Adjust Left Controls on F700GS

I would like to adjust the clutch lever on my F700GS to where it is more horizontal rather than pointing down. Issue is that the control cluster seems to be in a fixed position, which causes the clutch lever to activate the high beam switch when I pull in the lever.

It looks like there is a screw that locks the grip and the control cluster into place. I haven't taken them completely apart, but don't see where that can be changed.

Has anyone adjusted the position of the grip/control cluster? If so, what am I missing?

You are overthinking this. Ever bike I have had levers need adjusting. Just loose, one or two screw(s)and turn the lever to your liking. Then tighten. The control cluster is not part of the clutch lever.

EUGENE said:

You are overthinking this. Ever bike I have had levers need adjusting. Just loose, one or two screw(s) and turn the lever to your liking. Then tighten. The control cluster is not part of the clutch lever.

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I appreciate the input. As a German engineer, I do tend to overthink things. :-D However, in this case, it's a matter of potentially budding against some poorly designed setup. I'm sure the BMW engineers had a specific goal in mind. Sometimes I dislike the German way of thinking, though.

I already adjusted the lever into a more horizontal position the way you described it. Since the control cluster does not seem to rotate, the clutch lever now makes contact with the high-beam switch on the control cluster, engaging it. The only way at the moment to avoid this is to tilt the clutch lever down again or to push the clutch lever mount right next to the control cluster housing. That leaves about a two-milimeter gap between the lever and the high-beam switch when fully pressing it in.

So, it works to a degree. I just had hoped that the cluster could also be adjusted to where with enough rotation, the high-beam and lever don't connect.

The lever is on the front side and the high beam switch on the back side of the handlebars ,right? Maybe a picture is in order here. I'm not understanding you.

Here's what this looks like from two different angles. Taking the picture, I just thought about having the high-beam engaged, which flips the switch forward. The moment I press the clutch lever in, the high-beam would disengage. Hmm. Looks like unless I reposition the clutch lever downward to the original position, there is no way to keep it more horizontal. Bummer...

It looks like about 20 degrees downward from horizontal eliminates the conflict.

And it's a GS. If you were ever to stand on the pegs something downward from horizontal would be welcome.

PGlaves said:

It looks like about 20 degrees downward from horizontal eliminates the conflict.

And it's a GS. If you were ever to stand on the pegs something downward from horizontal would be welcome.

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Standing Position: Agreed!

The 20 degrees down would eliminate the high-beam switch contact issue for sure, which is what I will end up with.

The idea of the more horizontal position for the clutch lever came from listening to Chris Birch describe his setup on one of the latest Adventure Rider Radio podcast episodes. So I wanted to give it a try and see what difference it makes.

If the lever is parallel with the ground, it’s incorrect. Ideally, your forearm and back of your hand should be a straight line as you engage the lever. Doesn’t matter if your riding a race replica or cruiser.

lawrencecarlson said:

If the lever is parallel with the ground, it’s incorrect. Ideally, your forearm and back of your hand should be a straight line as you engage the lever. Doesn’t matter if your riding a race replica or cruiser.

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Interesting. I must have misunderstood the lever adjustments then.

When you roll back the inner side of the grip you'll see a T-12 screw head. It goes all the way through the handlebar and through two plastic taps of the control unit. Means, the control unit's position is fixed to a position on the handlebar. Stupid? Over engineered? I think so.



I replaced my OEM levers with a pair from China found on ebay for $30. Precision made (CNC) and they don't have the adjustment knob which hits the head light switch in your case. I am very pleased with the quality of the levers and they allow me to get the levers closer to the handlebar than the OEM levers.



/Guenther

My recommendation for lever position. Sit in your normal riding position. Extend your fingers with your wrist straight so that you form a straight line from the top of your shoulders through your wrist to your finger tips. Position the lever so that your finger tips just rest on the top edge of the lever. This usually is perfect for riding in a seated position.

However, on a dual sport bike where you may ride some standing, rotating the lever a bit downward from this is helpful. Not a lot. Strike the balance between the seated and standing position that works best for you.

I am glad all worked out for you. I have never seen a dimmer switch like that.

Have you tried adjusting the bar clamps and rolling the whole unit? Maybe that puts the rest of the switch gear/mirrors in too much of an awkward position?