A very mini CBX adjustment that helps handling....indirectly

Mike Barone #123 · Post by **Mike Barone #123** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 9:48 am

Over the last 20+ years i have had the opportunity to ride many cbxs and one adjustment i found lacking in many that can help handling indirectly is the elevation of the brake and clutch levers

huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you say....how can that effect handling

Having the brake elevated levers too high or low makes an extra motion ....ie ....fingers move out then up over the lever, then pull the lever back vs simply having fingers move out then pulling the lever back.

This extra motion is something one has to think about doing and as such is a distraction when riding fast in the twisties

Additionally this extra motion up to an extra fraction of a second before the front brakes are applied...but when one is traveling 88ft per second at 60mph....that extra time might just be the diff between stopping or riding through an item in/on the road

So next time you ride your cbx check out your brake and clutch lever elevation and test if your fingers have that extra step up over the lever. adjusting this only takes a few seconds

Mike Barone

KWICK · Post by **KWICK** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:16 am

Mike,

Every couple years I get invited to the California SuperBike School with Keith Code to help break in a new batch of ZX6Rs at Willow Springs Raceway.

I always have an Allen in my pocket to adjust the levers and I also spend a couple minutes taking all the slack out of the throttle cable. Removing the throttle slack is the biggest thing you can do to improve your riding smoothness. On a breakin day, we are limited to 5000rpm for about 300 miles...It's AMAZING how competitive a bunch of guys and gals become with a 70mph cap on straightaway speed. Smoothness is the key to getting through the corners fast.

On current bikes, you can adjust the lever extenstion also. If I remember right, a CB1000 adjustable brake lever fits the CBX mastercylinder.

An old racer taught me to sit on the bike, hold your fingers straight out and set your hands on the grips. The levers should fall at the ends of your fingers straight out. Not up, not down.

If there's time, I also adjust the shift lever so it doesn't get my foot caught under it when I'm in a turn and also I lower the brake pedal a bit so I don't accidentally have my toe making it drag.

Basically, your bike should fit you like a GLOVE! There are many sport riding books on the subject. One of my favorites is Sportbike Performance Handbook by Kevin Cameron. It has great bike setup tips. I keep a copy by my desk for easy reference.

Mike Barone #123 · Post by **Mike Barone #123** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:21 am

hi pete/all

now i am not all that fast but i do know one thing ..........you dont want to be thinking about anything else when you want to go fast on sport rides, trackday or in near rides in the twisties

i think most of us might not even be aware we are thinking about "stuff" like your lever elevations but we do.... and most of us can only think of so many things at one time and this is not a good thing while riding a motorcycle

thanks for your insights

mike

KWICK · Post by **KWICK** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:29 am

Mike,

Keith Code puts it an interesting way...

You only have $10.00 of attention to spend while riding.

If you are spending $6.00 on control access, that only leaves $4.00 to get thru the turn or out of the panic situation.

I try to get the controls adjusted so they only take 4 or 5 cents of my attention. That way I have $9.95 left to handle the situation ahead.

I know it sounds silly, but there is some truth to the theory.

Mike Barone #123 · Post by **Mike Barone #123** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:31 am

KWICK wrote:Mike,

Keith Code puts it an interesting way...

You only have $10.00 of attention to spend while riding.

If you are spending $6.00 on control access, that only leaves $4.00 to get thru the turn or out of the panic situation.

I try to get the controls adjusted so they only take 4 or 5 cents of my attention. That way I have $9.95 left to handle the situation ahead.

I know it sounds silly, but there is some truth to the theory.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

no truer words have ever been spoken.........spend you time on what you need to ........not what you are being forced to due to not being prepared