Get 50% lighter clutch pull with a Clever Lever | Installation & first impressions on a KTM 500
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- Опубликовано: 8 янв 2022
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In this video:
We show you how to install the Midwest Mountain Engineering Clever Lever and then take a trail ride to give you our first impressions. We're planning to do a longer review later. Our goal with this upgrade is to get the lightest possible clutch lever pull and this lever was a huge success.
The advertised 50% reduction in lever effort is absolutely true. We found it was exactly as advertised. One thing we'd heard from some riders who have tried similar setups is that the levers can be hard to adjust and are never "just right". We didn't experience this issue. There is def a technique to getting these levers adjusted properly, but it's not ultimately that difficult.
We did notice some drag while the bike is cold, which got waaay worse when we installed the Rekluse Core Manual clutch plates (see that video here - • Rekluse Core Manual In... ) but the benefits are well worth this small sacrifice.
Video editing by Nikola Popovic:
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Thank you for this review, my experience is very very similar with my midwest Mountain engineering clutch lever.
Cool, good to hear that it worked for you as well. The longer I have it on, the more I like mine.
@@ExtremeSportsWannaBes I repositioned the clutch to be laterally inward so just the first finger can pull, index finger. My middle finger is reserved for the Ox hydra rear break lever. I am liking that set up.
I don't have the extra brake lever, but I also just use one finger on the clutch and so have also moved mine quite far towards the center of the bars.
That last little adjustment on the clutch is critical. I struggled between proper disengagement and slippage in my 500EXC-F. It has to be warmer up for sure!
Yup, totally agree. It took me a couple of rides to find just the right setting.
You should try the Graphite dry lubricant by Blaster if you are worried about surface grime sticking to the grease and making things gritty. I use it on my levers and chain. Just be aware that it looks like black spray paint so be mindful of overspray.
I had to read the directions too, lol!! I'm a fan.
Haha, yeah, that was a moment, lol
I put one of these on my 525, totally transformed the bike, using a fish scale the pull went from 12pounds with the stock lever down to 9pounds so a big improvement there but the wider engagement point is the main difference, it just gives so much more control.
Absolutely! I’m not sure how we rode without them before
my yamaha yz 125 from the '98 got that 20ish kg resistance on the clutch
Hey mate, a friend told me that my Midwest lever is to far out and that the stock plunger is the go. I do find it suits a long way out and give me grief about about 4hrs.
Thoughts?
i ran that clutch for a bit. damn thing needed a longer plunger. i couldn't feather clutch right due to angle of the lever. you have to pull it in all the way. it started being a pain in the ass and i took it off.
Tried the clever lever for a few months on my 450 xcf. It didn’t work for me. I went and installed the clake and big difference.
I'm interested to install this on my bike, but the main reason is because I messed up my left hand working in construction... my ring finger was amputated and my middle finger was reattached at the hospital. I hit all four fingers with a skill saw, I'm really lucky today that I'm still able of clutching the bike. But I can't ride it because, the clutch is too stiff and it hurts my hand. That's why I'm looking for alternative options of upgrading the clutch lever. Please let me know if you have more information on how to do so. I would really appreciate it.
Any advice on adjusting it. I just got one but im having trouble setting it up and Im really afraid im going to mess up my clutch. I did set it up with the bike warmed up and on day one it felt perfect. Day 2 not so much. Maybe i need to lock tight the adjustment screw
You need to adjust the clever lever screw only when the bike is hot (like fully warmed up from some hard riding). Because the lever effectively doubles the engagement area of the lever movement, it's super sensitive to adjustment. What I've found is it'll tend to drag pretty heavily when the bike is cold-medium warm. But once hot, it'll work perfectly. If you set it to not drag when cold, it will slip when it warms up.
What bar protector model? They look like Acerbes, but I've not seen orange plastics from them.
They're cycra bar guards. Love them!
Does lighter clutch springs mean reduced seat pressure on the fly?
If so for your technical type of riding + increased output (pipe/ECU) are you concerned of added slip/clutch burn out?
Lighter springs does mean less engagement pressure on the clutch plates. This can cause slipping. However, the clever lever doesn't change the clutch spring pressure, it just adjusts the lever force being applied (twice the travel distance, half the effort per pull). Going with the rekluse clutch plates (still fully manual) does give you more engagement surface and so you need less pressure to get the same grip.
@@ExtremeSportsWannaBes larger friction surface would need less pressure. Makes perfect sense.
Anyone knows the piston rod length and thickness? I lost mine so need to have dimensions.
I don't, but someone else might respond.
would be nice to show how you got the lever adjusted properly,
Good point! We’ll work on a video for that
@@ExtremeSportsWannaBes awesome, I think that will help people.
following up that video ….
@@leohens so we’re actually going to have the owner of the company on our podcast next week. One of the things we’ll ask him is how to tune the lever properly. If that does t work we’ll make a how to video as well.
is that bocca mountain?
What’s your thought on the lever now? Contemplating this or the clake
I have had it on for several hours of riding and I'm a huge fan. Def recommend it.
I have a clake on my gasser and love it.. im trying a Midwest on my sherco so we will see..
We'll have to try the clake sometime too
Which 1 do you like better?@christophernicola9293
Did you ever do a pull long term review of this clutch lever ?
Not yet but we love it. It’s been about 6 months on 3 bikes and it’s amazing
@@ExtremeSportsWannaBes clutch drag has not been a issue ?
You might have to tweak the adjustment here and there. But no, not really.
just basicly charge the pivot of the leverage, but useful
Do you still use it? I could never get used to it and ended up returning it
Oh absolutely! We’ve got them on all of our fleet bikes, everyone loves the easy pull.
I have given up on mine - either heavy drag or slip.
@@aharrington3 huh 🤔 that’s too bad. We’ve had really good luck with ours
@@aharrington3 same here, was very irritating. even when the bike would get hot in the woods, it would drift
Cable clutch?
How many times do you say LIKE 😂😂
Isn't that already a hydraulic clutch....lols..
Yup.