a warning to anyone installing Pazzo levers and Vstrom hand guards

[Toynut]

I recently installed a host of farkles on my 0 mile '08 (not much else to do in Michigan winters). I was planning on installing quite a few additional farkles after the 600 mile break in period as it would then be a good time for me to remove the plastics.

This weekend I decided to take the new bike out to scrub in the tires. I had already installed a Sargent seat, top clamp, pillion peg extenders, Throttlemeisters(heavy), and lastly a set of Pazzo levers and Vstrom guards (as I have done on my '05).

I took off towards some country roads towards Ann Arbor this morning. About 20 miles or so out of town, I began feeling the bike coasting abnormally as I pulled the clutch in, and found the brake lever actuation point change positions as if there was an air pocket in the brake system. I managed to get some tools at a country hardware store and bleed the brakes. As I gassed up I felt the bike still difficult to push around the gas station. I managed to loosen the brake and clutch pivot bolts, thinking they were too tight/dragging and not allowing the levers to fully release.

When I got home I pulled off the hand guards and found that the Pazzo pivots (The front of the piece that depresses the switch mechanism) had been digging into the inner portion of the hand guards and not fully returning.

I believe that members considering changing both will have to consider relieving the plastics a bit, or, shimming up the bottom of the pivot bolts with additional spacers, to keep this from happening and potentially overheating and or damaging their brake/clutch systems.

Here are some pics of the V strom guards and the affected areas.

https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/Toy...guards009-1.jpg

https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/Toy...guards008-1.jpg

https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/Toy...guards007-1.jpg

https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/Toy...guards006-1.jpg

 

[Toynut]

[SIZE=14pt]Correction[/SIZE],

I have inspected the interference issue and found that it was the retaining nut on the bottom of the pivot lever bolt that was scraping against the handguard (ONLY ON THE BRAKE SIDE), and the front part (tang) of the Pazzo pivot that depresses the electric switch mechanism in the clutch master cylinder that was digging into the hand guard (ON THE CLUTCH SIDE).

I will Dremel the hand guards for additional clearance.

 

[Knifemaker]

I think you lose a Super Wrench point for not noticing this durring the initial instalation to begin with.

But thanks for the warning.....

KM

 

[TriggerT]

I had this same problem a few weeks ago when I put my Pazzo's on. It took me about 100 yards to notice the problem, and then about 5 minutes in a parking lot to fix it.

 

[zenwhipper]

I dunno... beeeeyouuuteeeful Pazzos and big plastic *ugly* thingies in front of them?? This seems like a conflict of the highest order to me! Tisk tisk - one should never hide their bling!

:confusedsmiley:

 

[Harald]

I dunno... beeeeyouuuteeeful Pazzos and big plastic *ugly* thingies in front of them?? This seems like a conflict of the highest order to me! Tisk tisk - one should never hide their bling!
:confusedsmiley:

I'm all for keeping the bike nice looking, but those handguards are a life-saver riding in the winter. Being from Seattle, you'll probably remember the whole week we had with temps in the 20's this past winter. Even with heated grips I can't imagine riding my daily 25 miles to work that week without those handguards. They make a HUGE difference in hand warmth.

But I can understand the concept of vanity before practicality. That's why Harley sells so many motorcycles. And people buy those custom choppers that I can't imagine riding for more than 30 minutes at a time.

 

[TriggerT]

I dunno... beeeeyouuuteeeful Pazzos and big plastic *ugly* thingies in front of them?? This seems like a conflict of the highest order to me! Tisk tisk - one should never hide their bling!
:confusedsmiley:

Spoken like someone who doesn't ride in below freezing temps!

 

[Toynut]

I think you lose a Super Wrench point for not noticing this durring the initial instalation to begin with.
But thanks for the warning.....

Ordinarily I would agree with your point, wholeheartedly. :headbonk:

While not trying to make any excuses, in this case, I had zero miles on this particular bike and got on the freeway within a mile of my warehouse (where I had the new bike delivered in January for winter storage/farkeling). I had installed the Pazzos and hand guards some 2 months prior to riding. I did not feel any appreciable drag on the brakes or notice that the levers were within a millimeter or two from being fully extended, till I got off the freeway, where I had a chance to coast down on some country roads and stoplights near Ann Arbor. It's also possible that vibration/freeway wind blast had shifted the handguards a bit in their mounts, too.

It's my bad, for sure, but it's all fixed now.

BTW,

Handguards are an absolute must in fall and early spring riding in our part of the world. Even with electric grips your knuckles and fingertips will turn nice and blue from the cold. :cold: