DL1000 Heavy Clutch Lever

[Pigginpete]

Hello,

I wonder if you can help.   I have a 2002 DL1000, 47000 miles great comfy bike.  I do a lot on narrow lane countryside riding and after a while due to my age 65+ and arthritis I find I can hardly pull the clutch in after a longish day.   A mechanic friend of mine stated I should fit a larger clutch cylinder so I am wondering if anyone else has done this modification and if so which master cylinder did they replace it with and did it help?   My thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Pete

[hookie]

Unfortunately this is not as simple as it sounds. The force needed to pull the lever and free the clutch is a combination of master and slave cylinders diameters plus the leverage ratio of the handlebar lever. Changing any of these will alter the amount of force needed to work the clutch. Just fitting a larger master cylinder will probably result in more force being needed but without having to pull the lever so far and a smaller cylinder would do the opposite, I.e less force needed but you'd have to pull the lever further to work the clutch, which may well do the job for you. An alternative would be to find a clutch lever or cylinder which uses a higher leverage ratio I.e. the ratio between the lever pivot and the cylinder pushing point and or the distance from these to the hand lever itself. But the same compromises described above will still apply. All rather complicated! As an alternative it might be worth stripping both cylinders making sure everything is free and not tight or seized and then fitting a braided hose..

[kwackboy]

Hi,
 
Has you're clutch got heavier over time or has it always been like it..?

If you're clutch has heavy duty springs the clutch will feel a little heavier but I would say try checking out the push rod behind the front sprocket cover, they can get clogged up with chain lube that mixes with dirt which could cause you're issue.
While you are in there check out the clutch slave to see if the piston is moving freely also .

[sharealike]

Hello Pete

Forgive me for not spotting this earlier. No excuse. Just don't read everything on clutches.

See if you can have a feel at the lever of a stock Suzuki SV1000. Naked or the half faired should both be the same. The lever pull is about half that of the VStrom. Everything about the clutches is the same as in your DL1000. Except the hub has a torque assisted middle. Its similar to the new 2014 VStrom's clutch where the pressure springs are very weak. The clamping force to the plates as you ride is provided by some cams that use engine torque. Suzuki introduced this on the SV1000 and Busa 1300 rocket ship because the lever was too heavy.

Now the good news. I have these torque assisting clutch hubs kicking about here doing nothing useful. Result of modifying clutch baskets for owners of SV1000 and DL1000 VStroms to get rid of the vibrating chudder as they ride. The hubs are not required and drop straight in to replace the DL hub. You can keep your original hydraulics and even the clutch plates. About ten main parts required but six of those are the different springs. A revelation to ride with after the stock VStrom. I regularly swap between SV and DL clutch as part of my development work here.

Take me five minutes to assemble everything you will need and confirm it can be sent over. I won't put a price here because everyone will want one. Just be assured it will be one quarter or less the new parts price including the post. Hope you have not given up.

The stock slave cylinder is a tight enough fit near the front sprocket. Doubt anything bigger dia. would go near. Obvious one is smaller diameter master but that will run out of stroke before the clutch disengages.

[sharealike]

I would have edited the above but seems time ran out.

Link below to the very parts needed for sale on eBay. I stress this is not me. Ask the seller if he has the thick thrust washer that goes between this hub and the clutch basket. Not in the picture and is essential as different from the DL1000 VStrom's. I have one or Suzuki won't want a lot for one. Part is WASHER (09160-25076) £12.50. No guarantee the rest of the bits inside are there or in serviceable condition but they most likely are.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-SV1000-clutch-hub-pressure-plate-springs-etc/262729921798?_trksid=p2054502.c100227.m3827&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908103841%26meid%3D27e3538fcf6d4dd9806cdb07e4c8966d%26pid%3D100227%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D13%26sd%3D232137625212