Webbs Broken Clutch - why no flex lever?

mx617
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mx617
Edited Date/Time 1/18/2018 1:14pm
I'm surprised that they don't run one of the several versions of an unbreakable lever. Curious as to the reasoning, seems like it would be cheap insurance. Is the feel different for pros (seems about the same for me, but I've been running them for years)? Sponsor conflicts?
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drt410
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drt410 1/17/2018 3:06pm
1/17/2018 3:06pm Edited Date/Time 1/17/2018 3:14pm
I miss when they actually did look stock. Chad Reeds yz250 with stock graphics comes to mind. I think stock graphics with black rims and some trick parts looks clean.

Come to think of it does anyone know when this changed? Had to be around 2008-9 with the change to 4 strokes. I do remember a 4 stroke with stock graphics then they added san manuel and its taken off ever since. There was a time where the bikes actually looked stock from a distance then trick up close with factory unobtanium.

Honda still cuts it pretty close roczens bike has close to stock graphics. Kawi was early to the game with chevy trucks, spit fire, and honda did have the road runner for a bit. Seems like Honda and KTM are really the only 2 these days that look close to stock from a distance but nowhere close to in the past.
MX Guy
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MX Guy 1/17/2018 3:07pm
1/17/2018 3:07pm
Drill a hole into the lever as a weak point... Could solve the "looking stock while being factory" issue
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mattyhamz2 1/17/2018 3:14pm
1/17/2018 3:14pm Edited Date/Time 1/17/2018 3:14pm
MX Guy wrote:
Drill a hole into the lever as a weak point... Could solve the "looking stock while being factory" issue
Or even do what they do on the stock yz brake lever. There is a little area in the middle of the lever that is a bit of a cut out/notch and if you fall right, it either bends at that point or breaks, still leaving you with half the lever to use.

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Dirty Points 1/17/2018 3:20pm
1/17/2018 3:20pm Edited Date/Time 1/17/2018 3:27pm
LOL.

Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock.

And to top it all off, he needs even more help from everyone in this forum to keep the lever from not breaking, none of which the factory team has considered on his completely not-stock stock clutch lever.
icrashalot
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icrashalot 1/17/2018 3:35pm
1/17/2018 3:35pm
Dirty Points wrote:
LOL. Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock. And to top it all...
LOL.

Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock.

And to top it all off, he needs even more help from everyone in this forum to keep the lever from not breaking, none of which the factory team has considered on his completely not-stock stock clutch lever.
That doesn't look like a a hydro clutch to me Whistling
icrashalot
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icrashalot 1/17/2018 3:36pm
1/17/2018 3:36pm Edited Date/Time 1/17/2018 3:47pm
Dirty Points wrote:
LOL. Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock. And to top it all...
LOL.

Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock.

And to top it all off, he needs even more help from everyone in this forum to keep the lever from not breaking, none of which the factory team has considered on his completely not-stock stock clutch lever.
Double post
mx317
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mx317 1/17/2018 3:39pm
1/17/2018 3:39pm
Dirty Points wrote:
LOL. Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock. And to top it all...
LOL.

Cooper somehow had a stock lever on his hydraulic clutch, which Yamahas don't even have, in order to look stock.

And to top it all off, he needs even more help from everyone in this forum to keep the lever from not breaking, none of which the factory team has considered on his completely not-stock stock clutch lever.
Cable clutch
Lightning78
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Lightning78 1/17/2018 3:46pm
1/17/2018 3:46pm
I'll throw my two cents in here just because I personally hate those flex and Breakaway levers they have a little bit of a give at their Flex point and they always feel super wonky and awkward to me some of the ones with larger knuckles I can feel the weight centered in the lever over there sounds weird but the pool is just not the same for me and I absolutely have remove them on every bike I get them with and go back to stock levers they have the best feel
SmokinJoe439 1/17/2018 3:46pm
1/17/2018 3:46pm Edited Date/Time 1/17/2018 3:48pm
So is that the million dollar lever like dungey chain Was? Or roczen suspension o ring.
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Hcallz5 1/17/2018 4:03pm
1/17/2018 4:03pm
He should have cut the end off with a grinder so it's a shorty like I do! Cool
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Acidreamer 1/17/2018 4:23pm
1/17/2018 4:23pm
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
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gt80rider 1/17/2018 4:32pm
1/17/2018 4:32pm
Acidreamer wrote:
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop...
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
And on the factory level, a broken lever could cost a championship... No idea, after all these years, how a factory team could suffer a broken lever...
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yak651 1/17/2018 4:57pm
1/17/2018 4:57pm
Acidreamer wrote:
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop...
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
gt80rider wrote:
And on the factory level, a broken lever could cost a championship... No idea, after all these years, how a factory team could suffer a broken...
And on the factory level, a broken lever could cost a championship... No idea, after all these years, how a factory team could suffer a broken lever...
Pretty sure a broken lever isn't going to be the reason he doesn't win the championship...
plowboy
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plowboy 1/17/2018 5:01pm
1/17/2018 5:01pm
Sometimes people do things that just make no sense.
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FGR01 1/17/2018 7:15pm
1/17/2018 7:15pm
Am I the only person that puts 5 cents worth of teflon plumber's tape under their perches and hasn't broken a lever in over 20 years ? It ain't rocket science.
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mxb2 1/17/2018 8:04pm
1/17/2018 8:04pm
FGR01 wrote:
Am I the only person that puts 5 cents worth of teflon plumber's tape under their perches and hasn't broken a lever in over 20 years...
Am I the only person that puts 5 cents worth of teflon plumber's tape under their perches and hasn't broken a lever in over 20 years ? It ain't rocket science.
Most top end perches come with a Teflon sleeve.
drt410
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drt410 1/17/2018 8:33pm
1/17/2018 8:33pm Edited Date/Time 1/17/2018 8:35pm
You can just leave the bolts loose enough it moves when you fall but tight enough it doesnt move when riding. Isnt this the oldest trick in the book? I bet factory guys have the levers torqued to spec in the exact position their rider likes and they dont move at all when they fall leading to...cooper webb sucking even more than usual. Although lets be serious he would have just dropped back to around that finish anyways.

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jemcee
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jemcee 1/17/2018 9:46pm
1/17/2018 9:46pm
MX Guy wrote:
Drill a hole into the lever as a weak point... Could solve the "looking stock while being factory" issue
I'm thinking that's what they did cause it was still long enough to be usable


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BobPA 1/17/2018 10:24pm
1/17/2018 10:24pm
Lightning78 wrote:
I'll throw my two cents in here just because I personally hate those flex and Breakaway levers they have a little bit of a give at...
I'll throw my two cents in here just because I personally hate those flex and Breakaway levers they have a little bit of a give at their Flex point and they always feel super wonky and awkward to me some of the ones with larger knuckles I can feel the weight centered in the lever over there sounds weird but the pool is just not the same for me and I absolutely have remove them on every bike I get them with and go back to stock levers they have the best feel
I will agree with you. The only “unbreakable” lever I can stand is the Renthal Intellilever, all the others feel fat and bulky to me. They give the clutch a terrible feel IMO. I like a thinner feeling lever, such as the one that comes with the Renthal RL-1 perch. My OEM KTM levers are a descent shape, still took a few thou off with the grinder and repolished them when I got the bike.
mx617
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mx617 1/17/2018 10:41pm
1/17/2018 10:41pm
drt410 wrote:
You can just leave the bolts loose enough it moves when you fall but tight enough it doesnt move when riding. Isnt this the oldest trick...
You can just leave the bolts loose enough it moves when you fall but tight enough it doesnt move when riding. Isnt this the oldest trick in the book? I bet factory guys have the levers torqued to spec in the exact position their rider likes and they dont move at all when they fall leading to...cooper webb sucking even more than usual. Although lets be serious he would have just dropped back to around that finish anyways.
I've actually done this and still broken levers, just the way the bike falls.
mx617
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mx617 1/17/2018 10:42pm
1/17/2018 10:42pm
Acidreamer wrote:
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop...
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
This! I've had the same set through 3 different bikes, though I will admit the lever ratio wasn't always perfect they sure as hell last a long time!
Lightning78
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Lightning78 1/17/2018 10:49pm
1/17/2018 10:49pm
Acidreamer wrote:
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop...
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
All you really have to do is run your levers maybe half inch to 3/4 of an inch inside of the edge of your bar and The perch just loose enough that you can hit it with your hand and slightly move it and oh try not to fall so much LOL I've broken maybe one clutch lever in about 15 years and I've done it a few times not many seems to be there's a pretty good way to avoid it but sometimes they do break in weird ways doesn't mean I'd ever consider using any kind of break away lover I absolutely hate them
Lightning78
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Lightning78 1/17/2018 10:51pm
1/17/2018 10:51pm
drt410 wrote:
You can just leave the bolts loose enough it moves when you fall but tight enough it doesnt move when riding. Isnt this the oldest trick...
You can just leave the bolts loose enough it moves when you fall but tight enough it doesnt move when riding. Isnt this the oldest trick in the book? I bet factory guys have the levers torqued to spec in the exact position their rider likes and they dont move at all when they fall leading to...cooper webb sucking even more than usual. Although lets be serious he would have just dropped back to around that finish anyways.
Honestly I'm just waiting for a rider to throw an excuse that can't be blamed on setup and all of a sudden we hear someone mention that their levers weren't correctly placed on the bars that shit seriously wouldn't surprise me today
tek14
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tek14 1/17/2018 11:14pm
1/17/2018 11:14pm
MX Guy wrote:
Drill a hole into the lever as a weak point... Could solve the "looking stock while being factory" issue
jemcee wrote:
I'm thinking that's what they did cause it was still long enough to be usable [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/01/17/238723/s1200_01.jpg[/img]
I'm thinking that's what they did cause it was still long enough to be usable


More surprised is Yamaha PR that claims Webb suffering from broken clutch lever as excuse to his poor result.
Is tip of lever that much factor of speed in SX tracks really...
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DTR830 1/17/2018 11:49pm
1/17/2018 11:49pm
Lightning78 wrote:
I'll throw my two cents in here just because I personally hate those flex and Breakaway levers they have a little bit of a give at...
I'll throw my two cents in here just because I personally hate those flex and Breakaway levers they have a little bit of a give at their Flex point and they always feel super wonky and awkward to me some of the ones with larger knuckles I can feel the weight centered in the lever over there sounds weird but the pool is just not the same for me and I absolutely have remove them on every bike I get them with and go back to stock levers they have the best feel
BobPA wrote:
I will agree with you. The only “unbreakable” lever I can stand is the Renthal Intellilever, all the others feel fat and bulky to me. They...
I will agree with you. The only “unbreakable” lever I can stand is the Renthal Intellilever, all the others feel fat and bulky to me. They give the clutch a terrible feel IMO. I like a thinner feeling lever, such as the one that comes with the Renthal RL-1 perch. My OEM KTM levers are a descent shape, still took a few thou off with the grinder and repolished them when I got the bike.
ARC composite levers
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sgrimmxdad 1/18/2018 1:24am
1/18/2018 1:24am
Acidreamer wrote:
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop...
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
We have broken SEVERAL ASV levers, they are JUNK IMO... The pivot bearing or whatever you want to call breaks very easy... We switched to ARC and so far so good. They will actually bend and you can bend them back. The clutch lever on our 15 has been bent and straightened numerous times...
Dirty Points 1/18/2018 1:47am
1/18/2018 1:47am
jemcee wrote:
I'm thinking that's what they did cause it was still long enough to be usable [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/01/17/238723/s1200_01.jpg[/img]
I'm thinking that's what they did cause it was still long enough to be usable


Oh geez. That's the only issue with the clutch lever? That shouldn't have held anybody back.
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Acidreamer 1/18/2018 2:12am
1/18/2018 2:12am
Acidreamer wrote:
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop...
At some point most people realize its better to shell out $200 for unbreakable levers than to keep replacing $40 clutch perch assemblies everytime you drop the bike in a rut.

Ive seriously slammed my ASV levers and they dont break. Guess im too factory for the factory guys...
sgrimmxdad wrote:
We have broken SEVERAL ASV levers, they are JUNK IMO... The pivot bearing or whatever you want to call breaks very easy... We switched to ARC...
We have broken SEVERAL ASV levers, they are JUNK IMO... The pivot bearing or whatever you want to call breaks very easy... We switched to ARC and so far so good. They will actually bend and you can bend them back. The clutch lever on our 15 has been bent and straightened numerous times...
Really? Ive had really good luck with mine then i guess. I suppose if they break i might check out the arc ones. Interesting how you can bend them back
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sgrimmxdad 1/18/2018 2:15am
1/18/2018 2:15am
Acidreamer wrote:
Really? Ive had really good luck with mine then i guess. I suppose if they break i might check out the arc ones. Interesting how you...
Really? Ive had really good luck with mine then i guess. I suppose if they break i might check out the arc ones. Interesting how you can bend them back
Yes, you can bend them back. Every time I do it I wait for it to snap off in my hand, so far so good.

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