HB: Handlebars Decompressor lever to work with modern switchgear

Normski

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I’d like to use a modern left hand handlebar switch on my Twin but this fouls the current valve lifter lever. Can anyone recommend one which sits far enough out to clear? Or some other solution to my problem?
 

Comet Rider

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Hi Normski,
On my Comet I used a pair of early Honda CBR600 Clutch levers which works well.
On my Greeves Norton I used the clutch lever off an early Honda XL500 which has a valve lifter built into the same perch as the clutch lever

I can take a pic tomorrow if you want?

Neil
 

b'knighted

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I had an Armstrong, 80s but modern for me, which had a valve lifter that cleared its switchgear. I use a standard Vincent valve lifter on the Knight with R series BMW switchgear and clutch lever.
 

BigEd

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I’d like to use a modern left hand handlebar switch on my Twin but this fouls the current valve lifter lever. Can anyone recommend one which sits far enough out to clear? Or some other solution to my problem?
If you can find a bike breakers it would be worth a browse. I've got switchgear from what I think was a Triumph 600 4 cylinder, the earlier one before they went to three cylinders. It has horn, headlight flasher, dip and 3 position light switch on the left and kill switch and electric start button on the right. I use it with the standard long levers for clutch and lifter on the left and a Kawasaki master cylinder and lever on the right. There should also be loads of the very popular CBR600 Honda bits about that Neil used.
 

vibrac

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Using the twin plug head Enfield type decompresor you can use a small trigger type lever that can be mounted a bit more inboard and only needs a slight one finger action works fine with my Comet electric start
 

Normski

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Thank you for your suggestions, at the moment I’m hoping to keep the current clutch (and brake) levers and perches and these work with either the Hinckley Triumph or Honda switches I have here. The problem is only the valve lifter. Vibrac’s suggestion to mount further inboard may work but it appears that the valve lifter has been adjusted to work at the end of a longish travel of the cable and I’m hoping for a fix which doesn’t involve going in to the timing chest. Has anyone used a choke lever?
 

Hugo Myatt

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Thank you for your suggestions, at the moment I’m hoping to keep the current clutch (and brake) levers and perches and these work with either the Hinckley Triumph or Honda switches I have here. The problem is only the valve lifter. Vibrac’s suggestion to mount further inboard may work but it appears that the valve lifter has been adjusted to work at the end of a longish travel of the cable and I’m hoping for a fix which doesn’t involve going in to the timing chest. Has anyone used a choke lever?
I use a cluster from Paul Goffe. It has dip/main, indicators and horn. It does not interfere with the clutch or valve lifter levers.
 

timetraveller

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Moving the whole of the valve lifter lever should not affect the adjustment of the cable. The inner and outer cables move together. I have used the switch cluster of the 500 cc Honda across the frame V twin (sorry don't know the model number) and it is superb.
 

vibrac

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Here are a couple of pics of my small lifter. The open box in background is the UFM stand that holds UFM and forks without detaching cables and wiring while sorting pushrod seals etc
Apologies to purists for grip shade!
1593858372774.jpeg

1593858422276.jpeg
 

Normski

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I’m trying to make this work with the switch next in and close up to the lever perch, Vibrac’s picture shows the valve lifter lever between the two, with my short little fingers I don’t want the indicator nor dip switches too far away from the grip.
 
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