How is it possible in 2025 to lose a brake lever on a factory bike?

I don't get it.  There are break-away levers that can be combined with the malleable levers that bend and do not break.  Did the perch break off?  What kind of levers does Deegan use and how the hell did it break off so easily?  

Setting Kitchen's punt aside, it's that brake lever that could have cost him the championship tonight.

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DownSouth
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9/13/2025 7:25pm

There is no such thing as indestructible 

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ML512
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9/13/2025 7:26pm
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Not hillbilly
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9/13/2025 7:27pm

That’s a fair point, BDB. There are plenty of aftermarket levers out there that are designed to fold rather than break. I assume Haiden was running a stock lever… but why?

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9/13/2025 7:27pm
DownSouth wrote:

There is no such thing as indestructible 

Agreed, but there's something called engineering that could easily design a system that has a backup (finger) lever that won't break off in case of a major malfunction of the main lever. 

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The Shop

DownSouth
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9/13/2025 7:29pm Edited Date/Time 9/13/2025 7:31pm

Looks like the folding lever broke at the pivot point. You can engineer something all you want but if it gets hits just right things can break.

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Madkiwi
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9/13/2025 8:03pm

Pretty sure most of the OEMs insist on using OEM parts.

I have often looked at Yamaha, in particular, at OEM levers on otherwise pretty modded bikes.

I stand to be corrected, but think the Hondas and Kawis often do too.

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ML512
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9/13/2025 8:06pm
DownSouth wrote:
Looks like the folding lever broke at the pivot point. You can engineer something all you want but if it gets hits just right things can...

Looks like the folding lever broke at the pivot point. You can engineer something all you want but if it gets hits just right things can break.

Stock lever, as far as I can tell.

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9/13/2025 8:06pm

I already have a design that will prevent that from ruining a race.  Star or Arc, reach out to me by PM and I will license it to you.

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ML512
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Madkiwi wrote:
Pretty sure most of the OEMs insist on using OEM parts.I have often looked at Yamaha, in particular, at OEM levers on otherwise pretty modded bikes.I...

Pretty sure most of the OEMs insist on using OEM parts.

I have often looked at Yamaha, in particular, at OEM levers on otherwise pretty modded bikes.

I stand to be corrected, but think the Hondas and Kawis often do too.

Most of the Star team is on ARC levers, some choose solid blades, and some choose folding.

HRC, most of the team is on ARC, except Hunter I believe.

Factory Kawasaki is on ARC.

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truck
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9/13/2025 8:14pm

They still run out of gas sometimes in this sport so....... 

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Shakybonez15
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9/13/2025 8:19pm Edited Date/Time 9/13/2025 8:19pm
That’s a fair point, BDB. There are plenty of aftermarket levers out there that are designed to fold rather than break. I assume Haiden was running...

That’s a fair point, BDB. There are plenty of aftermarket levers out there that are designed to fold rather than break. I assume Haiden was running a stock lever… but why?

Didn't the manufacturers (Factorys) a few years ago say that their riders have to run the stock levers??..i swear i read something about that with honda and the reason they run the black lever on one-side and regular silver on the other.

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30minmotos
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9/13/2025 8:21pm
truck wrote:

They still run out of gas sometimes in this sport so....... 

😂😂😂😂

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9/13/2025 8:21pm
truck wrote:

They still run out of gas sometimes in this sport so....... 

And I'm sure just like the solution I just came up with, you and many other vital members here can create a simple design that prevents that from happening again, even if it were to break in the same spot.  It's a simple fix and is the difference between the SMX Championship Crown and 250K if Deegan finishes 2nd next weekend.

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yardsailor
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9/13/2025 8:21pm

Up in the snowbelt country, we run blue tooth front brakes.   

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9/13/2025 8:22pm

Maybe they should have stuck some of that carbon fibre tape on it, ha!

-MAVERICK-
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9/13/2025 8:29pm

Maybe they should have stuck some of that carbon fibre tape on it, ha!

Nah. 😄 

1000008336
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9/13/2025 9:23pm
Madkiwi wrote:
Pretty sure most of the OEMs insist on using OEM parts.I have often looked at Yamaha, in particular, at OEM levers on otherwise pretty modded bikes.I...

Pretty sure most of the OEMs insist on using OEM parts.

I have often looked at Yamaha, in particular, at OEM levers on otherwise pretty modded bikes.

I stand to be corrected, but think the Hondas and Kawis often do too.

ML512 wrote:
Most of the Star team is on ARC levers, some choose solid blades, and some choose folding.HRC, most of the team is on ARC, except Hunter...

Most of the Star team is on ARC levers, some choose solid blades, and some choose folding.

HRC, most of the team is on ARC, except Hunter I believe.

Factory Kawasaki is on ARC.

ARC levers are fantastic, I can see why so many teams run them.  IMHO, best feel for an after market lever, but more durable than stock.  Doesn't look like Deegan was running an ARC lever.

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dadofagun
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9/13/2025 9:24pm

Maybe they should have stuck some of that carbon fibre tape on it, ha!

-MAVERICK- wrote:
Nah. 😄 

Nah. 😄 

1000008336

Fucking classic Mav.......!!  

On a serious though, about his lever break....  My Dad had an expression, that always turned out to be true....(besides women have secrets....)  If it is designed, and built by Man, it can, and will fail.   That's just the way it is.  Shit happens.

But I gotta admit, this whole Flex tape, Flex seal empire, this shit has got me thinking......  What a sponsor this sport could use!  

Us poor bastards have been taping, gluing, hacking on shit for years......  what a market they are missing.  Have them sponsor a team, or a high pay privateer event......    Seal a leaky fuel tank?  Radiator?  Coolant hose?  Hell, put their pitch man on an old  abused ex Pro practice bike with a cracked frame held together with  Flex Whatever it is....   Launch an SX triple.....

Marketing 101......  Damn it, that is entertainment.

 

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FGR01
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9/13/2025 9:28pm

There's this stuff called teflon plumber's tape.   A few wraps of it under your perches will prevent this from happening.  Might not sound trick or factory, but neither is losing $500K when 5 cents of teflon tape could have prevented it.

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Jroc
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9/13/2025 9:33pm

My first down vote, sorry OP. You can't argue with physics. Shit breaks sometimes no matter the design.

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9/13/2025 10:06pm
Jroc wrote:

My first down vote, sorry OP. You can't argue with physics. Shit breaks sometimes no matter the design.

No problem JRoc, downvotes are welcome anytime here.  But just know, there’s a simple and inexpensive design add-on that prevents Deegan from losing 500K tonight 

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MKMX
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9/13/2025 10:34pm

ARC is all over instagram making sure everyone knows it’s a stock lever.

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jaun
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9/13/2025 11:46pm
MKMX wrote:

ARC is all over instagram making sure everyone knows it’s a stock lever.

Can you screenshot it? 

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MKMX
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9/14/2025 2:18am
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Zzips
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9/14/2025 4:39am

That’s not “all over instagram”

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matze
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9/14/2025 4:57am Edited Date/Time 9/14/2025 5:03am
DownSouth wrote:
Looks like the folding lever broke at the pivot point. You can engineer something all you want but if it gets hits just right things can...

Looks like the folding lever broke at the pivot point. You can engineer something all you want but if it gets hits just right things can break.

what kind of argument is that? With that mentality nothing ever will improve cause u just take it for how it is. I think OP makes a valid point. Dont get the disagreement at all. 

Imagine he loses this championship by just a few points. You 100% can blame that on the brake lever then. Whats so wrong trying to figure out how to prevent those things from happening?

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davis224
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9/14/2025 5:42am
Jroc wrote:

My first down vote, sorry OP. You can't argue with physics. Shit breaks sometimes no matter the design.

No problem JRoc, downvotes are welcome anytime here.  But just know, there’s a simple and inexpensive design add-on that prevents Deegan from losing 500K tonight 

Depends on the direction it was hit to break it off. Teflon tape probably wouldn't have helped if it was an inward force, just up/down.

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Pop Shmoke
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9/14/2025 6:13am

Stock lever

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Tumic
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9/14/2025 6:18am

Both Sunline and Renthal used to have levers that fold up, down and forward.

Polisport have composite levers that are supposed to be unbreakable. 

I don’t get it why the teams don’t use something like that since you have more to gain from it than what you got to lose. 

 

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