Liter bike owners, can you 2 finger clutch?

[corndog67]

What, exactly, determines a "liter bike" other than the engine being 1000cc of displacement?

So is my 999cc KTM not a liter bike?

In my experience, when most people say literbike, they are referring to a Supersport, ZX, GSXR, CBR, s1000RR, R1.

Also, I don't sit at stoplights with my clutch disengaged, I'm in neutral, probably a throwback to the old days when clutches were real shitty. I watch the mirrors, though.

 

[nine_inch_rear]

How is your lever oriented?

It could just be that you need to adjust the pitch of the levers so its more in line with your elbow.

The other day i did adjust the lever clamp. There is a small peg on the bar that locks the clamp from turning, but I was able to move the whole brake lever over to the side beyond the peg. Now I can get more of a grip toward the end of the lever and angle it a bit more. Have yet to try it, but will this weekend.

 

[Blankpage]

I try hard to not be in the habit of 2 finger braking. Hop on a bike with mushy brakes and you have the other two fingers being pinched and runing out of break.

Less of a problem in day to day riding but when you need to stop in a panic you don't want to have to go from two finger squeese to releasing and regrabbing with all four fingers. You would have covered alot of ground in that amount of time.

4 fingers on the clutch always for me.

 

[fast4d]

2 fingers, all the time. I have shorty levers so only 2 fingers fit comfortably.

I don't recall the hyper requiring a high effort pull.

tendonitis is a bitch. I just got over a bout of it this year. rest is the only way

 

[Karbon]

The other day i did adjust the lever clamp. There is a small peg on the bar that locks the clamp from turning, but I was able to move the whole brake lever over to the side beyond the peg. Now I can get more of a grip toward the end of the lever and angle it a bit more. Have yet to try it, but will this weekend.

yeah, typically there is an indexing tab/detente for the switch and throttle tube housings to prevent them from rotating.

I can't recall ever seeing an indexing tab on on clutch and brake lever perches.

 

[ohio]

I'm a 2-finger clutcher with some left wrist/tendon damage that tends to fatigue badly in traffic or stop&go. I'm running the yoyodyne slave cylinder on my multi 1100. It definitely helps but it's still nowhere near as light or smooth as my R6. Additionally, neutral is harder to find than stock unless I go 4 fingers to bring the lever to the bar. I'll probably swap in a shorty lever so I can bring the lever to the bar with just 2 fingers and have an easier time finding neutral.

 

[frozenuts]

What, exactly, determines a "liter bike" other than the engine being 1000cc of displacement?

So is my 999cc KTM not a liter bike?

It's the same as a "Large Farva" bike.


I use 3 fingers on both the 1050 and the 1000ss.

 

[dmaxAl]

Why is only using two fingers on the clutch desirable? Using only 1 or 2 is defeating the mechanical advantage we get with the lever itself, which some of us can't do because of injury. I think it gives much finer control of the clutch using all 4 imho.

 

[russ69]

What, exactly, determines a "liter bike" other than the engine being 1000cc of displacement? So is my 999cc KTM not a liter bike?

Having the performance of the current crop of 1000cc Supersport bikes. Think 100 mph wheelies, just because you gave it too much gas. Sorry no, your 114 HP adventure bike is not a liter bike (it's still really cool though).

 

[ScottRNelson]

I finally paid attention to how I work the clutch. Three fingers for me.


As to the side-discussion on liter bikes. I get the impression that the only way to qualify is to have four cylinders, be something that can be raced in AMA or World SuperBike, and also be somewhere close to 1000cc's. Hayabusa? ZX-14? No? Yes? Ducati 999? 1198? 1199 Panigale? Who knows?

 

[Blankpage]

Having the performance of the current crop of 1000cc Supersport bikes. Think 100 mph wheelies, just because you gave it too much gas. Sorry no, your 114 HP adventure bike is not a liter bike (it's still really cool though).

So a liter bike is not a liter bike

I've had a gsxr1000 and two R1's and they ain't going to accidently do 100mph wheelies just because you gave it too much gas. Unless you happen to be riding around at 100 in first gear.
In second or third they will wheelie but unless you are cresting a small hill it won't happen accidently. But then I've never rode an S1000RR.

 

[islemann]

As a long time sufferer of tendonitis in both wrists and elbows - wear a brace when riding a sporting motorcycle. Use the clutch only when starting and stopping - moto gearboxes are constant mesh - once you're underway you can snick it from gear to gear with a simple throttle position adjustment. To upshift - preload the shifter, roll slightly off the throttle and the bike will very nicely snick into the next gear up. On downchanges - preload the shifter do a very light partial pull on the clutch and it'll drop down like a chocolate cookie into a glass of cold milk.

Be gentle yet firm. Kind of like when you're playin' with your (or someone elses) fun bits.

 

[Pelon]

Yep. Two finger clutch, one finger brake.

^^^ same

 

[frozenuts]

I finally paid attention to how I work the clutch. Three fingers for me.


As to the side-discussion on liter bikes. I get the impression that the only way to qualify is to have four cylinders, be something that can be raced in AMA or World SuperBike, and also be somewhere close to 1000cc's. Hayabusa? ZX-14? No? Yes? Ducati 999? 1198? 1199 Panigale? Who knows?

I have a liter+ sport touring bike and a liter supersport bike, not to be confused with liter superbikes which have more in their first gear than either one of mine do in first and second. They still displace a liter, so they are liter bikes. It is more of a size thing than a speed thing. Just because they are the same size (or bigger) than an I4, does not mean that they are as fast. Some of us have the size but like to take our time.

 

[OldMadBrit]

R1 two finger clutch all the time all day long

Aprilia Caponord, four finger clutch at stoplights, two finger once moving.

 

[russ69]

Disclaimer. I didn't invent the word, I'm just telling you what it means. If you want to call your 1000cc Goldwing a literbike, go ahead but you'll look kinda foolish.

...I've had a gsxr1000 and two R1's and they ain't going to accidently do 100mph wheelies just because you gave it too much gas....

It will if it's tuned correctly.

... I get the impression that the only way to qualify is to have four cylinders, be something that can be raced in AMA or World SuperBike, and also be somewhere close to 1000cc's...

The number of cylinders doesn't matter but yes they will be AMA or SBK contenders.

Hayabusa? ZX-14? No? Yes?

No, those are hyperbikes.

Ducati 999? 1198?

Maybe, were at one time.

1199 Panigale? Who knows?

Yes.

 

[corndog67]

So a liter bike is not a liter bike

I've had a gsxr1000 and two R1's and they ain't going to accidently do 100mph wheelies just because you gave it too much gas. Unless you happen to be riding around at 100 in first gear.
In second or third they will wheelie but unless you are cresting a small hill it won't happen accidently. But then I've never rode an S1000RR.

Sure they will. Just sit back a little bit. I ended up with a GSXR1000 racebike, that would light the tire and wheelie in third at over 100 mph.

 

[Blankpage]

Sure they will. Just sit back a little bit. I ended up with a GSXR1000 racebike, that would light the tire and wheelie in third at over 100 mph.

Yes it will actually wheelie easier at about 115 in 3rd than it will under 100 but it will NOT do it by accident.

 

[corndog67]

Well, maybe not by accident, but they will do them without much effort. How about effortless 100mph plus wheelies?

 

[Blankpage]

Well, maybe not by accident, but they will do them without much effort. How about effortless 100mph plus wheelies?

Maybe with the current 180-200hp bikes but back in the 150hp days I wouldn't say 2nd-3rd gear effortlessly. You had to want it to happen.

Before I got my gsxr1K I talked to a guy that owned one and he said he could pick up the front in 5th gear. Then when I got one his story became obviously BS.