Control Levers.

General purpose topics/chat goes in here
User avatar
Pharisee
Member
Posts: 1126
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:51 pm
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Contact:

Control Levers.

Post by Pharisee »

I'm looking for a new pair of handlebar control levers... Clutch and front brake. I need the complete thing, clamp and lever but the "clasic style" ones I've seen all look cheap and not very well made. I'm not precious about absolute originality so I was wondering if any of you could point me in the direction of a quality pair... Ball end or plain, not fussy but as the adjusters are at the other end of the brake and clutch cables, I don't need the adjusters on the lever. Thanks.
John
I'm from the Fens.... Gimme six.
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Control Levers.

Post by Mick D »

Hi

I got mine from AMC Classic, they're as per original 7/8" pivot.

Regards Mick
39speedtwin
Member
Posts: 850
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Control Levers.

Post by 39speedtwin »

Authentic reproductions of the originals are made by Vintage Replica in the Chezk Rep. Not cheap but better than all the others. Google for his Website, he is normally at Stafford in April and Netley Marsh in September.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Control Levers.

Post by Rob Harknett »

Back in the 1980's I brought a complete set of Docherty levers for one of my bikes. They looked OK to me. But I kept the old levers on the bike. They kept well, in fact still on the bike today. So I still have the Docherty set in their bags. After over 30 years. Cannot fit them now as they will look quite odd on a bike restored over 30 years ago. Not sure if Docherty are still being made.
User avatar
1608
Member
Posts: 2493
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Control Levers.

Post by 1608 »

got a good set new on e-bay.
Greybeard
Member
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:49 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Control Levers.

Post by Greybeard »

AMC Classic Spares are waiting for stock of the 7/8th levers to arrive. Ive had a set on back order for a couple of months. I 'borrowed' the set off my G80 just to get the M31 on the road thinking the new levers would arrive in a day or two. The old G80 now has to suffer the embarassment of the 1" ball end levers I took off the M31 :oops:
Ill make it up to her when the new ones arrive. Its worth the wait as those 7/8th levers do make a noticeable difference to the clutch and brake.

Steve
Richard Mills
Member
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1996 12:00 am
Location: Doncaster UK

Re: Control Levers.

Post by Richard Mills »

I have had a problem with replacement levers not being made properly. Difficult to describe, and so I hope that this makes sense to the reader(s):
There is a 'flange' to the rear of the pivot (to the side of the clamp) which should extend back to the handlebar and take the load when the lever is operated. There are many out there where the flange is too short to reach the bars and therefore all the stress is taken by a twisting force where the clamp is located. Does this make sense to you? I complained to one supplier who refunded my money but did not want the levers returned; he said that the workshop used them on all their restorations without problems. Trouble is that the problem will only arise when the customer who buys his restored machine does an emergency stop and the lever breaks off.
I thought of welding a bead along the flange, but the heat would damage the chrome. I did have to use one and so fitted a pair of the U clamps (from other levers) on the handlebar to act as a shim.

Hope that the ones you get do not have this fault.


Richard
G15 Roy
Member
Posts: 3546
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 1995 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Control Levers.

Post by G15 Roy »

To help it would be nice to know that supplier .
Roy
g80csp11
Member
Posts: 1567
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: Control Levers.

Post by g80csp11 »

Richard , if rather than extend the lever stop , spot weld a spacer strip to the handle bar . then the lever will not bend . not idea but safe for emergency stops
Just a thought !
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Control Levers.

Post by Mick D »

Hi

A bit mucky but this is a lever from AMC Classic - note, it doesn't suffer from the manufacturing error highlighted by Richard.
Lever.png
I believe this style of lever was fitted after 1955.

Regards Mick
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Locked