net/product/08-0014.html
It was the best clutch improvement to date.
I have been following all the clutch improvement threads, with sloppy lever none will ever work. If I had the tools or friends I would put a brass bushing in.
angus67
Welder's penetrate deeper!!
the levers are fine, but his perches just snap off the bars.
smiles79
XS650 Addict
Will that perch from a later year work fine on my bike though?
Edit: Sorry Angus, didn't see your reply to the question earlier.
Edit: Sorry Angus, didn't see your reply to the question earlier.
Last edited:
The lever and perch assembly I use came on most Kawasaki street bikes from the late '70s up through the '80s. I like it because of the wide pivot area on the lever, easily 3 to 4 times as wide as the stock Yamaha item .....
They're all over eBay and can be had for usually between $10 and $20 .....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/81-KAWASAKI...DER-/201328888707?hash=item2ee0230b83&vxp=mtr
They're all over eBay and can be had for usually between $10 and $20 .....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/81-KAWASAKI...DER-/201328888707?hash=item2ee0230b83&vxp=mtr
smiles79
XS650 Addict
Ok so I did a little bit of investigating and the pivot hole in the lever is definitely worn, so I'll buy a new one. Does the pivot hole in the perch look ok?
Also, it looks like the PO drilled out the top hole and added a brass bushing, or is this how they came stock? Where can I find another bushing like this?
The bolt threads into the bottom of perch, but there is also a nut on the bottom, which I thought was kind of weird.
Also, it looks like the PO drilled out the top hole and added a brass bushing, or is this how they came stock? Where can I find another bushing like this?
The bolt threads into the bottom of perch, but there is also a nut on the bottom, which I thought was kind of weird.
Attachments
angus67
Welder's penetrate deeper!!
horse to water......The lever and perch assembly I use came on most Kawasaki street bikes from the late '70s up through the '80s. I like it because of the wide pivot area on the lever, easily 3 to 4 times as wide as the stock Yamaha item .....
They're all over eBay and can be had for usually between $10 and $20 .....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/81-KAWASAKI...DER-/201328888707?hash=item2ee0230b83&vxp=mtr
smiles79
XS650 Addict
Angus, if you're implying that I should just go with that assembly, I think I'll stick with the stock one, I don't have any issues with it (after I replace the lever), because I think the perch is ok.
Pivot bolts were all steel as far as I know, and only threaded at the bottom. Yours is shot and looks like something the P.O. rigged up, just a normal fully threaded bolt with a brass sleeve slipped over it. Looks like it was run dry all the time. News flash - moving parts need lubrication. You can see what happens without it. On your Spring "to do" list should be cleaning and greasing the clutch lever and oiling the clutch cable. I pull the left cover every Spring and clean all the gunk out, oil the clutch cable, grease the worm gear, grease the exposed shafts .....
smiles79
XS650 Addict
I guess I could have been more specific, the bolt picture was what the lever pivots around on the perch.
Yes, I understood that. Like I said, that doesn't look like an original bolt, more like somebody's "barn job" fix. You need a replacement bolt and a new lever.
The bottom portion of the perch being threaded is stock. You snug the pivot bolt up to remove any lever wiggle, then lock it down there with the nut. If the bike has fallen over in the past, that can sometimes bend the perch halves apart where the lever fits in. Even with the pivot bolt tight, the lever will still flop up and down. To fix that spread perch, you'll need to remove the lever and squeeze the perch halves back together slightly with some Channel lock pliers. Make it so the lever pivot just slips in with no slop, but not so tight that it binds up.
The bottom portion of the perch being threaded is stock. You snug the pivot bolt up to remove any lever wiggle, then lock it down there with the nut. If the bike has fallen over in the past, that can sometimes bend the perch halves apart where the lever fits in. Even with the pivot bolt tight, the lever will still flop up and down. To fix that spread perch, you'll need to remove the lever and squeeze the perch halves back together slightly with some Channel lock pliers. Make it so the lever pivot just slips in with no slop, but not so tight that it binds up.
angus67
Welder's penetrate deeper!!
I think the original bolt is a shoulder bolt?
Motion pro makes a good lever, and I think its bushed. To lube it, I used just a drop of that household oil that comes in a red and white oblong bottle with a red cap.
Would graphite work here, too?
Motion pro makes a good lever, and I think its bushed. To lube it, I used just a drop of that household oil that comes in a red and white oblong bottle with a red cap.
Would graphite work here, too?
smiles79
XS650 Addict
Awesome, thanks. Can I find a bolt like that on mikesxs?
It appears I spoke too soon. According to the parts diagram, it looks like Yamaha did use a plain bolt with a sleeve on it .....
http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Yamaha/Motorcycle/1977/XS650D/HANDLE - WIRE XS650D/parts.html
I wouldn't get one from Mikes, even if they had it. I would go right to Yamaha.
http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Yamaha/Motorcycle/1977/XS650D/HANDLE - WIRE XS650D/parts.html
I wouldn't get one from Mikes, even if they had it. I would go right to Yamaha.
smiles79
XS650 Addict
And I need to put a sleeve on it?
I would say yes. Take a look at your current parts and notice how the threads worn through the bushing have started to cut into the side of the lever hole. You'd tear a new lever's hole all up if you were pivoting it on a threaded bolt.
smiles79
XS650 Addict
Awesome. Thanks for all your help everyone!
