Rockburner wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:26 pm
Re the clutch lever - when you're on the bike, are your lower arms-wrists-back-fo-hands all 'inline' ?
Should be simple enough to loosen the lever mount and rotate them slightly around the bar so that the back your hand, when your fingers are resting on the levers, is inline with your wrist and lower arm.
Horse wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:33 pm
As Skub says, getting the levers comfy and the clutch biting point 'right' really helps.
With relaxed shoulders and a bend at the elbow, forearms should be close to horizontal (makes it easier to steer too), and that line continues straight forearm-hand-fingers over levers .
Rockburner wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:26 pm
Re the clutch lever - when you're on the bike, are your lower arms-wrists-back-fo-hands all 'inline' ? if you have to cock your wrist 'up' to get fingers on the levers then you're losing mechanical advantage. Should be simple enough to loosen the lever mount and rotate them slightly around the bar so that the back your hand, when your fingers are resting on the levers, is inline with your wrist and lower arm.
Definitely worth trying although there may be a pin in the mount which precludes this. I discovered that problem when meeting a trainee who was collecting his brand-new Ducati SS ready for a Confidence: BUILDER one-day course. They were set for a 'flat on the tank' riding position and awkwardly cocked up. The dealer's mechanic tried to move them for him after I'd pointed it, and couldn't, thanks to the pin.
Yeah - some bikes have that pin - some don't. I seem to remember cutting and filing the pin off a lever fitting on 'something' way back when, but no idea what it was - may even have been my Ducati.
tricol wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:40 pm
I don't think I need to go back to the training school.
One observation on that... training isn't just about what YOU think you need, it's as much about finding out what you don't KNOW you need
Having an experienced eye cast over your riding may spot an issue you're not aware of. One of my favourite war stories is about the trainee who had a brand-new Fireblade that "didn't steer". He'd had it checked over and pronounced fine, and had then proceeded to throw £'000s at it in bolt-on bits to make it "steer better" because that's what his mates told him it needed. New tyres, top spec replacement forks and shock, pro set up on the suspension, carbon fibre mudguard and more... he was just about to order the WSB spec carbon fibre wheels when he thought he'd book up a ride with me.
I spotted his problem before he'd got out the car park. Posture, and specifically stiff arms. He was leaning on the bars. As hard as he tried to steer the bike he was stopping himself!
Five minutes to explain the problem, five more to explain the solution, ten minutes to prove it worked. It might have been a quick fix but it was still cheaper than the wheels.
The rest of the session was all about ensuring that he kept his weigh off the bars when it mattered
Rockburner wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:17 pm
Yeah - some bikes have that pin - some don't. I seem to remember cutting and filing the pin off a lever fitting on 'something' way back when, but no idea what it was - may even have been my Ducati.
I did just that on a Honda after I fitted clip-ons... that would have been 1977 IIRC. Eek.
Rockburner wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:17 pm
Yeah - some bikes have that pin - some don't. I seem to remember cutting and filing the pin off a lever fitting on 'something' way back when, but no idea what it was - may even have been my Ducati.
I did just that on a Honda after I fitted clip-ons... that would have been 1977 IIRC. Eek.
On some Hondas the cable loom to the switchgear was threaded through the bars.
A few minutes filing on the switch housing and some black sealant ... bar changes in 20 minutes
Rockburner wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:17 pm
Yeah - some bikes have that pin - some don't. I seem to remember cutting and filing the pin off a lever fitting on 'something' way back when, but no idea what it was - may even have been my Ducati.
I did just that on a Honda after I fitted clip-ons... that would have been 1977 IIRC. Eek.
On some Hondas the cable loom to the switchgear was threaded through the bars.
A few minutes filing on the switch housing and some black sealant ... bar changes in 20 minutes
Presumably after you've re-wired the loom at one or t'other end?
If all else fails, maybe try pre-loading the lever? Take up play before de-clutching and changing. My Pan used to need this sometimes, or at least it made the change smoother.
Horse wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:08 pm
On some Hondas the cable loom to the switchgear was threaded through the bars.
A few minutes filing on the switch housing and some black sealant ... bar changes in 20 minutes
Presumably after you've re-wired the loom at one or t'other end?
Yes
Can't remember which end had to be unplugged ('chassis' end) or disconnected (swithes') but I am a person of minimal spannering, so it wouldn't have involved cutting the original loom.
Horse wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:08 pm
On some Hondas the cable loom to the switchgear was threaded through the bars.
A few minutes filing on the switch housing and some black sealant ... bar changes in 20 minutes
Presumably after you've re-wired the loom at one or t'other end?
Yes
Can't remember which end had to be unplugged ('chassis' end) or disconnected (swithes') but I am a person of minimal spannering, so it wouldn't have involved cutting the original loom.
Now you mention it, I had to do that when I changed the high bars on my CB125S for something rather lower. Didn't have to do any filing though because I used the bars from an SS50 - they had the hole for the wiring but also a slot for the Bendix throttle on the 125 too!
Lots of good ideas on here, but mainly seem to be focused on the bke hardware side of things i.e. gear lever position, clutch etc. Just thinking - shoot me down as in granny/eggs etc but:
As a relative newcomer to the game, It might be worthwhile to do a bit of very specific gearchanging practice on the new bike. Suzuki gearboxes, such as the SV650, are known to be very slick and "easy" and your new Trident may not be quite as user-friendly to start with. So:
Go out on the bike, not to "go" anywhere, but solely to do lots of gear changing. Quiet road, no traffic, few distractions. Pick a speed which the bike's happy with in 3 different gears e.g. on my bike, it's happy at 40 in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th; at 50 in 3rd/4th/5th. Ride along at a steady speed, i.e. v light throttle, in your chosen gear - say 2nd at 40. Don't SHUT the throttle to change up to 3rd - just "ease" it very slightly. Clutch in as far as you need to to disengage (as Spin said, some need just a little clutch, others a lot), and deliberately, firmly and smartly lift the gear lever right up fully against the stop, then release the clutch, and get your foot away from the G/L. You should not feel the bike lurch at all. A pillion shouldn't even be aware you've changed gear. You're still doing 40. Now do it again 3rd to 4th - same technique. Ease throttle, clutch, change. Still at 40. Now back down again, but this time, instead of "easing" the throttle, maintain its position, so the revs rise just slightly. Don't blip, just maintain. It's called a "sustained rev" gearchange. Clutch in, G/L firmly and smartly down to the stop, clutch out. Again, there shouldn't be a lurch. And still doing 40. Then 3rd down to 2nd the same way. Ride along at this steady speed, concentrating on smoothness: up/up, down/down. Try again at 50, 3/4/5th. And repeat until it's 2nd nature.
2 main points: going UP the G/B e.g. 3>>>4, don't SHUT the throttle, ease it; going down the G/B, don't blip, sustain. And make your gearlever movements firm and deliberate and to the stop each time, and then allow the G/lever to return fully to its resting position.
My tuppence worth. And another empty egg, granny! HTH.
The constant speed, up and down the box, exercise is something I sometimes get riders to do if they are having a bit of an issue with getting the right gear. Good reminder!
....and another thing: when you come to a stop, and tap your way down to first gear, give it another, extra tap, just to make sure. It's really easy to think you've gone all the way to 1st, and then discover when you let the clutch out that you're actually in 2nd >> stall >> drop, or in neutral >> screaming engine >> drop because you've lifted your foot off the ground. I've been riding for lots of years, and still do the extra tap as a habit, because.....!
So, I now have just over 500 miles done on the bike. The gearbox has definitely loosened up, and my changes are much better. Still fluffing the odd one, but that's all my fault. Thanks for all the advice. I found practicing changing gear but keeping road speed the same was very helpful in making my changes smooth. The Trident has very short gearing in 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th, so I'm now getting used to that too and shifting accordingly.
Was about to tell you it was clearly knackered and I'd take it off your hands for £50