Clutch lever free play?

It's normal.
You need at least 3mm free play on the lever, in case it gets colder, and the wire shrinks.

If you find this too much, you can adjust the clutch freeplay, much like you do a bicycle brake:

Random vid of clutch freeplay adjustment:
https://youtu.be/PCZoEuuDnmY

Thanks. Like I said, I just don't remember it being like that. Weird how you notice things as you get more comfortable after using them.

Book spec is 10-15mm of play at the end of the lever.

I had to readjust mine at 500km

My hand is small, so I adjust the lever in quite a bit for easy and quick shifts. However, every time I take it to the dealer, the morons adjust back tight again. I finally went to the manager to ask why they put new tires on and adjusted my clutch lever. He says that's standard procedure????? What???? I told him if he ever wants my business in the future, he will leave my clutch lever alone.

Owners manual.


10mm.


Cables stretch once from new and never again if you lubricate it from the start.

Audiolad said:

My hand is small, so I adjust the lever in quite a bit for easy and quick shifts. However, every time I take it to the dealer, the morons adjust back tight again. I finally went to the manager to ask why they put new tires on and adjusted my clutch lever. He says that's standard procedure????? What???? I told him if he ever wants my business in the future, he will leave my clutch lever alone.

Click to expand...

That's actually a sign of a good service technician. He wasn't necessarily paid to make any extraneous adjustments for you, but he noticed that your free play wasn't correct, and took the time (albeit only 10-15 seconds) to make it right.
What if you were missing a jam nut on your chain tensioner bolt, and your mechanic said "oh well, I'm not getting paid to do that. Guy jus wants an oil change."? Would you be griping then?...
I have a buddy who likes his lever like you do. (it's beyond me, as I prefer to barely pull the lever to get clutch disengagement. I only use 2 fingers on the lever, and don't wanna crush my other 2 fingers between the bar and lever). My bud prefers clutch disengagement when the lever hits the bar.
In my (22 yrs of riding street bikes, 3 yrs racing) humble opinion, if you want the lever closer to the bar, spring for some adjustable levers and keep your cable in proper adjustment.

Good what? The technician at my dealership have had words over the clutch. My hand is small, so the wide opening is too far to shift naturally. I purposely pull mine in enough to get a good grip. I did the same on my Triumph for a dozen years. The manual is sometimes written for idiots (as are some of the technicians). For years I used WOW in Marietta, GA (largest used bike dealer in the United States), and they never touch my clutch because they knew why I adjusted it out. Sometimes you must do things out of common sense. Someday I'm going to drop $250 for some good adjustable levers, but this works until then.