Extended gear change (shifter) lever - Advice?

SomervilleXS650

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Saw an 'extended length' shifter lever on Mike's the other day and was surprised to not find any discussion about it anywhere on here (p/n 19-6502). I've got a size 12 foot and with my cycle boots, it can be a little clunky sneaking my foot around the lever to upshift and extended rides I can feel my foot/ankle getting tired.

Has anyone used an extended lever on their bike? Feels like sort of a silly question, but would anyone advise against for any reason?
 
I use one also,and need a new one ever 2 seasons of riding. Alwa s goes loose on splines. Poor me7al , I believe, for I have gone so far as doubling down w/ a nu7 under side on a longer bol7 .jus 2 be sure bol7 is no backing off.............
 
You may like and benefit from an XS1 shift lever, if you can find one. They are slightly longer than the later levers and also, the splines align a bit differently. Here's the original on my '78. It sits below the "Yamaha" lettering and barely reaches to the left side of the "H". I looked at pics of your bike and yours seems very similar .....

5IXW4Oi.jpg


And now, here's the XS1 lever. It sits a bit higher and reaches a good halfway through the middle "A" .....

ZDePHHa.jpg


Here's the two compared. Although not by much, the XS1 lever is longer. I'd like to think it gives a bit more leverage and improves shifting a little. Well, that's my story at least, and I'm sticking to it, lol.

Xm4Vi0d.jpg


x9EFAmS.jpg


The easy way to I.D. one of these is by the mounting bolt. It goes in the top and threads into the bottom half .....

JFGb1Xf.jpg


On the later levers, the pinch bolt goes in from the bottom and threads into the upper half.
 
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Thanks everyone, great feedback as always. Sounds like the extended lever is worth a try. Tim - understood that the shift travel distance will be increased with the extended radius....I don't _think_ that will be problematic, as my "extended radius" foot should be able to pivot accordingly, but it's probably just a feel thing that I will have to try. Glad to hear there's no nightmare stories (I was wondering if they would chew through the shift-shaft splines or something)

5twins - Thanks for that, had no idea they were different through the years... That being said....Well, nothing is ever simple I suppose haha.... I don't know what to make of the one I have. See pics below. Based on the length of my lever and the clearly negligent PO who let the dang thing wear through the side cover, it would APPEAR that I have the later-model, shorter version. BUT.....my bolt also mounts from the top (hard to see, but in pic below). So to Marty's point - what does that mean haha? Maybe it's just an aftermarket replacement. I haven't measured it, which wouldn't be too difficult.

thanks for the feedback everyone.
upload_2020-7-28_23-48-54.png
 
Another thing I like about the Yamaha ones, at least ones up to what came on my '78, is that they're a one piece cast part. The MikesXS ones and I believe even some of the later factory 650 ones have the lever welded to the splined block. They look awful in my opinion compared to the cast ones.
 
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