Longer shift lever?

[ContraMoto]

Anybody know of a (reasonably priced!) solution to lengthen the shift lever...say about another inch? It's just kinda cramped sticking my big feet in my big boots in that little gap.
Thanks,
Rick

[boxermoose]

Tourtech makes adjustable ones for the GS - I honestly do not know if it will fit the R

Oh and forget reasonably priced

[dbrick]

Rick,

I don't...but have wondered enough about a similar issue to have planned out who here in town I'd go to have the stock one modded. I have the Suburban Machinery lowered pegs, which move the rider's left peg back back about an inch. Relatively, that places the shift lever pad farther enough forward to make shifting just an eensy bit less precise, as the lever tab hits the base of the toes on my size 10s rather than the ball of my foot.

In addition, I like having the shift lever right at the midpoint (top-to-bottom) of my foot when the foot's relaxed; lowering the peg effectively raises the shift lever and makes it higher than I'd choose. The stock lever can be rotated only one spline lower; any further, and the shift lever hits the side stand when downshifting. Thus, for me, in addition to making the lever a bit shorter, the lever arm should be curved, so that the end can be closer to the ground without the arm hitting the sidestand.

I keep thinking about this, but haven't had it done. I think the local fab wizard could do it. Probably the easiest way would be to use the stock spline end, and cut and splice the arm so that it's curved while still decreasing its reach.

[ContraMoto]

From what I've seen for replacement parts, a local fabricator could certainly do the job.

[ipokebadgers]

ILium Works has a slip on shifter extension. It adds 3/4" to the length and a little to the girth. I don't have one but have been thinking about it. I have actually adapted to the feel of the lever and I have size 13 feet. But for $20 I may get one anyway and try it out. The gap can be increased by adjusting the shifter. I did that and it is easy.

Sean

[Chumley]

I do know that the Touratech shift lever does work.

I just prettied one up with some Bondo and painted it silver. The original is black and it has some rough welds. It is a 2 piece affair (adjustable length) and the piece that attaches to the splined shaft will need to be shortened or it may hit the sidestand/mount. I then mounted the second piece with the peg outside of the splined part and raised the lever (to clear the sidestand/mount). I also added some nylon washers as spacers on the splined shaft between the lever and the frame -the factory lever includes a casting that acts as a standoff between the frame and the lever, there is no stop on the back of the splined shaft (connected by heim joints to the actual transmission shaft/lever). Without spaces it could again hit the sidestand.

Also, the stock GS lever is longer than the "R" shaft. Be careful though because in general the area is tight with the sidestand.

FWIW

[dbrick]

I then mounted the second piece with the peg outside of the splined part

That's what the Touratch catalog photo looks like, isn't it?

and raised the lever (to clear the sidestand/mount)...
Also, the stock GS lever is longer than the "R" shaft. Be careful though because in general the area is tight with the sidestand.

Chumley,

This is interesting, but my mind's eye can't see it. Would you post a pic?

[Chumley]

dbrick,

Sorry it took so long to respond. I am going to try to post pictures here for the first time. I have avoided it in the past but I went and opened a Photobucket account so I can do more of this. I have some great stuff for fitting GS handguards...

General photo. I really did a lot of work to clean up the end at the shaft which I had filed down a while back. Lever was originally intended for use as part of a a heel shift lever assembly on my old GS due to a bad leg. Luckily the shaft and splines were the same.


Lever is adjusted higher since it actually hit the sidestand at one point. You can see the mark where the nut hit the sidestand.


Here are the 2 painted nylon spacers and a neoprene washer used to keep shaft and lever in place.


The lever as adjusted now is about an inch or so lnger than stock but forced to sit higher due to the sidestand and mount. I have not tried it lower since an upshift might send it again into the sidestand.

I have not had a chance to test it yet but it should work well. Basically due to the leg issue I have to make it work.

Good luck

[dbrick]

Thanks, Chumley. I see what you mean now.

I'm musing about a shorter lever with a different tab location. I could have the local fab guy do something in aluminum with the stock splined hub, but it'd be pricey. What I'm thinking of is using the Touratech lever but modifying it - it's steel, I can work with it.

Mount the back (splined) part so it's horizontal, like yours.

Mount the front part (with the shift tab) to the back part with spacers, so they're maybe a half-inch apart. But mount it at an angle, say 30 degrees down from horizontal. The joint would have only one bolt, and have to be lockwashered and locktited.

This would get the tab where I want it: lower than it is now, further from the bike's centerline, and closer to the splined pivot.

I wrote Touratech and got some measurements. I think the next step is a wooden mockup.

[dbrick]

Chumley,

The dimensions that Touratech sent me are wrong. They say the lever is adjustable in 3/8" increments - which looks like what the photos show - but their dimensions make the holes more than an inch apart, and the shift lever way too long. That can't be right.

I'd like to lay it out in wood scrap to see if I'm on the right track. Would you measure the two lever pieces for me? High accuracy is not required!

As to the piece with the splined end: what are the distances:

a) From center of the splined hole to the center of the first adjustment hole

b) From first adjustment hole center to last adjustment hole center

c) From last adjustment hole center to end of the piece

For the shift tab piece:

d) From center of shift tab to center of the first adjustment hole

e) From first adjustment hole center to last adjustment hole center

f) From last adjustment hole center to end of the shift tab piece

Thanks!!

[Chumley]

dbrick,

I'll have to get the measurements tromorrow. The adjustment of 3/8" actually sounds about right (each hole being about 3/8" apart).

The TT description says that the lever can be bent several times without breaking. If I had properly planned it all I would have realized that the lever would be in conflict with hard parts but I eyeballed it and lost, by roughly about 1/4" or so. If I had known I would have bent the lever before I bondo'd and painted it, maybe. At least I found out that the rear piece conflicted with the sidestand mount before I started. Nothing like having a broken part because you had to wrench on it so hard... Gee, never done that before...

[Chumley]

dbrick,

I wasn't able to get to it yesterday, sorry. Here is what I was able to measure. These dimensions may be off a bit but close is what you had asked for.

As to the piece with the splined end: what are the distances:

a) From center of the splined hole to the center of the first adjustment hole - 1 5/8"

b) From first adjustment hole center to last adjustment hole center - cut short but if the same as other piece about 2"

c) From last adjustment hole center to end of the piece - again it was cut off but looks like 3/8"

For the shift tab piece:

d) From center of shift tab to center of the first adjustment hole - 1 1/8"

e) From first adjustment hole center to last adjustment hole center - 2"

f) From last adjustment hole center to end of the shift tab piece - 3/8"

Hope that helps.

Chum

[rockbottom]

Seems like this should work: http://f800depot.com/f800st-items/contr ... 0s-st.html

[dbrick]

Thanks, Chumley, it does. Your numbers make sense; the ones Touratech sent me didn't. I made up a cardboard dummy, and I think I can bodge together something that'll move the shift tab where I want it: lower, closer to the footpeg, and a bit further from the bike's centerline.

One of the other members has offered to sell a Touratech lever - I've told him if it's the adjustable length one, I'll buy it. I'll report back. Thanks again.

[carlvs]

Wunderlich has a lever that is supposed to work on both the R1200GS and the R1200R

http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 5-105.html

Adjustable Gear Lever

Part Number: 8500105

Price: $129.00

Available for immediate delivery

R1200GS/Adventure & R1200R

$129.00

Cheers,

[dbrick]

Carl,

Thanks. I ended up doing it with a Touratech part, modified. I wrote four threads on it with pics, probably more than you want to know:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22417

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22432

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22469

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22663

[carlvs]

Hi, Saw the great write up that you did along with photographs and decided to order a Touratech and give it a go myself.

Thanks,