[Nejat]

1) Are Lever Guards & Shorties mutually exclusive?

or

2) Can Lever Guards be effective with shorties too?

I occasionally, especially on long right handers, extend my hand to or past the end of the right grip.

3a) Do Lever Guards obstruct throttle action?

3b) Will I have to modify my habit?

4) or should I get shorties and not worry about getting my levers caught.

I also understand I'm far from experienced enough to be in these situations, either way I like understanding and being prepared.

Thanks for the advice

 

[jarelj]

Lever guards are independent of the lever, and you'll never see a professional racer using shorty levers.

 

[rybo]

Consider the Dion Device - won't obstruct your motion and still provides the brake lever protection if you think you need it.

Here is a review from Motorcycle USA

Dion Device Brake Lever Guard Review - Motorcycle USA



I agree with Jarel - you don't see professional riders using shorty levers and I have never really liked shorty levers. I really notice it on the clutch side for sure. The extra leverage on the clutch side allows me to move that lever more slowly and precisely, making it a much more usable control.

 

[rybo]

To respond directly - (My answers in blue)

1) Are Lever Guards & Shorties mutually exclusive?

Not Mutually exclusive, you could use them together, but for track riding I would recommend using full length levers
or

2) Can Lever Guards be effective with shorties too?

I occasionally, especially on long right handers, extend my hand to or past the end of the right grip.

3a) Do Lever Guards obstruct throttle action?

No, if properly installed they will not affect the action of any other control

3b) Will I have to modify my habit?

Depends on the guard you choose. If you go with the Rizoma or the Woodcraft guard you will not be able to move your hand off the end of the grip, like it seems like you're currently doing. With the Dion Device the end of the grip remains open, so no change to your style would be necessary. I would advise you to try to drop this habit regardless. A low side crash with your hand over the end of the handlebar could cause an injury you wouldn't otherwise get.

4) or should I get shorties and not worry about getting my levers caught.

I say no. Shorty levers are not the answer. I ask a few more questions, however. If you're racing then being in a pack for the first couple of corners is likely, but if you're doing track days it seems like this situation would be easy to avoid. I understand that more safety is often a good thing, but most track day riders will not encounter this kind of situation unless the PUT themselves in it, which is truly unnecessary.

I also understand I'm far from experienced enough to be in these situations, either way I like understanding and being prepared.

Thanks for the advice

Hope that helps.

 

[Nejat]

Hope that helps.

It does help, firstly about the lack of leverage of shorter levers, secondly about my dangerous habit and finally about the dion device as the solution.

Interestingly I was shown this technique by a couch on my first track day.

Like I said I'm a new track day rider I realize I really won't encounter this situation yet, but I like absorbing information and understanding why people do and use what they do.

Thank you, very informative

Additional question, so no need to worry about covering the clutch?

 

[rybo]

I don't worry about covering the clutch lever. If it gets bumped by another rider it really doesn't have much effect - it will slow you down a little, but won't cause a catastrophe like locking the front brake.

Most people I know who have guards on both ends are slightly OCD and don't like the asymmetry of the guard on just one side. That being said, Moto GP riders are some of the most OCD types on the planet and they only have one guard.

It does help, firstly about the lack of leverage of shorter levers, secondly about my dangerous habit and finally about the dion device as the solution.

Interestingly I was shown this technique by a couch on my first track day.

Like I said I'm a new track day rider I realize I really won't encounter this situation yet, but I like absorbing information and understanding why people do and use what they do.

Thank you, very informative

Additional question, so no need to worry about covering the clutch?

 

[krissrock]

brake guard, but no shorties...

 

[sinjin]

Lever guards are independent of the lever, and you'll never see a professional racer using shorty levers.

Can you offer some insight on this, please? I just ordered the CRG shorty levers for my 899 and am now concerned that I have made a huge mistake.

I thought that by using the three strongest fingers on the levers it would be ok to keep the pinky on the grip.

Thanks.

 

[jarelj]

On the track, crazy things can happen, you can get bobbled on your bike and your hand slips off the bar and you have to make an "emergency" grab at the brakes. With a short lever, you have about 50% of the lever to grab which can be the difference between crashing or not crashing. There's absolutely no functional benefit to a shorty lever, they're made for aesthetic purposes only. Lots of stretched-swingarm Busas have shorty levers on them.

 

[sinjin]

On the track, crazy things can happen, you can get bobbled on your bike and your hand slips off the bar and you have to make an "emergency" grab at the brakes. With a short lever, you have about 50% of the lever to grab which can be the difference between crashing or not crashing. There's absolutely no functional benefit to a shorty lever, they're made for aesthetic purposes only. Lots of stretched-swingarm Busas have shorty levers on them.

Thanks! One follow up... I have not yet tracked my bike and am wondering if I will be prevented from participating if my bike has shorty levers. Are they widely recognized as being a safety risk?

As always I appreciate the feedback!

 

[jarelj]

Thanks! One follow up... I have not yet tracked my bike and am wondering if I will be prevented from participating if my bike has shorty levers. Are they widely recognized as being a safety risk?

As always I appreciate the feedback!

No they're allowed with every track organization I know of. I just think it's a poor choice to make on a bike that will be used at the track because of what I stated previously.

 

[jarelj]

Oh and I do agree with Rybo above as well that lever guards are extremely valuable in racing, and less so for track days where you're not as likely to be bunched up with a bunch of bikes handlebar-to-handlebar. However, I was at a track day at Heartland Park Topeka two years ago where there was a horrific crash on the straight when one bike got squeezed against the wall while trying to pass another bike and his brake lever touched the back of the other bike's tail. It locked up the front instantly and sent him and his bike hurtling off the track at well over 120MPH. Luckily he walked away, but that crash would probably have been prevented with a lever guard in place.

 

[mcouper99]

I've put shorties on all of my bikes, primarily because of comfort. I don't race, yet, but do enjoy track days and never considered if they would present a challenge in an 'emergency' scenario. I am looking into a guard, after I went down two weeks ago after locking handlebars with another rider. We both came into a corner and tried to occupy the same space at the same time, something I think I learned wasn't possible in my physics classes but apparently needed a reminder. Definitely food for though, so thanks for all the input.

 

[sinjin]

I've put shorties on all of my bikes, primarily because of comfort. I don't race, yet, but do enjoy track days and never considered if they would present a challenge in an 'emergency' scenario. I am looking into a guard, after I went down two weeks ago after locking handlebars with another rider. We both came into a corner and tried to occupy the same space at the same time, something I think I learned wasn't possible in my physics classes but apparently needed a reminder. Definitely food for though, so thanks for all the input.

I am not trying to discount the more experienced view(s) as I am truly a novice in this area, however in my naïveté I assumed that by having shorties, one could hold the handlebar with two end fingers and operate the levers with the fore and middle fingers which in my mind was alternately safe by reducing the chance of losing grip in the first place.

I am rethinking my decision to install shorties on my 899 and might put them on my Monster instead.

 

[mcouper99]

Ultimately it sounds like it comes down to what you plan on doing with the bike, and the usual risk/reward considerations. If you're comfortable/like the shorties, then get them; knowing that there may (or most likely not) come a day when you needed a longer lever. I would hope that no one would ever confuse our 899's with the 'Busa's...

 

[jarelj]

I am not trying to discount the more experienced view(s) as I am truly a novice in this area, however in my naïveté I assumed that by having shorties, one could hold the handlebar with two end fingers and operate the levers with the fore and middle fingers which in my mind was alternately safe by reducing the chance of losing grip in the first place.

I am rethinking my decision to install shorties on my 899 and might put them on my Monster instead.

With a full length lever, you should still be only using 2 fingers for braking and leave the other two fingers on the throttle for control. On any modern sport bike, the brakes are so powerful that there is no situation where you would need all 4 fingers on the brake lever unless something went wrong.

 

[rybo]

I am not trying to discount the more experienced view(s) as I am truly a novice in this area, however in my naïveté I assumed that by having shorties, one could hold the handlebar with two end fingers and operate the levers with the fore and middle fingers which in my mind was alternately safe by reducing the chance of losing grip in the first place.

I am rethinking my decision to install shorties on my 899 and might put them on my Monster instead.

For me this is less about an emergency situation and more about leverage. The longer lever on both sides allows me to modulate both controls while using less hand strength. This makes those 'fine adjustments' easier to do repeatedly, lap after lap on the track. I notice the long clutch lever being especially useful during race starts, and really notice the difference in lever effort on both controls when I ride a different bike that is equipped with short levers.

This is, for sure, a matter of personal preference, if you like the short levers, use them. I don't like them, so I don't.

Scott

 

[joebry21]

Lever guards are independent of the lever, and you'll never see a professional racer using shorty levers.

 

[joebry21]

Lever guards are independent of the lever, and you'll never see a professional racer using shorty levers.

Could you expound on the “why” we would never see “real racers” using shorties?